Short-circuit at Circuit City
The new Circuit City location in North Charleston, SC, opened formally this afternoon at 6 p.m. I was there at 5:10 p.m. and was shocked to find close to 400 people already in line. Some were sitting in lawn chairs, at least one was in a wheelchair and others were eating and drinking out of picnic coolers. In the paper this morning, CC advertised they would give a free DVD player to the first 100 people in line. I believe tickets for the new James Bond movie are also being given away. I actually thought by getting there 50 minutes early I would have a shot at one of the DVDs. Who knew that many people would be reading the paper this morning? Don't these people have morning jobs? Anyway, I turned my Lincoln (Ford Co. motto: "There are those who travel. And those who travel well.") around and parked discreetly near the mess hall (aka: K&W Cafeteria) and went in for my dinner. I treated myself to a slice of apple pie since I wasn't going to get a free DVD player.
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#95
Monday, October 28
A friend passes
I learned today my long-time friend Albert "Bud" Sessoms, formerly of North Charleston, S.C., died on October 10, 2002, in North Carolina, after being admitted to a hospital. He had been in a nursing home where it is believed by some members of his family he was given incorrect medicine for his emphysema. At the hospital, a reaction set in and he passed within two days. My e-mails to him of recent date had been returned.
I contacted one of his sons, Eugene, who is on staff at the College of Charleston, and he told me what he knew of his father's passing. Bud was a good friend, had some strange ways and was always waiting for the next big deal to come down the pike. He was interviewed for a head waiter's job one day and the interviewer asked, "You do have a tux, I hope?" Bud replied, "Certainly, doesn't everyone." He told me later he rushed out and rented one immediately after the interview.
Bud and I frequently met to talk and discuss world events (we solved many a problem, but no one listened) over a few beers and to eat one of those big, delicious hamburgers at Harold's on Dorchester Road, North Charleston. On occasion we would also shoot a little pool there.
I hired him as a counselor when I was director of the South Carolina Commission for Farmworkers. He had a bad set of tires on his car and an African-American on staff took him to a place to get new tires on credit. Bud said he was embarrassed to have a black man vouching for him (remember this was 1966) and left without the tires. In later years he would not have thought twice about a black man doing him a favor. Bud was not a racist. One Christmas, to teach his four sons the true meaning of Christmas he had them gather up all their unopened presents and the family took them to the John C. Calhoun homes and distributed them to poor black children who otherwise would have had nothing for Christmas.
Bud was what we would call a character. There are not many like him who have passed this way.
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#94
I learned today my long-time friend Albert "Bud" Sessoms, formerly of North Charleston, S.C., died on October 10, 2002, in North Carolina, after being admitted to a hospital. He had been in a nursing home where it is believed by some members of his family he was given incorrect medicine for his emphysema. At the hospital, a reaction set in and he passed within two days. My e-mails to him of recent date had been returned.
I contacted one of his sons, Eugene, who is on staff at the College of Charleston, and he told me what he knew of his father's passing. Bud was a good friend, had some strange ways and was always waiting for the next big deal to come down the pike. He was interviewed for a head waiter's job one day and the interviewer asked, "You do have a tux, I hope?" Bud replied, "Certainly, doesn't everyone." He told me later he rushed out and rented one immediately after the interview.
Bud and I frequently met to talk and discuss world events (we solved many a problem, but no one listened) over a few beers and to eat one of those big, delicious hamburgers at Harold's on Dorchester Road, North Charleston. On occasion we would also shoot a little pool there.
I hired him as a counselor when I was director of the South Carolina Commission for Farmworkers. He had a bad set of tires on his car and an African-American on staff took him to a place to get new tires on credit. Bud said he was embarrassed to have a black man vouching for him (remember this was 1966) and left without the tires. In later years he would not have thought twice about a black man doing him a favor. Bud was not a racist. One Christmas, to teach his four sons the true meaning of Christmas he had them gather up all their unopened presents and the family took them to the John C. Calhoun homes and distributed them to poor black children who otherwise would have had nothing for Christmas.
Bud was what we would call a character. There are not many like him who have passed this way.
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#94
Tracing phone calls
From Slate magazine on the Internet today:
Laugh the next time you see a TV cop tell someone to keep a caller on the line to help trace the call because:
"Digital switches have sped up the process of tracing phone calls by the police. Beginning in the mid-1980s, phone companies began using electronic switching systems (ESS), which can automatically identify any caller's number within a fraction of a second. Those numbers can then be correlated with information from an automatic location indicator to find the phone's address. There is no foolproof way to avoid tracing on an ESS network when making a direct-dial call. (And don't think for a second that hitting *67, which masks your number to Caller ID boxes, can foil a police trace; it only works against civilians.)"
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#93
From Slate magazine on the Internet today:
Laugh the next time you see a TV cop tell someone to keep a caller on the line to help trace the call because:
"Digital switches have sped up the process of tracing phone calls by the police. Beginning in the mid-1980s, phone companies began using electronic switching systems (ESS), which can automatically identify any caller's number within a fraction of a second. Those numbers can then be correlated with information from an automatic location indicator to find the phone's address. There is no foolproof way to avoid tracing on an ESS network when making a direct-dial call. (And don't think for a second that hitting *67, which masks your number to Caller ID boxes, can foil a police trace; it only works against civilians.)"
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#93
Thursday, October 24
Richard Helms, spymaster, dies
The shadows have darkened forever for Richard Helms who died at his home outside Washington on Tuesday, October 23, 2002. Helms was a career intelligence operative who headed the Central Intelligence Agency during administrations of Presidents Johnson and Nixon. He was fired by Nixon for refusing to use the CIA to head off the FBI Watergate investigation. During his career Helms hid in the shadows of the intelligence world and is only known to have made one public speech - to newspaper editors. I would rank Helms as one of the top three CIA directors along with Allen Dulles and Bill Colby. Helms was a role model for the current director George Tenet who had Helms' portrait temporarily moved from the directors' wall at the agency headquarters to hang in his personal space.
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#92
The shadows have darkened forever for Richard Helms who died at his home outside Washington on Tuesday, October 23, 2002. Helms was a career intelligence operative who headed the Central Intelligence Agency during administrations of Presidents Johnson and Nixon. He was fired by Nixon for refusing to use the CIA to head off the FBI Watergate investigation. During his career Helms hid in the shadows of the intelligence world and is only known to have made one public speech - to newspaper editors. I would rank Helms as one of the top three CIA directors along with Allen Dulles and Bill Colby. Helms was a role model for the current director George Tenet who had Helms' portrait temporarily moved from the directors' wall at the agency headquarters to hang in his personal space.
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#92
Wednesday, October 23
On the train, October 2002
I rode the Amtrak to Washington last week prepared to give some advice to President Bush on foreign and domestic policy but he was out hustling the party faithful for dollars for political cronies - old and wannabe - he hopes will jump up and salute when he sends a note to Congress. Any congressman who gets elected with the President’s help better tow the line least he or she be called on the carpet by the leadership and condemned as an ungrateful, miserable little shit. Since the President chose not to be at home when I was in the city I transported myself to the suburbs for four days. Life in the Washington suburbs is not comparable to life in South Carolina. It is all get up and go in heavy traffic and everything seems to cost more. During my stay a shooter was terrorizing whole communities from southern Maryland to southern Virginia. He or she had shot eight or nine people and killed seven or eight. There were more shootings while I was there. I was happy to be heading back to Charleston. My mother, before she died in the spring of 2002, reminded me I once said I would never live further south than Washington. I also said in my youth I would not smoke nor drink. Three plans that went astray. I did give up the smoking in January 1974. Actually I had quit earlier but started again in the winter of 1973 when I went to Saigon after Secretary of State Henry Kissinger initialed the cease fire in Paris. Back to the Amtrak. Along the route between Charleston and Washington the train passes through innumerable small towns in South and North Carolina and Virginia. At one time when automobiles and personal transportation was minimal the train stopped at many of these towns but now limits stops to the larger cities. Passengers are expected to travel on their own to these stops to catch the train. Where the train does stop, and in between, looking from the window one can see shops and businesses closed, buildings empty and in some instance a ghost town appearance. Did these earlier businesses move to the other side of town, perhaps to a mall or out to the suburbs where they are more people? Or had the shops and stores dried up or been replace by Wal-Mart and Costco? Had the proprietors died off without any survivors willing to work the long hours necessary to make a small success of hardware, drugs or dry goods stores? What happened to all these people and where did they go? The homes along the railroad are largely what used to be called trailers but in today’s politically correct world are referred to as mobile homes. Some yards around these are littered with broken auto parts and children’s toys. There is an abundance of folding aluminum and plastic lawn chairs around trailers. Some of the sticks built homes are in need of repair, especially paint, but occasionally one is a pleasant surprise and model for others: fresh paint, yard tidy, grass cut and an American flag flying from the porch. Who are the people who still live by the side of the tracks, especially in the well-kept homes? It must take a lot of effort and hard work to keep a house neat and looking good alongside the tracks. The train rolls on and riders are as ignorant of the people who live along the tracks as they are of the riders. It would be nice to know if one of them was wondering who I was looking out the window at the same time I wondered about them. Would this be thought confluence?
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#91
I rode the Amtrak to Washington last week prepared to give some advice to President Bush on foreign and domestic policy but he was out hustling the party faithful for dollars for political cronies - old and wannabe - he hopes will jump up and salute when he sends a note to Congress. Any congressman who gets elected with the President’s help better tow the line least he or she be called on the carpet by the leadership and condemned as an ungrateful, miserable little shit. Since the President chose not to be at home when I was in the city I transported myself to the suburbs for four days. Life in the Washington suburbs is not comparable to life in South Carolina. It is all get up and go in heavy traffic and everything seems to cost more. During my stay a shooter was terrorizing whole communities from southern Maryland to southern Virginia. He or she had shot eight or nine people and killed seven or eight. There were more shootings while I was there. I was happy to be heading back to Charleston. My mother, before she died in the spring of 2002, reminded me I once said I would never live further south than Washington. I also said in my youth I would not smoke nor drink. Three plans that went astray. I did give up the smoking in January 1974. Actually I had quit earlier but started again in the winter of 1973 when I went to Saigon after Secretary of State Henry Kissinger initialed the cease fire in Paris. Back to the Amtrak. Along the route between Charleston and Washington the train passes through innumerable small towns in South and North Carolina and Virginia. At one time when automobiles and personal transportation was minimal the train stopped at many of these towns but now limits stops to the larger cities. Passengers are expected to travel on their own to these stops to catch the train. Where the train does stop, and in between, looking from the window one can see shops and businesses closed, buildings empty and in some instance a ghost town appearance. Did these earlier businesses move to the other side of town, perhaps to a mall or out to the suburbs where they are more people? Or had the shops and stores dried up or been replace by Wal-Mart and Costco? Had the proprietors died off without any survivors willing to work the long hours necessary to make a small success of hardware, drugs or dry goods stores? What happened to all these people and where did they go? The homes along the railroad are largely what used to be called trailers but in today’s politically correct world are referred to as mobile homes. Some yards around these are littered with broken auto parts and children’s toys. There is an abundance of folding aluminum and plastic lawn chairs around trailers. Some of the sticks built homes are in need of repair, especially paint, but occasionally one is a pleasant surprise and model for others: fresh paint, yard tidy, grass cut and an American flag flying from the porch. Who are the people who still live by the side of the tracks, especially in the well-kept homes? It must take a lot of effort and hard work to keep a house neat and looking good alongside the tracks. The train rolls on and riders are as ignorant of the people who live along the tracks as they are of the riders. It would be nice to know if one of them was wondering who I was looking out the window at the same time I wondered about them. Would this be thought confluence?
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#91
Saturday, October 12
New leads
On this happy weekend (a daughter's birthday today, the wife's tomorrow) it is noted that the web site Arts and Letters has filed for bankruptcy and is up for sale. Two of the major web site managers are combining their talents at Philosophy and Literature (http://www.philosophyandliterature.com) and this has been substituted for the A&L link on my web site (http://www.archibald99.com) The P&L is fresh and interesting with great links to major publications, essayists and writers. H
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#90
On this happy weekend (a daughter's birthday today, the wife's tomorrow) it is noted that the web site Arts and Letters has filed for bankruptcy and is up for sale. Two of the major web site managers are combining their talents at Philosophy and Literature (http://www.philosophyandliterature.com) and this has been substituted for the A&L link on my web site (http://www.archibald99.com) The P&L is fresh and interesting with great links to major publications, essayists and writers. H
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#90
Saturday, October 5
Sightings
Yesterday I saw a man driving his car and shaving with an electric razor. Later, I observed a woman in the Walmart parking lot engaged in conversation on a cell phone she was holding between her shoulder and her ear while she simultaneously opened a car door, helped a small child to get in, and put a large box on the back seat. (Also appeared in The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, Oct. 9,2002, letters section.)
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#89
Yesterday I saw a man driving his car and shaving with an electric razor. Later, I observed a woman in the Walmart parking lot engaged in conversation on a cell phone she was holding between her shoulder and her ear while she simultaneously opened a car door, helped a small child to get in, and put a large box on the back seat. (Also appeared in The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, Oct. 9,2002, letters section.)
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#89
Thursday, October 3
Renovating till my birthday
Within a couple of weeks of our return from Canada (see 8/21/2002, below) we started to renovate my study and the family TV area. This week we are almost finished, needing only to get some furniture, blinds for the windows, and hang pictures. Except for the painting this was a DIY job. We put in an engineered floor and while it was a tough, four-day job it has turned out well. We also installed four French doors (two operative) to separate the two areas and allow some privacy. The choice of colors, while initially seemingly brash, is softer and more pleasing to the eye after re-installing the book shelves, desk and furniture. I converted my old desk and credenza into a computer work area by enlarging the credenza top. I had a new top made using walnut planks joined together (72" x 20") and fastened it to the original base and desk. Yesterday was my 71st birthday and I admit to that age only because I feel good and life is good. Being still able to do the work involved in this renovation is a pleasure. Next week I will amend this entry with a picture or two. I am waiting on furniture.
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#88
Within a couple of weeks of our return from Canada (see 8/21/2002, below) we started to renovate my study and the family TV area. This week we are almost finished, needing only to get some furniture, blinds for the windows, and hang pictures. Except for the painting this was a DIY job. We put in an engineered floor and while it was a tough, four-day job it has turned out well. We also installed four French doors (two operative) to separate the two areas and allow some privacy. The choice of colors, while initially seemingly brash, is softer and more pleasing to the eye after re-installing the book shelves, desk and furniture. I converted my old desk and credenza into a computer work area by enlarging the credenza top. I had a new top made using walnut planks joined together (72" x 20") and fastened it to the original base and desk. Yesterday was my 71st birthday and I admit to that age only because I feel good and life is good. Being still able to do the work involved in this renovation is a pleasure. Next week I will amend this entry with a picture or two. I am waiting on furniture.
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#88
Saturday, August 31
Salute to the Working Men and Women
Labor Day is set aside to recognize the contributions of millions of men and women who have worked in all aspects of the American experience for over a hundred years. America would not be America without the contributions of these people, living and dead. Thank you, Americans all!
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#87
Labor Day is set aside to recognize the contributions of millions of men and women who have worked in all aspects of the American experience for over a hundred years. America would not be America without the contributions of these people, living and dead. Thank you, Americans all!
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#87
Wednesday, August 21
Trip to Canada and observations
My wife and I recently enjoyed a driving trip to Canada. We visited Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. On the way there we traveled through South and North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. On the return we came through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and North and South Carolina. We had a grand time, enjoyed the sites along the way, rode ferries from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia and from Nova Scotia to Maine. We found that while airline business may be down, Americans are still on the move in their automobiles, trucks, RVs and mobile homes. We visited Ground Zero to pay our respects. Even after all of the TV, magazine and newspaper coverage, we were not prepared for the gapping hole left after the destruction of the World Trade Center and adjoining buildings on 9/11. We were happy to see, however, except for a few buildings still sheathed in builders' cloth and netting while repairs are on-going, most of the buildings on the perimeter of the terrorism have been repaired and are again occupied. People are at work, doing business, selling, buying, creating. It is New York at its finest. Here you can appreciate the comment of one resident on why he lived in New York City: "To be ready to rule the world if it becomes necessary."
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#86
My wife and I recently enjoyed a driving trip to Canada. We visited Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City. On the way there we traveled through South and North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York. On the return we came through New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and North and South Carolina. We had a grand time, enjoyed the sites along the way, rode ferries from New Brunswick to Nova Scotia and from Nova Scotia to Maine. We found that while airline business may be down, Americans are still on the move in their automobiles, trucks, RVs and mobile homes. We visited Ground Zero to pay our respects. Even after all of the TV, magazine and newspaper coverage, we were not prepared for the gapping hole left after the destruction of the World Trade Center and adjoining buildings on 9/11. We were happy to see, however, except for a few buildings still sheathed in builders' cloth and netting while repairs are on-going, most of the buildings on the perimeter of the terrorism have been repaired and are again occupied. People are at work, doing business, selling, buying, creating. It is New York at its finest. Here you can appreciate the comment of one resident on why he lived in New York City: "To be ready to rule the world if it becomes necessary."
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#86
Sunday, July 28
Wow, what an accomplishment
Events in Pennsylvania this past weekend made my chest heave with pride and admiration for old-time Yankee stubbornness, ingenuity and faith. The rescue of the coal miners was another example of the classic line, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." My hat is off is off, not just doffed, to the miners and others who went to the rescue of their brothers in a great demonstration of American determination and technological ability. Those who would do us harm ought to consider this long and hard. (Also appeared in The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, August 17, 2002, letters section.)
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#85
Events in Pennsylvania this past weekend made my chest heave with pride and admiration for old-time Yankee stubbornness, ingenuity and faith. The rescue of the coal miners was another example of the classic line, "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." My hat is off is off, not just doffed, to the miners and others who went to the rescue of their brothers in a great demonstration of American determination and technological ability. Those who would do us harm ought to consider this long and hard. (Also appeared in The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, August 17, 2002, letters section.)
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#85
Friday, July 26
No TIPS
Congress should think seven times seventy times before funding any TIPS. Contrary to AG John Ashcroft's statements that there would be no database maintained, I am fearful that "unofficial" databases would be created and haunt people for decades. The whole idea of turning delivery men, truck drivers and utility workers et. al. into informants on any organized scale is repugnant in a free society. The proposed Terrorism Information and Prevention System sounds like Orwell, but even worse it is a stark reminder of how people lived in the old Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
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#84
Congress should think seven times seventy times before funding any TIPS. Contrary to AG John Ashcroft's statements that there would be no database maintained, I am fearful that "unofficial" databases would be created and haunt people for decades. The whole idea of turning delivery men, truck drivers and utility workers et. al. into informants on any organized scale is repugnant in a free society. The proposed Terrorism Information and Prevention System sounds like Orwell, but even worse it is a stark reminder of how people lived in the old Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.
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#84
Tuesday, July 23
The Bushes
“You have to hand it to the Bush family,” says Bob Shrum, a Democratic strategist. “In nearly six years of two Bush presidencies, there hasn’t been any real job growth at all.” (Quoted in NEWSWEEK, July 29, 2002)
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#83
“You have to hand it to the Bush family,” says Bob Shrum, a Democratic strategist. “In nearly six years of two Bush presidencies, there hasn’t been any real job growth at all.” (Quoted in NEWSWEEK, July 29, 2002)
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#83
Thursday, July 18
Some real bad stuff
If Osama bin Laden and his cohorts think the post 9-11 American response was triggered by some pissed-off Americans, they haven't seen anything like the response likely to follow an attack on Disneyland. Spanish authorities have arrested some suspected terrorists and found in a search of their property videotapes of five to seven landmarks in America. The tapes were taken by a highly skillled person and could be use to plan attacks on the landmarks. Included was a tape of Disneyland in California.
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#82
If Osama bin Laden and his cohorts think the post 9-11 American response was triggered by some pissed-off Americans, they haven't seen anything like the response likely to follow an attack on Disneyland. Spanish authorities have arrested some suspected terrorists and found in a search of their property videotapes of five to seven landmarks in America. The tapes were taken by a highly skillled person and could be use to plan attacks on the landmarks. Included was a tape of Disneyland in California.
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#82
Sunday, July 14
The Day of the Jackal
The attempted assassination of French President Chirac today in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe is reminiscent of the story line in The Day of the Jackal.
The gunman is reported to be a young, demented neo-Nazi.
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#81
The attempted assassination of French President Chirac today in Paris at the Arc de Triomphe is reminiscent of the story line in The Day of the Jackal.
The gunman is reported to be a young, demented neo-Nazi.
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#81
Friday, July 5
Ted Williams
Baseball Great Ted Williams Dies
July 5, 2002
Baseball legend and former Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams died Friday at the age of 83.
The Hall of Famer hit .344 in his 19-year career with the Red Sox with 521 home runs and 1,839 RBI. He won the American League batting title six times and baseball's Triple Crown twice, in 1942 and 1947. He flirted with a .400 average again in 1957, batting .388. He served in the Marines during the 1943-44-45 seasons and was recalled to duty during the Korean War.
Williams was inducted to Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1966.
As a rookie in 1939, he hit .327 with 31 homers and 145 RBIs, easily the top batting statistics ever for a rookie. Williams was batting .3996, which would have rounded off to.400, going into the final day of the 1941 season. It was suggested that he sit out the day's doubleheader, but Williams refused. Instead, he played both games and went 6- for-8 to lift his average to .406.
"Teddy Ballgame" went on to manage the Washington Senators and Texas Rangers in 1969-72 and maintained a lifetime connection with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox retired his number 9 in 1984.
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#80
Baseball Great Ted Williams Dies
July 5, 2002
Baseball legend and former Boston Red Sox great Ted Williams died Friday at the age of 83.
The Hall of Famer hit .344 in his 19-year career with the Red Sox with 521 home runs and 1,839 RBI. He won the American League batting title six times and baseball's Triple Crown twice, in 1942 and 1947. He flirted with a .400 average again in 1957, batting .388. He served in the Marines during the 1943-44-45 seasons and was recalled to duty during the Korean War.
Williams was inducted to Baseball's Hall of Fame in 1966.
As a rookie in 1939, he hit .327 with 31 homers and 145 RBIs, easily the top batting statistics ever for a rookie. Williams was batting .3996, which would have rounded off to.400, going into the final day of the 1941 season. It was suggested that he sit out the day's doubleheader, but Williams refused. Instead, he played both games and went 6- for-8 to lift his average to .406.
"Teddy Ballgame" went on to manage the Washington Senators and Texas Rangers in 1969-72 and maintained a lifetime connection with the Red Sox.
The Red Sox retired his number 9 in 1984.
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#80
Thursday, July 4
Spin (n): something between truth and a lie*
A stock transaction in 1990, before President Bush left the oil business and baseball for politics, raised new questions when administration officials acknowledged that Bush had failed to promptly disclose the sale of stock in a Texas oil company as required by federal law. The sale was reported 34 weeks after it occurred, which the White House blamed on a "mix-up, a clerical error" by lawyers - a different explanation than Bush had offered previously.
Before becoming President Bush had been involved in four late reporting transgressions.
Democrats charged Bush’s conduct was typical of the atmosphere his administration creates that encourages today’s malefactors (see Enron, WorldCom and others of recent note) to flaunt the law with a screw the stockholders and the public attitude. Republicans charged Democrats with a desperate attempt to score political points.
Who is spinning?
*(Spin This," Bill Press, Pocket Books, New York, 2001)
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#79
A stock transaction in 1990, before President Bush left the oil business and baseball for politics, raised new questions when administration officials acknowledged that Bush had failed to promptly disclose the sale of stock in a Texas oil company as required by federal law. The sale was reported 34 weeks after it occurred, which the White House blamed on a "mix-up, a clerical error" by lawyers - a different explanation than Bush had offered previously.
Before becoming President Bush had been involved in four late reporting transgressions.
Democrats charged Bush’s conduct was typical of the atmosphere his administration creates that encourages today’s malefactors (see Enron, WorldCom and others of recent note) to flaunt the law with a screw the stockholders and the public attitude. Republicans charged Democrats with a desperate attempt to score political points.
Who is spinning?
*(Spin This," Bill Press, Pocket Books, New York, 2001)
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#79
Sunday, June 30
4th of July
The birthday of America.Stand up and be proud of our country! Have a happy holiday!
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#78
The birthday of America.Stand up and be proud of our country! Have a happy holiday!
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#78
Tuesday, June 18
I want to stay home
Somewhere along the line some women (and probably a few unsteady men) founded "Take Your Parents to Work Day," (celebrated this year on June 27) and I think that is a crockpot full of, well, crock. I have five children. One is a school teacher whose place of work is closed for the summer. Two sons live in Washington and toil for the government and that's five hundred miles away (a thousand if you count the return trip). Another son whose office I have been to on numerous occasions, and while it is a pleasant place it is hardly where I want to spend a day making idle chitty chitty bing bang talk with strangers. And then there is my other daughter. She is a funeral director. I would have to wear a suit and look like one of those brothers on Six Feet Under meeting with the survivors. No thanks. I believe I will stay home on June 27 and consider the mind set of parents who worked decades to get their kids on someone else's payroll and then can't resist the urge to visit with them on the job.
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#77
Somewhere along the line some women (and probably a few unsteady men) founded "Take Your Parents to Work Day," (celebrated this year on June 27) and I think that is a crockpot full of, well, crock. I have five children. One is a school teacher whose place of work is closed for the summer. Two sons live in Washington and toil for the government and that's five hundred miles away (a thousand if you count the return trip). Another son whose office I have been to on numerous occasions, and while it is a pleasant place it is hardly where I want to spend a day making idle chitty chitty bing bang talk with strangers. And then there is my other daughter. She is a funeral director. I would have to wear a suit and look like one of those brothers on Six Feet Under meeting with the survivors. No thanks. I believe I will stay home on June 27 and consider the mind set of parents who worked decades to get their kids on someone else's payroll and then can't resist the urge to visit with them on the job.
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#77
Thursday, June 13
Flag Day 2002
May our flag be always flown proudly and with honor.
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#76
May our flag be always flown proudly and with honor.
If not already there, visit my website.
E-mail your comments
#76
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