Foreigners Teach Americans US History
We should thank the million foreigners who took to the streets on May 1st: they remember what we’ve forgotten. On May 1 1886 Chicago labor unions went on strike for the eight-hour work day. This strike precipitated the Haymarket Massacre. Every May 1st there are demonstrations and marches all around […]
Posted on May 2nd, 2006
A Composite Day, 01/2006
Obviously, I’ve been too quiet for too long. A dear friend called recently to check that I was ok. It seems I’ve been falling behind in my correspondence of late. I’m shamed, and will do what I can to catch you all up with a composite day. I was awake […]
Posted on February 12th, 2006
War Against Christmas, New Year’s Resolutions
This year, I resolve: To worship a snowman. To smash a Christmas tree angel. To set fire to a chocolate bunny. To allege that the holiday ham is in fact a raindeer. To steal a plastic Jesus from a nativity scene and donate it to Goodwill. To embrace Santa as […]
Posted on December 9th, 2005
This Written Early in the Morning
Every night I have epiphanies, every morning I forget them. Th is, I think, is a problem I can solve.
Posted on December 4th, 2005
California Special Election Day
As most of you know, I like to sit in a pub on Election Day and watch the returns come in. Today is November 8th 2005: California Special Election Day. My recommendations for the ballot: NO. Proposition 73. Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy—State of California […]
Posted on November 8th, 2005
Palm Software
Agendus for Palm OS Professional Edition – Five-in-One—- Address, Date book, To Dos, Memos, & E-mail/SMS—- an ultimate combination of personal information management & convenience Central – Central contains over a dozen utilities to enhance your Treo 600 or 650. From do not disturb functions to Super Alarms, Central is […]
Posted on October 22nd, 2005
Pirates, Global Warming & Phone Hell Escapes
I’ ve spent too much of my life trying to convice answering services to send me directly to a real li ve human being. Here’s the “Find-A-Human—IVR Cheat Sheet” use the codes to go directly to the operator in all kinds of voice systems. Oh yeah: Here’s a graph showing […]
Posted on October 14th, 2005
The Cop Said
Terrifying Things I have in My Head. There are a few of them. Like radiation detectors at borders and the Spanish Flu. Money Laundering, risky business, C.I.A. National debt, Plame Game, Red Yuan who the …. is Johnnie Ray? Oh. I once had a classmate, who was a retired NYPD […]
Posted on October 5th, 2005
The Caesar Singularity
Delay’s Ethics. Posse Comitatus. Avian Flu. Clinton Impeachment. Valerie Plame. Hurrican Katrina. Julius Caesar. When it all comes to an end, I can’t see past the “Caesar Singularity”. The new bad idea out of the White House this weekend was the idea of making the Pentagon the “lead agency” in […]
Posted on October 4th, 2005
Spontanious Human Combustion?
Frank Clewer had a near miss with spontanious human combustion when he showed up for a job interview: An Australian man built up so much static electricity in his clothes as he walked that he burned carpets, melted plastic and sparked a mass evacuation. Elsewhere, Dr. Tsunemi Kubodera finally released […]
Posted on September 29th, 2005
I'm in Long Beach
Never mind what I’m doing. I’ll tell you later. I just wanted to say that the reports of the evacuation of Houston really bother me. I wasn’t€™t connected before Katrina came thru, this just ain’t right. Wilma Skinner (pictured): “I done called for a shelter, I done called for help. […]
Posted on September 23rd, 2005
On the Beach in Hoek van Holland
I sit on a white sand beach in Hoek van Holland, my toes in the sand as the sun burns off the morning fog. It’s early afternoon and a warm breeze dances with the grasses while crows walk pick at seaweed and white birds highgrad the tide pools. Tugs and […]
Posted on September 4th, 2005
Dead Tired in York
Something happened this morning, and I’m tired. I’m going to sit down in York for the weekend. It’s a lovely city by the way: Small, walkable, energentic, creative, attractive. Everything I’d look for, though it may be a bit too affluent/yuppie for my specific taste (but I could be pursuaded). […]
Posted on August 26th, 2005
The Sun Shines in Glasgow
I got into Glasgow from the Isle of Skye last night. The sun is shining on me again. It’s a little jarring to be back in a city after the island life of the last couple weeks. Below the fold is a July picture from a turkish bath (“hamam”). What […]
Posted on August 25th, 2005
Orkney to Shetland
It’s 1pm on a Sunday and before me sits a sniff of Highland Park Scotch and a cup of instant coffee. I’m in a Kirkwall pub called ‘Auto Hoose’, frequented by Westray folk. The rowdies are warmed up and moving into 3rd gear but my gut is tender. I’ve been […]
Posted on August 15th, 2005
Oh Lord, I'm Stuck in Kirkwall Again
I’m still in Orkney. Kirkwall, actually. Orkney Islanders populated the area of Canada known as Arcadia, were chased out because of some concerns about their loyalty, and moved to French Louisiana where they are known as Cajuns. Things went a little sideways last night so I’m in a rough shape, […]
Posted on August 13th, 2005