We are about to run out of cute literary asides to great works of the past as the future sweeps over us. Along with all the other scribblers about these great matters, I am looking for the next hackneyed line to use. Old Jim had some words for me in that regard as we relaxed […]

I paid attention to the celebration of Dr. King’s Dream Speech down on the Mall yesterday. There was a light drizzle and gray skies that apparently held down attendance. In the original, there were a quarter million people in the audience. For the anniversary, the only number I heard was 20,000. I can’t confirm it, […]

I don’t think the President is going to authorize the strikes on Syria today- he is speaking from the Lincoln Memorial, from the very place where one of my American heroes uttered the wards that ring down the decades. (Stan Levison and Clarence Jones) The prepared speech- done the night before by New York businessman […]

(Restaurant Week breaded scallops. All photos courtesy Willow Restaurant) I would prefer to be writing an account of Restaurant Week at Willow. Tracy O’Grady has doubled down on the chance for broader exposure of her restaurant, and extended the special menu through next Saturday, and was open on Sunday, an unusual event. Staff looked like […]

The two letters- Mike and Charlie- are the code we used to enter in the itinerary portion of our travel claims, back when such things were actual pieces of paper. “MC” meant the journey was done, the activity complete, and the mission accomplished. I did not have that feeling in the afternoon. I was stuck […]

(The sprawling Soviet Military Cemetery in Treptow Park, in the former East Berlin). Now that I have some discretionary time on my hands I find myself busier than ever. Paradox, I know, but I have heard that from folks not much older than I am. There are the little odds and ends that go along […]

As you know, The Daily strives to keep to the high road, and trying to unravel the nature of the games that pretty smart people have invented to keep electorate from taking to the street and rioting over the gross mismanagement of public affairs. It is getting harder and harder. I could talk about the […]

Sorry- I am a little addled this morning. There are three trials nearing the endgame that all have implications for National Security to one degree or another- two of them are mirror images of one another: Major Hassan, who went over to the other side and killed his fellow unarmed soldiers, and Staff Sergeant Bales […]

I am sure you have heard the news. We lost one of the giants of modern American pulp letters, and these days, that is about as good as literature gets. Elmore Leonard, 87, has passed of consequences of a stroke. Big Mama and Elmore had something in common, well beyond just being long-time residents of […]

(California High Speed Rail. Imaginary photo by California High-Speed Rail and Unicorn Authority.) Sorry I am late this morning. I have been trading polemics with the usual suspects and Rhonda at the front desk called to ask if I had a woman in the unit, since there was a car parked with a guest pass […]