Here in New England, the mercury in thermometers is reaching renewed heights and the great winter cleanup is taking place.  Seeing people poking at the ground with various forms of pointy sticks made me think of this haiku.

Winter turns to Spring.

Trading snow shovels for rakes,

man urges life back.

Special thanks to my editor, teacher and thesaurus, [...]

Like many a household this time of year, mine is consumed with angst waiting to hear which colleges my kid has gotten into.  And like many parents in a similar situation, I’m caught by how the educational system in the US forces many kids to pick a path before they really have any [...]

Perhaps the most famous piece of very short fiction is the story Ernest Hemingway apparently considered his best prose:

"For sale: baby shoes, never used."

Like most things Hemingway, the few words expand into a massive picture in one’s mind.  A real work of art and, in this case, very sad.

While cruising around the ‘Net the other [...]

While I joke a lot about being old, I neither feel old nor think old.  A couple of hundred years ago, I’d be at the end of my life.  One hundred years ago, I’d actually be old.  Today, though, who knows?  I might actually still be young.  The story ain’t completely written ‘til it’s over.

Regardless, [...]

Yesterday, I listened to President-elect Obama’s nomination of Bill Richardson as Commerce Secretary.  Since I was just listening and wasn’t watching what was going on, I was very focused on the words used by both men and what was behind them.  First, I was struck by how casual the President-elect has become when talking with [...]

On October 29th, Intelsat Ltd. announced that their Marisat-F2 satellite, designed to provide communication for ships at sea and scientists on the South Pole, was finally dying after 32 years of service.  That’s pretty impressive.  What makes it even more impressive, though, is that it was originally only designed for five years of service and [...]

Comcast is currently running an ad stating that they are offering up all 21 James Bond films in HD On Demand through November 30.  To entice you and me (yeah, like I need to be enticed to watch a James Bond film), they have made said advertisement totally gadget and “Q”-esque.  A must see even [...]

Our national motto ought to be: Since 1620, anything possible, indeed likely."

- from Boomsday by Christopher Buckley

I read this book a while ago, but recent events made me go back and look up the quote which I vaguely remembered.  To me, it’s perfect.

I’ve always believed that what makes Americans great is our desire to [...]

The first person to walk on Mars could be alive today.  If so, she’s most likely two years old and living in China.”

- Andrew Zolli – Futurist

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