MIXING CHURCH AND STATE—THE GORDON RIOTS
A DECADE BEFORE American rebels ratified the United States Constitution, including its First Amendment definitively separating church and state, Britain was roiling in the Gordon Riots—largely on grounds of religion. … Continue reading
CONGRESS, THE PRESIDENT AND THE S-WORD (SCIENCE)
TWO ARTICLES on the same two-page spread of Science, May 5, 2017, suggest the turmoil taking place in scientific communities funded at least in part by the federal government. One … Continue reading
THEY’LL HAVE MANHATTAN; I’LL HAVE PHOENIX, OMAHA, CHICAGO, SALT LAKE CITY…
The New York Times, May 28, 2017, celebrated “the celestial eye candy known as Manhattanhenge” with a usual fervor directed to those living immediately east of the Hudson River. Despite … Continue reading
A LAMENTABLE TALE OF A FORD F-250
KEITH MARTIN’S Sports Car Market is an entertaining and informative magazine, even if, like me, you’re not into buying or selling collector cars at auction. In this magazine’s July 2017 … Continue reading
GREAT ACERBIC LINES
H.L. MENCKEN was a 20th-century journalist who specialized in acerbic writing that’s still a delight to read. I don’t always agree with Mencken’s view, but I savor his expertise with … Continue reading
FORD DEALER STARTS OWN AIRLINE
IT SEEMS improbable today, but a car dealer starting his own airline was a sound business model back in 1927. The country was abuzz with Lucky Lindy’s transatlantic solo, Jack … Continue reading
PETROGRAD NIGHTS—AND DAYS
IN THE long view of history, St. Petersburg, Russia, was called Petrograd for only the briefest of periods, 1914 to 1924. During that decade, though, it was central in a … Continue reading
NATURE’S ORIGAMI
“LADYBUG, ladybug, fly away home…” These tiny polka-dotted insects invariably complied with this childhood entreaty so quickly that I knew nothing about their winged travel. Coccinellidae are known as ladybugs … Continue reading
SNIFFING OUT A MYTH
IT IS CONVENTIONAL wisdom that many mammals, dogs especially, have far better senses of smell than humans. However, recent research suggests that this is a myth perpetrated by 19th-century science … Continue reading
COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE AND THE ART OF THE DEAL
COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE began as street theater in 16th-century Italy. It continues today around the world, reaching as far as the antipodes. Matriark Theatre, in New South Wales, Australia, has among … Continue reading
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