Words For the Wise

Words For the Wise

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On the Revolutionary Road: Our local archaeology chapter takes a field trip to Fort Montgomery on the Hudson.
The American revolutionaries lost this battle of October 6, 1777 badly, but the writing was already on the wall for the British colonial army.
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Michael Balter
Why Zohran Mamdani won -- from people who actually helped make it happen.
Recommended: An episode of Jacobin's podcast "The Dig" that spends two hours talking to DSA organizers about this and other campaigns.
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Michael Balter
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RIP Brian Fagan, master archaeology writer.
Fagan, who was emeritus at the University of California, Santa Barbara, died on July 1.
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Michael Balter
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Musical Moment: "The Joke" by Brandi Carlile. Still a song for the times.
When the dust settles, will the joke be on them, or on us?
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Michael Balter
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Blanche Yurka: The actress who learned to knit so she could play Madame Defarge.
From covering dental decay to the history of Hollywood film, your faithful correspondent follows the trail wherever it leads.
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Michael Balter
Musical Moment: “Falling Into You.”
An indication of how great a singer Celine Dion could have been if she had not been so badly managed and not focused her career on singing mostly…
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Michael Balter
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June 2025

Deadly Israeli attack on Iran's Evin Prison kills 71 but mainstream media bury the lede.
Prisoners, prisoner families, prison staff are reportedly among the dead. New York Times puts the story on page 11. Washington Post does a bit better.
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Michael Balter
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Human Evolution: A new face for the Denisovans?
A cranium found in China more than 90 years ago gives up its molecular secrets.
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Michael Balter
Musical Moment: "Closer to You" by Dennis Quaid, featuring Bonnie Raitt
In "The Big Easy" Dennis Quaid's character tries to make love to Ellen Barkin's character while this song is playing in the background. A treasure.
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Michael Balter
Musical Moment: "Slave Driver" by Bob Marley and the Wailers.
In honor of Juneteenth, and in artistic remembrance of the horrors of slavery.
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Michael Balter
Musical Moment: The greatest version of one of Van Morrison's greatest songs.
"Angeliou" featuring a singer with an angelic voice.
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Michael Balter
"Those to whom evil is done."
The latest article by Yahia Lababidi, an Arab-American writer of Palestinian heritage. Don't use the Holocaust as a shield against criticism of what…
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© 2025 Michael Balter
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