Today a gloomy story in the Globe caught my eye, indicating that a disfiguring lobster shell disease may be heading northward. This isn’t good news at all. New England lobstering is a lucrative and important industry, with its own rather … Continue reading →
The media saturation we’ve experienced over the slow and sorrowful Schiavo case is now fading, along with the women herself. The latest round-the-clock story is the death vigil for the Pope. And, of course, the Jackson case continues in fits … Continue reading →
I still subscribe to the New Republic. I’m both fascinated and, at times, frustrated by its split personality. Depending on the writer, the subject, and sometimes which way the wind is blowing on any particular day, it careens wildly from … Continue reading →
Those of you who don’t blog are probably unaware of the frustrations inherent lately in using blogger. Blogger, the free service that is kind enough to host this blog and so many others (all of the ones with “blogspot” in … Continue reading →
Are you confused about the terminology? Me too. But I think I’ve mastered it now. Here’s my guide to the world of neos and paleos, guaranteed to make the distinctions Kristol clear (pun intended): 1) neocon–person who used to be … Continue reading →
A year or two ago, I went through a phase of energetic protest letter writing. I sent outraged (but always polite) missives to the NY Times, the New Yorker, and CNN, pointing out to them just where they might be … Continue reading →
Ted Koppel to retire.
Continue reading →I think it may be a lost pedagogical device, but when I was in grade school, we were forced by our teachers (mostly elderly women, as it happens) to memorize poetry. Lots of poetry. Most of it doggeral, but not … Continue reading →
Part 4 is percolating. But this isn’t it; not yet. I’m finding it slow going, perhaps because it deals with the Vietnam War. Astounding how that event casts such a long shadow even now–or perhaps especially now. I think Part … Continue reading →
The Oil-for-Food UN scandal has been one of those long slow excruciatingly drawn-out stories that, somehow, hasn’t gotten anywhere near the coverage it should have. Over the last year, Claudia Rossett of the WSJ and Roger Simon in the blogosphere … Continue reading →
The chilling news of another large earthquake in Indonesia, and more deaths there, has reawakened memories of the cataclysmic tsunami of late 2004. Fortunately, there was no tsunami this time, although I’m sure the people of Indonesia were terrified of … Continue reading →
I know I’m a little slow on the uptake here, since she was voted off last week. But those troubled by the elimination of Mikalah from the American Idol lineup can be comforted by the fact that the perfect position … Continue reading →