I’m reading a book that gives me nightmares, yet it’s so compelling a story I have to keep reading. It’s an account of life in North Korea based on interviews with refugees who have defected to South Korea. It’s called Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Koreaby Barbara Demick. […]

The other day I was reading my newspaper at my girlfriend’s brother’s new house in Amherst when he turned to me and said, boldly, “you subscribe to that paper?” I answered yes, I get the Wall Street Journal mailed to me six days a week, and it’s one of my […]

A new book called “Death at Sea World” explains some of the mysteries behind the wrongly-named mammals known as killer whales, and I found some sympathy for these leviathans of the deep when I read a review in the WSJ by Jonathan V. Last. For instance, male orcas spend 75% […]

What the hell was that? Lucinda Williams brought her three piece band to the Calvin tonight. And some where along the way, they left a lot of what is great about her music on the tour bus. I can’t remember being more disappointed at a concert in recent years, it […]

The benefits of working for someone else sometimes become glaring and obvious…in fact as obvious as it was when I first decided back in 2005 that I was going to be self-employed from that day on. It’s just these challenges, coming at you like waves, and the sea of bills, […]

I asked for advice from my financial advisor, then I didn’t follow it. Today I bought a new car. Well, not a New new car, but a sweet looking 2006 Nissan Altima owned by a friendly little old lady who lives in my village. She said the police chief had […]

Lucinda Williams has been playing gigs in Northampton for decades. She’s returning next Saturday for a show at the Calvin–it will be great to hear her sing after such a long time. The last time I saw her sing was at the Pearl Street Ballroom around 1999. Eric had just […]

RESTAURANTS: Applebee’s: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+) Arby’s: 10% off (55+) Ben & Jerry’s: 10% off (60+) Bennigan’s: discount varies by location (60+) Bob’s Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+) Boston Market: 10% off (65+) Burger King: 10% off (60+) Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink […]

I like to keep up with the news on the island of Nantucket, so I visit ack.net to find out the latest. Two stories today caught my eye: There’s been a deluge of complaints the police heard after taxi drivers refused to take fares to the far out towns of […]

For almost a year, I’ve watched my new neighbor bring contractors, painters, roofers and plumbers into the house that sits diagonally across from my place as she renovated her new house from top to bottom. I would walk by as she conferred with tree experts and builders, and watched the […]

I’ve been getting to know better what it’s like to live life alone. I am not alone in spirit, of course, but have been thinking about what it’s like to do every day without anyone else being around. To go through your life, and work, all without human interruption. With […]

Hey terrorists! Here’s the knife for you! Sometimes I can’t believe the products that companies send us, and in this case, I have to question the ethics of the people at iainsinclair.com. When they first emailed us I scolded them for making a product that clearly is able to be […]