What makes us human?
Thursday, March 19, 2026. It's Thor's day . . . and 90º heat is forecast for TulseyTown today. Easy Southerlies are to maintain sunny skies.
Each of us is always changing, preciously impermanent, and lacking any essential qualities that divide and distinguish us from one another.
Yesterday, I opened Pandora's Box, now known a Ai. And, almost immediately afterwards came Soren' post with these questions: What makes a human human, and who wants to hang out with the smartest person in a room. anyway?
Speaking of Pandora's Box...Trump wants a secret network of prisons. His new DHS chief is posed to be the architect. And, I'm embarrassed to say, he's from my home state.
Joyce Vance posted a reminder: we have not forgotten about the Epstein files. In Civil Discourse today.
And the cover-up just gets darker. – Heather Cox Richardson in Letters From An American.
Speaking of dark: Today is the birthday of novelist Philip Roth. The Author of Goodbye Columbus and Portnory's Complaint was born in 1933 Newark, New Jersey.
It's also the birthday of Richard Francis Burton. The translator, writer, soldier, and all-around adventurer was born in 1821Torquay, England. He gave us The Arabian Nights as well as introducing The Kama Sutra to the Western world.
And the legendary African-American comedian Jackie “Moms” Mabley was born on this day in 1894 Brevard, North Carolina.
What I knew 70 years ago. – Garrison Keillor, The Column, 3.16.26
The universe has but one principle:
Create,
subsumed by one word:
Love.
If you haven't changed your life,
it's time.
– after Rumi
IF you were wondering . . .
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 . It's Odin's day . . . Forecasts for TulseyTown indicate a preview of Summer attractions with strong Southerlies, a sun / clouds mix and 80º by afternoon. A massive heat-dome moves into the area beginning today. Forecasts at or above 90º starting tomorrow through the weekend.
The genuine path of unminding is not a religion for the immature – Zen Master Fen-yang
Today is the birthdate of writer John Updike. He was born in 1932 Reading, Pennsylvania.
George Plimpton was born in 1927 New York City on this day. He was the original editor-in-chief of the literary journal The Paris Review remaining there for 50 years. He was also a writer of what he called “participatory journalism,” predating the “new” journalism of Hunter Thompson and others.
Today is the day of the “Gardner Heist” in 1990. It was the largest art theft in United States history.
Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump continued to demand that other countries help the U.S. reopen the Strait of Hormuz for tanker traffic, but one by one, they declined. It is a dangerous business... - Heather Cox Richardson, in Letters From An American.
A Note to America's Allies and Friends – Robert Reich, Trump Alone, in substack today.
Why I've waited to comment on the Academy Awards event of this past Sunday: I found myself isolated in disagreement with nearly every award with one exception: “Hamnet” star Jessie Buckley won Best Actress. Not that I found the awarded films unworthy. I saw and enjoyed almost all of them. Clearly the Academy voters saw things through a different lens. C'est la guerre.
While in the mode of self-disclosure: FYI: Just in case you may wonder: On rare occasion when researching the obscure publisher of an archaic quote, I have utilized Perplexity backed up by ChatGTP. If that test fails, I don't use the quote. Otherwise, Ai has played absolutely no part of this blog in its history. Which, BTW, is now 3 years old – January 20 to be exact – with 974 posts as of today, not counting the rare missed ones. And last but not least, my investment: at $33 per month to SquareSpace for the platform that's $1100 over the 3 years and approximately 2 hours of composition for each post. If you're still wondering: SqSp analytics indicate an average of 40 visitors to the site each day over its history, 25 fewest, over 120 on rare occasion. There are 45 of you on the mailing list, so the site is getting regulars from beyond the list. The analytics identify only locale, not url, so unless you send me a note I have no idea who is actually reading. Blind trust and thanks to you reading today,
Unforgettable . . .
Tuesday, March 17, 2026. It's Tiw's day . . . Forecasts for TulseyTown indicate a significant warming trend beginning today. Moderate to strong Southerlies are to bring mostly sunny skies and mid 60's today. Tomorrow begins five days of 90's, bridging the Equinox on Saturday.
… you too have come into the world
to do this, to go easy, to be filled with light,
and to shine.
– Mary Oliver, “When I Am Among The Trees,” Thirst, Beacon Press, 2006.
Today is St. Patrick's Day. Erin go bragh.
In 1959, Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, fled Lhasa for India.
The Week Ahead – Joyce Vance, in Civil Discourse.
Rudolf Nureyev was born on this date in 1938 Irkutsk, Russia.
The American-Canadian author William Gibson was born today in 1948, Conway, South Carolina. He developed cyberpunk narrative influences.
And, Nat King Cole was born in 1919 Montgomery, Alabama.
Unforgettable. In many ways.