The GOP is working from an old playbook — Those of us who pay close attention to American politics are worried about whether we can keep our democracy. Previously unthinkable scenarios — coups, stolen elections, even civil war — are not so hard to imagine anymore. I suppose it’s possible that our system will suffer some sort of cataclysmic…

Why slower is better when it comes to the climate — It seems that everybody wants a fast metabolism. When you search the word “metabolism,” Google suggests a better question — “How do you get a fast metabolism?” And it’s true that, generally, having a fast metabolism is better than having a slow one. A slow metabolism makes it harder to…

Can we use economic turmoil to make economic values match our moral ones? — Why do things cost what they cost? In stable, normal times, we get used to certain prices. It seems normal that a gallon of gas should cost $2.50, for example, or that a year of state college with room and board should cost $25,000. …

Saving democracy requires sustained focus and effort. Can we do it? — The bipartisan House committee investigating the events surrounding January 6th is in the midst of a lengthy, detailed presentation of its case. Pretty much every informed observer expects the committee to present a pretty watertight case demonstrating the following: Donald Trump’s claims that he “really” won the election and was…

Or, should I have bought those plane tickets? — As the pandemic (kind of, we hope, maybe, a little, please?) becomes less of a crisis, a lot of us are looking forward to a big vacation this summer. Maybe you are in a position like mine. I’ve planned my first big trip in a couple of years. …

And we honestly don’t know how it will turn out. — What’s life like on a version of Earth in which the atmosphere contains 421 parts per million of carbon dioxide? It’s like this, isn’t it? After all, NOAA recently announced that their atmospheric carbon measurements for May 2022 were the highest in modern history, topping out at 421 ppm. In…

A generation of wayward young men spells trouble for the United States — In Peter Pan, Wendy asks Peter: “But where do you live mostly now?” “With the lost boys.” “Who are they?” “They are the children who fall out of their perambulators when the nurse is looking the other way. If they are not claimed in seven days they are sent far…

How an itinerant actor and bigamist became an American tycoon — Sewing machines don’t seem like that big of a deal these days. Very few of us make or mend our own clothes; our society is too focused on convenience, consumerism, and disposability these days. Most sewing machines are probably consigned to a fate similar to the one I own —…

Hi guys!!! Ben and I are so excited to invite you to our wedding. We can’t wait to share our special day with you! We really want to celebrate with all of the people who are most important to the two of us. You might think that this would mean…