Sitting in shul on Shabbos, he found that his mind always wandered during the preliminary prayers. He wondered whether using the words “shul” and “Shabbos” was an affectation for a convert. Maybe he should say “synagogue” and “Sabbath” or at least “Shabbat.” Nonsense. How could one be affected in an internal dialogue? He supposed, in … More The Convert
“I don’t have a drinking problem ‘cept when I can’t get a drink.” –Tom Waits “Bad Liver and a Broken Heart”, Small Change (1976).
I had a friend who was diagnosed with brain cancer and given very little time to live. She was a confirmed atheist who had no hope of heaven or fear of hell. I was impressed with her courage and calm in the face of death. I told her that I would have a prayer for … More On Prayer
Here are some questions about grammar I got from readers of my grammar column together with my answers: Q, Which of these is correct: “cannot” or “can not”? A. Both are acceptable, but “cannot” is more common. The two-word version can be used for emphasis: No, you can not eat the salamander. Q. Which of … More Grammar Questions
“Write something, even if it’s just a suicide note.”– Gore Vidal
Imagine you’re a professional Republican strategist. You’re a well-read right-wing Republican ideologue, even an intellectual. You subscribe to Reason, a right-wing libertarian magazine. You hold Ayn Rand in high esteem. You have a very principled opposition to state intervention in the economy. You believe fervently in free markets. You are a staunch defender of the … More The Nightmare
“Today’s public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books, and there is some evidence that they can’t read them either.”–Gore Vidal
“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.”—Bertrand Russel. “The Triumph of Stupidity.” http://russell-j.com/0583TS.HTM
“NOEL: You can get excited about the future. The past won’t mind.” ― Hillary DePiano, New Year’s Thieve
No Harm Spilt 