Meanwhile, in less important news, “Israel transferred security control of the West Bank city of Jericho to the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday”—“the first of five cities where the Palestinian Authority will be allowed to resume control.” Israeli forces began pulling back from Jericho earlier Wednesday, but the signing of a formal agreement to hand over control of the city was stalled at the last minute. Without offering specifics, the Israel
March 2005
March 16, 2005
My third brief conversation with the ghost of Tony Randall
Me: “So. What do you think, Tony. Is Michael Jackson guilty?” Ghost of Tony Randall: “How should I know? I’m a ghost. I’m not a mind reader.” Me: “I realize that. I was just wondering if you had an opinion on the matter –” Ghost of Tony Randall: “– You know, I am sick and tired of being treated like some otherwordly being with strange, quasi-mystical powers. I am just
March 16, 2005
Celebrating the differences
Ah! The healing balm of diversity! Some white students at a South Jersey Catholic school walked out of classes Tuesday in protest over a speech by the New Jersey Secretary of State Regina Thomas. Tensions have been building up at Paul VI High School since Thomas’ speech on racial justice last week. Many students and faculty members walked out of the speech offended. They said that she lambasted one student
March 16, 2005
Oh, Domino…?
Iran Press News reports on the eruption of several anti-government protests during last evening’s Iranian New Year’s celebrations, and Let’s Try Freedom’s Robert Hayes, a former resident of Iran, adds context and commentary for the Blogger News Network: Iran experienced anti-mullah uprisings in its major cities, including Teheran, Isfahan, Abressan Junction and Karaj, on the evening of March 15. The 15th was Chahar-shanbeh Souri, an ancient Persian fire festival aimed
March 16, 2005
Another moment of unabashed pragmatism
After store and manufacturer’s rebate, Office Max was practically giving away 50-packs of Fujifilm DVD-R+. So I figured what the hell.
March 16, 2005
“Departures” (a sudden fiction)
To keep from sobbing, the man plucked a pen from the chipped coffee mug he kept on a shelf above his kitchen table and began scratching out a list of things he still had—beginning with his health 1 and ending, sixteen entries later, with a “1995 Jeep Wrangler w/ soft top.”2 For the next several minutes he reviewed his work, scanning the list a number of times, running a thumb
March 15, 2005
“The yin and yang of intimate interpersonal relationships post, 3” (from the protein wisdom conceptual series)
yin: “I can’t decide between the Steak au Poivre and the blackened tuna with the dill butter…” yang: “Uh huh. Well your ass wants the garden salad with the dressing on the side, if that’s any help.”
March 15, 2005
“Greenspan Renews Call to Move on Social Security Problems”
From the AP Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan issued a fresh call to Congress Tuesday to move promptly to put Social Security on firm financial footing, warning that doing nothing would lead to massive budget deficits and cause the “economy to stagnate or worse.” Greenspan, in remarks to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, said the looming retirement of 78 million baby boomers will put a huge strain on the