Washington, DC

A few years ago, I heard Gloria Steinem give a talk entitled "Leaps of Consciousness." The point that resonated most with me was the idea that it's time for this country to move from the Declaration of Independence toward a Declaration of Interdependence.

I've thought a lot...

Washington, DC

The news that the Obama family might be getting a Portuguese Water Dog was so exciting at my house, which is owned by a pair of Portuguese Water Dogs, that I nearly missed the big story of the weekend: It appears that a mature movie star has...

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Last August, I had a few days of rest, relaxation and theater in London. I spent one afternoon shopping (but not buying, due to the tanking US dollar) at Selfridges in Oxford Street. As usual, I was magnetically drawn to the designer shoe department. On a weekday...

In a delightfully subversive programming decision, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is showing A Face in the Crowd tonight at 8pm, just days before the election. One of the best political films ever made, "A Face in the Crowd" tells the story of a good-looking country bumpkin who becomes a...

Watching McCain slip further and further in the polls and public esteem makes me just a little sad. I didn't support him, but the McCain of 2000 was an impressive man. Everything about this John McCain is tired and stale, his ideas most of all. If he weren't so wrong...

Yesterday's Wall Street Journal reported that young Arab men, flush with cash thanks to rising oil prices, are buying expensive cars and going in for drag racing. Taking a souped-up sports car into the desert to see what it can do sounds fun (unless you're a Saudi woman who isn't...

Dear Neil,

Sorry about this public forum, but I don't seem to have your address. I can't believe you're not on Classmates.com!

I hope all is well with you. It's hard to believe that your daughter Lauren is all grown-up and a fashion model!...