What's on my mind
In the June Atlantic there is an article by Mathew Stewart, “The Birth of a New American Aristocracy." Stewart points out that the popular description of our society as split between the super rich and the rest of us is missing an important point. A large and very wealthy group of people, 9.9% of the… Continue reading The 9.9
This letter appeared in the Albany Times Union, April 29, 2018: I read the Religion News Service interview “Evolution is science, not philosophy,” April 21, with Kenneth Miller. Miller emphasizes the unique position of our species. “Ultimately, there is a niche, and we’re the only species to date that has come to occupy… Continue reading The Good Shepherd
There are 18 notes for this part of Un Amour de Swann. One cannot possibly cover all these in one meeting. However, each is worth a look beforehand, and the group can discuss a few of them. Number 11 – Swann goes out of circulation - Maintenant, tous les soirs, quand il l'avait… Continue reading Un Amour de Swann – Second meeting Bookmarks
Notes for Un Amour de Swann To guide our discussion, I have marked out certain texts, and numbered them for everyone’s convenience. If as you read you just bookmark the place (use a mini-post-it) where you find each quotation, we will all be able to find the place at our meeting, even though… Continue reading Groupe Litteraire – Passages to Bookmark
"Longtemps, je me suis couché de bonne heure. Parfois, à peine ma bougie éteinte, mes yeux se fermaient si vite que je n'avais pas le temps de me dire: «Je m'endors." C'est ainsi que commence À la Recherche du Temps Perdu, de Marcel Proust. Ce livre de 8 volumes a inspiré beaucoup de commentaires et a… Continue reading Groupe Litteraire
"Our" apartment on the Avenue Duquesne is in a very quiet neighborhood, but close to many attractions, including Les Invalides, the Eiffel Tower and the Rue Cler. It is a very livable area. There is a convenient supermarket right next to the École Militaire Metro station. There are many cafés, such as the Central, along the Rue Cler.… Continue reading Paris and Normandy, 2014
We first visited London in 1990, our first trip abroad. Up until 2014, we had not returned, despite having a wonderful time. We decided to go back and see more of London, and then go on by train to Paris, with a final destination in Normandy, where I planned to leave some of my mother's… Continue reading London 2014
Every now and then a new species is discovered. So it seems today with an article by Brian Nearing in the Albany Times Union (February 19, 2018). He tells of Bob Inglis, who has been trying to persuade his fellow Republicans that they have it all wrong in denying the reality of climate change. Inglis came… Continue reading A Conservative Who Admits Climate Change is Real and Due to Human Activity
In 2015 we went for a January vacation at a rental house with two friends on Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, South Carolina. We had good weather, although it was not very warm. Our friends Fran and Mike were at the house when we arrived by taxi. The house was built on stilts to protect the living quarters from high seas… Continue reading Reminiscences of Sullivan’s Island
Our last full day in Costa Rica began with a trip to the Monteverde Butterfly Garden. Our first tour guide, Breena, gave a very funny yet informative talk about insects, including tarantulas (no known cases of them biting and killing people) and cockroaches, as well as beetles. We are looking forward to her posting a… Continue reading Down from the Mountains
Reflection 