markorton

A New Thought on Terrorism

Posted by markorton on December 6, 2008 in politics

An article in today’s NYTimes about cyber crime, malware, etc. suggests to me that another line of attack may be through the Internet against our utilities, telecoms, or financial institutions.
There have already been massive attacks against whole countries with successful breakdowns that lasted for hours and days. Ukraine, Lithuania, and Georgia were targets over the [...]

Stephen DiRado’s “Dinner Series: how we lived”

Posted by markorton on December 6, 2008 in Photo

Today we visited the Fitchburg Art Museum in Fitchburg, MA. The exhibition of 18 large C prints by DiRado was a delight and should be on your list of art stops. The topic is dinner with family and friends. Though working with a huge camera, DiRado, a Worcester,MA, photographer, has the participation of a [...]

Biological Terrorism

Posted by markorton on December 4, 2008 in politics

No sooner did I finish the preceding posting that I discover some fat cat Federal commision has decided that my scenario is wrong.
No, it won’t be a dirty nuclear device. It will be a bio bomb.
I guess my prescience is not infallible.

Mumbai, Boston and Terrorism

Posted by markorton on December 3, 2008 in Boston, politics

The arrival by small boat of the Mumbai terrorists reminds me of a persistent fear here. A small freighter or a large one loaded with containers will pull into Conley Terminal in South Boston and shortly thereafter a dirty bomb will go off. This will spread a small cloud of nuclear materials, dust size [...]

Obama

Posted by markorton on November 5, 2008 in politics

I will not add to the comments that have flooded around the world last night and this morning. However this significant moment had to be greeted with more than silence.

Bush - the worst modern President

Posted by markorton on November 1, 2008 in politics

Since my entry this morning I have been thinking more about the Presidency and Bush. My knowledge of 19th century Presidents is a but spotty. Certainly the names Buchanan, Pierce, Johnson and Grant pop to mind as less than top of the heap.
But, for the modern era, post WW2, Bush is clearly the worst, most [...]

Pondering at the Food Coop

Posted by markorton on November 1, 2008 in politics

So, here I am having coffee and my favorite lunch, a toasted bagel with peanut butter thinking about the approaching election. Finally this will conclude what has been an overly long campaign, but one with enormous pleasures. Assuming that Obama is not just a curiosity to all those throngs at his campaign events, we will [...]

Healthcare Crisis

Posted by markorton on September 8, 2008 in health, politics

Originally written in 2005

The healthcare crisis in the US is growing in severity and yet is not the subject of any real public debate. More than 44 million Americans are without health insurance and almost 65 million will experience a lack of coverage during the year. Emergency rooms are the primary care provider of necessity. [...]

News from the beach

Posted by markorton on August 5, 2008 in family

This is my first posting via the WordPress widget on my iPod Touch.
We are here at Nantasket Beach for our annual “week at the beach”. Some of the regulars are here - Ed, Meredith, Maggie & Parker. Jonathan and Nan are here from Hong Kong with new baby Jessie. Esther will appear for the [...]

Rocky Springs Farewell - a poem by Linda Larson

Posted by markorton on May 19, 2008 in Poetry

Rocky Springs Farewell
Dedicated to Willie Joe Namath
We didn’t really have a plan.
We ended up here.
A cold brook gives the place its name,
Runs clear along a stony, sandy bed,
So cold it makes the bones ache.
He held my hand
So I wouldn’t slip and break a hip.
When he was little he loved bananas
Couldn’t get the word out
I [...]

Next Page