Link to Original Dear Friend and Reader: Maybe it was the rare-to-find Orange Toastees, or maybe it was the world-famous date nut bread. Howard Johnson’s in Arlington, Virginia, might have seemed like an odd place for a conclave of the captains of industry and the stewards of government, though that’s where it happened. From the … Read more
Dear Friend and Reader: On Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, blocking the Sun and casting a shadow over the Pacific Ocean. As the Moon moves and the Earth turns, the shadow will pass just south of Portland, Oregon, traveling southeast, reaching maximum intensity near Memphis, Tennessee, passing … Read more
Dear Friend and Reader: Usually I avoid the charts of presidential candidates, or at least I prefer not to dwell on them. The whole cult of personality around the American presidential election is difficult enough to stomach. Covering the elections, I generally stick to mundane astrology to get the clues and the news leads. Occasionally, … Read more
Dear Friend and Reader: The other night I went to the movies with my cousin Dominick Vanacore, and we saw Ex Machina. One of my principles of film is that any movie worth seeing once is worth seeing twice, and Ex Machina qualifies. It’s the story of a programming genius (modeled after a search-engine billionaire who goes into … Read more
Dear Friend and Reader: Growing up an honorary Jew in New York City, my favorite musical was Fiddler on the Roof. My mom took me to see the first Broadway revival with Zero Mostel, who performed in the original 1964 production. I learned the song “Sabbath Prayer” in piano lessons. And I thought a lot about … Read more