uncategorized
Biggers’ ‘Ebony Stick’: Excellent Story About a Confidence Scheme

I've just reread "The Ebony Stick," a novella by Earl Derr Biggers, who is best known for...

movies
Bronson’s Appealing ‘Cold Sweat’

I've been watching Charles Bronson movies lately. I have no explanation for this extr...

hollywood
Rickles, O’Neill, RIP

Two tragic losses today: the deaths of the great comedian Don Rickles and the music lyrici...

politics
Democrats, Progressive Left Head Toward Third Stage of Grief

President Trump's speech before Congress last night was highly interesting from ...

education
DeVos Confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Education

With the help of Vice-President Mike Pence, the U.S. Senate confirmed education choice adv...

fiction1
The Case for ‘The New Adventures of Ellery Queen’

One of the greats of the mystery genre, too little appreciated these days, is Ellery ...

manners-and-morals
The Left’s False Flag Operation

As has been all over the news, political activists are using a hideous crime to force r...

culture101
American Pharoah, the Triple Crown, and the Real Appeal of Horse Racing

What a terrific race, and what an impressive victory by American Pharoah in Saturday's B...

books
‘Wolf Hall’ and the Anti-Catholic (and Anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, etc.) Moment

Writing at the Catholic Difference, Catholic scholar George Weigel presents a powerful t...

movies
A Few Gems Leaving Netflix Soon (Plus a Lot of Dreck . . .)

With only a couple of days left in the month, it's time to binge-watch Netflix movies an...

manners-and-morals
Speith’s Classy Performance at the Master’s Is One for the Ages

Jordan Speith won the Masters golf tournament at age 21 and showed a great amount of cla...

television
Review: ‘A.D.: The Bible Continues’ Inspires Despite Odd Choices

Those who enjoyed the 2013 miniseries The Bible will probably like the new NBC series�...

manners-and-morals
Thursday Abstract: Rolling Stones, April TV Encomia, Mocking Noah’s Detractors

The Rolling Stones will tour the United States this summer, playing in large stadia in ...

manners-and-morals
Monday Abstract: Brey, Children of Same-Sex Marriage, Beauty of Aurora Borealis

On Saturday, University of Notre Dame head basketball coach Mike Brey showed what good c...

uncategorized
Thursday Abstract: FCC’s Takeover, Political Correctness, the Internet Atlas Shrugs

A major concern raised by opponents of the FCC's new claim of Title II authority to regu...

television
Wednesday Abstract: TV Advertising Woes, ‘Twin Peaks’ Scare, Ellen’s Catastrophe

As the ad market for legacy media continues to wane, CBS-TV is doing something about it, l...

uncategorized
Tuesday Abstract: Wheeler to Testify, ‘Downton’ Lowdown, Sunday Night TV Ratings

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has agreed to appear before the House Oversight and Government...

movies
Monday Abstract: ‘The Jinx,’ ‘Cinderella,’ Feminist Scorn, Irish Potables

HBO's documentary series The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst ended last nigh...

uncategorized
Thursday Abstract: Showtime on the Web, ‘Blurred Lines’ of Copyright, Ellery Queen Jr, More

The ongoing destruction of the current television delivery model just accelerated: The Sho...

journalism
Wednesday Abstract: ‘Top Gear’ Suspension, John Green Movies, Ann Sothern on TCM, Fox News Trust, More

The BBC has suspended Jeremy Clarkson, lead host of its popular Top Gear automobile show (...

movies
Tuesday Abstract: Ghostbusters, Ratings, Selleck, Sheet Music

Your daily roundup of cultural events: Gen-Xers who grew up wearing proton packs, take he...

movies
Entire ‘Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy to Air in HD on Turner Classic Movies Tonight

DVR alert: from 8 p.m. (Eastern) tonight to 6 a.m. tomorrow morning, Turner Classic Movie...

movies
‘Bloodline’ Tops List of March Netflix Additions

Netflix taketh away, as we noted yesterday, but Netflix also giveth. Here's a list of mo...

movies
March Netflix Departures Include ‘Dumb and Dumber’

It looks like March is going to come in like a lion this year (global warming, hah!), bu...

television
New ‘Odd Couple’ Version Is a Series for Our Times

The new CBS situation comedy The Odd Couple (Thursdays at 8:30) is based very evidentl...

movies
Politics, Narcissism Highlight Academy Awards Show, As Usual

The annual Academy Awards ceremony went off with its usual grotesque and terrifying comb...

mysteries
Atkinson to Portray Maigret in Upcoming ITV Films

Hot on the heels of the return to print in the United States of Belgian writer George Si...

mysteries
‘The Mentalist’ Ends with Strong Affirmation of Show’s Uncommon Values

Tonight brings us the two-hour conclusion (CBS, 8-10 p.m. Eastern) of The Mentalist, on...

television
Star-Studded SNL Special Exemplifies Show’s Inherent Contradictions

Sunday night's 40th-anniversary special for Saturday Night Live achieved impressive rat...

journalism
Williams Scandal Follows Standard Elite Response Model

As most readers undoubtedly know by now, NBC has suspended Nightly News anchor Brian Wil...

mysteries
Predictably Unconventional ‘Backstrom’ Falls to Genre Cliches

The new FOX series Backstrom (Thursdays, 9 p.m. Eastern), which premiered last week and ...

television
CBS, ‘Scorpion’ Stomp Competition in Nielsen Ratings

The latest Neilsen ratings were released today, and they're quite interesting, to say th...

television
‘Sons of Liberty’: Historically Inaccurate, Surprisingly Relevant

The American Revolution is hot. That's the only conclusion one can justify in light of t...