Shadow of Diogenes

The Diamonds' Haiku # 022809 (Poem)

50s music

so cool,

let's stroll.

Question of the Day

(Q)  When you are in bed with your spouse or significant other (what a phrase) do you have your side and vice versa ? Or does it matter ?

Faulkner and Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway's novel To Have and Have Not was adapted to the silver screen by William Faulkner . Both men were Nobel Laureates for Literature. This is the only case of this having ever occured.

Is Travel To Mexico Safe ?

According to The State , South Carolina's finest (in my opinion) newspaper colleges are warning students about travel to Mexico during spring break. In case you didn't know it Mexican drug cartels are impacting Mexico and the southwestern United States with violence. A lot of the violence is occuring in border towns in Mexico. Supposedly 80% of tourists visiting Mexico come from Estados Unidos (USA) so anyone considering a trip down there might take precautions. I have to say that knowing gringos as I do they are more likely to stay home because of the bad economy rather than the threat of Mexican drug thugs . Viva dinero !

A Trip To The Hospital ER (Poem)

a pain

in the gut

like a red hot sadistic poker

that enjoys its work.

fear of the unknown

and being surrounded by strange people

in a sterile hospital full of coughing and crying.

latex glove

needles and blood

and giggles and banter

in the hallway.

then a smiling lady MD,

using big words.

good luck,

 so long -

i am out the door.

i can breath again.

Haiku # 022609 (Poem)

feeling the flow

of eternity

 in my soul.

Trivia Question of the Day

(Q)  Who am I ?  Category : Actor trivia. Please guess before you google it but do have fun

Clue # 1 : Supporter of Millwall FC.

Clue # 2 : Born in London.

Clue # 3 : Father was a Poet Laureate.

Topless Coffee Shop

A coffee shop has opened in Vassalboro, Maine that features topless waitresses and waiters. The Grand View Topless Coffee Shop (great name) meets the letter of the law even though some residents of the town do not like it in their midst. As an aficionado of coffee and boobs, I can only smile . Isn't America a great country. This gives new meaning to the phrase "cup size". 

Another Economic Tale of Woe

According to the Financial Times (England) Japan's exports fell by 45.7% last month. We may say, "So what?", but the global economy consists of individual nations'  interlinked economies. A hickup in one sends ripples throughout the world and a severe recession in the United States has an equally serious echo in Japan or China or Russia. In severe economic times, people are prone to grasp for anything that offers what they perceive as a way out. For example the Great Depression was rife with political machinations and isms that set the world on a course towards World War II. We would do well to study history !  

Gifts From Taxpayers

According to Alan Reynolds in the New York Post the states of California,Michigan,Nevada,Florida and Arizona will benefit the most from President Obama's stimulus plan. Now is it me or is something wrong here ? These aren't poor states. In fact they are prosperous states (well at least before the economy tanked they were) , but foreclosures are rampant in the five. It seems to me that taxpayers in the other 45 states need some help too and fast ! Hey, I am just an old fireman - what do I know about economics ?