LET’S REMIND OUR ADDLED PRESIDENT—AND HIS SUPPORTERS
FULL DISCLOSURE: I TOO AM OVER EIGHTY. And while I still recall the opening Prologue to Canterbury Tales (“Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote/The droghte of March hath perced … Continue reading
THE WALTZ— ITS FATHER, ITS KING, AND DON’T FORGET MATILDA PART 2
MUSICOLOGIST NICK SLONIMSKY BEGAN ALL THIS with his entertaining writings abut 3/4 time and its composers. Here in Part 2, we focus on dissing, both musical and familial. And, as … Continue reading
THE WALTZ—ITS FATHER, ITS KING, AND DON’T FORGET MATILDA PART 1
MY MUSICAL AUTHORITY OF DELIGHT, NICK SLONIMSKY, GETS US STARTED by defining the waltz as “the most famous ballroom dance in 3/4 time, generated in Austria toward the end of … Continue reading
MINUTESTEAKS—70 YEARS HENCE
MY MEMORY WAS JOGGED BY LAUREN BAIR’S ARTICLE “The Underrated Steak I Make When Dinner Has To Be Ready in 10 Minutes,” Simply Recipes, August 25, 2026. Her description of … Continue reading
OPERA’S RAZOR EDGES
I ENJOY QUOTING SIR PETER USTINOV: “Opera rides the razor edge of absurdity.” The October 2026 issue of Opera With Opera News offers interesting extremes of scenery and notable examples … Continue reading
GEORGE HANGER: 4TH (AND LAST) BARON OF COLERAINE, MILITARY BLUNDERER, EARLY FEMINIST (??)
THE SLEEZE MEDIA THESE DAYS ARE REPLETE WITH GOINGS-ON (or non-goings-in) of English Royals (or non-Royals). Leafing again through Brewer’s Rogues, Villains & Eccentrics, I came upon George Hanger, 4th … Continue reading
2026 IG NOBEL AWARDS—WITH A NEW HOME
I KNOW YOU’VE BEEN WAITING, AND JENNIFER OUELLETTE ANNOUNCES THE 2026 IG NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS, ars TECHNICA, September 3, 2026. She observes, “It’s that time of year again, when we … Continue reading
BENITO MUSSOLINI: BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
TRUMP’S AUDACIOUS BANNING OF REPORTERS WHO DISAGREE WITH HIS ACTIONS is yet another step in his striving for fascist rule. Ava Berger reports, “CNN, MS NOW, Politico Reporters Denied Access … Continue reading
TRUMP HAS GONE BEYOND THE PALE (AND NOT THE FIRST TIME)
NOT ONLY IS TRUMP A COMMON LIAR, AN OUTLANDISH EGOTIST, AND A RAGING FASCIST, he has gone quite beyond the pale in so many other ways. Recall the Term “Beyond … Continue reading
WONDERFUL FOLK LEGENDS
YEARS AND YEARS AGO, I MADE A (MINOR) LITERARY NAME FOR MYSELF: It was in elementary school and I got a good mark for writing a piece on folk hero … Continue reading
