It's hard to know what to say right now, as almost everything that can be said has been said about our history-making times.  Still, a few thoughts that may be worth more thought.  I wrote last week about possible positive effects of the global pandemic, but I didn't put that in terms of an epistemological concern that Hubby has had for decades, and I shall take this opportunity to explore it.  Read More 

Last Friday was the official publication date for my new book, but like everything else in our brave new world of global pandemic, it was – as the country song says -- "not exactly what I had in mind."  I wanted a big launch in DC, preferably at the Belmont-Paul House.  It's named for Alva Vanderbilt Belmont, who gave millions of dollars to win the vote for women, as well as Woman's Party leader Alice Paul.  She lived there during the campaign for the 19th Amendment that fully enfranchised all American women for all elections, no matter in which state they lived.  Read More 

That is a sign on many British roads used to indicate a lane ending, a roundabout, or other change in traffic patterns.  I have changed my priorities in this column.  I intended to skip discussion of the pandemic this week:  after all, I first wrote about it when it was just a rumor that the Chinese government was trying to censor, and I've followed it since.  Read More 

There is nice, if tragic, irony in that the most frightening global epidemic in decades comes on Trump's watch.  We have known for long time that he can't stand the sight of physical suffering, much less go anywhere near it to help the sufferer.  Remember the elderly man who fell at Mar-o-Logo, and Trump called the blood on the floor "disgusting?"  And the woman there who was bleeding from a facelift?  In both cases, his response was "get 'em out of here!"  Don't look; don't see; everything is about me.  That ought to be his slogan. Read More 

You may or may not remember that election.  It's nearly thirty years ago, but to me, it remains the day before yesterday.  Like so many things, the label came primarily from California, which had two US Senate seats up that year – and chose two women, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.  Although a few other states had elected two female senators over time, none had elected women to serve simultaneously, so that was a huge historical milestone.  In addition, Illinois elected the first African-American woman to the Senate, and Washington chose Patty Murray.  Pundits mocked her as "a mom in tennis shoes" whose average donor gave a lowly $35, but she's still in the Senate today. Read More