ABC Debate Hosts Out of Touch and Off Base
Frank Rich wrote in today’s NY Times about the awful ABC News debate last week, in which the hosts ignored the important issues and focused, between incessant commercial breaks, on asking trivial and gossipy questions trying to trap the democratic candidates instead of educating the public about their positions. “The […]
Lawyers Chase Chevron for Petroecuador’s Spills
In an editorial in the Wall Street Journal, the paper railed against a group of men who are being honored by CNN and many of the politically-correct left. I admire them for digging behind the story about Pablo Fajardo and Luis Yanza, who are not the heroes that some make […]
In "Little Children," Everyone Gets a Second Chance
Last night’s film stayed with me for a long time. Todd Field’s “Little Children” used a narrator, the sonorous Will Lyman, who set the stage from the opening scene, where a trio of gossiping, sniping suburban housewives in a park sat apart from a fourth young mother, who just didn’t […]
Wind Power, Giant Dreams and Cracked Turbines
It’s a beautiful warm spring day and as I sat in my favorite seat by the windows in front of the cafe, I read about an ambitious man in India whose stock is plummeting….despite the fact that his company is the fifth largest supplier of wind turbines in the world. […]
Buddy Rubbish Leaves a Legacy and a Laugh
Dave Lenson came into the cafe on Monday afternoon with sad news. He said that Buddy Rubbish was near death, having been rushed to the hospital on Friday night with severe chest pains. Yesterday’s Gazette had the story of the death of one of the funniest guys in the Valley. […]
Taking My Speech to the Lion’s Den
Today is public speaking day. I always enjoy that. Whether it’s a wedding day toast, a eulogy, or a talk to a class, give me a script and I’ll have fun up on a podium. My first stop is the Holyoke Lions Club, where I’ll be a featured speaker today […]
Wang and Wu’s Friendship Was the Secret
Like many Costco shoppers I have been eying large flat screen TVs every time I walk past them en route to the dry good section for cafe supplies. I’d just love to see an HDTV on my wall. One brand that has the most tantalizing price point is Vizio. I […]
Ten Things You Might Not Know About Australia
I’m just back from Oz and prepping for an appearance on Brad and Bo’s WHYN-AM Morning Show. Listen at 8:05 Tuesday morning, and I’ll share some of these tidbits. Here is the complete list, since the segments are usually pretty short. 1. There is no tipping in Australia. So a […]
The Godfather Makes My Day
It’s great to be back home, despite this morning’s 30 degree chill. I love walking into the cafe and saying hello to all of our customers and my friends who frequent the joint. I’d also like to say hello to someone I’ve never met, but who makes my day every […]
Rolling with Johnny Jet in Manhattan Beach
My trip to Melbourne was memorable. I only wish that it wasn’t so damn far away! The flight was not bad, no delays and no lost baggage, but when I reached Holyoke at 1 am, I was ready for a long sleep in a familiar bed. It’s great to be […]
Strolling the Queen Vic Market and Watching Yawning Lions at the Zoo
Often I compare these journeys to eating tapas. There’s a little bit here, a taste of that there, and you never really settle into a groove because it’s time to go when that finally happens. This week in Melbourne has been splendid, and I must say that Oz is as […]
The Tiny Butterfly Club is Where Talent Begins
In Melbourne, the arts are a seriously high priority. Whether it’s public art in city squares, or nurturing the art of new clothing designers or performers, the arts are a big part of the experience of visiting here. Even the highways coming into the city are lined with gigantic steel […]
Getting to Know the Pleasure Region with Josh Oakes
Josh Oakes says he is raw. Raw as in new to many aspects of running a full time tour guide business here in Melbourne. We met yesterday and he took me to a beautiful part of the country, the spa-focused region of the Macedon Ranges. Here, he said, the emphasis […]
The Convent is Just the First of Her Many Grand Plans
Tina Banitska paused for a moment, feeling a bit emotional when she took me through her 15-year labor of love called The Convent in Daylesford, Victoria. “Excuse me,” she said, sensing that I could tell this made her emotional. She grabbed my arm and continued, ‘I get this way sometimes, […]
The Wines Were Great But No ‘Roos en Route
Today I joined a group of about 20 wine enthusiasts for a trip to the Yarra Valley’s wine country. The van drove down winding roads through wooded hills and then onto more wide open areas with rolling hills and mountains in the distance. It was a gorgeous, sunny, fall day […]
How Much Do Things Cost in Australia?
I had an chat with a man named Murray who runs Melbourne’s Best Bicycle Tours yesterday. We sat by the Yarra river and sipped lattes and talked about how much people get paid here. Then we asked the waitress how much she made, and she wasn’t at all shy. “$18 […]
"I’m Sorry" Are Two Words That Mean Everything
“I’m sorry.” These words are everything to Australia’s Aborigine community, and just a month ago, they were uttered by Australia’s new liberal prime minister Kevin Rudd. For more than a decade, the conservatives have ruled, and they were not about to apologize for what the white man has done to […]
The Twinkling of Glasses Mark’s Melbourne’s Prosperity
Melbourne has the prosperous feel of a city on the up and up. I got this sense right after we got off the plane and stood in a line waiting for customs. As a cute blond Labrador was walked through the line, sniffing every passenger’s feet and luggage, posters up […]