William Gibson is one of my favorite authors. I don't know why really. I'm granted some of his stuff sticks with me and he can really describe some interesting technological issues. I also think he's overly detailed and a lot of times his stuff just doesn't come across.

His latest book Spook Country kind of falls into this "doesn't come across" place. Maybe it's an unrealized vision or something. All I know is that I read this book about modern day GPS artists, ghostly containers, former musician turned writer and I couldn't care less about any of it. Reading this was chore.

On the other had I just finished a non fiction book by Jerry Newman who is a professor at SUNY Buffalo called My Secret Life on the McJob. He worked various fast food jobs around the east, south and Midwest for 14 months just to find out what goes on and how the managerial styles work.

This book is by no means riveting however it was better than Spook Country. So don't pick up William Gibson's latest but check out Newman's for a good quick read.

So the Newcastle United FC are known as the Magpies, the people of the Newcastle area are known as the Geordies and during the winter it gets dark at 4:20 in the afternoon and gets light at 8:30 am.

Newcastle upon Tyne is a good town. I liked it a lot. I even got to break free from work long enough to catch an FA Cup replay between Newcastle United vs Stoke City.

Only catch was when we went to leave...we got snowed in while on the runway. No major drama but it was a really complicated 4 hour nap.

Ended up staying over night in London at a hotel at Heathrow Airport (which is frickin huge) but I got to watch Liverpool give up a lead to Aston Villa. Flew back later than expected but got on a not so full flight from London to LA which was good.

I recommend the town. Pretty good food, lots of nightlife, and some cool things to see. The only problem was the language. The Geordies don't speak English. As one of the drivers from London said of the way they talk, "Bloody murder of the English language."

He has never read this blog which I like to think destroys all grammar.

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Bobby Knight: On Fire


Bob Knight's career was full of funny, volatile, entertaining moments. We've compiled clips of the coach at his best (and worst).