Florence, Italy - A Traveler's Tale, Part 1

I am not a good traveler.

The Duomo, Florence Italy

For years I thought I could become a good traveler, but I haven't improved. Travel stresses me out. At 55 years-old this seems unlikely to change, but I love to see the world and learn about people and cultures and I love to explore cities on foot. I used to cover 20, to over 30, kilometers in a day, which meant 6 hours of walking. Work and family responsibilities brought that to an end almost 20 years ago. Even an hour or two on foot became uncommon, which probably accounts for the extra 30 lbs I now carry on my waist.

I am also not a good sleeper. Unfamiliar noises keep me awake, especially traffic, loud music and sounds of people partying. I envy people who can sleep through anything, but I have to be near death to sleep in those environments, so I am obsessive about finding a quiet place to rest at night, and I never leave home without ear plugs.

Selfie inside Casa del Popolo, Circolo Arci, Florence

Which brings me to Italy: I write this from Casa del Popolo, Circolo Arci, a small cafe / community center in a downtown neighborhood of Florence at 33 Via di San Niccolò.

My wife, Dawn, had miscarriages in 2006 and 2008 after which she started to have pain and difficulty raising her right arm. She was sent for an MRI when physical therapy failed and her pain continued to get worse, and the results were devastating.

At one point the doctors thought that the MRI machine was broken because

The Locksmith

Men are infinitely creative and resourceful, in big ways and small.

I was going into Trader Joe's in Rockville, Maryland when I spotted an unusual image in the parking lot. It was dark, and a light was shinning from inside a small white Ford Transit Connect van. It looked almost surreal and out of place, so I had to go over and take a closer look.

This fellow had set up a locksmith work station complete with light, work bench and all the necessary tools in the back of the little van. He even had a place for his fishing rods along the inside of the van wall. Doesn't he remind you of the Keymaker from the Matrix movies? 

Australian News Anchor Goes Full White Knight With Wardrobe Stunt

Karl Stefanovic from the Today Show, Australia, deceived the world with his wardrobe stunt when he revealed that he wore the same suit for a year and no one noticed.

Flickr Creative Commons photo, Alpha

Stefanovic claims that this reveals sexism, and the implication is that men are sexist. Judging by twitter, and CBC News, his viewers were fooled by this nonsense. They love him for pandering to their need to feel oppressed: "Brilliant, unanswerable highlighting of sexism" gushes Tom Chatfield, and "My hero! ... proving point about sexism," says Becky Quick, clearly smitten by Stefanovic's patronizing stunt.

Duke University forced to obey the law

Duke University offers a degree in Law.

Image from Duke Archives * 

They have a team of "lawyers who teach lawyers" at their disposal, and yet with all that brain power they can't seem to figure out how to obey the law. One of their own students had to sue them for justice.

Lewis M. McLeod, a student at Duke, knew his rights were violated when Duke expelled him over an accusation that the police already determined was unfounded. McLeod knew the university was wrong, but he had to go to court to force Duke, a school that he entrusted with his money and education, to obey the very law they teach. McLeod won his case, and Duke must

Feminists Defend Sexual Exploitation of Boys, Again

Feminists at the University of Toronto are tearing down posters for the lecture "Violence and Sexual Abuse Against Men" by therapist Lynne MacDonell. The event, sponsored by The Canadian Association For Equality (CAFE), promises to cover the scandalous finding that female prison guards commit 90% of sexual assaults against juvenile males. Nearly all of the sexual assaults involve coercion on the part of the female guards.

Photo by Tim (Timothy) Pearce *

We have become accustomed to total media silence from feminists on issues relating to men and boys, but feminists have been disruptive and violent at University lectures in the past and show no signs of stopping now.