Sometimes at night I look out my office window and wish it was much, much higher off the ground. I suppose that would mean a long elevator ride and never wanting to take the stairs, but it would diminish that awful feeling that I'm nearly as visible to the little people below as they are to me ( Read more... )

Oh. Really?

It seems that, once again, there's a lot of selective, collective amnesia going around today.

"But... b-b-but... That's different!" (Always the last refuge of those with no argument.)

Right. Cause, you know, it's not like it ever got ugly or personal like this back then ( Read more... )

In the wake of Ted Kennedy's death there's a lot of discussion over what should be considered his legacy. His supporters trumpet all the liberal legislation he caused or helped to be passed, while his critics focus on his character, usually with reference to the the Chappaquiddick incident ( Read more... )

Can we all agree that this disgraceful and undemocratic conduct is beyond the pale of anything acceptable in political discourse? These people ought to be ashamed of themselves!

When Obama visited Atlanta, Ga., for a fundraiser, protesters stalked his motorcade, assailed his limousine and stoned a car containing his advisers. Chanting "Obama is a ( Read more... )

Up at 4:30 a.m., and it's too hazy for Perseids ( Read more... )

New stylus. That was a few years overdue. My vinyl, or what's left of it, sounds completely rejuvenated! Jimi doesn't sound like he's playing at the bottom of a muddy lake.

I do love my music so - maybe even more than books. I don't think there's anything else in all the world that feels so realIn other news, I'm not dead, just buried. Hopefully ( Read more... )

The politically correct mania for "gender neutral" language is the bane of grace and clarity of expression with the written word. I'm sorry, but the English language makes frequent use of personal pronouns, there are no genderless (because, unless you're Buffalo Bill giving directions as to the proper use of skin lotion and the hazards of failing ( Read more... )

Just finished watching Ridley Scott's first movie, The Duellists. What an utterly fantastic film! I hate to repeat such a worn cliché, but they really don't make movies like this anymore. Everything about it - the sets and settings, the lighting and cinematography, the absolutely gorgeous authentic uniforms, and above all the dueling itself - they ( Read more... )

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"[D]on't be surprised when you find the same people who sneer at creationism start talking about the prescience of the Mayan calendar-makers who, by the way, thought the world was flat and was created 4,000 ago."

Ron Rosenbaum of Slate, discussing the 2012 Mayan Calendar idiocy.

I bet nobody at Fox News believes a single word of that nonsense!