On Growing Old
Wednesday, February 11, 2026 4:47 AM
There's a saying that growing old is like being punished for something you didn't do.read more
Dying Alone During Coronavirus
Sunday, September 20, 2020 6:32 PM
My children, my grandchildren, my friends.
You weep; you try to smile; you blow one more kiss goodbye.
I am dying alone so that you may live.
(photo: David Ryder, Reuters}read more
Republican Health Care Failure and Scottish Soccer
Friday, July 28, 2017 6:49 AM
As the Republican Party failed to pass a health care replacement to Obamacare, I was reminded of an old soccer joke. Keep in mind that since it was enacted in March 2010, Republicans in the House of Representatives have voted more than 60 times to either repeal, water down or otherwise alter the Affordable Care Act. Then, in January 2017, their dream came true. Republicans controlled the White House and both houses of Congress. So, here’s the old soccer joke, updated.
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An American in France: Why Did Marine Le Pen’s Trumpian Campaign Lose in a Landslide?
Monday, May 8, 2017 6:41 PM
Marine Le Pen of the National Front party modeled her French presidential campaign after that of Donald Trump, yet she lost by a margin of 66% to 34%, a bigger landslide than in any presidential election in U.S. history, going back to the beginning of popular elections in 1824. So why did what worked for Trump in the United States fail in France?read more
Sylvia Wallace: A Woman Ahead of her Time
Saturday, February 18, 2017 11:31 AM
February 18, 2017, is the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Sylvia Wallace, my mother, a woman who was ahead of her time.read more
Academy Awards 2017—Foreign Language Films
Wednesday, February 15, 2017 7:26 PM
This year, a record 85 countries entered films in the Foreign Language category for the Academy Awards. I saw 82 of these films. 1. Normally, there are few comedies entered in this category, but this year was an exception. I attribute this to Sullivan’s Travels Syndrome, named after the classic 1941 Preston Sturges film. When times are hard and people are struggling to keep their heads above water, a good laugh goes a long way.read more