Your Hamster in the Box And it’s Not Breathing.

Once upon a time I loved flying.

Not so much anymore.

The last trip I took (last summer) was cramped and tedious. The service was fine, but 3 hours in a cramped stuffy space with nothing to eat is not my idea of fun. I had a head cold too. Extra fun!

I would like flying if I was rich. Then I could fly like this:

(Emirates first class)

Or this:

(Virgin first class)

Well maybe not the second one, at least not to India

Seems that a passenger was not overly happy with his dinner on a Mumbai to Heathrow flight. Or what may have been presented as dinner. Or perhaps Spackle.

Doesn't this look yummy?


God only know what it is. The passenger certainly didn't know. And he wonders if Richard Branson knows.

He had a few words to say to Mr. Branson, and those words spread to the world.

Apparently this letter has been making the email rounds for a while, and as usual I'm the last to know.

Happy travels

Pretty Great Day in the USA

Skill testing question: Who looks happier - Bush or Obama?



Now go turn on CNN.

That is all.

Brrrrrrrrr

[ari_nyc's Photos]

If you've never heard of the group Improve Everywhere, you need to check them out.

Their "About Us" statement:

Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places. Created in August of 2001 by Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere has executed over 80 missions involving thousands of undercover agents. The group is based in New York City.

They held their annual "No Pants Subway Ride" January 10th in NYC and other cities. Details and photos from NYC here.

2009 videos haven't been posted yet, but past years can be found here.

Another favourite of mine. The Human Mirror mission.

Please to enjoy

I Hate School

Brat's most embarrassing picture is now up on for all to see on Stuff On My Wiener.

I should never have taught her to type

Paris, 1980

My one and only trip to Paris was with my mom in 1980.

It was a short three day stopover between Amsterdam and Berlin, so not much time to see anything.

We stayed in a smallish hotel near the Place d'Italie in the 13th arrondissement, the Hôtel de la Place des Alpes. I remember it as being quaint, but bordering on seedy. The current reviews seem to agree.

We had a shower and sink in the room, but the toilets were on the landings. The hallway lights were on timers, so you turned on the lights and dashed. If you were lucky you made it to the loo before being plunged into dark. They now have full baths in the rooms. What luxury.


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Our room faced the inner courtyard, but we had the same little Juliette balcony as shown here.

My strongest touristy memory was of trying to visit the Eiffel Tower, but, errmm, we couldn't find it. It is after all such an unassuming little structure.


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Instead we visited the Arc de Triomphe.


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And on the top, we had a revelation and found what we were looking for:

Two Random Things: Snow & a Library

Nothing to do with anything but:

1. Snow

Here is a shot out my den window today. Snow begone!

(Cheap webcam = jerky video)

2. A Library.

I've been spending some time checking out places I've been via Google Maps. I (like many people in the library world) like to check out local libraries when traveling. This is probably one of the prettiest I've ever seen. In Carmel by the Sea, the Harrison memorial Library

Thought: I think I'll make this a regular feature, street views (or bird's eye shots) from places I've been. Great filler. New tag will be Street View


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My Wife Would Like That!

This company must not have a marketing department.

At least not a sober one.

I think the laugh @ 0:16 just might be real.

And the "actors" pretty desperate for cash.

[Hilarious Commercial - The Wunder Boner]