Anyone who is anyone knows this is the solstice, that point in the year when things start going downhill. In other words things, whatever they are, were more or less on the ascendant until now. And these days, in these United States, the question of course involves responsibility. Who fucked things up? The year was going quite nicely, thank you very much, until someone screwed us royally. Who that someone is and what we are going to do about it remains to be seen. Death is not too good for them, Read more [...]

It's a regular weekly gig, my Wednesday volunteer stint at a San Francisco homeless shelter. And after months of this, somehow I am ready to throw in the towel. What I actually do as a volunteer is minimal, e.g., passing out toothbrushes and disposable razors. What I gain is a close-up perspective on life in this town. Simply put, there are lots of poor people around. And even more simple – I am glad to not be one of them. As for turning up at the shelter and dispensing bits and pieces, someone Read more [...]

Call it the digital revolution. Call it the advent of labor-saving technology. Call it quits, however, if you are 72 years old and electronic devices have you at the end of your so-called wits. Britons are often heard to lament that this or that will "drive me round the twist." In this our digital era, I fear that something will "twist me round the drive." The disk drive, of course. Which is itself an outdated term. There haven't been discs around for a long time. And, no, up-to-date people do Read more [...]

"Cup" is the unimposing name of the café down the street, the one run by the Palestinian Sam. It was there this morning, all of us patrons baking in the hitherto extraordinary San Francisco heat, that something happened to my wheelchair. The electronic screen that normally displays such interesting details as speed and battery charge, began flashing its red thunderbolt. Warning. Something terribly wrong. Oy fucking vey. Thing is, this was a sort of nightmare come true. I bop about this town, Read more [...]

Summertime, and the livin’ isn't easy, and I do not know about the fish or the height of the cotton…but I do know it isn't even summer. In late spring, heat has hit the Bay Area mercilessly. I made the rather serious mistake of going out this morning for coffee and shopping. Now I have rectified that error by hunkering down inside, air conditioning on. I am, as things go, a lucky person. Never mind the boring reality of heat and neuromuscular conditions. What I notice is that hot weather Read more [...]

Here’s how you know life is telling you to get over yourself.First, start with the conviction that you have something really worthwhile to contribute to the California High-Speed Rail Authority. After all, you have turned up at a local meeting of the HSR. Not that there aren’t local meetings all over the place. And not that all sorts of worthwhile contributions don’t flood in daily to the beleaguered HSR staff.Anyway, you are at your computer writing this noble memo. First, you discuss the Read more [...]