Monthly Archives: December 2010

Letters from New Zealand: And the news for 2011 is …..

Posted on December 31, 2010 by

DUNEDIN, N.Z. –The pictures of two dozen residents and their New Year’s resolutions fill the entire front page of this morning’s Otago Daily News.  It’s not the stuff of expose, but it says a bit about the ’50s-era, family-based quality … Continue reading →

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Letters from New Zealand: Stay left, look right

Posted on December 30, 2010 by

DUNEDIN, N.Z. — Lifelong habits are hard to break. That’s my excuse, at least, when, for the 79th time or so, I turn on the windshield wipers while trying to prepare for a turn.  As you may know, New Zealanders … Continue reading →

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Letters from New Zealand: An earthquake, a deluge and then the clouds part

Posted on December 29, 2010 by

PORT HILLS, N.Z. – All I’d done was order a boysenberry ice cream cone. “I like your accent,” said the dark-haired young woman at Sign of the Kiwi Teahouse, built in 1916 as part of the vision of environmental conservationist … Continue reading →

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Congressional constituent service at its finest

Posted on December 28, 2010 by

ABOVE THE PACIFIC OCEAN, Dec. 27, 2010 — I want to tip my hat to Sen. John Kerry’s staff. Oh, I know the START Treaty was a really big deal for America’s credibility and world peace.  But my thank you is … Continue reading →

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The day a crisp dollar bill arrived in the mail

Posted on December 17, 2010 by

I’m used to getting Christmas cards this time of year, but they don’t usually come with cash enclosed.  Yesterday, however, I got a letter from Arbitron (“You Count in the Ratings”) with a brand new $1 bill folded into it. … Continue reading →

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With 2 kids, dog and stalker cat, Christmas poses logistical problems

Posted on December 15, 2010 by

LEXINGTON, Mass. — Our three-bedroom, two-story Colonial usually has ample space for Kathy and me.  But when both our daughters and their kids arrive next week, things could get interesting. Mind you, even our day-to-day life isn’t without its quirks. … Continue reading →

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Is the president being played for a sucker?

Posted on December 10, 2010 by

An interesting column by Paul Krugman today hints at perhaps the most conclusive reason Democrats should reject the tax “compromise” that Barack Obama negotiated with Republicans.  It just may ensure a catastrophic defeat for Democrats in 2012. Krugman concedes that … Continue reading →

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Tax ‘compromise’: The rich get richer

Posted on December 7, 2010 by

I guess I should be excited because I personally stand to gain something close to a $2,000 tax break next year in the deal President Obama forged with Congressional Republicans.  But I’m anything but. Once again, the disparity between rich … Continue reading →

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Guardian offers fresh takes on WikiLeaks and its cables, from the humorous to the troubling

Posted on December 2, 2010 by

I’m finding that it’s not good enough to stop at The New York Times to digest the State Department cables dumped en masse by WikiLeaks. The Guardian in London gives a different emphasis and interpretation to some of the materials … Continue reading →

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