Category Archives: Life
What I Read in 2018
If I was the sort to make New Year’s resolutions, I would resolve to read more and write more in 2019. Last year, I read 18 books — far fewer than some other years, but significantly more than the 2 … Continue reading
Books I Read in 2016
I read more than many people do. I always aspire to read more than I have. I was a little dismayed this year when I finished a book in early November and couldn’t quite get myself to start another. Looking … Continue reading
Free Speech and the National Anthem
At the time that the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were attacked on September 11th, 2001, I was working as a Division Manager for a company that did work, nearly exclusively, for the Federal Government. Shortly after the attacks, … Continue reading
Deception, or Modern Business
Some time ago, by either an act of the Maryland State Legislature or a change in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) (or perhaps a combination of both), utility consumers in Maryland were provided with an opportunity to buy energy … Continue reading
Good Friday — A Memory
The honeysuckle on my neighbor’s fence was blooming. I was standing in the alley behind my house, slightly up the bank to my neighbor’s fence, sampling and enjoying the honeysuckle blossoms. In my memory, I am alone — a rare … Continue reading
Fun On A Snowy Day in Baltimore
On Friday evening, the snow started falling. The forecast had coalesced around the word “blizzard” but lots of people were out and about enjoying the first snow of the season. Diane and I met friends at Grand Cru — the wine … Continue reading
The Midas Touch – Late Capitalism
One day, some of King Midas’ men brought him a satyr they had captured in one of the king’s fields. Midas recognized Silenus, the god Dionysus’ favorite satyr and ordered him set free. Dionysus so appreciated Midas’ gesture that he … Continue reading
Charity and Capitalism
Back when I used to answer the telephone and occasionally had to suffer calls exhorting me to purchase something or donate money to some cause, there was one call that prompted a bit of thought. The caller was soliciting money … Continue reading
As Privilege Erodes, Bigotry Flourishes
Because I am often critical of President Obama when I write, whether here or elsewhere, I sometimes get friend requests from right wing people on Facebook. In general, I ignore those requests (although, now that I’m trying to write more … Continue reading
The Ugly Underside of the Supreme Court’s Gay Marriage Decision
When I was a kid, growing up in the sixties, “fag” was about the worst thing one could be called. Of course, it had nothing to do with sexual orientation; it was merely a demeaning epithet slung in anger. Long … Continue reading