writing
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Fake Books On Air Force One For Reading-Adverse Administration And Their Low IQ Voting Base
The nation learned last week, courtesy of a photo op that looked like a Pottery Barn clearance display, that Karoline Leavitt, the shallow White House press secretary, was giddy to be photographed while seated in front of a wall of fake books. Not light reading, not decorative editions, but straight‑up hollow props. The kind of… Continue reading
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Letter From Home: “Little Raccoon” 6/18/26
A couple of weeks ago, James and I sorted through a large drawer containing childhood memories. I picked up the well-used and somewhat frayed hardcover copy of Little Raccoon. My father would come into the dining room, and without ceremony, he’d reach for the book that was included in a pile of my childhood reads. I… Continue reading
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Letter from Home: “A Community” 5/23/26
Originally posted July, 8. 2009 It was a most pleasant sound that wafted across the warm air. A group of about ten women, comprising a writer’s group, had gathered on the back patio at one of our neighbors’ to talk about their creative efforts and get feedback from each other. (Our neighbor is sending out… Continue reading
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Letter From Home “The Embosser” 5/23/26
The old man in Maine looked like he had more local wisdom than anyone around, so I asked if he had lived there all his life. “Not yet,” he said while grinning back at me. The best folks to talk with when traveling are the ones with weathered faces and eyes that link with yours:… Continue reading
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Gay People Are Part Of Every Family
I was reminded this week of a truism. Gay people are a part of every family. One of the chief bullies from my high school years has a gay brother in a long-term committed relationship with his partner. Good for the brother. That fact intersects with my life, and to be honest, I hope that… Continue reading
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Wisconsin Journalist Shelly Kittleson: Truth Tellers Must Not Be Silenced
The news of Wisconsin journalist Shelly Kittleson being kidnapped in Iraq is unacceptable. News reports place her hometown as Monticello, Wisconsin. Her work as a journalist specialising in the Middle East and Afghanistan is published in international, US, and Italian outlets. Iraq’s Ministry of Interior said that security forces have launched an operation to track… Continue reading
Caffeinated Politics 