Nighthawks at the Cafe

The retail stores have long since closed. The Starbucks the single bright spot in the otherwise moonless night. Under track lighting inside, three men, each at his own table a distance from the others, three men, one laptop typing, one handwriting and one reading away, the only patrons in the otherwise empty cafe. And tonight, fast scribbling the description out in your journal, tonight you are one of them.

Nellie McKay performing at TED

TED is Technology Entertainment Design

Though what I've posted is a song, it's the 18 minute talks by artists, psychologists, monks, etc. posted on ted.com that lately have become my (when working from home) lunch companion/addiction. Inspiring, smart and funny.

Like "The Dog Song" by Nellie McKay

Tom Cruise's Legacy

Since 1986 (give or take) the developed and developing worlds have been carefully following Tom Cruise and his ego, as they (Tom and ego) have worked harder to get tougher, stronger, more perfectly chiseled, groomed, jaw-thrust-forward handsome and recently, not really to any of our suprise, we are finding that at the end of that Los Angeles inspired, gym-rat rainbow - that hamster tread wheel many of us are now on, racing away the workday to get to the gym - the result is a terrifically handsome, looks good in a tight t-shirt vapid excuse for a Scientologist. Is that where we're heading?

If only Canada had a John Stewart

Why do you write about things that are so depressing?

People can accept almost any amount of ugliness if it is contained in a familiar formula, as it is on television, but when they come closer to their own place, their own lives, they are much offended by a lack of editing.

-Alice Munro