Pete Mitchell

Columnist at Finger Lakes Times

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Articles

IN AMERICA: Hey hon, have you seen my ah …

2 days ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

“Hey hon, have you seen my Kindle? I know I packed it when I left.”“Pete, I haven’t seen that since you got back from visiting your mom in Germany.”I’m rummaging around the house, looking for my Kindle so I can finish the latest Michael Connelly book I started when I went to see mom, and for the life of me I have no idea where the heck it could possibly be. I mean, I just got home last night and …Crap!“Hon, I know where it is. It’s in the airport lounge in Philly.
IN AMERICA: Smart on crime

2 weeks ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

Every election cycle, whether it be statewide, as in the Senate or Congress, or local, like a county judge or district attorney, regardless of who the candidates are, the topic of crime invariably arises. Usually, one candidate will point out how the other one is soft on crime because of one thing or another they did at some point in their career.
Review of Login to Hell: A Hacker’s Story by Alberto Daniel Hill

2 weeks ago | adanielhill.wordpress.com | Pete Mitchell |Alberto Daniel Hill

Login to Hell: A Hacker’s Story by Alberto Daniel Hill is a gripping, raw, and deeply personal memoir that chronicles the author’s harrowing experience as the first hacker imprisoned in Uruguay for a computer-related crime—a crime he claims he did not commit and one that may not have even occurred.
IN AMERICA: The history of drinks

1 month ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

“Hi, I’ll have a Tom Collins, and my friend will have an Amaretto sour.”It’s September of 1979, and I’m behind a bar for the first time in my life, waiting on my very first customers ever, and naturally they had to order something I had no clue how to make. Of course, I’d heard of those drinks before, because back in the ’70s you could go into pretty much any bar in town — and there were about 20 of them back then — and that’s what the folks were drinking.
IN AMERICA: One thing leads to another

1 month ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

Just for the sake of record keeping, this is the first article of my 17th year as a columnist for the paper. When I started writing, Anne bought me a little memory book to store articles. You know, one of those albums with little plastic sheets to cover pictures and postcards and whatnot? I think it had about 50 pages, and she only bought the one. After I’d filled about eight or so of those things, I asked Anne why they were all different, why hadn’t she bought a whole bunch that were the same?
IN AMERICA: How about those potholes?

1 month ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

“Listen, here’s my direct line. Call back in March and I’ll see if your amended return is finished, and if it isn’t and I’m still here, I’ll find who’s working on it and get a timetable for you.”“You leaving?”“Not voluntarily, but you never know.”I’m talking to an IRS worker out of the Buffalo office that works for the taxpayer advocate division of the agency.
IN AMERICA: The intelligence bias

2 months ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

“Well, I bought some real estate a few years back thinking the market would keep going up and up. It seemed like everyone was making money buying properties, so I figured I might as well too.”“And?”“It was disastrous.”I was talking to a friend of mine, who happens to be a very successful oral surgeon, about his foray into real estate when he told me of its unfortunate outcome. I then related my dabbling into areas outside of the restaurant field and having a similar outcome.
IN AMERICA: What’s your real name?

2 months ago | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

“Hey Moss, mid-rare on the steak okay? And I’m doing some Mexican street corn too, sound good?”“Sounds good, Speedy.”“And Mr. Kelley, another beer?”“Thanks Mitch, I’m good for now.”Last summer I had my old buddies over for a cookout. It was the first time we’d gotten together in a while, and it was loads of fun to catch up with family and life and whatnot while having a nice meal.
IN AMERICA: The history of US

Feb 4, 2025 | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

How many of you out there are aware of the history of the place where you work? I would imagine that if you’re a full-time employee of some company and have worked there for a bit you may be familiar with the owner’s (or owners’) backstory. You know, this company was founded by this person, and the philosophy of the company is this, and the company has been around for these many years? Like that.
IN AMERICA: Employees then, and now

Jan 21, 2025 | fltimes.com | Pete Mitchell

“Well, well, well ladies, don’t you look like something the cat dragged in.”It’s the summer of 1997, and I’m behind the bar doing some paperwork when the day shift rolls in to get the place set up for lunch. It’s a beautiful day, which means we’ll be rocking, and the three girls on the floor that day are looking, oh, let’s just say at less than their peak operating efficiency. “So, ah, what’s with the glitter Christine? And do I see a club stamp Carrie Ann? My, my, did we have fun last night girls?