Author Archives: hessd

On the principle that it takes a village to raise a child, I would like to pursue the thought that it takes as much as 156 milligrams of hippocampus to remember who directed a film that is nearly everyone’s favorite. … Continue reading →

I want to tell you this morning about my favorite “Merry Christmas.” There is no joy is this “greeting.” It is said in an intimate tone, although as you see in the picture, it is said by a judge presiding … Continue reading →

In 1977, I invented the “victory lap.” It’s one of the best things I have ever done. There were, of course, victory laps before mine, but I am quite sure there were no victory laps quite like mine. The “victory … Continue reading →

On December 13, John McWhorter wrote a column for the New York Times. I haven’t read it yet. I read his columns whenever they appear in the Times and I very much enjoyed his lectures on linguistics, which he developed … Continue reading →

I started blogging so I would have somebody to talk to. When I began—May 30, 2010—I was married to a wife I liked to talk to; I was teaching at PSU and had access to quite a few students to … Continue reading →

The Christmas Visitor In the letters of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, the author is really upset about some notion about the earthly ministry of Jesus. It is not easy to say just what it is, but someone seems to … Continue reading →

The last several hundred times I have heard references to a Comfort Zone—except, of course, from the heating and air conditioning people—they have pointed to the virtues of being outside it. Unfortunately, when you have been around and paying attention … Continue reading →

I’ve been listening to more sports radio recently, so I have been hearing more ads imploring people who are being charged with drunk driving [1] to enlist the help of a law firm that specializes in helping people in their … Continue reading →

I am a part of several studies that look at the life of declining older people, [1] and one that tracks changes in the life of an older couple. As a part of those studies, I answer a lot of … Continue reading →

In an editorial the new House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in the Shreveport times in 2005, he concluded with this line: “We must always remember,” Johnson concluded, “that it is not bigotry to make moral distinctions.” That is the line … Continue reading →