Monthly Archives: November 2003

QotD

C. Northcote Parkinson: The Law and the Profits (1960) It is also usual in works of learning to refer, sooner or later, to ancient Athens. This book will be no exception, difficult as it is to maintain for long the … Continue reading

Posted in history | Leave a comment

the mystery caliber

Saturday at a gun shop, my eye was caught by the archaic stocks of a couple of Ruger “Vaquero” revolvers (modern versions of obsolete guns, made for rodeo sports). Looking closer, I saw that their calibers were .45 and .32. … Continue reading

Posted in prose, weapons | Leave a comment

kana

At a restaurant, I was briefly puzzled by an advertising card that read ルービロポッサ ruubiropossa?? No, sapporobiiru!

Posted in language | Leave a comment

a fleeting allusion

Northcote Parkinson wrote (“Parkinson’s Second Law”): In 1957 Mr John Applebey remarked that those responsible for the [British] public accounts seem to confuse themselves as well as everyone else. Presumably the creators of Yes Minister, and thus of Sir Humphrey … Continue reading

Posted in cinema, politics | Leave a comment

the world suddenly seemed not so small

Today in Menlo Park, who should walk by but Bill, principal of the firm where I’ve been working lately (in San Francisco). Our eyes met, I raised a hand in greeting, and he stopped; so I approached, and said: “Hi! … Continue reading

Posted in California, me!me!me! | Leave a comment

equality

Swen quotes Phil Ochs’s “Love me, I’m a Liberal”, which reminds me of this from The National Lampoon’s White Album Gold Turkey: National Lampoon Radio Hour/Greatest Hits: I wish I was a Negro, with lots of Negro soul, so I … Continue reading

Posted in music+verse, race | 6 Comments

the weekly woe

The morning mail brings me a new issue of The Economist, whose news roundup begins: Two bombs went off in Istanbul on November 20th . . . . . . making me wonder where it was printed. Certain other weeklies would have said “Thursday” … Continue reading

Posted in general | Leave a comment