TALES OF NARCISSUS AND OF MACHIAVELLI
WHATEVER PROMPTED me yesterday to research the Greek myth of Narcissus and Italian Niccolò Machiavelli’s treatise The Prince? Ovid, 43 B.C.–17 A.D., wrote about the Greek myth of Narcissus and … Continue reading
A VISIT TO THE GOSFORD
THE GOSFORD Classic Car Museum is in West Gosford, Australia, more than 7400 miles from my southern California home. Yet, through the wonders of the Internet, I have just visited … Continue reading
HEDGEHOGS AND FOXES
THE ANCIENT GREEK poet Archilochus remarked that a fox knows many things, whereas a hedgehog knows only one big thing. Twentieth-century philosopher Isaiah Berlin expanded on this idea in The … Continue reading
ICONIC SOUNDS
WHAT SINGLE SOUND best characterizes your home city or country? For the latter, national anthems are easy choices, but not what I have in mind. This quest, by the way, … Continue reading
CHOCOLATE, QUAKERS AND THE E.U.
CHOCOLATE CONFECTIONS led me off in different directions. Britain’s Cadbury chocolates ending up in Poland is the principal theme of James Meek’s “Somerdale to Skarbimierz,” in the April 20, 2017, … Continue reading
MARCH FOR SCIENCE—FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA
MARCHES FOR SCIENCE took place yesterday, Earth Day, April 22, 2017. They started in New Zealand and Australia and ran through time zones around the world. In Berlin, a March … Continue reading
HOLMES AND (POLYPHONIC) MOTETS
ROLAND DE LASSUS, aka Orlando di Lasso, was a sixteenth-century Flemish composer of religious music, Italian madrigals, French chansons and German lieder. Among his compositions were 516 motets, choral works … Continue reading
THE BEST OF LINES
“I WISH I HAD said that,” Oscar Wilde remarked. “You will, Oscar, you will,” responded James McNeill Whistler. I’ve often shared Oscar Wilde’s wish, though the fear of stumbling into … Continue reading
CARROLL SHELBY’S UR-COBRA
OL’ SHEL’ recognized a good chassis in the British A.C. Ace sports car. He also sensed how much improved it would be with the burble of a proper ‘Merican V-8. … Continue reading
THE PRE-COBRA
THE HERITAGE OF Carroll Shelby’s fire-breathing 427 Cobra starts with a lithe British sports car, the A.C. Ace, and then moves to Ol’ Shel’s Fairlane V-8 conversion, the AC-Ford Cobra. … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 