Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
It was my first camping trip as a Boy Scout, and already my life was in danger. For some reason, our scoutmaster had arranged for us to go camping — in tents — in the middle of winter. Our survival skills would be put to the test, and the discomfort we’d endure would, as they say, “build character”. We inspected … >>
My sister and I didn’t have much in common as kids, but somehow we always managed to spend Thursday nights together. That’s when The Waltons was on. Most of you are probably familiar with the series about the family living in the mountains of Virginia during the Great Depression. The show had 221 episodes, and I think we watched them … >>
One of my favorite Bushisms is one that George W. said when visiting Nashville in 2002. “There’s an old saying in Tennessee,” he began. “I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee [as well] — that says, ‘Fool me once: shame on you. Fool me [twice]: you can’t get fooled again.” Bush had forgotten the second part of the saying, … >>
Do you know what will happen this February 7? Every American does. To many, the date is as big as Thanksgiving, as important as any birthday, and as bombastic as the Fourth of July. It’s Super Bowl Sunday, the day of the championship game in American football. This year’s contest brings back the winners from three years ago, the Indianapolis … >>
This past Monday saw the return of a yearly event in my home state of Pennsylvania: Groundhog Day. Groundhogs are large rodents that live underground. The saying is that if one of these animals sees his shadow on this day, six more weeks of winter will follow. If he doesn’t, then spring will come early. The tradition was brought over … >>