Over the past eighteen months, a random chain of events has effectively wiped out my faith in the power or even the sense of prayer.Chief among these events was, ironically, our attendance at a newly organized church in San Miguel. Then came the death of a contemporary named Louie, whom we knew only briefly but came …
How to bring back Havana's faded beauty
Media coverage of Cuba is so intense and breathless nowadays you'd think the island had emerged from the bottom of the Caribbean six months ago.Even Gentlemen's Quarterly, in its current issue, has a fashion feature—spectacularly vapid even by GQ standards—showcasing some Cuban-American actor I'd never heard of, modeling clothes no normal man can afford, against …
Gringolandia's joys and laments
Almost ten years after Stew and I retired in Mexico most of our expectations have been fulfilled. We built a beautiful all-solar house to satisfy both our needs and whims and for much less than the project would have cost in the U.S.With some exceptions our living expenses are lower and the nearly perfect climate …
Social media way too social for me
Not wanting to be left behind by the rush of the "social media," which was sparking revolutions in the Middle East and turning Hollywood ciphers into celebrities, I created my own Twitter and Facebook accounts about six years ago.It didn't take long for the trickle of tweets in my Gmail inbox to turn into a …
Cuba Fixr Upprs, Bch Vus, Rstricts Apply
In its May 29 edition the Washington Post reported another chapter in the seemingly inexorable unraveling of the U.S. embargo against Cuba: Cuban-Americans living abroad may now be able to buy property on the island.Three years ago the Cuban government did away with a thicket of laws banning the private buying and selling of property, …
Checking in on marriage equality
For Stew and me, news about the progress of marriage equality doesn't come from headlines or the the noise from the burgeoning circus parade of Republican presidential candidates but from private yet significant moments at airports, car rental counters and hotel registration desks.It's always bugged me that at airport customs and passport checkpoints Stew and …
Bruce Jenner, transgender superstar
Before we begin, let me bow at the altar of political correctness and assure everyone that I have nothing against transgender persons. Life is a very complicated affair even in the best of circumstances and everyone has the right to make whatever choices they believe will make them happy and whole, including transitioning to the …
Climate change? Yes, I believe so
During an interview on Face the Nation, GOP presidential contender Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) pretended to articulate his position on climate change. But instead of a candidate who presents himself as a young avatar of new ideas he came off sounding about as lucid as someone singing "The Star Spangled Banner" while brushing their teeth. …
GOP: The Party of Hopeless Causes
Judging by its furious reaction to President Obama's move to normalize relations with Cuba and its position on other major policy issues, the GOP ought to consider replacing the elephant on its logo with an image of St. Jude, the Roman Catholic patron of hopeless causes.With regard to Cuba nearly all the presidential candidates and …
New beehive, new business plan
A month ago Stew, Félix, our dog Gladys and I set off for Morelia to pick up a third beehive, a seven-hour expedition that included lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken. Félix was fascinated by the lakes, birds and other sights along the way and delighted with the chicken which he had seen advertised on TV. …
El Rancho Santa Clara 