Today’s post introduces the fourth of country singer Merle Hazard’s Euro-shanties, this one taking off on the Ode to Joy from Beethoven’s 9th. Merle (if not Beethoven) will do anything to educationally amuse. So will we. But given the gravity…

What a relief: a SOTU address without the traditional partisan whack-a-mole standing ovations. "Date night's" civility - or, if you prefer, lack of passion - had the virtue of keeping Democrats and Republicans mostly in their seats. (…

Jan 25

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Today's post puts the economic woes of the Emerald Isle to music. The lyrics are Hazard's, though I confess to have taken crack at them myself and then, at some risk to my ego, sent both sets of lyrics…

In its heyday, it boasted nearly two million people, the world's premier automobile industry, the world's most popular music (Motown), and perhaps the country's most prosperous black middle class. But Detroit's population is down 50 percent, as are…