I like Christmas.  I do not celebrate Christmas, but I like it. I like the ambiance and attitude; people seem happier and nicer (as long as you stay away from the mall).  I like the Christmas lights and I love those folks who put their heart, soul, and electric bill into decorating their houses.  I … Continue reading Merry Christmas

Yup, it happened.  While perhaps not the most self-aware individual I know, I nailed this one. I am officially a curmudgeon. You know what convinced me?  Halloween.  This year. A little history.  My father was not a fan of Halloween.  In fact, he called it “semi-legal begging” and for years I was not allowed to … Continue reading Officially a Curmudgeon

Paraphrasing Rod Serling:  Imagine, if you will, taking a walk down Fifth Avenue in New York and turning right onto Hermann Göering Way.   Or, perhaps, shopping in Chicago  on Emperor Hirohito Avenue?  How would you feel going to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., if it were located on Adolf Hitler Boulevard? I, for one, … Continue reading Flying Their Flag

I went to one of those “elite” private small liberal arts colleges that the cultural conservatives love to hate and love to ridicule.  And, I must admit, there are a couple of knee-jerk liberal reactions that deserve some ridicule. One of the largest is the demand that any institution of higher learning (or any other … Continue reading The Idiotic Politics of Philanthropy

My initial reaction to Trump’s not-so-subtle message to Netanyahu was one of disgust.  While I passionately believe that both Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Democratic Rep. Rep. Ilhan Omar are virulently anti-Israel, and through their continued use of antisemitic tropes and support for Boycott, Divest and Sanction (BDS, whose founder, Omar Barghouti, has repeatedly denied … Continue reading Trump, Netanyahu, and the Progressives

Do we need any further evidence that we are living in a world that could easily have been described by Jean Paul Sartre, George Orwell, and Anthony Burgess?? You don’t think so?  Let me help you. Robert Mueller finally testified in front of Congress.  Right after receiving a letter from the Department of Justice led … Continue reading Another Clockwork Orange

I haven’t ranted in a while. It’s not as if there is nothing to rant about, because every day brings a new outrage. So, with a nod to John Oliver, here is the stuff from last week, today: An evangelical Christian kills a woman in a synagogue and wounds the Rabbi and others because his … Continue reading Reality Beats Fiction Every Time

Events are moving faster than I can keep up.  Not a few weeks ago, I wrote that Rep. Omar’s apology for her antisemitic comments was heart felt, but (quoting myself) said, “I cannot help but believe there is an undercurrent here that has nothing to do with knowledge and understanding.  I hope I am wrong.” … Continue reading Betwixt and Between