Appreciating all that makes America special

Most Recent Articles

Americana: Supermarkets

Posted by on Jun 26, 2010 in Americana | Comments Off on Americana: Supermarkets

At first glance, a strange choice, I concede. We take our supermarkets so much for granted. But go to virtually any other country in the...

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Director: Frank Capra

Posted by on Jun 25, 2010 in Director | 1 comment

Frank Capra saw himself as a member of the “gee whiz” school of filmmaking, and made no apologies for it. Capra’s movies...

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Kid Stuff: Chatty Cathy

Posted by on Jun 24, 2010 in Kids Stuff | 1 comment

Toy makers had been trying to develop a talking doll for decades, but what they came up with was either cumbersome or unnatural. Then the...

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Book: The Catcher in the Rye

Posted by on Jun 23, 2010 in The Arts | Comments Off on Book: The Catcher in the Rye

Next year will mark the 60th anniversary of the publication of The Catcher in The Rye, by J.D. Salinger. The list of memorable American...

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Sports: Fly Fishing in Montana

Posted by on Jun 22, 2010 in Sports, Travel | Comments Off on Sports: Fly Fishing in Montana

Where’s the best place in America to enjoy fly fishing for trout? Ask a hundred sportsmen, and you may get a hundred different...

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Person: Albert Einstein

Posted by on Jun 21, 2010 in People | 1 comment

Einstein was not an American by birth; he grew up in Munich, then went to secondary school and university in Switzerland. But he, along...

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Singers: The Eagles

Posted by on Jun 20, 2010 in Singer | Comments Off on Singers: The Eagles

Someone may point out an exception that hasn’t occurred to me, but to the best of my recollection, The Eagles have never recorded a...

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Americana: National Hurricane Center

Posted by on Jun 19, 2010 in Americana | Comments Off on Americana: National Hurricane Center

It wasn’t that long ago that hurricanes were a scientific mystery. No forecasting or tracking was possible, no warnings were given,...

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Music: The Brill Building

Posted by on Jun 18, 2010 in Music | Comments Off on Music: The Brill Building

In the Brill Building, and a couple of other addresses down the block that housed the overflow, American pop music was written, arranged,...

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Food: French's Mustard

Posted by on Jun 17, 2010 in Food | Comments Off on Food: French's Mustard

I love mustard. I lean toward the dijon and stone ground families, while my wife likes all spicy varieties. But on a hamburger or a hot...

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