A rape story out of France is causing many people to drop their jaws.  Gisèle Pelicot, married to her husband for 50 years, discovered he had drugged her regularly during their marriage and invited strangers to enter their bedroom and rape her. A story of betrayed vows and broken tr

Campaigning with Vice President Kamala Harris in a battleground state, Republican Liz Cheney framed the stakes of the 2024 election like this.  Our own security and our own freedom require that we have a president who understands America has to lead and that our strength comes from o

A writer on my social media page announced he’d published his first book, recently.  Overjoyed, he included a favorable comment from a well-known book review company.   “I’m a genius,” he concluded tongue in cheek.  Like a first kiss, his elation was understandable.  Who

Consider this scene.  The hour is midnight yet the sky is alight with drones exploding overhead.   A 14-year-old girl and her mother take refuge against a wall in their living room in the hope of protection.  Then a bomb slams into the apartment and leaves them lying on an exposed

In a society based on competition, it’s difficult to see how equality fits in. What’s more, the disparities wrought by climate change and wars make the notion seem a cruel joke. Those standing in the rubble left by Hurricane Helene see their lives scattered at their feet. The immi

Though some politicians would have us think otherwise, deprivation, not immigration, is the well-spring for much of our country’s social ills.  Poverty breeds crime, not being foreign-born.  What’s more pointing fingers at scapegoats doesn’t address the disparity. Recently, I

Does anyone enjoy complete self-confidence, particularly women? Melinda French Gates, the former wife of Bill Gates and one of the richest women in the United States has suffered moments of uncertainty.  She relates that when she and her ex-husband attended conferences, Bill Gates dr

JINGLES THAT JANGLE   Percy (One) Our new dog, named for the beloved poet, ate a book which unfortunately we had Left unguarded. Fortunately, it was the Bhagavad Gita, of which many copies are available. Every day now, as Percy grows into the beauty of life, we touch his wild curly h

No one likes paying taxes, least of all billionaires.  They’d rather buy yachts.  Obliged to keep up appearances, they give to charity, some less than others, Elon Musk being the stingiest.  Nonetheless, they are lavish in their political contributions to politicians who favor th

I’m delighted to see the energy, money, and number of volunteers behind Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. I’m also excited that the country may soon have its first female President.  Nonetheless, I continue to despair that ageism felled Joe Biden’s bid for a second term, and