15 minutes

Having lived in and around tourist attractions for the better part of 6 years, and having been a tourist myself, I'm guessing I appear in the background of a great many people's photos.  Could these, collectively, make me famous?

  ¶ 8/31/2006 01:59:00 PM 0 comments links to this post

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Shouldn't a "half-duplex" just be called a "plex"?

  ¶ 8/29/2006 10:03:00 AM 1 comments links to this post

The other Paris that's sometimes in the news Craftily scheduling an extended layover on the way to CZ, I'm in Paris right now - staying at the apartment of a philosophy / playright who I met on Craigslist. Her place is in Montmartre, fairly close to the Moulin Rouge (which appears much more like a Broadway show than cabaret, complete with a co-ed line wrapping around the block). So far Paris is fairly impressive, these people knew how to build a city. The trees, the metro system, the big parks, the way the apartments visually flow into one another along long boulevards . . . it's very solid civic design. A few random observations: 1) My four words of French are not getting me far. Three of those are "menage" "a" and "tois". Tois was useful once. 2) I went to the Cafe Phares, a "philosophical cafe" for their Sunday, 11:00 philosophy debate. Disappointingly, it was in French, and I couldn't figure out a good way to pick a foreign policy fight. I just sipped cappucino and watched cars on the roundabout instead. 3) Besides the other American tourists, I'm the only person in white tennis shoes. 4) There is a point in front of Notre Dame, point zero, from which all road distances in France are measured. It is their center of the universe. 5) "Garcon" apparently means "boy". I wonder how all of America got the idea that that was the correct way to summon a waiter? A big no no from what i've seen. 6) I generally divide tourists into two groups: the camera on the neck tourists, versus the travelers. Paris is overwhelmed with the first variety. 7) Better urinals. Why in the world can't American establishments imitate the world's better bathroom designs? 8) No mimes. A little disappointing. 9) Fashion is good, but not head and shoulders over New York. I need one of those courdurouy jackets.  ¶ 8/20/2006 02:01:00 PM 0 comments links to this post

Problems I've heard the phrase "that's a good problem to have" about 30 times today. Everyone around me is apparently having "good problems" (too much business coming in, too many dates, etc), and they need to tell me about it. Is that a good problem for me to have?  ¶ 8/15/2006 11:26:00 PM 0 comments links to this post

Security Waylaid by enhanced security, bad weather, and the ancient JFK airport design, my Thursday flight to Minnaepolis didn't arrive until 3:00am. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but liquids have been allowed on planes for 50+ years. Why is it that five days ago they were safe, but now they are not? Have the physics of liquids changed in the last five days? Apparently, for 50 years it was *inconceivable* to use liquid explosives, but now "the truth is out there," and liquids are suddenly mortally dangerous. I hope no terrorists are found to have planned to simultaneously pull out all the emergency doors mid-flight. Then we'll have to all be handcuffed during flight.  ¶ 8/14/2006 06:31:00 PM 0 comments links to this post

Internet bad? Working in the internet industry, I sometimes wonder, am I advancing the human race? Like if I was a miracle diet pill salesman, I think I would clearly be dragging down civilization. Indeed, on a spectrum of good to bad industries, from say: diamond mining to teaching school children, where would the internet business rank? You've got empowering work-at-home moms on the one hand, and enabling private gambling addictions on the other. I'm not sure. I think the internet is generally good at facilitating international communication within companies, and perhaps even within societies in general. At the same time, it's still encouraging a bunch of people to stay at home and sit motionless in front of a screen (not too different than a television - which I hold to be "bad"). Perhaps the best thing for the advancement of humanity is novelty. If humans confront new technologies and ways of living, there may be awkward adjustment periods (wars and the like), but ultimately humans will find ways to minimize the bad, and maximize the good. So the key is to throw the new tech up there, cringe your way through the bad adjusting phase, and be happy, 50 years down the road, when the good aspects have risen and the bad minimized. At least that's what I'm hoping for.  ¶ 8/09/2006 11:36:00 PM 1 comments links to this post

Pigeon man The building across the street from me features a run-down pigeon coop on its roof, reportedly populated by an ex-con who is still an active drug dealer. What is interesting about this guy is that he trains the pigeons, and at approximately 5:00-6:00pm, he whistles and cajoles them into flying, 50 at a time, around and around in loops in the sky. Now, I place myself firmly in the pigeon-hating camp, but when the dusk sunlight hits a flock of spiraling swirling birds on the New York skyline, it's absolutely beautiful. Kudos to that guy.  ¶ 8/06/2006 05:53:00 PM 0 comments links to this post

Gym One thing I appreciate about my new gym is the male / female ratio. There are many women around, and therefore, when I sit down to a new machine, it's less likely that I'll have to adjust the weights.  ¶ 8/05/2006 11:49:00 PM 0 comments links to this post

Victory The problem with automotive commuting is that you don't get that rush of joy as final person to squeeze through the closing subway doors.  ¶ 8/03/2006 11:44:00 AM 1 comments links to this post

102 It's hot in New York. Apparently, adjusted for humidity, the high today is 115. This has several implications: 1) the streets have an erie sort of calm to them. New Yorkers are *slowly* pushing past each other today. People are shuttered in. 2) everyone is wearing less clothing. depending on who you are looking at, that is both good and bad. 3) the subway is now like a sauna. if you go down there, sweat will emerge from your every pore within seconds. 4) I've been greeted with the phrase "hot enough for you?" at least ten times. I'd like to meet the person who answers that question in the negative. 5) My AC is inadequate.  ¶ 8/02/2006 06:59:00 PM 1 comments links to this post

Just ten more minutes Is the biological clock equipped with a snooze button?  ¶ 8/01/2006 07:09:00 PM 0 comments links to this post