How Many Times Did They Use the Word ‘God’?
Google is in the news today, in an article in the WSJ about their new database. Linguists say that since the invention of the printing press, about 129 million books have been published. They tracked which words show up the most, and how many times terms such as Che Guevara […]
Oh How the Music Affects the Mood
Ahhhhh nice music. I am fascinated by the spectrum of people’s musical tastes, and how much the choice of tunes affects my mood and the ambience of a place. I often commandeer the Pandora selection here at the cafe, and switch it to a playlist that includes Frank Sinatra, Ella […]
Each Child Must Ride to School Alone?
It was cold, and it was late, so I volunteered to take Nathan to his school, just a few blocks away. As I often do I took on a new role for our short trip, I told him I was honored to be his chauffeur. Since he was a bigshot […]
Clear Hartford Will Make Wi-Fi Irrelevant and Put the ‘Net Anywhere
I saw an ad today that was prescient…it was for Clear, a 4G wireless system that’s now available in Hartford. They offer customers the chance to pay $60 per month and get the same speed as a home Wi-Fi system anywhere they open up their laptops. Again it’s a sign […]
The Kenyan Prostitutes Asked: What Do You Think of Our Situation?
Ted Conover wrote a book called “The Routes of Man,” in which he traveled around the world and wrote about the impact of roads on civilizations. While I enjoyed the white knuckle account of life driving in Bolivia’s mountains, I am more enjoying the account from when the author joined […]
As State Street Lays off 1400 Workers, Their Profits Soar
I am in between about the most recent move by Obama to extend the Bush tax cuts. While I do believe that increasing taxes doesn’t do much to stimulate the economy and create jobs, a column by Joan Vennochi in the Boston Globe did make me pause. It was about […]
Mulling the Cafe Conumdrum: Close Earlier?
After a light dusting of snow, it really feels like December, and the Christmas season. There are so many errands to run and things to take care of, I thought about them as I walked from the house to the cafe, well protected with longjohns and with gloves. Mismatched, but […]
I’ve Blogged Since 2004, With a Few Rare Breaks
The cold has set in…every time you go outside, you will either be glad you wore your longjohns or wishing, silently, that you did. I have been running in and out of the cold, and I am not cold. Ugh, though this is a symbolic first blast for a long […]