The United States has contributed mightily to Western culture. That history is a point of pride of which Americans can justifiably take ownership. From clipper ships to the Panama Canal to the Internet, all of mankind has benefited from the restless American drive to strain the limits of our potential. One achievement, however, stands out […]
A few years ago I saw a movie called Hollywoodland. It was the story of the actor George Reeves, who played Superman in the 1950s television show. The story presented the mystery of his death in 1959. Was it suicide, homicide, or accidental? The question remains to this day, but the movie presented some well-envisioned […]
Do you know where the title of this piece comes from? No, it wasn’t Star Trek. It was first uttered by Sir John Dalberg-Acton, a European Baronet from 1837 to 1869. But in my opinion, it was never uttered more powerfully than in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode Where No Man Has Gone […]
A long time ago, Sci-Fi fans flocked to a big-budget space opera movie: Forbidden Planet. It was in theatres in 1956. I saw it a good many years later on TV, and I could see why some people credited it as the forebear to Star Trek. It’s set in a future where a united civilization […]
An assistant opened the door of the Oral Surgeon’s office and entered the waiting room with a file folder in his hand. There were just two patients: me and an elderly woman who was still filling out her paperwork. He glanced at both of us, but momentarily his eyes rested on me, and he said, […]
60 Minutes recently did an interview with Peter McIndoe, the founder of the Birds Aren’t Real movement. His theory posits that the government has replaced birds with robotic drones. Their sole purpose is to spy on us. One time, while he was witnessing a parade supporting some conspiracy theory or other, he decided to test […]
On my way home the other day, I was turning left from the busy main street in Marshfield (MA) onto a residential side street. I had to cross traffic, but there’s a convenient lane to wait in until one gets their chance. Another car was simultaneously coming out of the side street. It was looking […]
Didn’t you fill out form J%W!^Tfa&*fd7? That’s how my CPA sounds when I think I’ve got everything covered. I’ve been organizing my taxes since 1997, when I started my own home business. Note that I used the word organizing as opposed to actually doing my taxes. The incomprehensible mishmash that is tax-preparation is […]
You’ll have to forgive me if my thoughts aren’t quite as coherent as usual; I’m a little sluggish and off my game. Coincidentally, this happens to me every year about this time. So one day I asked myself, “what happens this time of year, every year?” Oh, yeah: the powers that be screw with our […]
Not only do I like to get sauced — I’ve liked it ever since I was a little kid. I’d even brag to friends at school about the sensations I experienced at the previous night’s supper. The promise of some tasty liquid accompaniment got me to the dinner table faster than one can say “please […]
