My rebbe died recently.  Rabbi Aryeh Hirschfield of blessed memory, of Portland, Oregon was 65 and died while vacationing in Mexico. 

I’ve found it difficult to describe to people what it means to have one’s rebbe die.  It’s true that he was t… Read full post »

My wife was happy - relieved I think - when I told her about the other woman in my life. 

I love my wife and we’ve been together for almost 25 mostly happy years, but her interests and mine have been diverging lately.  Take mornings for example.  I’m an… Read full post »

A Vice-Presidential Reminiscence

There are some curious parallels between the Presidential election of 1968 and that of 2008.  In 1968, the U.S. was mired in an unpopular war in Vietnam.  The U.S. economy was in trouble due to high inflation and a tremendous trade deficit.&nb… Read full post »

A Peculiar Paen in Praise of Arrant Nonsense

“There is no nonsense so arrant that it cannot be made the creed of the vast majority by adequate governmental action.” 

Bertrand Russell

These are difficult times.  The latest polls show that the cynical, even Rovian… Read full post »

A decaying pond

Many flies buzz everywhere

Disappointed frogs

            Mei-Lheg (1672-1734)

Curiously Mei-Lheg is unique as the only classical haiku poet whose first haiku and last haiku were both preserved for poste… Read full post »