Have you noticed a certain flatness in the news lately? The election is over. Bush-bashing is no longer so much fun—nor so necessary—because he’s on the way out. Very very soon, they won’t have him to kick around anymore— although … Continue reading →
Is anyone else trying to travel over the holidays? Anyone else having trouble? My already-rescheduled flight, due to leave this evening, was unceremoniously (and unapologetically) canceled last night by the airline, which informed me via a terse email with the … Continue reading →
The ice storm that hit most of New England and some of New York last week is long gone. In most places, the shimmering coat that covered everything for a day has melted, and the downed branches and power lines … Continue reading →
When I was a child my grade school would close on Election Day because it was used as a polling place. A day or two earlier, the booths would arrive and were set up in the gym, so we got … Continue reading →
So, why turn the clocks back to Standard Time in the fall? After all, that’s when we really need to save—or rather, to extend—the daylight. Yes, I know. In winter the “savings” comes in the morning, so that early risers … Continue reading →
Separated at birth? You decide.
Continue reading →Rudyard Kipling is one of those poets known by people who don’t ordinarily read poetry. But what he’s known for differs from person to person. Some are only familiar with his tribute to cool heads under fire, “If.” Others see … Continue reading →
In the last sentence of my PJ essay I mentioned that this campaign contains many ironies. What might they be?
Continue reading →I grew up in an era in which abortion was both difficult to obtain and physically dangerous. Today’s commonplace alternative of raising the child as an unwed single mother was socially unacceptable in the extreme. Effective birth control was nowhere … Continue reading →
Tim Russert died two days ago, and he’s been mourned and eulogized by many since then. Quite a few of the tributes have made glowing mention of two books he’d written, both on the theme of fatherhood. The first, Big … Continue reading →
Okay, who are these three dark beauties?
Continue reading →I’ve never been especially interested in horses, and I almost never watch horse races. One exception was the 1975 match race between the unbeaten filly Ruffian and that year’s Derby winner Foolish Pleasure. As we watched, Ruffian broke down towards … Continue reading →