…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 →
In my recent stroll down the memory lane of Dance Crazes of My Youth, I came across this one, known as the Mashed Potato. Which started a long time ago. I never could do this particular dance. Maybe the problem … Continue reading →
There’s something about 2013 that doesn’t fall trippingly off the tongue. A friend pointed out that it’s the first year since 1987 that doesn’t have a double digit in it. Perhaps that’s it. Or perhaps it’s that 13. Whatever. Let’s … Continue reading →
“Dances At a Gathering” is a ballet choreographed in 1969 by Jerome Robbins for the New York City Ballet. I saw it about five times with the original never-to-be-equaled cast, and it’s one of my favorite ballets ever. I haven’t … Continue reading →
If you enjoyed yesterday’s thread about Morsi/Mamet, you might like this site. Instead of celebrities who look like each other, it features non-celebrities who send in their photos because they think they look like a particular celebrity. Some really really … 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 →
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 →