I went for a haircut today; I felt I wasn’t looking very professional. I have been following the course of the Pope’s struggle the last few days closely. I’m not in Rome but I wanted to share, I wanted to feel, to commiserate. When I walked into Hugo’s, Fox news was on and they were already running commentary on the death of John Paul. I had missed it. For an ordinary errand, I had missed the death of my Pope. I tried to stay cool, during my hair cut. No one else seemed to be affect...

When I was enlisted and stationed in Florida, attending a school, we came up with this drinking “ritual”. Basically we punched each other in the jaw. Yea, I know, freaking brilliant! What do you expect from a bunch nineteen year old sailors and marines? This ritual was done while sitting at the bar and involved two commands that the receiver of the punch would issue. The preparatory command was “STAND BY!” at which point some one to the right or left of the person would stand. Then, a...

When I was enlisted and stationed in Florida, attending a school, we came up with this drinking “ritual”. Basically we punched each other in the jaw. Yea, I know, freaking brilliant! What do you expect from a bunch nineteen year old sailors and marines? This ritual was done while sitting at the bar and involved two commands that the receiver of the punch would issue. The preparatory command was “STAND BY!” at which point some one to the right or left of the person would stand. Then, a...