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He came in like a lionAnd went out like a lambA loving gentle good-byeAs I held his soft warm handHis children Greg, Lucy, Steve, Don, Doug, Bill, and IWere his pride and joyLoved by all who knew himEvery man, women, gi ... read more

from 1994The first Saturday in May. What does this date mean to you? Probably nothing, except that Spring has arrived, unless you live in California where it's been Spring for two months at least -- real Spring, not calendar Spring. Ask ... read more

They try hard on this one to look legitimate, but the fact remains that nobody shares their money with strangers unless it's a charity. ... read more

Acknowledging Receipt of Australopithicus Spiff-arinoThe story behind the letter below is that there is a man in Newport, RI named Scott Williams who digs things out of his backyard and sends the stuff he finds to the Smithsonian Institutio ... read more

Don't get it right, get it written! -- Lee ChildNew Rules for Writers -- ... read more

I set this blog so that you can now add your comments anonymously without logging in. So, comment away! I was afraid that the requirement for a login was keeping people from participating. Now you can go crazy because you're anonymous. J ... read more

We had a great visit with our little girl this morning. There were no observers. That happens this afternoon. Vika mentioned we should think about showing more affection in front of the observers. It's more in line with how Russians tre ... read more

Elizabeth, 5, came up with the following play just as we were finishing dinner the other day. Dinner theater, if you will. :) We were in Sacramento visiting my Dad, joined by my brother Greg and his wife June. MOM (Tara): Where is the pri ... read more

Oh my gosh! She's a handful!Well, we left the orphanage without much incident. She told the orphanage staff that she wanted to leave in the car. But, she refused to let me or Bill hold her hand or touch her other than put her snowsuit and ... read more

She's just driving us crazy. Luckily, Tara is taking the brunt of it. I had to get out and walk around town in the freezing cold, just for the sake of getting out. I was at least useful, coming back with some groceries. Elizabeth's swee ... read more

My brother Doug talking about Portuguese genealogy on their January 22, 2019 podcast. In today's episode of Our Portuguese Tab ... read more

Sitting here looking at Harold (not his real name) to my right. My workday would be sooooo much better if I could ignore him, but, being in the cubicle across the aisle, I can't. For those new to this space, Harold is an idiot. Literally ... read more

The headline is purposely misleading (a la my old newsletter), just because I can. My brother and his wife just returned from their 16-day trip to Dubai, Egypt and Jordan. It was a great trip and at no ... read more

Q: Which food preservatives allowed in the United States are the most damaging to one's health and should be avoided? Left unsaid was the part where other, smarter countries have outlawed some of this. A: Several food preservatives allowed ... read more

Choose raw horseradish or these natural remedies instead. (NaturalNews) Antibiotics should really be a last resort when you are feeling unwell, and the misuse of them is leading to more and more bugs becoming resistant to antibiotics. The ... read more

One-fifth of US workers were laid off in past five years. Nearly 40% said it took more than seven months to find employment and about one in five of laid-off workers said all they could find was a temporary position. ... read more

Things You Need To Know Vol. 2, No. 10, July 16, 1990 Pioneer Portuguese now availableWorld famous Portuguese historian Lionel Holmes's latest work is now available at a store near you. Don't be surprised if they're sold out. Sales ... read more

the Evening Star Post-Tribune Dispatch (we couldn't decide on a name) Vol. 3, No. 4, June 4, 1991 Bikers ride to YosemiteOn Mother's Day, John, Jeannie, Don and Diane (collectively known as Hell On Wheels) rode their motorcycle ... read more

Behind the Eight Ball Who is that behind the eight ball, anyway?Vol. 6 No. 5, Au ... read more

The Sacred CowVol. 5, No. 2, March 15, 1993 Dad sucked from plane!Well, almost. And it was 41 years ago. Hey, nobody can accu ... read more

Big News Other Stuff Vol. 2, No. 5 Yeah, another new name. March 19, 1990 Mike to return earlyMike has had a change of plans and expects to return from Germany at the end of March, assuming his mom can afford the return airfare. Othe ... read more

The Leaky Faucet Vol. 3, No. 8, December 10, 1991 Steve Denise host ThanksgivingTurkey was served and everybody ate it. What else is there to say? Okay, so it was an excellent meal thanks to the efforts of Denise and those who brought s ... read more