Nancy Pelosi on Healthcare

”It’s like the back of the refrigerator. You see all these wires and the rest,” said Pelosi. “All you need to know is, you open the door. The light goes on. You open this door, you go through a whole different path, in terms of access to quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.” If the…

The Dog Ate My Homework

Hi, there.  Good to see you again.  I’ve been out on a bit of a winter break, I guess.  I have tons of reasons why I haven’t blogged in ages.  In classic blogger fashion, I’ll offer myself as the center of the universe and tell you why I haven’t blogged in such a long while:…

Tuesday Night, Belgrade, World-Weary

Ah, long trips always bring about this moment.  The moment after sitting between two chain smokers all day, the moment after driving through a dusty, littered countryside, the moment after the “evils of America” are told to me in hugely flawed detail by people who still send their children there for an education. The moment…

Republika Srpska Confounds Me

I’m back in Vienna now on my way to Tirana, Albania.  Thank goodness for the airport’s free internet.  It really helps pass the time. I took a trip out of Sarajevo yesterday into the Republika Srpska town of Banja Luka.  It’s in the northwestern part of Bosnia and is populated mostly by ethnic Serbs.  The…

September 11th, 2009

Looking back on that day, Clifford D. May‘s analysis is thought provoking: If this struggle is too much for the present generation, we will deserve what comes in its place. Americans used to say that freedom is not free, that it must be earned by generation after generation. That sounds hokey to 21st-century ears, I…

I just remembered my password….

So by my count it has been about 10 months since I contributed anything here (I probably should ask permission again).   Since I just read that it was the 1-yr anniversary of the site, I guess I will contribute what may end up being the longest post to date as a birthday gift. As…

One for the Road

I’ll be out for a little bit doing some exploring.  I’m not expecting to have much Internet connectivity where I’m going and after the past three weeks in the office, that is nothing but a good thing.  Now, if I could drop my mobile phone at just the right angle. . . All kidding aside,…

McMafia by Misha Glenny

I don’t read as many books as I’d like to.  But I just finished one of the biggest and best that I’ve read in a very long time.  It’s left me cynical, angry and nearly hopeless – but naive no more.  The book is McMafia by Misha Glenny and it’s a global view on the…

Feliz 9 de Mayo

Or, as President Obama says “Cinco de cuatro.”  This guys is great without the teleprompter.  Didn’t he say we should all learn another language, or something?  Do as I say, not as I do – again.  Ah, leadership. Anyway, that wasn’t the point of this post.  What I wanted to tell you is that we…

Tea for Texas

I’m not sure just what is going on with the whole “Tea Party” movement, but I’m pretty sure I like it a lot better than what’s going on in Washington.  Hey, when this gets big enough to include the expats in the Czech Republic, write me for the rally in Prague, eh?  My wife has…

Blog Spring

I’ve been off the blog wagon for awhile. I was sick with some sort of cold that keeps me coughing to this very day. I missed my trip to Ukraine because of it. We’ve had company in town and also ended up seeing “Mr. Hope and Change” himself a couple of times over the weekend….

Politics Bore Me, Food Does Not

I’m not a political junkie anymore.  I don’t give two spits about domestic politics in the least.  I’m bored with it.  Yeah, yeah, I know it is a critical time in the history of the US of A but it just doesn’t interest me.  I tried to watch Obama’s appearance on Leno and it just…

Once a Texan…

…always a Texan.  President Bush gets the applause he deserves.

Obama and the Federal “Tech” System

The President’s folks are setting up shop at the White House and seem appalled with what they are finding.  Now, just imagine coordinating the relief effort of one of the largest hurricanes to hit the USA with this technology.  Then, consider that you are using that tech to command a largely Federal work force with…

Aw, C’mon!

http://change.gov/ Seriously?  As President Elect?  They give you a web site now? This all seems like it is starting earlier than normal.  Kind of like the Christmas rush. But seriously, c-h-a-n-g-e-.gov?  Could I get http://www.NotHemingway.gov?  Hmmm…