In Memoriam
On this Memorial Day, I remember my relatives who died in the service of our country: In Memoriam: Nahum Badcock (first cousin of g-g-g-g-g-grandmother), of Knox’s Regiment of Artillery of the Continental Army, who died at Fort Crown Point in New York on July
In Memoriam
Originally written on October 7, 2024: Many years ago, I took a dancing class, and learned an important lesson: The right dancing partner can make you feel like a better dancer than you really are. In the class, we would switch every couple of minutes from one partner to the
Music
In the wake of Amy Winehouse's death, many people (intending wit, I suppose) have said that she should have gone to rehab. They miss the point of the song, and miss it in a characteristically American way. In the United States, we see problems as fixable. But many
Music
Norman Whitfield, the leading songwriter and producer of Motown's psychedelic years, died Tuesday of complications from diabetes. He was the producer for The Temptations from 1966 to 1973. "Ball of Confusion"? That was his. "I Wish It Would Rain"? Him, too. "Ain'
In Memoriam
Don LaFontaine, the man of a thousand trailers, died yesterday. His voice is familiar to us all, but he also got a little screen time in a recent GEICO commercial.
Music
Jerry Reed, best known for his role as Snowman in "Smokey and the Bandit," died yesterday. "Smokey and the Bandit" is a great and timeless comedy. It's still hilarious after 30 years, in large part because of Reed's good ol' boy