Ever had a Proustian memory? Clinically speaking, it’s the “involuntary memory” triggered by the senses: something you taste or smell or see for the briefest moment. Marcel Proust famously described it in a passage from his book, À la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past, or In Search of Lost Time), when he … Continue reading Tortellini: The aroma of things past
Van Hollen: The cruel end of USAID under Trump
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on State Department & USAID Management, International Operations, & Bilateral International Development, released the following statement on the Trump Administration’s shuttering of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): “Today marks a dark day in U.S. foreign policy as the Trump … Continue reading Van Hollen: The cruel end of USAID under Trump
The lasting gratitude of a small French village for the sacrifice of an American soldier
Pvt. Kreiner Those who were in the audiences for my play, “Baltimore, You Have No Idea,” might recall the story of Private John Kreiner. I spoke of him from the stage: A young soldier from Baltimore who died in the U.S. Army’s liberation of a small French village that had been occupied by Nazi Germany … Continue reading The lasting gratitude of a small French village for the sacrifice of an American soldier
On days like this, the reality of Trump seems especially stark
“It goes without saying.” . . . People use that phrase when they’re about to state something everyone within earshot knows. Or they might start a sentence with, “Needless to say,” which bears the same meaning. Usually, one word will do: “Clearly,” for instance, is a common starter. “Obviously” is the most direct way of … Continue reading On days like this, the reality of Trump seems especially stark
July in Baltimore: One night, twelve plays
Rapid Lemon Productions will continue its 2025 season in July with Variations on Night, an evening of 12 short plays by local authors. Produced each year since 2005, The Variations Project is an annual highlight of the Baltimore theatrical calendar. Performances will be at Strand Theater, 5426 Harford Road, Baltimore, MD 21214. Tickets are general … Continue reading July in Baltimore: One night, twelve plays
Afishionado: The stubborn guy with a fly rod
The fly-fishing angler who won’t fish with nymph imitations is a stubborn fool. He will stand there, 20 feet downstream of a fishy-looking pool, and hope for a rise. He will hope for a trout to nose into the surface and give away both its position and its interest in devouring a fly on the … Continue reading Afishionado: The stubborn guy with a fly rod
The buzz about ‘The Baltimorons’ continues; this new film could become a holiday perennial
Accolades for The Baltimorons continue to pop up as the set-in-Baltimore comedy about an unlikely May-December romance screens at film festivals out west. In March, I reported on the effusive praise the Jay Duplass-directed movie received at the South By Southwest Film and TV Festival in Austin, with one critic declaring it the “feel good … Continue reading The buzz about ‘The Baltimorons’ continues; this new film could become a holiday perennial
Van Hollen on Trump’s war with Iran: Full statement
Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement on President Trump’s decision to attack Iran: “Trump said he would end wars; now he has dragged America into one. His actions are a clear violation of our Constitution – ignoring the requirement that only the Congress has the authority to declare war. While we all agree that Iran must … Continue reading Van Hollen on Trump’s war with Iran: Full statement
Library series: Can democracy survive?
Pundits, historians and Democratic leaders have been sounding warnings about Trump’s threat to American democracy with his turn toward authoritarianism. His regime’s unleashing of masked ICE agents to vastly increase deportations of immigrants has all the earmarks of such a turn. At the same time, citizen reaction to it has been powerful and broad, as … Continue reading Library series: Can democracy survive?
Bridge to a memory: Father’s Day
I don’t recall ever making a fuss about Father’s Day — except for one year when my father announced that he’d like nothing better than a trip to Powder Point.
Dan Rodricks 