The typical household pays north of $20,000 over ten years in landline, long distance, and mobile phone fees. In our household, we pay almost nothing for these services. There is a long history behind free telephone service. In the 1960’s and 70’s, phreaking was the art of hacking the public phone system using tone generators called blue… Continue reading Freakin’ Cheap: Free Telecom
Month: May 2015
The “Worthy” Poor
I was helping “Maria” to apply online for a job. She had a good job history, she was eager and presentable. Maria was just the kind of person I would want to serve me in the low-wage position she was seeking. There were just a couple problems that prevented her from completing the form: she… Continue reading The “Worthy” Poor
My Kagoshima: Arriving
My 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 journeys to Kagoshima Prefecture, southern Japan. I’ve arrived in Kagoshima Prefecture on some of the newest transportation on the planet. Arrrive… Benefit: A Good Place to Stay: …by Boeing 787 Dreamliner Quick A hotel on the edge of Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park. (Hourly direct buses from the airport.) This is… Continue reading My Kagoshima: Arriving
Scenes from a Day in 2010
The deep sleep during the overnight long-haul across the ocean. The pause between flights when I photograph a Heineken. I email the picture to a friend who is in a different place, a different time. I remind him of this place, this time of day, this beer, three years earlier when he and I were… Continue reading Scenes from a Day in 2010
Zen and the Art of Casserole Assembly
Oh, the things I wish I’d known when I was young. Take the ingredients for a basic bake pictured at the top of this post. They look simple enough but for me they represent small lessons learned over decades. Mise en Place I enjoy the calmness of preparing and laying out all the ingredients for… Continue reading Zen and the Art of Casserole Assembly
My Kagoshima: Chunking the Map
I’m filled with questions when I look at a map of a place I have never visited. How do I chunk up a manageable journey through this place? How do I get there? Which areas do I visit? Where are the hiking trails? Where are the trailheads? How do I get around? How do I… Continue reading My Kagoshima: Chunking the Map