Gorgeous

If you are reading this in Philadelphia around noontime Friday, what are you doing on the computer? It is gorgeous. Log off, find some reason to walk around the block, then get lost. Borrow a convertible. We seem to have traded weather with Nova Scotia.

But ... when you have time this weekend, come back and check out Crap Holidays. A British site, it curates memories of ill-advised trips to the Dead Sea during war-time, bad times in Dubrovnik, summers in Blackpool, and it takes a few enjoyable swipes at Orlando.

And write, when you get the time. Can you top any of these vacations from hell?

I know you can. I've been reading what you write for the past month.

This being Friday afternoon, nearly, I cannot string together any thoughts on the Downing Street memo, or missing blondes in Aruba. I'm feeling particularly German. About noon on Fridays the Germans would disappear. Just gone. No one would answer their phone at work in Berlin. We once had a plumber charge us weekend hours for working at 1 p.m. on a Friday. So I'll link to some pleasant diversions and get back to the heavy lifting for Monday morning.

Baristanet has done some thinking about how the media hierarchy at the Michael Jackson  trial reminds her of high school.  You've got your sports stars, your yearbook paybacks, your AV nerds.

Got that urgent email from Citibank/Wachovia/Bank Sheboygan that wants to make sure your account details are secure, but you have this little suspicion the writer is some sweaty guy named Jerry who's phishing for your money? Visit Spoofstick. It shows you the real domain name of the institution that's supposed to be on your side.

Missing old-time radio? How about a little Phillip Marlowe on your portable music-player or computer? Radio Memories has given new life to long-silent shows like Radio Detective Story Hour, Fibber McGee & Molly, Amos 'n' Andy, Big Band Serenade, eyewitness reports on the Normandy invasion, 1955 space adventures with Brian, the Denizen of Alternate Dimensions.

And, if you are stuck in the office, here's a way to pass the time. Office Pranks on the Increase, the headline reads. Filling cubicles with pink packing peanuts? Growing sprouts on your vacationing boss's keyboard? Keep 'em coming.

Since writing this, I have come upon a blog devoted to great album covers of Yugoslavian-Mexican music. Don't ask, click. Nema na cemu, amigo.

I was waiting for the trolley today, and the scene was majestic.  Bright green grass, trees, traffic lights, bluest sky I've seen in a while, neat houses, slight breeze, great temperature, clean air.  I was, however, closer to heaven than I was to calling out of work :(  There was a slight hangover in the air, too, yet I still got on the trolley, regrettably so.  I would have sat right there all day.

It was gloriously gorgeous outside today, wasn't it?

Dang, Dan, this an indoor weekend worth of good reading. That "Crap Holidays" things made me crack up even before I read it. Great finds.

Well down here it was hotter than friggin' hell.