LAMENTABLE OR LUDICROUS—OR BOTH? PART 2
YESTERDAY, FRANK BRUNI GOT US THINKING about the Trump administration’s lack of professionalism. Today in Part 2, let’s consider Donald “The Golf Cap” Trump himself. Protocol Honoring the Fallen. There’s … Continue reading
LAMENTABLE OR LUDICROUS—OR BOTH? PART 1
HAVING READ FRANK BRUNI’S “We Are Being Governed by Unserious People,” The New York Times, March 9, 2026, I’m left with an intellectual quandary: Are Trump and his cohorts lamentable … Continue reading
THE MITFORD SISTERS (AND BROTHER) PART 2
YESTERDAY, WE BEGAN EXPLORING varied adventures of the fabled Mitford sisters, acknowledging their brother as well. Today, there’s the last three in birth order: Unity, Jessica, and Deborah. Unity Mitford. … Continue reading
THE MITFORD SISTERS (AND BROTHER) PART 1
IF YOU’RE PLAGUED BY A MAGA UNCLE or other errant family members, rest easy: It coulda been worse. I doubt there was any more dysfunctional set of offspring than those … Continue reading
THE CRUCIBLE—AN OPERA FOR OUR TIMES
IN THE MARCH 2026 OPERA WITH OPERA NEWS, Eric Myers discusses Robert Ward’s The Crucible, based on the McCarthy-Era Arthur Miller drama. Here are tidbits gleaned from this article, together … Continue reading
DOUBLING DOWN—AND REMINDING ME OF AN OLD JOKE
SPEAKING, UNDER OATH, ONE WOULD ASSUME, before a Congressional committee, Kristi Noem outdid herself in the Trump administration’s practice of doubling down. Examples of this are offered in “Noem Sticks … Continue reading
THAT MOVIE STANK! PART 2
YESTERDAY, LETTERS TO LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS encouraged me to research olfactory cinema, movies with accompanying aromas (besides popcorn and perhaps stale seating). Today, specifics are addressed with a brief … Continue reading
THAT MOVIE STANK! PART 1
BUT MAYBE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO STINK. A recent “Letters” column in London Review of Books, February 19, 2026, follows up on a citation of mine: Susannah Clapp’s reference to … Continue reading
CELEBRATING TWO TEENAGERS, THE BECHDEL TEST—AND MAYBE A NEW PARLOR GAME PART 2
YESTERDAY, TWO TEENAGE GIRLS ENCOURAGED their Illinois state legislators to include climate change in public education. Today in Part 2, Good Energy applies a test devised by cartoonist/memoirist Alison Bechdel … Continue reading
CELEBRATING TWO TEENAGERS, THE BECHDEL TEST—AND MAYBE A NEW PARLOR GAME PART 1
THE GOODGOODGOOD WEBSITE POSTS TWO FASCINATING ITEMS: Kamrin Baker’s “A New Law Requires Illinois High Schoolers to Learn About Climate Change. It Was Written by Two Local Teens,” and Meghan … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 