Going through the files
Yesterday I took on the chore of trying to tidy up and streamline my filing cabinets. Not one of my favorite activities. But in a way it is—at least the fantasy I have regarding how the files will end up. … Continue reading →
Category Archives: Best of neo-neocon
The bleak, baroque, berserk “Black Swan”
“Black Swan” was one of those movies I just had to see. After all, it’s described as a psychological thriller about ballet. So, what’s not to like? Well, just about everything. I didn’t merely dislike this film, I loathed it. … Continue reading →
I don’t wanna tawk like a New Yawkah
The New York accent seems to be on its way out. Not only is it less common than it used to be, but scads of New Yorkers are hiring speech therapists to rid themselves of theirs, which are seen as … Continue reading →
Parents and college freshmen: the long goodbye
Colleges are increasingly feeling the need to gently nudge parents of incoming freshman to take their leave of the campus, lest the older generation take up residence more permanently there, the better to breathe down the necks of their offspring. … Continue reading →
When I thought as a child
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. —1 Corinthians 13:11 Children have a lot of time … Continue reading →
Choices, choices
When I was a kid, things were simpler. A lot simpler. You need sneakers? We’ve got some nice Keds for you. One style, in white. And maybe, if we’re feeling really adventurous, we might get in some blue or red … Continue reading →
Life and death: it’s a thin line
A few days ago I was visiting New York for my brother’s birthday—a big one, but I’ll not reveal the exact number. The official celebration was at a wonderful restaurant in a private room, featuring one of those tasting menus … Continue reading →
The willingness to believe that two plus two makes five
I read Orwell’s masterful dystopic political vision 1984 when I was about twelve years old, old enough to get what it was aiming at but young enough to be especially frightened by some of its most memorable images, which have … Continue reading →
Updike on war and the intelligentsia
[NOTE: Today, when framing a comment, I came across this previous post of mine. I think it’s so important—and so relevant to another heated discussion we had recently on this blog, that I decided to repost it.] I first read … Continue reading →
Coffee, tea, and me
[NOTE: I’ve decided to take a short break from ragging on Obama today.] So, do you agree that Eight O’Clock coffee is better than Starbucks? Consumer Reports says it is. I have no opinion on the subject, because I never … Continue reading →
Updike and the literary lights on war and peace
I first read John Updike’s Vietnam War essay “On Not Being a Dove” in 1989. That’s when his memoir Self-Consciousness, the book in which it was included, was first published. At the time the essay seemed to me to be … Continue reading →
Writing by hand: the medium affects the message
[NOTE: I’m trying to make this blog an Obama-free zone for at least one more day. One day at a time, they say.] This Atlantic article by Nicholas Carr is a recommended read, about the reported loss of concentration and … Continue reading →