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The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons Barron own blog. It’s bedtime for 2023. It has been an ugly year. Ukraine. Hamas’ October 7th attack. Bloodshed in Gaza. Wildfires and floods from global warming. House of Representatives chaos and gridlock. Biden’s slump in polls. Social media’s pollution of young…
Read More »Here are my choices for the most important political events in Lowell in 2023: Turnout in the November city election was historically low with approximately 7500 people voting. Two years ago, nearly 12,000 cast votes. While that seems like a lot compared to the total this year, remember that in…
Read More »This was originally posted on this site on December 31, 2010. Plaque erected in Quebec City marking the spot of American General Richard Montgomery’s death. “Here stood the Undaunted Fifty safeguarding Canada, defeating Montgomery at the Pres de Ville Barricade on the last day of 1775, Guy Carleton commanding at…
Read More »Sleepers, or A Long Night’s Journey into Day By Malcolm Sharps In my time living in the Baltic I discovered the joy of sleeper trains. And, once discovered, I could not think of them ever again as just another form of transport. Why travel by sleeper? The best night’s sleep…
Read More »This essay by Henri Marchand was first heard as a radio essay on the “Sunrise” program of WUML, 92.5 FM, at UMass Lowell. Today we continue our tradition of reposting the essay each year at Christmas. The Christmas Fruitcake: An Ageless Tradition By Henri Marchand I think there…
Read More »The Old Worthen by Richard Marion (litho print, ink drawing with watercolor, c. 1975, reprinted with permission of the artist). . Old Worthen Christmas . The good way Dan turned his head and dropped three nickels into the bent tambourine of the Salvation Army-man between sips of twenty-five-cent draft and…
Read More »In December 2012, fifty-six people from Lowell, Massachusetts combined to recite “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore. Here’s the result:
Read More »Living Madly: The God of Doors By Emilie-Noelle Provost One of my father-in-law’s favorite sayings was: There’s always the unexpected. No matter how carefully our plans are laid out, or how much we might want a particular thing to happen, or not, the possibility that something unforeseen will derail our desires…
Read More »The entry below is being cross posted from Marjorie Arons Barron’s own blog. Small wonder that public approval of Congress ranges between 13 and a scant 15 percent. The year started with chaos and the gelding of Speaker Kevin McCarthy after 15 marathon rounds of voting. It ends with the House commencing an…
Read More »Joyeux Noël (PIP #12) By Louise Peloquin A meeting takes place in the long rectangular room where jacks-of-all-printing trades feed linotypes with a cornucopia of lead letters. They are working on important December issues – important because the holidays bring an abundance of ads, important especially because local events, duly…
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