The nation’s capital is the home of the Washington Nationals, the defending Eastern Division champions of the National League’s East Division.  As is the tradition (ever since President Taft began it in 1910), the Nationals invited President Trump to throw out the first pitch to start the season.  The president declined, citing a “previous […]

              Opera tenor Brian Jagde and soprano Joyce El-Khoury sang a variety of operatic duets in a lovely and highly entertaining recital at the Mondavi Center (on the campus of U.C. Davis) last month.  The recital also marked the opening of the Ann E. Pitzer Center.  A short drive or (slightly longer walk) from Jackson […]

“Nobody knew health care could be so complicated.” -President Trump Donald Trump and Paul Ryan may still be smarting from the loss of their healthcare repeal-and-replace legislation.  The Speaker convinced the President that the better part of valor was discretion last Friday when Mr. Trump agreed to forego a floor vote on the bill in […]

              Ludwig Van Beethoven is much revered for his symphonies.  He composed nine of them.  The ninth is his most famous, closely followed by at least the first four notes of his fifth.  Many of his others are also much admired, if not loved.  The third (titled “Eroica”), the seventh, and the sixth (the “Pastoral”) […]