When it came out a couple of years ago, I really liked Getglue. It was like Foursquare, only instead of posting that you were at a cafe or store, you posted what books you were reading, TV programs or films…
Category: California
Opponents of Gay Marriage Don’t Understand What Marriage Is
I’ve written about this before, but in the light of the US Supreme Court striking down the Defence of Marriage Act and California’s Proposition 8, and the recent demonstrations against the legalization of same sex marriage in France, it needs…
Who’s worse, the NSA or the Chinese?
Against the background of the revelation of the National Security Agency’s Prism program, spying on the world’s electronic communications, two very different publications in the past few days have illuminated government control, or attempted control, of the online world, one…
“The United States Supreme Court has done all that it can to make this situation worse”
Your browser does not support iframes. Harvard Law Professor and Internet activist Lawrence Lessig took part in a panel discussion on corruption and democracy in Lund tonight. He was in the southern Swedish city to receive an honorary doctorate. The…
Don’t hold your breathe waiting for Al-Jazeera
When I was in California a month and a half ago I wrote to local cable provider Comcast, asking them to provide Al-Jazeera English. It really seems like some kind of political decision that they don’t want to let in…
The Modern Inquisitors
The concept of heresy arose early in the Christian Church, as alternative approaches to dogma and worship were persecuted by the dominant orthodoxy. Ironically ths first apeared as the Church itself emerged from persecution. Intolerance of “heresy” continued through the…
Pre-Raphaelites in Mendocino County?
Since I first arrived in Europe I’ve been a big fan of William Morris, the 19th Century co-founder of the Pre-Raphaelite movement in art. I first discovered Morris after the breakthrough of J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings.…
There’s no place like home
A tree flowering in the parking lot at the Ukiah Walmart I’ve spent more than half my life in Europe, and have gotten used to being being in places where English is not the language. Being in France has made…
Decorations French, American and Swedish
Christmas decorations at Patisserie Christian, originally uploaded by radiowood2000. Amazing decorations at a very nice bakery/cafe. Apparently located at both 12 rue de l’ Outre and 17 Place du Temple Neuf (it’s on a corner, where a street runs into…
Food in France
Trying to learn how to get food in France. It’s a bit daunting finding what I want. This is if course based on very limited experience, less than two weeks in the city of Strasbourg. Hopefully I’ll learn more as…