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Because the period of US history that interests me the most extends from the Civil War through the start of the 20th Century, Chicago was a natural destination for a site-seeing vacation. From the 1871 fire that destroyed a four mile long swath of the city to the 1893 world’s…
Read More »Here’s the latest communication from the Niki Tsongas for Congress campaign, from campaign manager Nick Clemons. This was sent on Thursday: “In a few hours, we are going to be submitting our second quarter campaign finance report to the FEC, but I wanted to write you and give you an…
Read More »…U.S. institutions will have to change, an international panel of experts said last week, if they want to retain their edge and help the country in an economy ever more dependent on knowledge and innovation.” The July 2, 2010, issue of “The Chronicle of Higher Education” includes a brief report…
Read More »Here’s a poem from my days in Maine that was first published in 1991 in a small literary magazine in Troy, Maine, called “Potato Eyes.”—PM . Maine Heron A blue heron waits an hour, Shows patient power In a one-man soup line, Disregards time In favor of a single mind— The…
Read More »With our blogging colleague Tony and the President choosing Maine for their getaways, how can the state go wrong? The Boston Globe today has a chatty report on the start of the First Family’s brief vacation on the Maine coast. Read the boston.com version here.
Read More »Columnist Charles Blow of the NY Times today looks ahead to potential challengers to President Obama and doesn’t yet see a GOP alternative who rates a spot on the “A” list. Read his views here, and consider subscribing to the NYT if you appreciate the writing.
Read More »Poet Catherine Strisik has a new book, “Thousand-Cricket Song,” about Cambodia and the culture of the country in the post-genocide era. She will be in Lowell on Saturday, July 31, at 2 p.m., reading from her work and signing books at the UMass Lowell Barnes & Noble Downtown Bookstore on…
Read More »Here’s the latest communication from the Democratic Party team. It’s a message from Mitch Stewart, Director of Organizing for America, a Project of the Democratic National Committee: “Paul — “The Senate just passed Wall Street reform. The bill will become law the moment President Obama signs it. “This reform represents the…
Read More »Nancye Tuttle of the SUN broke the news on June 10 that Lowell Memorial Auditorium will present writer, radioman extraordinaire, and poetry enthusiast Garrison Keillor on March 6, 2011. As far as I can recall Keillor has never played Lowell or the Merrimack Valley, so that’s a great get. Let’s be sure Garrison…
Read More »I missed taking note of Bastille Day (July 14), but my family has been following Le Tour de France on the Versus Channel. The coverage is first-rate—and worth watching as a travelogue as much as for a bicycle race. In honor of the French (mostly French Canadian) roots of many…
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