Department of Predictable Events

In December, after the death of hereditary dictator Kim Jong-Il, network and cable TV news programs replayed videos of North Korean citizens publicly weeping and wailing in mourning for the Dear Leader.  Many Americans, starting with but not confined to news reporters, made fun of the North Koreans. I wrote a blog entry at the […]

Festivus Roundup (updated)

The outside lights are up, strung along the eaves on the front of our house.  Polly and I put them up two weeks ago.  But the tree?  That’s a different story. Our old Martha Stewart Omniliving Holiday Tree® has become a Ghost of Christmas Past: threadbare (yes, artificial trees shed too), one entire section of […]

Attack of the Brain-Eating Facebook

Oh, scare-mongering media, what will you terrify us with next? Well, what more can one say about that?  Really.  Brain-eating ameobae.  I’ll never put anything up my nose again.  Not even a finger. More current news, as seen on Facebook: Anent the Dear Leader’s demise, I couldn’t help making a few jokes, but I’m saddened […]

“Larger Political Considerations”

If you looked at an online news site today, read a newspaper, or watched the six o’clock news, you’re aware of this story: Safety Board Urges Car Cellphone Ban The National Transportation Safety Board has recommended a nationwide ban on the use of cellphones and other electronic devices while driving, even hands-free devices.  The recommendation […]

What a World We Live In

We try to keep the world from intruding on our happy lives, but sometimes all defenses fail.  I don’t mean to make light of what happened at UC Davis, and god knows the photo itself is horrifying, but this photoshop somehow makes the latest pepper spraying incident all the more Orwellian: What a world we […]

Goatheads and Authoritarians

I just ended the longest no-flats streak I’ve had since taking up bicycling again a few years ago. The culprit:  the dreaded goathead, a thorn that detaches itself from the devil tree it grows on and then, through some kind of plant/asphalt magnetism, migrates unerringly to the nearest bicycle path. What amazed me, once I […]

Looking Up the Recipe for Python Stuffing

We’re spending Thanksgiving in Las Vegas with our son and his family. We won’t hit the road until next Wednesday … which means we weren’t there yesterday for our grandson Quentin’s 9th birthday. Gregory and Beth hired an animal wrangler to entertain Quentin and his guests. What a great idea!  There were snakes, snapping turtles, […]

Missing Dog Found!

It’s warmer this morning, but the wind’s blowing like crazy.  Despite my lingering cold, I was going to hop on my mountain bike and scout out the Hash House Harrier trail I promised to set this Sunday, but I think I’ll put that adventure off until the gusts die down to tropical storm strength. When […]