Everyone Needs a Velvet Apron
As we sat over breakfast on the day before the Day of the Dead at La Surtidora, overlooking Patzcuaro’s Plaza Grande, I thought aloud “I get to wake up in Michoacán 365 days a year, and I’m thankful for that. Look at these tourists, the poor souls, who only get to do so a few days here and there.” Telling myself that I wasn’t going to buy any artesania this year, partly because I’ve collected enough and mostly because money is in short supply, in less than thirty minutes, I broke my pledge in the Ocumicho aisle where an embroidered velvet apron just had my name on it. Deploying my new routine of offering 60% of the asked price and just once, I let the fates decide whether it wo

The Right to Life Rages On
Mexico is at war with more than just the narcos. It’s not a real good idea for women in nearly half the country to become pregnant against their will. Technorati Tags: abortion, pregnancy termination, Mexico, right to life

Journey to Astoria A Lesson for the World
Last Sunday was a beautiful. No rain, moderate temperatures, and a sun shining benevolently down from the heavens. So, while I was first planning to go to my office to do some work, I decided instead to ride my bike, which I hadn’t ridden since coming to Astoria. My bike had sat in my apartment with two flat tires for weeks until I got these CO2 cartridges which filled them up in seconds. So I was ready to go, just waiting for the right day. Sunday was that day. Off I went down Ditmars Boulevard, with my helmet on and the wind in my face. I had gone about 6 blocks when one of those private car service cabs turned right in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes and collide with the r

Windows 7 Release Cripples Worldwide Economic Recovery
With the world economy just beginning to recover from the worst downturn since the 1929 depression, Microsoft’s release of Windows 7 has dealt a crippling blow to its nascent recovery. Nations were caught unaware as millions of buyers of this latest upgrade of Microsoft’s operating system took days at their offices and homes to struggle with the installation of Windows 7 onto their computers, thereby causing a major disruption of large segments of the economy, including the restaurant, film, theater and travel industries as people cancelled plans because they were drawn away to resolve all of the issues which have arisen with this operating system upgrade. “I thought it would take an

The Villa Montaa and Salad Dressing
All over the world, foodies are wringing their hands over the demise of Gourmet magazine. They apparently forgot the day when Connoisseur folded itself into Gourmet, more than a decade and a half or ago. Some probably don’t even remember Laurie Colwin’s column in Gourmet. Frankly, I’m tired of food magazines. In the bodega are several boxes filled with old Gourmet magazines, and they read not much differently than last month’s. I’m tired of hearing people wax on about slow food, eating locally, politically correct food, and molecular gastronomy. Just don’t get me started on the vegans, or I may write something I’ll regret later. I’d much rather read food literature, about cu