Skipping Towards Gomorrah (D. Savage)

Considering that Dan Savage is all the rage (and has been for several years) here in San Francisco, I am actually surprised I waited so long to read a book of his. Known for his satiric outlook on society and conservatism, Mr. Savage is a gay Al Franken. This particular book was inspired by Robert Bork’s “Sloughing Towards Gomorrah,” a “realistic” look at today’s America. Mr. Savage points out quite credibly that conservatives have a history of painting a picture of moral doom, denouncing the current nation, only to turn around at the last second and declare how much they love America. Continue reading

Where did the cats go?

Sunday morning, after two years of living by myself with two cats, I sent them off to Minnesota, where they are going to be taken care of (still waiting for pictures). It was quite the moment, with preparations, planning, and trepidation. It’s all over now, and the only aftereffect to date is that at every sound in the house, I think it’s the cats and check out what they are doing. Continue reading

The United States of Europe (T.R.Reid)

Being a European (still), I just couldn’t resist the temptation of buying this book. Mr. Reid obviously knew something I didn’t, his title suggesting that Europe was on its way to equal the United States (of America) in global power, no less. Turns out that the book could have been titled: “The European Union, A Force Not to Be Neglected Any Longer.” Not as catchy, of course, and the whole tone of the book is sensationalized to attract readers to a fairly dull subject matter. Continue reading

Leonardo da Vinci : Flights of the Mind : A Biography (C. Nicholl)

{moszoomimglink:Verrocchio – head of David}Leonardo is quite the character. For most of his life a beautiful charmer, surrounded by pretty boys in search of a career, we remember him mostly for his old age, a bearded man with long straight hair. He is almost as iconic as his creations, who became true symbols of art and science to a degree unparalleled before and ever since. Yet, the man is a little elusive. Continue reading

Finally, more money

Brad and his wife have this odd communication pattern: they won’t respond to my inquiries for days and weeks, until they need something (in particular money). So I called them every day since last Friday, and no word from them until Wednesday. I needed to know whether to go for anodized or painted screens, and now the order is delayed by a week thanks to the duo. Well, I get a call back with “everything is A-OK! Continue reading

What happened with my Wells Fargo debit card?

What do you do if in Hawai`i and in need of cash? Lots of cash? Well, of course, you go to the local branch of your bank. Wells Fargo. I got my loan from them, let’s just go to their local branch, no? The phone book lists a Wells Fargo branch in Hilo: I call her up, and Phil (whom I knew from dealing with the Home Mortgage arm) tells me there is no branch. Continue reading

No news is bad news

I’ve tried to get in touch with my contractors in Hawai`i over the weekend. I have a quote for the screens outstanding (anodized or painted?) and wanted to wish Brad a happy birthday on Sunday. Called several times, left messages, heard nothing back. I know the pattern – not the first time it happens. Whenever there are bad news to report, I hear nothing from them. What could it be this time? Continue reading

Hiking the Kohala Ditch

[I found this item on the Internet somewhere – not a hike I have done, but one I want to do. if you wait long enough, you’ll see my version of the same hike! ] It was August of 1977 when Fred Dodge and his two teen-age children, Charlie, 17, and Alyce (Tootsie), 16, and I hiked across the north slope of the Kohala mountain from the end of the road above Pololu Valley to Waipio Valley. Continue reading

Cryptonomicon (N. Stephenson)

First things first: don’t read the paperback edition. The print is tiny, and the book huge – the perfect recipe for a painful headache. I heard about Cryptonomicon first in a personal ad, in the category last read. The title sounded interesting, so I bought the book and read it on my last trip to Hawai`i. Which ensured that I had plenty time to read with no distraction or better things to do. Continue reading

Season Ending in Tahoe

Sadly true, this and next weekend are going to be the last ones for a nice run in Tahoe. Heavenly is about to board up the lodges, and so are all the other resort, concluding a short season that started poorly, as it ended on a bang. Next year? I’ll probably do without Heavenly, probably switch to the multi-pass for Kirkwood and Northstar. Heavenly finally got to me, I know every single run by heart, and I am sick of the tired snow an hour after the mountain opens. Continue reading