The New Colossus By Emma Lazarus Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,With conquering limbs astride from land to land;Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall standA mighty woman with a torch, whose flameIs the imprisoned lightning, and her nameMother of Exiles. From her beacon-handGlows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes commandThe air-bridged harbor that …
What does one do when one goes to New York? Well, one visits the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. One goes to one of the many museums and stares at paintings while stroking one’s own chin in thoughtful contemplation, while making laconic comments about the artist’s motivation (extra pretension points if the chin sports …
An eight day trip to New York City in four posts. Note: I hadn’t originally meant for this to be the first in the series of four, but the timing of the anniversary compelled me to change my original idea. The 9/11 Memorial and MuseumWhy are we drawn to the places that break our hearts, …
An American’s observations of a first time trip to France. It wasn’t too long ago that the idea of driving in Europe was on par with sky diving; everything is in a language I don’t understand, how do you get gas (in the usual manner?), the driving habits and traffic laws are different, maybe the …
An American’s observations of a first time trip to France. “Travel is not a reward for working, it’s education for living.” ~ Anthony Bourdain We hit the first traffic of any consequence on the eastern fringes of Quimper. Quimper advertises itself as a village, but with a population of 64,000, I feel l have to …
“I urge our state legislature to reconvene to redistrict another Republican seat in Memphis. It’s essential to cement @realDonaldTrump’s agenda and the Golden Age of America. I’ve vowed to keep Tennessee a red state.” ~ Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, on X in April of 2026. As one can plainly tell, Marsha Blackburn is a true …
With sincere apologies to Christmas, Thanksgiving, May Day and all the other days of note, I think that Independence Day is the most important of the American holidays. It isn’t about the fireworks (we don’t have a local display anyway), or the flags, the patriotic music, or the hotdogs and apple pie. Hold on. Let’s …
Headlight glowin’The cars hurry pastJust like the yearsAre flowin’ so fastIf I can get there I know I’ll be warmThe ackin’ in my bones will soon be gonelAnd I journey back to Tonopah I’ve got a caffeine buzz from a giant coffee, a sugar high from the biggest apple fritter in the coffee joint’s display …
You walk in reverence, overwhelmed by the sheer number of white markers that shine bright in the midday sun. At Arlington the gravestones go on and on until they disappear over a short rise and continue on, unseen. On a sweltering July day in Gettysburg they march in lines from the bright unrelenting sun, to …
An American’s observations of a first time trip to France. “Brittany has something of Ireland’s melancholy and Spain’s passion, with its cliffs like fortresses and its villages like sanctuaries.” ~ attributed to Victor Hugo. Every July, year upon year, almost without fail, I cruised the French countryside. I rumbled over the narrow cobblestone streets of …
