Garrison Keillor had a fantastic line in his most recent newspaper column: When I was in college, I read Kafka and Camus and tried to write like them, in flat non-American English, as if written under the influence of a migraine, until it slowly dawned on me that I was missing the basic experiences thatContinue reading “On a Great Quote”
On Rain
It rained today. Forecasts called for an inch, give or take. In Fells Point, it seemed that we got far more than that. Rain beat up against the windows of the building, a hard driving rain that made the world feel dismal. Forecasts are calling for rain the next few days. It seems as thoughContinue reading “On Rain”
On Opera Widgets
The latest version of Opera, the 9.x version, added a new feature: widgets. Basically, they’re little mini-apps that can run under Opera. Some will bring you newsfeed. Some will tell the weather. Some play chess. Not good chess, but what does one expect for a program with a small footprint like the chess widget? OnContinue reading “On Opera Widgets”
On Laundry
Yes, my grandmother had conniptions because I did laundry today. I didn't care. It was breezy. It was warm. I love the smell of dress shirts when they come in off the line. And I'd forgotten how good a Guinness Extra Stout can be. I'd gotten so used to drinking the Guinness Draught that theContinue reading “On Laundry”
On Fixing the Wild Card
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig has a concern: he wants to make things more difficult for the wild card teams in baseball’s post-season. “While the first round of the playoffs is likely to stay a best-of-five series, wild-card teams might find a tougher road next season, commissioner Bud Selig said Friday.” Wild card teams have beenContinue reading “On Fixing the Wild Card”
On Presidential Ambitions
Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner is expected to announce today that he won’t be seeking the Democratic Presidential nomination for 2008. I’m disappointed–Warner did great things in Virginia, righting the state’s economy after the terms of now-Senator George Allen and Jim Gilmore whose tax policies put the state into the red. He’d have been aContinue reading “On Presidential Ambitions”
On a Book Meme
Seen various and sundry places. A Book Meme! Bold means I've read it. I've added four recent reads to the bottom. The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy – Douglas Adams The Great Gatsby – F.Scott Fitzgerald To Kill a MockingbirdContinue reading “On a Book Meme”
On Voter Registration
My new voter registration card came today. And not a moment too soon.
On People I Like
I like David R. George. He sent me today a very nice e-mail. 🙂 I've always liked David. I think his work's just phenomenal. If you haven't read Crucible: McCoy: Provenance of Shadows yet, what are you waiting for?
On Cellular Drivers
Otto Stern writes at The Register about the threat of drivers on their cell phones. It’s a threat drivers deal with every day–drivers focused on conversations, on fumbling for numbers on the keypad, not focused on the road. Stern writes that “California last month approved a law to ban talking on cell phones, starting inContinue reading “On Cellular Drivers”