…in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy: The Milky Way contains at least 100 billion planets, or enough to have one for each of its stars, and many of them are likely to be capable … Continue reading →
[NOTE: This small poetic effort of mine has become somewhat of a holiday tradition. So here (with a few words changed for the sake of meter) it comes again—just like the holiday itself. Merry Christmas Eve!] ‘TWAS THE BLOGGER’S NIGHT … Continue reading →
In my mental image of poet Emily Dickinson, dog ownership was never part of the picture. I imagined her dressed all in flowing white, flitting about the upstairs rooms of her family’s spacious Amherst home, sitting down to write amazing … Continue reading →
It’s a topic you hear a lot about these days, especially from the left: the growing gap in income inequality, and what it means for the country. If you’re interested in reading a fascinating perspective on the concept from the … Continue reading →
There’s still plenty of time to order from Amazon! And a great big “thank-you” to all who’ve done so through neo-neocon, and all who are about to do so. A few more suggestions: Out of ideas? Get an Amazon gift … Continue reading →
Not too many shopping days left, are there? Getting a mite panicked about your gift-giving? Don’t despair; neo-neocon (and Amazon) are here to help you out. Just use my handy-dandy portal, or this. Amazon sent me a promotional email recommending … Continue reading →
The topics of the 1918 flu pandemic and the Lisbon earthquake came up yesterday in this discussion thread, which sparked a train of thought for me. The very first time I read about the flu epidemic was when I was … Continue reading →
I’ve long been a fan of John Updike’s short stories, although his novels—which are probably much more widely read—don’t do all that much for me. He was one of the most prolific writers of the last century, so there’s plenty … Continue reading →
I doubt the practice is very popular. I certainly hope it’s not very popular. But it seems that some women are actually having their pinkie toes amputated, or having other toes shortened, in order to fit more easily and painlessly … Continue reading →
…is described here. There are many reasons for the success of the coverup. One is the nicely coordinated set of messages from the administration and the MSM. Another is the complexity of the story; people have to be motivated enough … Continue reading →
Have you ever noticed the books in the photograph that makes up my blog header? The one on top is the collected works of Robert Frost, and the one below is the second volume of William Manchester’s biography of Winston … Continue reading →
I’ve been thinking about this poem lately. It’s really a bleak work (and very modern, despite the year it was written, which was probably around 1851). The subject is the loss of faith. Not a personal loss of faith, but … Continue reading →