So, how's by you? I've been lax in my blogging, it's true. As a a way of easing back into this business, I'd thought I'd let you know that I still take my act on the road from time to time.
At 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, I'll be preaching at [...]
With the election of Barack Obama, we may have another Ronald Reagan on our hands. At least when it comes to casual wit.
Reagan was great with the one-liners, having spent some of his life as a Las Vegas lounge act and on the rubber-chicken speakers' circuit for GE.
' [...]
Can we all please, for the love of God, stop using the word miracle so promiscuously? The Hudson River landing of the US Airways Airbus A320 is remarkable for all kinds of reasons. The pilot performed acts of heroism, the passengers remained calm and helped one another and nobody died.
But a [...]
It's always good to see a local boy do good. Springsteen won a Golden Globe last night for his song "The Wrestler'' from the Mickey Rourke movie. It's a sad and lovely song, an intimate character study that Springsteen seems to do so well. And for those who insist the man [...]
I was going to embed a video of Richard Pryor on this blog. Pryor was one of the great artists of the second half of the 20th century, possessed with grit and wisdom.
I was looking for a particular clip from one of his filmed performances. I'm sure I could have [...]
Well, some of us were a little short on Christmas cheer this year, weren't we?
Man, oh man, did I get my head handed to me by some readers of the Asbury Park Press. All because of a column I wrote about the Nativity narratives in the gospels. If you [...]
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I am a connoisseur of fine art, although I've always liked that painting of those dogs playing poker. But I'm no philistine either.
But I've recently come into possession of a painting that is so odd, so disconcerting that [...]
I woke this morning with Shakespeare's Henry V rolling through my befogged head. In a state full of the recently laid-off (and as readers of the Asbury Park Press know, some of those used to work here as late as, well, Tuesday), I think those of us still employed need a good [...]
Last week, the Dalai Lama said the satisfactions of sex provided only fleeting satisfaction and invariably led to what he referred to as "complications.'' One has to conclude that among those complications are marriage and parenthood, since he also said, "Too much attachment towards your children, towards your partner," was "one of the obstacles or hindrances [...]
Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper may be in a little bit of trouble. She's the astronaut who "dropped'' her tool bag while taking a space walk Tuesday outside the International Space Station. Given the lack of gravity, though, I suppose drop isn't the correct word. But when you let something go in outer space, [...]
Last week I officiated at a wedding. Very nice couple. The reason I was asked to officiate was that the mother of the bride liked my column. So there you go. Usually, in cases like this I don't attend the reception. I don't know a soul, people feel the need [...]
The Ocean County Republicans again swept the elections for three countywide offices, though by smaller margins than in the past. The comfortable victories by the GOP candidates had to be a source of great frustration for county Democrats, who thought this might be their year. It wasn't. Ocean County continues to [...]
On Thursday night, Megan McCann, a 17-year-old student at Jackson Memorial High School, became the sixth young person to die in an auto accident on a hazardous, 100-yard stretch of Freehold Road in Jackson since October 2005.
Hopefully, that fatality will prompt local and county officials to make badly needed safety [...]
I know times are tough. As the unemployment rises, people have some unexpected time on their hands, time with which they might pursue a hobby. I understand that. Heck, I could be one those people soon. But I was at a big ol' Barnes & Noble the other evening and while I was [...]
Now that Sarah Palin has gone back to maintaining her lonely and (it is to be hoped) silent vigil, scanning the Alaskan horizon for any sign of an invasion from the Russians, I think we can all give a bit of thanks that this woman was not elected to be [...]
It's no secret that the newspaper biz is in a little bit of a pickle. (Which is like saying that the Hindenburg had a touch of gas. ) Fewer people want to read them anymore, preferring to get their news and opinions online. But elect the first African-American president and bam! -- newspapers [...]
State officials acted befuddled over why Public Question # 2, which would have changed the way judges were selected in joint municipal courts, was rejected Tuesday. Did they read the question on the ballot? My guess is most voters had no idea why the question was proposed and what the arguments [...]
Before the polls closed last night, I said it was anyone's guess who would come away winners in the race for two seats on the Monmouth County freeholder board. Today, it's still anyone's guess.
With more than 312,000 ballots cast countywide, Democrat Amy Mallet has an 18-vote lead over [...]
Sen. John McCain gave a concession speech last night that was full of grace and dignity.
Toward the end of what must have been a hard speech to give, and a harder one for his supporters to hear, he said:
"Sen. Obama has achieved a great thing [...]
President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans in Congress to help move the country forward. Unfortunately, House GOP leader John Boehner has not been infused with that same spirit of bipartisanship.
In a letter to House Republicans this morning, here is what he had to [...]
Two financial blogs are saying that Gov. Corzine is the leading contender for Treasury Secretary in an Obama administration. Please, no!
According to the Dealscape blog, Corzine is more qualified than the two other leading contenders for the job: Lawrence Summers and Robert Rubin, both of whom served as treasury secretaries under President [...]
