Programming Note

Blogging will be lighter than usual until July 6, when my wife and I return from an indulgent Mediterranean cruise with my delightful mother in law. As most forms of tourism are truly execrable, I won't even attempt to defend our actions over the next few weeks as we contribute to the befoulment of fragile marine ecosystems, the distortion of local economic diversity, and the immiseration of faceless workers siphoned into the pleasure industry via the global predations of neoliberalism. But since Princess cruise lines is all about me, here, according to the promotional literature, is what I can expect:

Cruising is simply the most civilized way to travel. The instant you step aboard, you're on vacation. Everything is taken care of. So, once you unpack, you're set. You'll sail from one great destination to another and spend your time doing what you want to do. Whether that's a day full of sightseeing, an action-packed evening, or just sitting on your balcony taking in the view for hours on end. There's no better way to escape completely than on a Princess cruise.

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You'll lead a life of luxury onboard a Princess cruise. In fact, you may feel like your watch was set back a hundred years — to a time when cruising was an art and passengers didn't have a care in the world.

As you sail from one fabulous port to another, you'll be the center of our universe. You'll dine at your convenience in some of the finest restaurants at sea. And choose what to do with your time. . . . Whatever you decide, our dedicated shipboard staff is there to respond to your every need. And warm smiles will greet you everywhere you go. Escape completely.

As I sate my guilt with humorless trips to the chocolate buffet, my good friend Brett may or may not be dropping in to amuse and edify you from time to time. He's a wise and good man, to whom you should all listen carefully and ignore at your own eternal peril.