The end of the year is always a time for thoughtful reflection. A time to look back at pleasures savored and milestones achieved. And so, as 2014 draws to a close, I, like all Parisians, am thinking about one thing: … Read More
Readers, I have terrible news. You’d better sit down. I’m not sure how to break it to you… This won’t be easy, but I guess I should just come right out and say it: I am never going to be … Read More
When I saw the guy smoking on the Métro the other day it triggered a line of thought that led to a rather intriguing observation. Not “Holy [moly], what a stupid [despicable person],” although that’s what crossed my mind first. … Read More
As I write this, France is in the grip of a crime wave without precedent. A seemingly endless string of senseless assaults has plunged us into a vicious circus. All over the country, police officers are filing reports like this … Read More
The very first thing I did the very first time I went to Basque Country was make a complete ass of myself. A few years ago, Nancy and I rented a house in the epically beautiful village of Sare, at … Read More
One of the great things about the Internet is that it facilitates and encourages the dissemination of utter crap. I mean that sincerely: in the old days, before the Information Superhighway, whenever we humorists wanted to find something to ridicule, … Read More
It was quite a day. By lunchtime I had already been in four fights, and had gotten knocked out cold every time. I had been in a concert and a demonstration, worked as a photographer, security guard, chef and hospital … Read More
Ah, there’s nothing like a good cops-and-robbers mystery to pass the time on those lazy, leisurely days of summer. Wily villains, a rollicking plot, surprise revelations, the willing suspension of disbelief… And in France this year, no one needed to … Read More
At the risk of stating the obvious, the world is in a sorry state. Economies are struggling, Russia is stirring up ancient hatreds, airplanes are dropping like rain, and the Middle East is going to hell even faster than usual. … Read More
Despite the fact that it’s downright convenient for me personally, I think English is a terrible choice for an international language. The spelling is fraught with anomalies, the prepositions are treacherous, and the verbal phrases are murder. Do we really … Read More
