Enjoy the musical stylings of T-Bone Bell.
11.19.2002
New Solution for War
Send WalMart and McDonald's to war-torn, volatile areas. Build major retail distribution centers, complete with warehouses and surrounded by company town-type Section 8 style housing. Provide sites with military protection. Staff stores entirely with locals, pay them standard American wages, and house them locally. See how long it takes for everyone to suddenly stop fighting and, instead, put on a few needless pounds, which they'd then work-off by bargain-hunting for senseless jewelry and tacky domestic decorative items.
Peace.
Send WalMart and McDonald's to war-torn, volatile areas. Build major retail distribution centers, complete with warehouses and surrounded by company town-type Section 8 style housing. Provide sites with military protection. Staff stores entirely with locals, pay them standard American wages, and house them locally. See how long it takes for everyone to suddenly stop fighting and, instead, put on a few needless pounds, which they'd then work-off by bargain-hunting for senseless jewelry and tacky domestic decorative items.
Peace.
10.03.2002
9.11.2002
A Prayer for Peace
I know you'll never forget where you were or what you were doing, when it happened, when things changed. For all of us.
Today, we remember the victims and their families, the survivors and the witnesses. Though we are all, today, witnesses, to some extent.
This is a prayer for peace.
At 8:46 am this morning, with the national anthem playing on my car stereo, I left a NYC subway token at the May 4th Memorial at Kent State University. I wonder what others are doing, what other small, quiet, personal acts of remembrance are taking place, around the country and around the world.
If you're reading this, and you have a minute, please post to the message board. We're interested in hearing how you've remembered that day.
God bless our nation, our principles and our way of life. May we never stop trying to do it in a better way, a way that is better for all nations, and all people.
I know you'll never forget where you were or what you were doing, when it happened, when things changed. For all of us.
Today, we remember the victims and their families, the survivors and the witnesses. Though we are all, today, witnesses, to some extent.
This is a prayer for peace.
At 8:46 am this morning, with the national anthem playing on my car stereo, I left a NYC subway token at the May 4th Memorial at Kent State University. I wonder what others are doing, what other small, quiet, personal acts of remembrance are taking place, around the country and around the world.
If you're reading this, and you have a minute, please post to the message board. We're interested in hearing how you've remembered that day.
God bless our nation, our principles and our way of life. May we never stop trying to do it in a better way, a way that is better for all nations, and all people.
6.25.2002
Morning Misadventures
It is always the smallest things that remind us of how early we are in our own path to enlightenment.
This morning's attempt to leave the house for the workday: The door closed behind me and the "click" instantly was translated into "My keys!!!!!" So, Your Humble Chronicler spent a good hour and a half attempting to defeat the simple catch. The initiaI 95% of my time was distributed among:
The moral: Really explore the problem before you even attempt what may seem like a simple or obvious solution.
Where I failed: Had I studied the way the door and the latch were set, I might have had better luck from the start.
Where I succeeded: Tenacity -- never quite gave up, fully.
There ya go.
It is always the smallest things that remind us of how early we are in our own path to enlightenment.
This morning's attempt to leave the house for the workday: The door closed behind me and the "click" instantly was translated into "My keys!!!!!" So, Your Humble Chronicler spent a good hour and a half attempting to defeat the simple catch. The initiaI 95% of my time was distributed among:
- trying to trip the latch with plastic credit-card type things in my wallet -- which bent and crumbled;
- climbing up to peer into the garage attic space, to see if it was an open space that may have led to another crawl space that would allow me into the house (no);
- checking to see if any windows were let unlocked (none);
- cursing at the cat, who was inside and was, of course, totally useless;
- calling my landlord's nearby office to see if he could run over and let me in (out of office);
- calling landlord's wife at home for same reason (answering machine);
- calling fiancee in a desperate quest to see if she, perhaps, had hidden a spare house key anywhere outside (out of the office and no);
- reattempting the credit-card trick (failed);
- attempting to pick the lock with miscellaneous pieces of scrap metal and a small screwdriver (failed);
- attempting to slide the latch open with an empty plastic windshield wiper fluid bottle which I cut with a pair of pruning chears to suit the task (failed).
The moral: Really explore the problem before you even attempt what may seem like a simple or obvious solution.
Where I failed: Had I studied the way the door and the latch were set, I might have had better luck from the start.
Where I succeeded: Tenacity -- never quite gave up, fully.
There ya go.
6.04.2002
Interesting Sites
Interactive metaphor, from Entropy8 and zuper.
And some from Superbad.
The long-in-the-works Museum of Sex.
Interactive metaphor, from Entropy8 and zuper.
And some from Superbad.
The long-in-the-works Museum of Sex.
5.21.2002
5.10.2002
5.07.2002
4.05.2002
Believe it.....or Not!
Self-styled Sasquatch enthusiast Richard J. La Monica, Sr. says, "I think if you believe in something, you should fight for it!" For it's part, TBH -- ever enthusiastic supporters of the "To Each His/Her Own" dictum -- says, what the hell -- jump in -- distraction is good. (Here's an interview that even includes a mention of one of our favorite white trash lunch joints, which has been the setting for a couple previous posts in these very pages!)
Feeling inspired? If so, consider taking a junket to Newcomerstown, Ohio, this weekend.
You be the judge.
Self-styled Sasquatch enthusiast Richard J. La Monica, Sr. says, "I think if you believe in something, you should fight for it!" For it's part, TBH -- ever enthusiastic supporters of the "To Each His/Her Own" dictum -- says, what the hell -- jump in -- distraction is good. (Here's an interview that even includes a mention of one of our favorite white trash lunch joints, which has been the setting for a couple previous posts in these very pages!)
Feeling inspired? If so, consider taking a junket to Newcomerstown, Ohio, this weekend.
You be the judge.
4.02.2002
3.20.2002
Humility
Had the opportunity to see Archibishop Desmond M. Tutu give a somewhat impromptu lecture -- covered everything from why terrorism will never end until all people have access to safe and reliable housing, to effective medical care, to quality education. "Human beings were created to be free," said Tutu. Amazing human. Found it incredible to find myself in such close physical proximity to this true leader.
Had the opportunity to see Archibishop Desmond M. Tutu give a somewhat impromptu lecture -- covered everything from why terrorism will never end until all people have access to safe and reliable housing, to effective medical care, to quality education. "Human beings were created to be free," said Tutu. Amazing human. Found it incredible to find myself in such close physical proximity to this true leader.
3.15.2002
The Ides of March
Beware, beware, beware, the ides of March. The ides have it, they do.
So, like, beware.
Separately, it's that time of year again -- time for the ever-popular, terribly twisted Peeps page.
Hmm. Yes. Not for the squeamish.
Beware, beware, beware, the ides of March. The ides have it, they do.
So, like, beware.
Separately, it's that time of year again -- time for the ever-popular, terribly twisted Peeps page.
Hmm. Yes. Not for the squeamish.
3.14.2002
Today's White-Trash Quote, Overheard While Lunching
"You should avoid difficult and vexatious people. For they are a vexation to the spirit." (This said by a middle-aged manual labor-type to his partner? niece? cousin? -- hard to tell -- white-trash, remember??)
Yep -- really said it just that way. Two sentences, with the biblical phrasing. Fortunately, nothing was said about vivacious or voluptuous people, though. So, it's all good. Whew.
"You should avoid difficult and vexatious people. For they are a vexation to the spirit." (This said by a middle-aged manual labor-type to his partner? niece? cousin? -- hard to tell -- white-trash, remember??)
Yep -- really said it just that way. Two sentences, with the biblical phrasing. Fortunately, nothing was said about vivacious or voluptuous people, though. So, it's all good. Whew.
3.04.2002
3.01.2002
Once, long ago...
I was there, prolly in the late '70's, I guess. I'd taken a bus to NYC with a high school buddy. We made it to the roof. Seems even longer ago now. It is still all so very sad.
Here, in happier times.
I was there, prolly in the late '70's, I guess. I'd taken a bus to NYC with a high school buddy. We made it to the roof. Seems even longer ago now. It is still all so very sad.
Here, in happier times.
2.26.2002
Today's Good Deed
So, feeling a tad under the weather, I left the office for lunch. Hit my favorite low-cost white-trash country-style restaurant to grab a cup of chili. While there, an elderly couple came in and was seated at a table near me, with their granddaughter. Menus are distributed, and the decision-making process begins. Apparently, gramps is in the mood for breakfast, but grandma informs him that they only serve it until eleven a.m., unlike "the usual place we go to, where they serve it all day." I dunno...I just didn't appreciate her tone. Seemed like a sweet old guy. His eyes caught mine, and I silently mouthed to him "They still serve it." He grinned, surprised by my mischievous input. When the waitress returned to take their orders, he asked if they had biscuits and sausage gravy.
"We sure do," replied the waitress. "Is that what you'd like?"
Grandma was none the wiser to our secret duplicity. He smiled at me again as I left.
{*grin*}
So, feeling a tad under the weather, I left the office for lunch. Hit my favorite low-cost white-trash country-style restaurant to grab a cup of chili. While there, an elderly couple came in and was seated at a table near me, with their granddaughter. Menus are distributed, and the decision-making process begins. Apparently, gramps is in the mood for breakfast, but grandma informs him that they only serve it until eleven a.m., unlike "the usual place we go to, where they serve it all day." I dunno...I just didn't appreciate her tone. Seemed like a sweet old guy. His eyes caught mine, and I silently mouthed to him "They still serve it." He grinned, surprised by my mischievous input. When the waitress returned to take their orders, he asked if they had biscuits and sausage gravy.
"We sure do," replied the waitress. "Is that what you'd like?"
Grandma was none the wiser to our secret duplicity. He smiled at me again as I left.
{*grin*}