With 16 Acres in the Center, What Do We Do Now?
I joined a group of about 30 citizens to talk about a big issue in Deerfield tonight. On November 16, the town will own a 16-acre piece of land in the center that was once a pickle factory. Now they want to form a steering committee to find out what […]
Shooters Seeing Red Over NFL’s Vest Rule
Sports photogs are a famously independent bunch. They do what they do and they don’t wanna be hassled. Now the NFL is driving their association crazy with a new scheme: Starting this fall, every shooter on the sidelines of NFL games must wear a red vest with a Canon and […]
Learning to Ride Up in Sheddville
Tucker and I are getting to know each other quite well. The big horse is docile and knows the way. Yesterday I got a chance to go through the woods with him for a few hours. We even sped up to a quick canter for a few strides in an […]
Sweet New Ride–No More ‘Borrowing a Truck’
Here is my new truck. Not really new but in great shape, taken care of by two women who live next door. I told them they can still borrow it when they need a truck.
Sami Takes Over In the Towne’s New Market
I walked over and said hello again to the proprietors of the new market in town. It’s called the Garden City Market, and Sami is one of the owners. I told her that she could pick up our WiFi signal at her store and that we are all grateful that […]
Sprint Puts Their Logo on Pirated Songs
In an ingenious nod to the forces of capitalism, Sprint will soon embed its logo onto a song so that illegal downloaders will see its logo when the song plays. It’s an ingenious way to beat filesharing–the music industry’s bugaboo. The NY Post reported today that on Atlantic Records tracks, […]
A Poignant Tale of a Man and a Boy
Last night we enjoyed a particularly poignant NetFlick. It was called Kolja, and it told the story of a Czech bass player who married a Russian woman for money and ended up without her but with her 5-year-old boy. The languages, of course, were obtuse, a combination of Czech and […]
Tall Meets Short in China
It had to happen some day. The tallest and the shortest man in the world met face to face. Here Mr Xishun shakes hands with Mr Ping Ping, he’s 7′ 9″ and Ping measures up at 2’4″. The little guy is Mongolian and Bao Xishun, is a herdsman from Chifeng, […]
What’s Hot in Music? Ask Big Champagne
Whenever the subject is music downloads, you hear the name “Big Champagne.” These are the folks who keep track of every music fileshare, and now they’re providing radio stations with lists of which songs are illegally downloaded the most, to help the stations play the songs people want to hear. […]
Looking Back, Candidate Rudy Doesn’t Look So Good
I took the Peter Pan bus back to Springfield last night, it was the last bus. There were too many people and not enough seats…at one point the driver stepped into the bus and asked if anyone would get up and let a young girl on instead, and wait 2 […]
Meeting A President at the Rainbow Room
I’m back in NYC where a light rain is falling on an internet cafe where you have to shovel dollar bills into the computer to keep it going. I’m pleased with my day. I took an early bus and made it to the Italian Tourism Commission in time for most […]
Google Dials the Phone and Shows Me The Way
Will we ever stop being amazed by Google? I certainly won’t. The other day I wanted to see how far the trip was from Port Authority bus terminal to my appointment at a NY ad agency. I google mapped it and stumbled upon their latest twist–360 degree camera views of […]
It Makes News Sense—But Not Money Sense Yet
The American Journalism review had a story about a local news website chain failure. Exactly the kind of business you’d think would make sense and money these days. But not yet. “By early 2007, Backfence.com had grown to 13 sites serving towns around Washington, Chicago and the San Francisco Bay […]
In Medellin, Millions of Good March Against Bad
I am thinking and reading more about Colombia now that I’m planning to go there in early August. Today’s news was heartening. In all of the country’s major cities, millions marched against FARC the revolutionaries who kidnapped 11 politicians five years ago and now are being blamed for their deaths. […]
The Love Bomb Powers the Roadhouse Friday Night
Working on a slow Saturday at the cafe. Last night I got a chance to do something I don’t do enough. Listen to a live band play good old rock and roll. I joined my pals Bill, Paul, Joe and my son Sam and we drove up to the Route […]
No Free Parking? That’s the Last Straw for These Reporters
In Vermont, the reporters for the Burlington Free Press have had it. It’s the last straw. They are seething over…parking. “While people are angry,” said one veteran journalist at Vermont’s largest daily newspaper, this week “the prevailing mood is one of disgust.” “We feel absolutely frustrated and undervalued,” said another […]
In London, Congestion Pricing Worked
I’m going to New York City next week. This made me think about a recent proposal by Mayor Bloomberg to begin charging cars a ‘congestion fee’ to enter the city. I think this is a fantastic idea. London began congestion pricing in 2003, and the grumblings of a few have […]
Aging Baby Boomers Will Love this Fast Track
It’s the fourth of July in the cafe, and we’re getting our reward for sending out emails to our coffee lovers. I got at least six people who said they came in ’cause we sent the email. It’s not that busy but it is always heartening to welcome new folks […]