—John Updike: we may skate upon an intense radiance we do not see because we see nothing else. Delmore Schwartz was a mid-20th-century poet with a tragic life but a wonderful gift. In fact, Saul Bellow wrote the novel Humboldt’s … Continue reading →
It would be a tedious and lengthy process to list all the ways in which the authorities messed up during the events leading up to and including the Parkland shooting. If you’ve followed the coverage, you probably already know what … Continue reading →
Can the Parkland victims’ families sue the FBI for what appears to be stunning incompetence resulting in a failure to protect? Almost certainly not: There are a number of legal doctrines which would make it nearly impossible for the families … Continue reading →
[NOTE: Please see the update in an ADDENDUM at the bottom of this post.] Congress would like to know [emphasis mine]: House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes has issued a subpoena to David Kramer, a former State Department official who, … Continue reading →
Yesterday and today, on the comments thread to this post I put up last night, there was a great deal of discussion about the reactions of the security guard at Parkland who failed to engage the shooter or even enter … Continue reading →
Many years ago when I did the Sanity Squad podcasts, we used Skype for the connection. It worked. In those days there were no cameras connected with computers, but the audio was pretty good and I never remember having trouble … Continue reading →
If the guard isn’t willing to engage the killer, the guard’s weapon does no good. This is a very very disturbing report: Scot Peterson, who was the last line of defense at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas resigned after video surfaced … Continue reading →
[NOTE: Here are links to Part I, Part II, and Part IIIA of the series. I figure that now—in the wake of the Parkland shooting—would be as good time as any to publish the last installment in this series, so … Continue reading →
Have you noticed that the news today is almost entirely taken up by the aftermath of the Parkland shooting as it relates to gun control? That memeorandum page reflects general news coverage, and it’s my impression that this particular mass … Continue reading →
In Windsor, Ontario, some people are troubled by a persistent low-level hum, the origins of which no one has been able to detect: Those who hear it have compared it to a fleet of diesel engines idling next to your … Continue reading →
I have no idea why YouTube had a notion I’d like this, but they were certainly correct. I was fascinated by it, and am looking forward to watching the entire series, which covers many many eras of clothing: I noticed … Continue reading →
A few years ago a town in Minnesota decided the time had come to institute some changes in its public school system: …[I]n 2013…Edina [Minnesota] school leaders adopted the “All for All” strategic plan””a sweeping initiative that reordered the district’s … Continue reading →