Like Bat Masterson, Robert Parker died at his typewriter, a perfect point of departure for a writer whose every word conveyed the enjoyment felt by a born story-teller, and the pleasure Parker took in the company of his many characters, a pleasure the reader shares. Even if Parker had not been a brilliant, innovative story-teller, […]
Robert B. Parker’s Spenser: How to Be a Good Man Read More »
During the afternoon of my 21st birthday, I was standing by the garden along one side of our house with my father, Walter McCollum. We were looking at the peony buds as they prepared to bloom into great globes of cream and magenta. The sepals were alive with black ants. “Those *%*)(#! ants!” my father
Mother *%*)(#! Tongue Read More »
Although “quantitative easing” sounds complex, the idea is relatively simple in economic terms. The central banking system, the Federal Reserve in America, buys bonds from private or commercial banks. As the Wall Street Journal explains, “Bonds are a form of debt. Bonds are loans, or IOUs, but you serve as the bank. You loan your
Quantitative Easing: A Simple Explanation Read More »
“Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four shots ripped into my groin and I was off on the greatest adventure of my life!” – Max Shulman, *Sleep ‘Til Noon* Shulman’s parody of Mickey Spillane’s tougher than tough guy style probably represents what most people thought of “detective stories” when I was young. They were considered one of
Low Tastes I – John D. MacDonald and Travis McGee Read More »
They were both up before dawn and doing chores in the cool silence. Kyle headed over to the hen house to get some eggs and shore up some chicken wire. Evelyn went to the barn to check on the livestock. She milked their two cows while she was there. They returned to the cabin and
Whatever concept an artist imagines Is a reflection of a latent form that lies within A block of marble; the hand alone, Guided by the intellect, can give it form. from Michelangelo’s Sonnet 15 The “reflection of a latent form” Michelangelo characterizes in his poem has inspired debate among artists, aesthetes, and philosophers for thousands of
Reflection of a Latent Form: The Source of Consciousness Read More »