The Estrogen Inner Circle
“A man who surrounds himself with women was likely closer to his mother than his father.”
Not paying the cost to be a girlboss
As was the case with his peers, bluesman B.B. King (1925-2015) came from humble beginnings – to put it mildly. Born to sharecroppers on a Mississippi cotton plantation, his mother deserted the family when he was four years old. Thereafter, he was raised by his grandmother. His first job was working in a cotton gin. …
It’s an ill wind
When I was a lad, I was informed that the word “fart” was an acronym for “Foul Air, Rear Trap.” It made sense to me at the time, but as is often the case, you eventually discover that you can’t believe everything grown-ups tell you. Whatever the origin of the word, I have noticed that …
To be, or not be “that guy”
Some years ago I was dining at a fast food restaurant in downtown Houston. While I was placing my order at the counter, the young man taking the order appeared to be distracted. He wasn’t looking at me or his touch-screen; rather, he was looking at something going on behind me. I didn’t bother to …
That’s Amore! – The First Latin Lover
Cecil B. DeMille is often credited with shooting the first feature-length film (The Squaw Man) in Hollywood in 1914. Thanks to DeMille, D.W. Griffith, Charlie Chaplin, John Ford and other names now familiar only to cinephiles, movies (and scandals!) became a fixture in American life by the 1920s, and low-rent nickelodeons gave way to movie …
When The Bull Moose Was Let Loose
In the North Texas town of Frisco, there is a minor league baseball team named the Rough Riders as a tribute to America’s legendary fighting force during the Spanish-American War. One of the team’s mascots is a Ted E. Bear, an ursine version of Thedore Roosevelt, the colorful Colonel of the 1st U.S. Volunteer Cavalry …
The Dearth Of Birthing People
There’s a population explosion among the ranks of senior citizens in South Korea! The United Nations recently announced that South Korea has joined Japan in the ranks of Super-Aged Nations. What that means is that more than 20% of the population is 65 or older. Actually, the UN has a three-tier system with 7-14% geezers/gaffers/duffers/codgers …
A Century Of Gallantry
100 years ago a classic entry in the genre of British adventure fiction was published, but don’t expect any gushing centennial retrospectives. Not surprisingly, given its age, Percy Christopher Wren’s Beau Geste has some triggering content, largely racial slurs and stereotypes. The colonial setting alone would be enough to brand it taboo these days. The …
Semper Fido! Greater Love Hath No Dog
If I read one more article or listen to one more podcast about the dire social effects of flagging birth rates in developed nations, I think I’ll have a cow myself. Various countries have tried various programs to hike the birth rate but with limited success. It’s tempting to think we are doomed, that nothing …
Keeping Up Appearances
The first time I saw it I was taken aback. As I saw it again and again, I found it less and less remarkable, though a long way from mainstream. The phenomenon I am referring to is men painting their fingernails. The first time was at the box office/concession stand of a movie theater. The …
