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. read more

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

Irving Wallace: 100th Birthday

Tuesday, March 22, 2016 4:55 PM
On March 19, 2016, the popular novelist Irving Wallace—my father—would have turned 100 years old. Instead of honoring my father by presenting a review of his achievements and recalling what a generous, warm-hearted person he was and how much enjoyment he brought to millions of readers around the world, I have decided to look at some of the developments he would have most appreciated if he had lived to be 100, instead of dying at the age of 74.read more
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U.S. Ambassador to Greece: Who is George Tsunis?

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Henry Kissinger: A Pre-Obituary

Henry Kissinger turned 100, I don’t wish death on anyone, but I know that all the major media have already written his obituary in advance. As soon as he dies, they will add a line about his death, push a button and these obituaries, gushing with praise from Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, Ted Koppel, Xi Jinping and other famous people, will appear online. But Kissinger doesn’t deserve such praise. Here’s why.   read more

U.S. Ambassador to Belize: Who is Michelle Kwan?

When George W. Bush was president of the United States, he chose his former college roommate, Robert Dieter, to be U.S. ambassador to Belize. When Barack Obama became president of the United States, he chose his former college roommate, Vinai Thummalapally, to be U.S. ambassador to Belize. When Donald Trump was president of the United States, he broke this tradition by failing to nominate anyone to be U.S. ambassador to Belize.   read more

Is Joe Biden Too Old? 12 Achievers after the Age of 80

At 83, Olympic champion and author of The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care Benjamin Spock climbed over a fence at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and was arrested for protesting the launch of a Trident 2 missile. At 91, Hulda Crooks climbed Mt. Fuji and, for the 23rd time, Mt. Whitney.   read more
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