Recently a commenter used the phrase “cloud cuckoo land” to refer to something outlandish in the political realm. I’d heard the phrase before, and always had thought it was of relatively recent vintage—sort of like “la-la land” or “tinfoil hats.” … Continue reading →
I try to write these posts as fast as possible, for obvious reasons. But even when I write fast, they take a long time to turn out at a good clip. But you should see them before I proofread them. … Continue reading →
There’s been a lot of praise for a prepared speech Donald Trump gave last night in North Carolina that emphasized his role as a voice for the common man/woman against a corrupt elite. That’s a good approach, I think, in … Continue reading →
So Donald Trump has done it again—this time he’s handed the opposition ammunition (pun intended) to accuse him of the basest of political dog whistles: encouraging the assassination of Hillary Clinton. I’m going to get this out of the way … Continue reading →
Edward FitzGerald’s translation of “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” is justly famous and justly beloved. I studied the poem in high school, and it was one of my favorite assignments—really, a revelation. But FitzGerald was very free with his translation, … Continue reading →
There are four main things to say about any political speech. The first is whether you liked it. The second is whether you agreed with it. The third is whether you thought it was effective in political terms. And the … Continue reading →
It’s an old old story: the left refuses to name this enemy. Either they can’t even say the word “terrorist,” or they certainly can’t use any modifier that implies that Islam has anything to do with it. And Obama, as … Continue reading →
I’ve been online for about 20 years, and it’s a huge part of my life these days. It started small, as many habits do. I wanted to look up information on the nerve injuries I had, and the internet provided … Continue reading →
…a lot of people don’t even seem to know what the word “vagina” means. Now that I’ve got your attention— But really, if they knew, would they be able to write stuff like this?: You’re a busy gal, so when … Continue reading →
Here’s an interesting interview with Ted Cruz, worth listening to. But right now I’m particularly interested in the part between minutes 11:17-12:00, when Cruz talks about calling Trump “Donald.” I have a very good friend who pointed out this phenomenon … Continue reading →
[NOTE: This is a lightly-edited repeat of a post of mine that was first published in 2008.] This Atlantic article by Nicholas Carr is a recommended read, about the reported loss of concentration and patience for absorbing longer works that … Continue reading →
The research for this post started a day or two after the pre-NH debate, after I—like so many others—had watched Marco Rubio seemingly self-destruct and repeat himself over and over even though that’s exactly what Christie was attacking him for. … Continue reading →