Dispatch from the Sky: On Board Alaska 14 from Seattle to Newark

Dolly-girl leaned over from her place in seat 1-A, jabbed me in the ribs, and said, "How about this Jack? First Class!" I looked at her. "Yep, First Class, alrighty. Remember when I asked them to upgrade us 'cause we missed the connection to the clipper 'cause the flight out of Stumptown Field was late? And remember when she did it?" "Oh yeah. What are you doing over there--is that the intertubes?" "Sure is, Dolly-girl. Free WiFi they said, and I'm taking advantage of it. I can use that i-mail thing you showed me to send Thelma a few notes about people that need talking with when we get back from Coal Country." "e-mail, Jack. It's e-mail!" I know that. I just like the shot through the wave. It works every time. Anyhoo, here we are, over the Wisconsin Dells and I can use this magic technology to write this and that so you can read it. Ain't the 21st Century grand?

Dispatch from Seatac Airport : What's a few minutes one way or another?

The clocks in the Alaska Airlines lounge give the time in the 6 time zones
they serve. Of course, time is relative. Given that they had to set them
less than a month ago, D'Mestiere Investigations wonder whether the clocks
are that variable -- they doubt it -- or the person setting them was
relaxed about time. Seattle is closest to correct which, we guess, is a
good thing.

Two Colors of Winter in Oregon

From time-to-time, I travel down the valley from Stumptown and then over the mountains, tracking down Trouble wherever it may be. This week was one of those times. It's winter in Oregon. Winter has two colors. Green and white. Saw 'em both. On the side of the mountains where me and Dolly-girl set our brake, it's green. Streams are full and new grass is coming up in fields. On the other side, things can get white. White can be pretty, but not as pretty as green.