Today I'm reminding myself that people have lived under repressive governments for millennia, from restrictive religious communities to grinding autocracies. They suffer, but they learn to laugh and love and live within the limits they face.

I'm reminding myself that the leaders of such societies tend to be megalomaniacs who demand constant praise, no matter how false and fawning it becomes. The sycophants willing to shower such leaders with false compliments are many, but in their hearts they...

I've always been a lover of classic Broadway shows. I adore the musical numbers, the themes, and the glorious energy displayed on stage. I'm amazed at great songwriters' ability to teach us as they entertain, with numbers like "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" from Grease or "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" from South Pacific..

Lately I've had a number from Camelot running through my head. Not the usual ones, like "If Ever I Would Leave You" or "Camelot," but one a group of knights sing...

A few years back, our little town elected people to the school board who trumpeted themes we hear from many extremists these days: the school was corrupt. The teachers were pedophiles. There were kitty litter boxes in the bathrooms. No one knows how they got in, except that the grownups weren't paying attention. That's how logic dies.

When I went to a board meeting to see what all the fuss was about, I found a half-dozen other retired teachers who were as shocked by the new board members'...