The Smoking RoomWith Greg, some things are possibleBlog gridlock- December 31, 2006 For some reason my blog isn't letting me post new items (again), but I can still post items that already went through the ringer. Sit tight while my Web guy and I figure out what to do. In the meantime, see my New Years' narrative below (with the post that formerly occupied this link below that)....http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004380.html Monthly "shooting the messenger" attacks reach 2-year high- December 31, 2006 And deservedly so. With the news that casualties and military deaths in Iraq actually went down in 2006 from 2005, the LA Times headline is "Monthly U.S. toll in Iraq at 2-year high." Sure, it's another interpretation of the same facts. But it's a total departure from how any normal mainstream media outlet (my trade newsletter inclusive) would report the same data - monthly as opposed to calendar year, when figures are available. I wouldn't blame the reporter for the headline and tone.http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004379.html Hegemon 'n' friends- December 30, 2006 Why in the world would an influential Christian political party in Lebanon ally with the murderous string-pullers in Hezbollah Michael Totten reports from Beirut, where he had quite the breezy lunch with a couple members of the Aoun bloc. The main complaint is that the US-allied Lebanese government that Hezbollah is doing its damndest to topple is corrupt:Indeed, Lebanons cell phone companies are the corporate equivalent of rapists. It costs two dollars a minute to call the United States from...http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004378.html Coffee, beer, chocolate and a Bald Man- December 29, 2006 NOTE: This post refers to events of early November.See the Flick photo set here!That pretty much sums up my 2nd trip to New York in as many weeks! S and I went up for Veterans Day weekend, saw a few sights, heard some good jazz, ate a lot of Chinese and drank a lot of coffee. I'm still not sold on this giant, loud, congested, profane and reckless city, but there are definitely places I'd like to visit again - especially outside Manhattan. Details below!...http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004365.html A nice prelude to decade(nt) depression- December 29, 2006 My buddy John in Seattle got a "surprise luau" for his 30th birthday from his wonderful (and hot) wife, replete with a cartoonish (and real) pig. The weather in my second-home Seattle has been unusually bad this December, what what friends are saying, so Hawaiian escapism seems appropriate, especially given John's tiki fetish. My going away party featured leis and mind-numbingly strong mai tais, but no pig, in keeping with the oh-sh---we-forgot-food theme. Happy birthday and merry...http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004377.html Let's get Grumpy- December 23, 2006 We're headed to Cafe Grumpy, mentioned in a NYT story months ago on great coffee in NY and appealing to my perpetual grumpiness. The founding Grumpy is in Brooklyn but there's a new one in Chelsea we're going to hit. They've instituted cuppings (tastings) Saturday mornings, according to its blog. Sadly we missed it today. They even have a photoblog where they documented their latte-art-under-heckling competition. Barista-ing is a savage art. UPDATE: So we hit the Chelsea Grumpy - minimalist but.http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004376.html Happy Holidays- December 22, 2006 I'm off to New York for the weekend, which has the added benefit of getting away from a war zone I created yesterday with my fierce devotion to free speech. My narrative of the Veterans Day New York trip still isn't done, but I'll do better on keeping notes this time and get a narrative up a lot sooner....http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004375.html Fashionably late to comment- December 21, 2006 It's always amusing when someone leaves a comment for a very old blog post - this one came in Wednesday from an anonymous reader, responding to a 2-year-old post where I briefly mentioned watching some dancing I didn't recognize that looked South American:I find it hard to believe that a "journalist" would not recognize flamenco dancing (which originates from spain, not south america, although it's also performed in south america, as well as other placesWhere to start There's...http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004374.html Oh, the Nerve- December 10, 2006 The intelligent perverts at Nerve.com, which gives erotica a mansion-study feel, are launching a snarky parenting website for ultra-modern expectant and current baby-raisers - or baby-ridders:Weve found that there are a lot of taboos around parenting, as much as we felt there were around sex when we launched Nerve, Mr. Griscom said. There are a lot of things you cant say, like, We wanted a girl, but we got a boy. Or, Were pregnant with a third, but we dont know if we want it. Presumably...http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004373.html Working hard or just 5 days a week- December 8, 2006 Some congressmen are whining that, under Democratic House rule, they'll have to work 5 days a week. I'm waiting for the first press release from the family groups to say this will hurt marriage almost as much as gay nuptials. Oh, wait:"Keeping us up here eats away at families," said Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), who typically flies home on Thursdays and returns to Washington on Tuesdays. "Marriages suffer. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says.".http://www.gregpiper.com/archives/004372.html |