Random Musings that Amaze Me
Sometimes I am amazed at how much cool stuff I learn one day’s newspaper. Below are random musings from a night flipping my eyes between Simon Cowell and Idol and the Wall St. Journal. In NYC’s Cooper Union college a new nine-story building is being built–with elevators that only stop […]
Finally, Something Useful to Do with Heat Seeking Missiles
America’s military brass are surely on cloud nine tonight, as they gear up to use a $69 million toy to do something useful: blow up a spy satellite the size of a city bus. CBS news had a story on their website. The eye in the sky is named US […]
It’s Either Í Know Nothing’ or ‘Let Me Tell Y ou How It Is’
I’m nervous. I’m nervous because on Friday I am going to stand up in front of dozens of people in the travel business and make a speech. It won’t be a real speech, not like a politician speech, it will be a presentation. It will be about search engines and […]
The Secret of Roman Punch
Eric Felton writes about drinking, cocktails and ritual in the WSJ on the weekends. Today he taught me about Roman Punch. The tale is long, and goes way back to Dolly Hayes, the famous teet0talling first lady, who would serve no booze in the White House. “The water flowed like […]
For a Fleeting Moment, Dead Birds Hold the Kids’ Interest
I read a story in today’s Gazette about a massacre of cedar waxwings. It was a sad day at a local school when a flock of dozens of the songbirds crashed into large windows after being pursued by a hawk. Bill Danielson, who writes a column called “Speaking of Nature” […]
He Makes His Living Secretly Tailing Cigarette Thiefs
People continue to fascinate me, as I meet them on my travels and while going about our town spreading the word about the new Deerfield Attractions website. I met a man the other day over a beer who told me was in the security business. “What kind of security,” I […]
Lickable Ads: Now That’s Just Gross
A few days ago, I read a story about a new rage in advertising: lickable ads. Like the famous scratch and sniff ads that are a staple of women’s magazines, getting consumers to use a different sense can make cents, it’s just well, licking a magazine to get a taste […]
Enraged Developer Fights Trust President
Outside the deluge continues, with a ridiculous amount of rain piling up on a decent amount of snow to create a nightmare for anyone wearing leather shoes. I read deep into today’s Daily Hampshire Gazette to find a story about two clashing personalities at a recent public hearing for a […]
Buying New Domains…Like It Was Going Out Of Style
It’s been an exciting week, and it’s only Tuesday. I just returned from a tour of Habitat/American Barn’s offices, meeting designers who create plans for houses in their huge computer monitors and figure out how many boards they’ll need to build them. I was showing Dave the info. on the […]
Charlie Runs with the Bulls, Conn Asks the Questions
It’s waiting time at Quebec City Airport, and the taxi ride here from the center city was, well you can call it ‘white knuckle.’ We sped over a snowy highway at 100 kph, the only solace is that this is just 70 mph, but the driver was cool as I […]
Meeting the Past at the Chateau Frontenac
Last night after some down time in my room at the Hilton, we ventured back out into the cold to the famous Chateau Frontenac, now a Fairmont property, that is a one of Quebec City’s most famous landmarks. As we sipped Kir Frontenac, a signature drink created for the carnivale, […]
Dogsledding on Ile d’Orleans, Outside Quebec City
It’s fun to be back on a press trip after a few months at home. I almost forgot how much I enjoy meeting journalists and talking shop with website owners and writers. On this trip, I’m joined by Madelyn Miller, known as the Travel Lady, who publishes nine websites and […]
Dressed for The Cold at Quebec City’s Carnival
The winds were blowing and outside from my 15th floor Hilton hotel room, the flags strained, flapping wildly on their poles. Yet outside, long lines of schoolchildren wound their way past five-foot snowdrifts into tunnels that take them to a park where a huge house has been built of ice. […]
Waiting to Board a Tiny Plane to Quebec City
I’m in the terminal at Bradley, waiting to board a tiny Beechcraft for a 40-minute flight to Montreal. It’s my first trip of the year, and the destination is Quebec City, where they are celebrating the Winter Carnival. Fellow blogger and friend Ginger Warder just returned and she warned me–it’s […]
Grilled Rat; It’s What’s For Dinner in Saigon
What’s new on the menu in Vietnam? None other than rat! I read on this rainy morning a story by James Hookway in the WSJ that told of the booming market for rodent all through Vietnam. Street vendors and restaurants report they are looking for rats to sell, and to […]
Cindy McCain: "The Only Person He Trusts Is Me"
You can always find interesting stuff on Rush Limbaugh’s website. He’s in trouble with the GOP because he’s launching missiles against the assumed nominee. Here’s a link from the Times UK about the target of the talkmiester’s rath. “McCain’s marriage has long attracted attention both for the 18-year age gap […]
New Staff, New Hiring, Make the GoNOMAD Economy Grow
Today we’re running a help wanted ad on Craigslist for cafe help. That’s a good feeling, we’re adding to the jobs of America, the vaunted jobs that every pol talks about. Creating jobs for Americans. We’re doing that at GoNOMAD. The ad on Craigslist will bring in about 10 or […]