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Another Moment Of All American Serendipitous Patriotism

    “If you’ve ever wondered what you’d have done had you lived during the era of slavery, the Holocaust, or the Civil Rights Movement — whether you’d have stood & spoken up; whether you’d have intervened to help someone or been complicit in harming them through your silence — you have your answer.   […]

All American Moment Of Serendipitous Patriotism

    One fine summer day in Philadelphia I found myself walking east on Market Street in the company of friends and family toward Independence Hall.   The Liberty Bell was still in residence.   I remember aunts and uncles and cousins and roommates all hiking toward the July 4th, 1976 Bicentennial speech given by […]

Portland Bird Flip To The Rest Of You

    The Portland bird is one thing, the Portland bird flip a whole ‘nother thing.   If it’s not this, it’s that for Portland. Close to the mountains, close to the beach, and if the pace of new building is any indicator, close to the new neighbors.   Like any city over a certain […]

Cultural Exchange Without Leaving Home

  Last night my cultural exchange student, better said as ‘our’ cultural exchange student, prepared dinner for seven.   And the kid can cook.   I know the difference when someone mails it in from the kitchen. How? Because someone I know tried doing it for years.   Me.   Now I’m much better and […]

Nature Inspires Art, Yellowstone Inspires Nature

    Driving Yellowstone is a trip back in time, and more than pre-historic time even though a dinosaur walking across the landscape wouldn’t be much of a surprise.   In this real life vision of Jurassic Park buffalo work just fine.   By back in time I mean a 45 mph speed limit and […]

Historical Debris: A Record Of Time

    Most museums have a bar they set for accepting historical debris, artifacts, one of a kind deals, and whatever an important person touched or signed.   Paul Revere silver, the last breath of Thomas Edison, the Magna Carta? No one is making any more of that stuff, so that’s a bar too high. […]

GILLASPIE LOVESEAT TO HONOR AMERICA. IT’S FRAGILE

    Who hasn’t been accused of making last minute presents? My specialty is carving names in oak with a router.   It takes practice, at least more than a last minute panic to produce something meaningful on Christmas morning.   I’ve been the object of such accusations, and while correct, there is a bigger […]

BOOMER GENERATION BREAKS AMERICA ON TIME COVER BUT NOT IN OUR HEARTS

    At some point every generation can take credit for breaking America. The pinata of democracy is strong enough to take a few whacks.   It helps that those swinging the stick are usually too old to do much damage, but watching them still hurts.   Steven Brill explains it all for baby boomers, […]

MANHATTAN STATES OF MIND ACROSS AMERICA

    Does anyone see a Manhattan sunrise and feel the power of the Big Apple, the urge to go out and take a big bite? Or a Manhattan sunset at the end of another satisfying day sorting chicken and chicken sh!t.   Manhattan promised you could make it anywhere if you could make it […]

VOTE: COMMON GOOD TAKES UNCOMMON GOOD SENSE

    A joke about a doctor goes like this:   “Doctor, it hurts when I do this?”   “Don’t do that,” says the doctor.   Hilarity ensues. Take my wife, please.   America runs on the same theme. When the rest of the world points to a sore spot and says it hurts, Dr. […]