The old adage to avoid discussing politics and religion remains a wise social decision in plenty of situations. However, such discussions h...

Happy Independence Day! Normally, I post some songs and other pieces (such as a reading of the Declaration of Independence). This year, gi...

Memorial Day is meant for remembering those who died in military service (a worthy commemoration). It's also a holiday that naturally s...

David Dayen, an excellent blogger based in Los Angeles, has a book out, Chain of Title: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street...

April is National Poetry Month. I'll link the wonderful Favorite Poem Project , as usual. This year, I thought I'd post one o...

Happy Fool's Day! This year, I thought I'd link Vulture's feature, "The 100 Jokes That Shaped Modern Comedy." It...

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Glen Hansard likes to end his concerts with this, and have other musicians and guests (not all of them singers)...

(The annual post-Oscar film roundup is a pre-blog tradition. It comes in four parts. In addition to this section, there's Part 2: The T...

(The annual post-Oscar film roundup is a pre-blog tradition. It comes in four parts. In addition to this section, there's Part 1: The Os...

(The annual post-Oscar film roundup is a pre-blog tradition. It comes in four parts. In addition to this section, there's Part 1: The Os...