WELLS, Maine — With almost no attention, and surely no grand commemoration, Maine this summer marked an important American anniversary that, despite its unheralded nature, provided one of the more vital, and less well-known, turning points in the nation’s history. It was 200 years ago this summer that, by a margin of 9,959 votes, residents of […]

“Send her back! Send her back!” The chant: Is it merely a case study in collective stupidity or is it a signal of rising fascism? When I look at the viral video — the latest manifestation of Trumpism and the freeing of good old American racism from the constraints of political correctness — I can’t […]

The United States is not a place, it’s an idea: constantly evolving and adapting to be a more perfect union. Our country has only grown stronger and more prosperous the more we’ve opened our arms to different cultures and peoples. We do not have just one singular identity or culture, but many. Unless you are […]

During Mother’s last few months, conversations were extremely difficult to follow because her mind seamlessly switched from one decade to another. Isaac Singer writes, “Sometimes she’d tangle one story with another and couldn’t find her way out” (In My Father’s Court). Within one statement, she would toggle between viewing me as a teenager in the […]

Before they were world-famous, or even Great Britain-famous, the Beatles would play three or four shows a day at several different venues. If you’ve ever been in a band, you know what that means. It means breaking down the equipment; hauling it into a crowded, food wrapper-filled van that breaks down more than it runs […]

Seeking a ratings extravaganza, the same cable news networks that televised Donald Trump’s airport arrivals during the 2016 campaign as if he were the pope or the Rolling Stones are currently presenting another kind of “reality” TV: the 2020 Democratic presidential debates. That is, if your idea of “reality” is watching 20 politicians — at […]

Cryptocurrency has taken public imagination by storm the past two years as its exchange rates with fiat currencies have fluctuated immensely, increased mechanisms for its purchase and usage have been adopted, and governments have taken increasing interest in its activity and potential regulation. While far from its late-2017/early-2018 highs, Bitcoin retains a total market capitalization for its […]

PINKHAM NOTCH, N.H. — The people here are as old as the hills, almost. More than 210,000 people here in the state that holds the first presidential primary are retired workers drawing Social Security. Washington sends $290 million a year here in old-age benefits. Overall, the median age here is 43 years old, making it […]