The pledge of allegiance
When I went to St Peter’s Parochial school in Washington we said the “Pledge of Allegiance” every morning: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” When I’m old and gray and […]
Avoiding swearwords
I did a controversial exercise for Spotlight Online the other day, and now I wish I’d done one on the words we Americans use in polite company to avoid swearwords. Heck! (hell) Shoot! (shit) Fudge! (fuck) Gosh! Golly! (God) For crying out loud! (for Christ’s sake) Gee whizz! Jeepers! (Jesus) Darn (damn) Doggone it! (damn […]
Inauguration
Obama said it’s the risktakers, the doers, the makers of things that are responsible for our current prosperity (and we are still the most prosperous society). He said “we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start rebuilding America.” He talked about government programs needing to be analysed for whether they work. And he […]
The Eagle Nebula
Today is the big day. To celebrate a president we can be proud of and who allows us to dream of a more humane world, have a look at the beautiful Eagle Nebula, described as follows: From afar, the whole thing looks like an Eagle. A closer look at the Eagle Nebula, however, shows the […]
Enough, already, Obama!
This past month I have found message after message from the Obama team asking for donations and providing various objects bearing the message of Hope. Gail Collins’ fun “Year-End Quiz” at the New York Times (thanks Joan!) hits the nail on the head in question 8: Which of the following has Obama for America NOT […]
She’s back
Speaking of camp: Hillary is back, with the campy Clinton baggage. My favorite quote about them: If you lie down with the Clintons, you’re going to get fleas. (The original saying is about dogs, of course.) I admire Hillary, a tough woman who can fight. Annie Leibovitz portrayed Hillary Clinton with her marble showing. This […]
Collective Obamism
“Each writer, each publication, seems to reach for more eye-popping superlatives. “OBAMAISM — It’s a Kind of Religion,” says New York magazine. “Those of us too young to have known JFK’s Camelot are going to have our own giddy Camelot II to enrapture and entertain us,” Kurt Andersen writes. The New York Post has already […]
