"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter." —Mark Twain
Medical appointments. Working at a VA hospital, I see the same patients every few days, sometimes every day. The older they get, the more appointments they have, right up until they move into the hospice wing, where they have just one big appointment. Now I’m starting down the same path. Two months ago I broke […]
So the British foil another terror plot, one similar to a previous terror operation planned by Al Qaeda. I’ve said this before: Israel’s war with Hezbollah and Hamas aside, for Europe, the UK, and the USA, there’s one clear target in the war on terror. His name is Osama bin Laden. When are we going […]
Our friend Mary Anne’s hosting a trunk show for Donna today, inviting people over to drink wine and look at Donna’s embroidery samples. I’m expected to put in an appearance, maybe even work the party as a shill, at least with people who don’t know I’m Donna’s husband: “I love that! Can I buy a […]
Arizona’s monsoon is here at last and we have rain, rain, rain. Sections of the main east/west rail line between Tucson and Phoenix washed out Thursday – you could see tracks and ties suspended in the air where floodwater had literally shoved away the roadbed underneath – but just one day later crews had repaired […]
When I post entries here, I categorize them: culture, current events, politics, motorcycling, flying, war, etc. Usually it’s a no-brainer. But sometimes I drift into areas that are more difficult to pin down. Example: suppose I write about the terrorist bombings in Mumbai and the frightening events in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon. How do I […]
Oh dear God . . . from Lawrence Kaplan at The National Review: Even by the degraded standards of everyday life in Baghdad, this report from CNN’s Nic Robertson comes as a shock: One international official told me of reports among his staff that a 15-year-old girl had been beheaded and a dog’s head sewn […]
A month ago, we started riding bicycles with a small group of friends. Each Saturday it’s up at 5:00am to brush, dress, fill water jugs, pump tires, load bikes, and drive to the starting point. We’re off by 6:00am, first for 8 miles, then 10, then 12, and this morning, 18. And we ain’t talkin’ […]
Sometimes I wonder just how independent I am: at 6:00am sharp Donna cracks the whip and I leap out of bed to start charcoal for the smoker, add water to the pool, sweep the patio, put up the umbrella, and empty our big green utility wagon so we can decorate it for the neighborhood parade. […]