A lot of people on the left might think the phrase “conservative comedy” could only be either (1) a sarcastic description of everything the right does, or (2) an oxymoron. I once had an argument with an acquaintance on the … Continue reading →
I was surprised to read that Jamelle Bouie of Slate will be happy to see Jon Stewart go. As he himself says, Bouie’s a “liberal, college-educated millennial–the almost prototypical viewer” for Stewart’s show, so why’s he so thrilled (his word, … Continue reading →
You may or may not be familiar with the Duggar family of the reality TV show “19 Kids and Counting.” I don’t watch the show often, but I’ve seen it now and then, and one theme that began a while … Continue reading →
Here’s an article on the laborious and idiosyncratic complexity of the relationship between pointe shoes and the ballet dancer. The shoes are hand-made (and for professional ballet dancers, custom-made) but they are not worn as is. There is a lengthy … Continue reading →
I am drawn to melody in songs. That’s one of the many reasons I don’t like rap music. Rhythm is important too, of course, but for me melody (and lyrics) is key. But there’s a class of rock songs that … Continue reading →
Long-time readers here probably remember when I used to write about my elderly mother. And you probably also recall that about two-and-a-half years ago she died. Although I haven’t written much about that event, some day I may. Shortly after … Continue reading →
Tomorrow evening we have the State of the Union speech. Ugh! I won’t be watching; I almost never watch those speeches, so why would I watch this one? But preliminary reports are all about Obama’s “Robin Hood” tax proposal, a … Continue reading →
The book The Nazi Seizure of Power sounds like a fascinating read. From one of the customer reviews at Amazon: …[The Nazis] were masterful at marketing at the local level. They tailored their messages to the specific audiences they were … Continue reading →
There’s been a flurry of publicity over the fact that the boy featured in the book The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven now says the whole thing was a lie. The book has been pulled: The best-selling book, first … Continue reading →
I recently watched a few episodes of the popular TV show “Blue Bloods” and was struck by two things: the topical nature of so many of its themes re the police and New York City, and its unusual depiction of … Continue reading →
Bon appetit:
Continue reading →This sort of thing always intrigues me. It’s a series of photographs of the four Brown sisters, taken every single year for the last forty years. My guess is that the sisters are very roughly my age, and it’s a … Continue reading →