Past Articles

Michael Kittredge is a legend in the Pioneer Valley where I live. My cousin Steve once worked at the factory where the man’s fortune was built and praises him as a major mensch. A recent article in the Sunday NY Times featured details of his life and toys, an example […]

Alan Ehrenhalt reviews a new book by John F. Harris, The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House in today’s Times Book Review. Here is a section that gives a good glimpse into why he was so successful as president. “Most presidents — most public leaders — are complex human […]

I’ve managed to wrestle the copy of Thomas Friedman’s new book, The World Is Flat, from my significant other long enough to read a fascinating snippet about the author’s encounter with Colin Powell in 2001. “I could not resist asking him where he was when he realized that the world […]

We put up new articles every day on GoNOMAD, This excerpt is from Jessica Hayden’s story about visiting ruins in Ephesus Turkey. “As a group of German tourists left the theatre, one of the women broke away and walked towards the center of the stage. With one hand on her […]

John Stossel is one of my favorite TV reporters. He rubs against the grain of both liberals and conservatives, and has been vilified by both Ralph Nader and Al Franken. Ted Turner walked out on one of his interviews, after Stossel questioned whether it is more virtuous to donate to […]

Back after a week to steamy New England, quite a contrast to cold and rainy Buda. The stubborn spring has finally turned to a sultry summer, and GoNOMAD’s office is now air conditioned. It was inspiring to read that there were more than 100,000 unique visitors on the website last […]

Microsoft recently decided to deal with software piracy in a unique way. They declared that all users with preinstalled versions of Windows XP (the campaign is valid only for this version of the operating system) will receive a genuine version if they can prove their copy is pirated. In addition, […]

For our last day here in Hungary, we took a drive out to the Statue Museum, where after ‘the political changes’ many of the hated statues of Lenin and others were taken. Our guide, an attractive and fiesty young blond, corrected me when I referred to any 1989 revolution here. […]

Our trip to Hungary feels like we’ve arrived at a friend’s new home but he is still busy banging nails, hanging up photos and moving in boxes. The country is primed to be an eco-tourism destination, and in the bleak great plains, they are working long days to get it […]

Read a story today in Wired while traveling by bus through the Hungarian countryside about firefighting. It seems nothing has really changed in hundreds of years until now…they put wet stuff on the hot stuff to put out the fire. But todays fabrics are made of polymers that give off […]

Traveling with an international contingent of journalists, I am noticing the contrasts between us. Stefano, an Italian publisher and photog, said that in Europe, the first priority in an editor’s view is the photos…if these are up to par, then the story is reviewed and considered. We usually do this […]

Miskolc, Hungary is a town that’s been devasted by “the political changes.” That is the word for what happened in 1989, when communism gave way to a free political process and Soviet domination faded away. The town has rows and rows of ugly white apartment buildings, and a huge hulking […]

Richard Bogdan is a good guide who has made our trip to Hungary work like a well oiled swiss watch. You can never underestimate the value of a good guide, one who knows how to keep people moving, and takes the time to tell you the things you need to […]

Sitting in an office in Eger, Hungary, at the Flora Hotel. Yesterday we visited the small town of Recski, where from 1950 through 1953, the Hungarian gulag was located. The memorial includes a recreated barracks with Auschwitz-like wooden bunks, grim watchtowers, and glowering guards. No one knew about this place […]

Blogging from the lounge in our hotel in Budapest. Today we had a busy day, including a 27 km bicycle ride along the Danube, which is decidedly not Blue, despite the song. We drove up a mountain and at the top were the ruins of an ancient castle. Sadly, said […]

JFK Airport is a horror show with a silver lining. Flying out of the airport for an 11:00 pm flight, we parked hundreds of yards away from the entrance to the monorail. Then we were dumped off at a terminal and had to walk dragging luggage and dodge cars coming–fast–around […]

The NY Times loves the mysteries of the web. “The Internet is a very good analogy to a company,” Mr. Dash said. “There is always going to be somebody complaining. At least the first voice they hear is yours.” Last year Mr. Dash participated in a challenge in which competitors […]

Today is a blur, time is racing. Trying to get all of the things done in the office before I fly tonight. What an exciting feeling, waiting for an 11 pm to sultry Budapest. I have been briefed on the nation by two Hungarians who we met in NJ. They […]