Jackie Danicki

1) What do you fear?
2) What have you never had enough of in your life?

Filed under: Life | 11 Comments »

Lloyd, Jackie and Dave

Originally uploaded by Adriana Lukas.

Too silly not to share…

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IMG_1636

Originally uploaded by cazzy123.

…Preparing for this rather fun party last night, which I threw at Samizdata HQ in honour of Ben Casnocha’s arrival in London. Massive thanks to Antoine’s mother for all her help with the food, to Perry for the venue, and to Antoine for putting up with me through it all.

Filed under: Food, Fun, Life | 2 Comments »

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I’m a major fan of George Michael’s second solo album. For those songs alone, I would go see him sing live. I also had a huge crush on him when he was in Wham! (You may think that’s funny, but it’s nothing compared to my soft spot - aged […]

Filed under: Celebrities, Children, Life, Men and Women, Music | 2 Comments »

I think I’ve done a relatively good job lately of keeping a lid on my depression and rage over the horrendous state of the UK’s political system and culture. So let’s just say I agree wholefreakingheartedly with Perry de Havilland:
[A] culture of entitlement without responsibility is not just a consequence of the welfare state, it […]

Filed under: Food, Individuality vs Collectivism, Law, Life, Politics, The State Is Not Your Friend | No Comments »

Some comments really deserve a post of their own. My friend Nancy Rommelmann writes about her teenage daughter’s experience with United Airlines last month:
Last month, Tafv showed up for a United flight from LAX to Portland an hour early. The airport was mobbed; there were 300 people outside on the curb, not being allowed into […]

Filed under: Business, Friends, Life, Manners, Treating Customers Well | 3 Comments »

Free market capitalism: Learn it, live it, love it.

[P]oor people should be free to trade with each other, and they should be free to buy [from] and sell [to] us in the West. If people want to buy cheaper goods from abroad, and spend the money they save on food or medicines, they should be […]

Filed under: Individuality vs Collectivism, Law, Life, Politics, Survival, The State Is Not Your Friend | No Comments »

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed with THE make-up bible, Allure magazine. The August issue - with Kate Hudson on the cover - is just out, and I’m beyond thrilled to be so prominently featured in the “Beauty Junkies” article by Margaret Lee. (A cosmetic company PR just emailed me a scan of […]

Filed under: Fun, Life, Magazines, Media | 3 Comments »

You know, I have total sympathy with the woman in this story. United Airlines employees are some of the rudest, most apathetic, unhelpful people I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.
Just last month, I had to get very terse with one of them for treating Adriana like dirt. I think my exact words […]

Filed under: Business, Friends, Life, Manners, Treating Customers Well | 6 Comments »

The homeless tent camps in Paris just break my heart. It is sad - and deeply immoral - to indoctrinate these impoverished people with the belief that they can only be saved by the government. Who, precisely, is served by this? It’s sure not the homeless people.

Filed under: Life, Politics, Survival, The State Is Not Your Friend | 2 Comments »

Dave Nicholson, inventor of Zopa

Originally uploaded by dynamist.

I don’t fall in love with business concepts very often, but I do love me some Zopa. Wazzat? Well, the company is like an eBay for money, where people who want to borrow can hook up with people who want to lend. But what does “Zopa” mean?
Zopa is […]

Filed under: Business, Friends, Individuality vs Collectivism, Life, Politics, The State Is Not Your Friend | 2 Comments »

This is the blooming fruit of our VRWC BBQ, the brainchild of Perry, Antoine, and Greg. I don’t know whether to be ashamed or…ashamed.

Filed under: Friends, Life, Politics | 1 Comment »

I shouldn’t be blogging this, but…Well, last night, we were invited to observe a meeting of the vast right-wing conspiracy. I had no idea that our friend Scott Norvell (European bureau chief of Fox News and quite obviously a complete pawn of Christian fundamentalists, the Jews, the Bush administration, Halliburton, and a bunch of other […]

Filed under: Friends, Fun, Life, Media, News, Politics | 3 Comments »

I’ve rarely been happier to be back in London. It is not a bit hot here! We actually used the duvet last night! It is possible to walk outside without melting! We were at Petica Evans’ naming party yesterday, standing outside the entire time, and did not leave drenched in sweat.
The bad news is that […]

Filed under: Home, Life, Manners, Music | 3 Comments »