Rudyard Kipling’s poem IF  is a tribute to Leander Starr Jameson, a Victorian war hero who led the failed Jameson Raid against the Transvaal Republic.  I know this history because in the 1960s I taught at Jameson High School in Zimbabwe. The school was named in the man’s honor

Because the U. S. Supreme Court has a 5-4 divide between conservative and progressive jurists, the country is holding its breath as the highest court prepares to weigh in on the abortion issue. Whatever they decide, the ruling is likely to send a shock wave across the country. Their d

On Monday, March 5, Katie Porter, Democratic congresswoman from California, disagreed with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The Speaker had earlier commented that because a candidate was a woman it was no reason to vote for her.  Porter disagreed and so do I.  All things being equal, wo

As it’s Friday the 13th, I might as well consult my bucket list and think about something pleasant. One dream I’ve had for some time is to spend a couple of weeks at a luxury spa.  Paying more to eat smaller food portions might seem foolish, but I like the idea of pampering, the

As news outlets reported the final count in the South Caroline primary, I wrote on my Facebook page, “not a single woman,” suggesting neither Elizabeth Warren or Amy Klobuchar *would survive after Super Tuesday.  Certainly, they picked up no delegates in South Carolina, putting a

When I headed a teacher’s union, I was part of a coalition of other labor groups that negotiated wages and working conditions with the public school system.  That was in the 1970s, at a time when the U. S. economy had slowed. Unable to make a case for wage increases, union represen

Here’s another patriarchal hangover that is affecting the 2020 election. According to several studies, likeability is optional to voters if the candidate is male, but is a requirement for a female. Also true is that people view forceful women as lecturing but give a thumbs up to a m

My love-hate relationship with technology continues.  Recently, I rejoiced over an announcement that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has invented some fascinating methods to conquer lethal bacteria.  Hurrah! New frontiers!  New ways to arrest illnesses without debilitating chemical tr

Starting this month these WriteAway blogs will appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. These almost 10 years of daily blogging have been a great joy for me but it’s time to slow down.  My thanks to all the readers of this page.  Many of you have been with me a long, long time.

When I entered college at 18, I joined the rest of my female classmates in the gym. There, we were asked to strip off our tops, given medial gowns and told to lie down on an available cot. We received no further explanation.   Not long after we’d settle, a number of young men in wh