And what has “Lord of the Rings” got to do with accordian players? Before I get to today’s topic (“Worms Making News”), I want to apologize to those readers, both human and elf, who were unhappy with my column on “The Lord of the Rings.”It turns out that my readership includes some VERY serious fans […]

Why is this week different from all other weeks? Because this week hundreds of thousands of Jewish and Christian soldiers – liberators, not conquerors – are celebrating Passover and Easter in the Middle East. The Jews rejoice in the liberation of Iraq, as they recall their ancient liberation from the Pharaoh. Christians attest to the […]

Gruesome details play on emotions to encourage anti-war sentiments. The reporters in Iraq who have won the most positive attention from their peers are John Burns of The New York Times and Anthony Shadid of The Washington Post. Both are highly skilled, write vivid prose, and are bound to win awards for their work.However, I […]

Already working The 2003 appointment of Maine’s legislature and congressional districts is well under way. The 15-member Legislative Apportionment Commission includes 10 lawmakers (five from each party) two political party chairs (or their representative) and three public members, one from each party and the third who acts as (neutral) chairman. The commission, chaired by former […]

QCan you tell me where “geranium” comes from? – A. G., Pittsburgh A: Many of the plants in the geranium family have long, thin, tapering fruits that resemble birds’ beaks. The Greeks, impressed by this resemblance, named the wild geranium “geranion,” “little crane,” the diminutive of “geranos,” “crane.” “Geranium” is now the scientific name of […]

The Court of Peeves, Crotchets and Irks resumes its April assizes with a motion to clarify from Jim Evans of Somewhere in Dotcom. He asks, What is happening to “of”?As Exhibit A he offers a headline over a syndicated column: “Homeland security is taking too broad of an aim.” A different columnist complains that movies […]

WASHINGTON – Here’s how Maine’s members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending April 11. HOUSE Gun immunity Voting 285 for and 140 against, the House on April 9 passed a bill (HR 1036) giving gun manufacturers and dealers immunity against most product-liability lawsuits based on the illegal use […]

A week ago I interviewed a key Iraqi opposition leader by satellite phone as he was secretly returning from exile to his hometown of Najaf.I wrote that I would follow the progress of Abdul Majid al-Khoei, a prominent Shiite cleric with a mission crucial to American hopes of building democracy in postwar Iraq.Thursday, al-Khoei was […]

Cadillacs, movie stars, gift baskets … must be time for the Academy Awards! Recently I had the most surreal weekend of my life. It goes without saying that this happened in Los Angeles.I was there for the Academy Awards. The host, Steve Martin, had asked me to be on the team of writers working with […]

Coaching youth sports has taught me many things, but tying shoes remains the top duty. Were you to ask me what I’m an expert in, I’m not sure I could say journalism, having held only two full-time jobs in it. But I can claim authority in another field where I’ve been hired over 15 times.Youth […]