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GETTING CALIFORNIA STYLE PRIORITIES RIGHT
Chuck Scarborough has been broadcasting the evening news on NBC in New York City for at least 12 or 15 years. During that time, his sidekick has been a spirited black woman named Sue Simmons. Scarborough’s demeanor comes off as something between sober and dour. When Christmas week arrived this year, Scarborough was to read…
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11/04/08: AMERICA REJOINS THE CIVILIZED WORLD
Shortly after the results of the most recent presidential election were confirmed at 11 PM, our eldest grandson called me. Connor Shepherd is a 24-year-old grandson who lives and works in San Francisco. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 2007, and spent the next year in Japan perfecting his use of the Japanese language. Connor…
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CANDIDATE EZRA’S FIRST DAY AS PRESIDENT OF THE US OF A
The last time I ran for an office of any kind was in January of 1950. In that case, I ran to be the president of Local 6350 of the Communications Workers of America, which was located in my home town of St. Louis. As it turned out, my candidacy was successful but my tour…
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“…THE LAST OF LIFE FOR WHICH THE FIRST WAS MADE”
-ROBERT BROWNING (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) Those of you who have had the misfortune to hear me address several retirement banquets will know that the title of this essay is a lift from a poem by the English poet, Robert Browning. The first line is “Come grow old along with me /…
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IT GOES WITH THE TERRITORY
In July of 1951, I accepted a transfer from St. Louis to Kansas City. I knew that Kansas City had hot weather in July and other summer months, but St. Louis was no bargain either. One of my colleagues told me that in Kansas City during the summer, it gets “hotter than the hubs of…
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IS IT CELEBRITY OR A CASE OF NOTORIETY?
Astonishment at the antics of American politicians does not come easily to this old geezer of ancient vintage. However, the events of the past two days have caused this old gaffer a full-fledged case of complete astonishment. On July 29, 2008 Barack Obama held a rally in the town of Springfield, Missouri. That city is…
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GEORGIA ON MY MIND
I wish this essay were about the song “Georgia on My Mind,” with its wonderful recordings by Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, and Louis Armstrong. But as it turns out, the Georgia on my mind is a European country under the domination of the Russians which now intrudes into all of our thoughts. Perhaps I can…
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AFFAIRS OF LOVE
Those of you who have persevered in reading these essays will know that from time to time the titles involve curve balls, changes of pace, and, occasionally, a foofoo ball. This essay will not be called “Love Affairs” , but rather “Affairs of Love” for reasons that will become clear as the sections develop. If…
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TURNING THE VIRGINITY ODOMETER BACK TO ZERO
This essay is going to attempt to perform an impossible literary marriage in that it involves the virginity of Muslim women and an apt poem by A. E. Housman, an English poet who could foresee miracles of the future. Whether this marriage will last is a reasonable subject for discussion, but I believe that it…