Cycling with an attitude

Rear entrance

Don't think when you vote

Something red for the New Year

CCTV watching you

The Go Burglar

Two friends who were addicted to go and were pretty evenly matched used to play every night until very late at the home of one of them, so wrapped up in their games that they were oblivious to everything but the board. Needless to say, this was a great nuisance to their families. But the worst part of it was their habit of pipe-smoking. They were always spilling hot ash, you see, and burning holes in the straw mats as they absent-mindedly lit their pipes from the live coal in the tobacco tray.

Their wives kept scolding them about this until finally they had to quit playing altogether. But they couldn't keep from thinking about it and wishing they could find some way to play again. Then one evening they hit upon a plan.

Let's just stop smoking while we're actually playing! We'll go outside and have a pipe after each game!

Brilliant idea, no doubt -- but of course they forget all about it as soon as they get well into their next game and start fiddling with their pipes. After a while one of them notices something.

Oy! he calls out. There's no coal in the tobacco tray!

The wife thinks to herself, If I put a coal in the tray they'll start burning holes in the tatami all over again. I'll find something red and put that in instead.

So from the kitchen she brings a small red vegetable called a snake-gourd and carefully pokes it down into the ashes of the tobacco tray, where it looks for all the world just like a bit of burning coal. The two men don't notice a thing, and so after a while the wife goes to bed, thinking she has nothing more to worry about.

On and on the two friends play, frowning and muttering at the board, and sucking away contentedly at their pipes just like old times.

Later that night a burglar sneaks into the back of the house. He stealthily fills a bag with everything he can get his hands on and hoists it over his shoulder. Just as he is about to take off he hears the click of a go stone.

What can I tell you? The burglar is a go player too. When that sound comes to his ears it arouses an irresistible curiosity. With the bag still slung over his shoulder he tiptoes toward the room where the two friends are playing, and peeks in.

At first he just stands there, watching. But then he moves slowly closer, bit by bit, until he's right beside them. One player is about to make a move. The burglar simply can't control himself.

No, no! he exclaims, putting down his bag. You ought to play over there, on that side! A typical kibitzer's remark.

The two players are studying the board. One of them says, a little crossly, Onlookers are supposed to keep quiet. This happens to be a crucial moment in the game. He glances up briefly. Who might you be, anyway? And click goes a stone onto the board.

All three study the move. It's a tense moment.

A burglar, comes the reply. Silence, then another click.

Hmm. Yes. . . Click. Well, make yourself comfortable . . .

I wonder what's on TV now

Lyrics of Battlestar Galactica - A new crew in town

Let me tell you about my favorite ship.
Back in '78 it seemed pretty hip.
Wasn't the Millennium Falcon or the Enterprise.
It was the battlestar Galactica that took that prize.

Sure back then, the effects were kind of cheesy,
but I loved it like George Jefferson loved his Weezie.
It didn't worry about gravity or anything inertial,
and Apollo's hair looked like a shampoo commercial.

But there is a new crew in town,
they know how to throw it down.
They make the others look like a ship full of clowns.

You are my new battlestar, and you've come so far.
I love the slanted walls and your A-shaped halls.
You are full of Cylon clones,
and those old-fashioned phones.
You're a frakkin' awesome machine,
so much better than the one with Lorne Greene.

They had a daggit and a boy named Boxey.
Now Starbuck's a girl and the Cylons are foxy.
For Adama, Eddie Olmos wins the fashion election.
Instead of padded robes he chose a different direction.
Don't worry Dirk Benedict, I don't want you to lose face,
but I rather share my space with Kara Thrace.

Baltar still gushes with evil intent,
but why is he the only one with an English accent?
I love hot Number Six and her identical twins,
because on cable they are able to show that much more skin.

You are my new battlestar, and you've come so far.
I love your blueish glow and your drunk XO.
I love that you brought back old Richard Hatch.
You're a frakkin' awesome machine,
so much better than the one with Lorne Greene.

Salutation

La ruta natural

Sunset at Ha'penny bridge

Good Bart