Monthly Archives: December 2004

Tax deductions: Your questions answered

George W Bush would never raise taxes, oh no. But according to a trial balloon being floated today in the New York Times and a few weeks ago in the LA Times, he might eliminate tax deductions, especially those which … Continue reading

Posted in Finance | 14 Comments

Christmas Eve

It’s 6am on christmas eve and I’m struggling to stay awake for the last two hours of this 12 hour shift. These are always the hardest. When it’s quiet and warm inside and sleepiness creeps back in again. Outside, I … Continue reading

Posted in Rhian in Antarctica | 8 Comments

Modern art notes

Thank you, Greg, for the MoMA passes you sent me. I initially intended to give them to recent immigrants who know nothing of modern art, and in fact I will do that eventually. But an opportunity came up, so last … Continue reading

Posted in Culture | 2 Comments

142 Henry

With some fanfare, The Garfield Building – otherwise known as 142 Henry Street, on the lower Lower East Side – had its first open house this afternoon. I’d been keeping an eye on it for some time, since it’s a … Continue reading

Posted in Culture | 18 Comments

Tourists!

I’ve had in mind to write this piece all week but every day something new arises that makes the week even more extraordinary. So much so that the initial inspiration now almost smacks of the ordinary. So I’ll just list … Continue reading

Posted in Rhian in Antarctica | 3 Comments

Rhetoric corner: Tavis Smiley on Nas

From preachers in Birmingham to rap stars in the Bronx, it has long been the case that many of America’s greatest rhetoricians have been black. In the Democratic primaries, the manner in which Al Sharpton effortlessly showed up his opponents … Continue reading

Posted in Culture | 3 Comments

Bootleg billions update

I wanted to ask the New York comptroller about the questions I raised in my bootleg billions blog, so I cast around for a respectable print publication I could do some reporting for. The New York Sun bit, and said … Continue reading

Posted in Finance | 2 Comments

Getting chilly

It is all too easy for gnarly Antarticans emerging from a dark and cold winter to become dissmissive and patronising about the soft summer with all its light and relative warmth. "You think this is cold?", I was regularly asked … Continue reading

Posted in Rhian in Antarctica | 2 Comments