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They Try
Although my friends will argueI say humans can be taught.It’s taken time and patiencebut mine do what they ought. They try their best(most of the time)to do their latest task.And since they’re not as smart as usThat’s all that we can ask. They can’t, of course,sniff anything; They never win a race.But I don’t mind their… Continue reading
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August 29
Today is the anniversary of the opening of the Mount Washington Cog Railway. It was the first “rack railroad” in the world that used gears to make it possible to climb such a steep grade. The whole thing was a tourist attraction right from the start; there’s really no reason to visit the top of… Continue reading
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Satoshi Tajiri
If a boy enjoys insect collecting and wants to become an entomologist, but the town where he grew up gets engulfed by an expanding city, much of it is paved, and the habitats where he hunted bugs disappear, what can he do? In the case of Satoshi Tajiri, who was born August 28, 1965 near… Continue reading
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Air Jordans?!?
Have you ever noticed that people who lack compassion are called “ruthless,” but the most caring, empathetic person in the world isn’t called “ruthful” or “ruth”? That’s a relatively recent development; up until the 1800s, “ruth” was a relatively common word, and sure enough, it meant the opposite of “ruthless.” “Ruth” entered English long ago,… Continue reading
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The Question of Treats
My sister and I disagree about treats.I’m always readyto have something yummy, But she saysI shouldn’t be bossed bymy tummy. “How,” I inquire, “can youturn down free food?”She snorts and says sometimesshe’s not in the mood. She’s older than meSo maybe she’s smarter…But come on, turn down crunchies?!?That’s just a non-starter. -Chocolate Continue reading
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August 28
Humans have existed for tens of thousands of years, and have been able to count, at least to some extent, for (probably) most of that time. So with all that experience, particularly once writing was invented in various places and experiences could be widely shared, it’s natural to expect that people would gradually converge on… Continue reading
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Just one thing
I’m a runner,I’m a jumper,I’m a wagger;tail thumper I like things to happen snappy.When they doI’m very happy. Only one thingbugs me: waiting.That’s the only thingI’m hating. Besides that stupid squirrel; I’ll catch him one of these days. -Chocolate Continue reading
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Naps
Naps are one of my favorite things;I take them whenever I canAnd that really means whenever I want‘cause I am a dog (not a man). A nice soft place is the first thing I needAnd quiet is good as well.I don’t mind at all if a pillow’s not cleanAnd I don’t care one bit how… Continue reading
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Biting commentary
A bitter taste is unpleasant. It’s acrid and sharp, and the sharpness is the key to why it’s called “bitter.” That’s because “bitter” used to be the Old English word “biter,” a word that was just what it sounds like; something that bites. A bitter taste “bites” your tongue, so to speak. Having begun with… Continue reading
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William Least Heat-Moon
Do you enjoy road trips? Back in the days before GPS, in the US at least, one way to plot out a road trip was to use a “road atlas,” which contained maps of most of the roads across the country. The major thoroughfares were thick red lines, the multilane highways were orange, and the… Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer (among other things) located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. No surprise, she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my other blog, Techlimitics, where I’m grappling with the nature of simplicity. You can also find some of my minor software projects at GitHub. Nothing very impressive. I mostly write tiny utilities in Python.
I find myself suddenly de-corporatized (their choice, not mine). To help keep the lights on, buy me a coffee!
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Contact
peterharbeson@me.com