The House of Mirth is a dark and depressing Edith Wharton novel about a self-absorbed young woman obsessed with fitting into the upper-crust of wealth and society in turn of the century New York. Lily Bart is a striking woman “to the manner born.” Although she’s been ready for her close-up since she was 18, her perennial talent seems to be putting...

“What he has accomplished is really nothing short of extraordinary.  We are not saying that this extraordinary story should give him a pass.” Those “extraordinary” words were spoken by defense attorney Robert P. Trout regarding his client, former congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana, asking the judge to take into account Jefferson’s life story before sentencing. In response, prosecutors pointed out...

“I felt last night’s decision was the right decision for my district even though it was not the popular decision for my party.” So said Anh “Joseph” Quang Cao (pronounced “gow”) the freshman Republican Representative from Louisiana after voting in favor of the health care bill Saturday.  Mr. Cao, the only House Republican of 177, called his support of the...

Sometimes we get so caught up in the bad news du jour that we forget to appreciate some of the good news. Now, for example, Republicans continue to speak out against the “new” health care bill from Democrats.  Democrats turn around and blame Republicans for the economic crisis and lack of regulation on Wall Street.  (The bad news.) However, Neel Kashkari “…hears...

Last Monday (Oct. 12) I brought up the ethical issue facing Charles Rangel, the House Democrat from New York. Mr. Rangel has been under investigation for the past year regarding some questionable financial reporting. Recently, The House Ethics Committee has expanded their investigation into Mr. Rangel’s failure to “…report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income and assets from 2002 through 2006,” The...

New York’s Democratic Representative Charles B. Rangel, chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, has a bit of an ethical issue. The House Ethics Committee has expanded their investigation into Mr. Rangel’s failure to “…report hundreds of thousands of dollars in income and assets from 2002 through 2006,” The New York Times wrote (Oct. 9). The good news:  Last Wednesday, House Democrats blocked efforts...

When people allow themselves to be overwhelmed by fear things usually get crazy. Sadly, such is the case concerning Health Care reform. During a series of town hall meetings around the country last week, members of Congress have been jeered, shouted-down, and threatened with death.  Many of the protesters have been ginned up by talk show pundits and political organizations:...

“A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”             – Winston Churchill What is said:  “I’m lovin’ it.”  “Can you hear me now?” “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” What you hear:  McDonald’s, Verizon, M&M’s. As pollster and word specialist Frank Luntz points out in his book “Words...

I’m gone a few short weeks hiking the Appalachian Trail and what do I come home to?  Well, here’s the CliffsNotes version. Manny’s Back!  Manny Ramirez, the “vacationing” Dodger slugger returned to the lineup following a 50-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance.  He went 1 for 6 with a walk against the San Diego Padres in his first two...

Nancy is the precocious and wily young lady who is constantly in the state of a daydream or confused plot. “I am saying that the C.I.A. was misleading the Congress and at the same time the administration was misleading the Congress on weapons of mass destruction.” Sluggo Panetta is Nancy’s best friend, although sometimes seems at odds with some of her decisions....