"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter." —Mark Twain
We went for a bicycle ride this morning with other members of our Trail Trash riding group. Along the way I had an unpleasant encounter with a motorist. Did it really spoil the ride? No, but it was shocking to me to realize how much some folks hate bicyclists. We were riding south toward the […]
I thought today would be robocall-free, and said so on Facebook. An hour later one of my little Facebook friends reported getting one. So much for that theory. In three years of using one, I’ve received not one sales pitch, robocall, or charity solicitation on my cell phone. Not so my landline, which has become […]
I bought a Nook for my birthday. I deliberated long & hard between the Nook and the Kindle, finally going with the Nook because I’ll be able to borrow e-books from public libraries with it. But why buy an e-reader at all? Here’s why: I’ve literally run out of shelf space for new acquisitions. A […]
Remember my earlier post about following the money involved in catching, holding, processing, and deporting illegal immigrants in Arizona? And how much of that money finds its way to the private prison industry and associated private contractors? I started following the money in May. Rachel Maddow started following it in August, quickly picking up on […]
Maps? I love ’em! Well, maybe except for this one: View Book Bans and Challenges, 2007-2010 in a larger map The Pentagon has figured out a way to take a book out of circulation without actually banning it. Here’s a good anti-censorship manifesto from the writer who was recently “disinvited” from a youth book fair. […]
NPR, the only radio station I can stand listening to for more than five minutes in a row, is in full horse race mode as mid-term elections near, obsessing over poll numbers, and — what a surprise! — breathlessly advancing the mainstream media meme that Republican and Tea Party candidates are going to win big. […]
“Son, I’ve played sick, drunk, divorced, and on the run. Bad Blake hasn’t missed a goddamn show in his whole fucking life.” — Jeff Bridges as Bad Blake in Crazy Heart (2009). If you think I’ve been posting a lot of DVD reviews lately, you’re right. I’m doubling the frequency of DVD review posts in […]
I went to the annual Tucson Classics car show at St. Gregory’s Preparatory School this morning. As usual, I couldn’t resist snapping a few photos. Last year I concentrated on classic grilles and engines; this year I thought I’d concentrate on automotive lore from rock’n’roll. Like this: Lincolns were huge, heavy cars; you rarely saw […]