[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 →
Unlike over a billion of the world’s population, I only just got introduced to this weird phenom, which probably signals the end of civilization as we know it: It immediately reminded me of something I hadn’t thought about in close … 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 →
Forgive me my regional boosterism, but it’s highly unusual for a girl from Rhode Island who goes to Boston University to win Miss USA, let alone Miss Universe. And yet Olivia Culpo has done both—and she’s a classical cellist as … 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 →
[NOTE: I’ve decided to every now and then republish an old post, especially one involving the arts rather than politics. Here’s one that first appeared in August of 2008.] You may recall my disastrous efforts to learn to tango, chronicled … Continue reading →
When I was a kid I was fascinated by Isadora Duncan. What was her dancing really like? How could simple movements entrance an audience so, all around the world? There are no movies of her (despite a YouTube few seconds … 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 →
I pretty much stopped going to the movies in theaters quite some time ago, and I don’t even watch many at home any more. I don’t remember when the turning point was, but I do know that at some point … Continue reading →
Last night I came across a TV reality show that held a certain ghastly fascination and sucked me into watching it for a while. I won’t reveal which one it was (too ashamed of myself), but let’s just say it … 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 →