Rita recalls the most embarrassing incident of her life... Americans still hear my English accent, but in England people think I’m an American. In truth my accent must be hovering somewhere in the mid-Atlantic after so many years immersion in the American dialect. It takes a long time for an accent ... Read More...
America
To Bristol Zoo again, this time for bangless fireworks. Quick visit to the monkeys to say nighty-night first. The fireworks were bangless because animals don’t like bangs. Nor do tiny infants so we thought this would be a good opportunity to introduce the youngest daughter to Guy Fawkes night. What ... Read More...
Despite having fuddy-duddy connotations, I was surprised to discover that the pastime we call bird watching isn’t actually that old – or at least the term isn’t. Bird watching is popularly thought of as the sort of thing dweeby old guys do to get away from the Missus. The twitcher’s ... Read More...
Alcatraz Island emerged from a bank of fog and I suddenly realized why it’s known as The Rock. Stories of ancient curses, military fortresses and its designation as a National Park are not why visitors flock by the ferry-load to this tourist attraction in the Bay of San Francisco. The ... Read More...
The Pledge of Allegiance, penned by a socialist who wished it to be accompanied with a Nazi-style salute? Surely not! Rita investigates... I pledge allegiance to the Flag, of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation under God Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice ... Read More...
Rita explains why librarians are at the forefront of the battle for intellectual freedom in the USA... My favorite superhero is able to leap tall bookcases in a single bound! It’s the Librarian action-figure sitting on my desk, finger raised in the shushing gesture that I’ve never seen performed by any ... Read More...
Do American and English parents do everything the opposite way round? Rita investigates... I usually side with linguistic purists who consider "verbing" a sign of the collapse of civilization. But in the case of the word "parenting" it is surely appropriate, for Parenting is now a competitive sport of Olympic proportions. ... Read More...
Today's Dabbler letter from America finds the site of America’s first experiment in religious liberty in an unexpected place.. John Pendleton Kennedy’s 1848 novel Rob of the Bowl has all the hallmarks of overwrought Gothic historical fiction. A haunted chapel, mysterious blood stains, an evil pirate named Cocklescraft, the beautiful daughter of an ... Read More...
Rita experiences at first-hand the freak storm that has brought devastation to Washington DC... The voice on the radio spoke with a heavy Indian accent. He was calling in to "The Talk Back" line, a feature on Washington D. C. station WTOP that invites listeners to call and vent their frustrations ... Read More...
Batten down the hatches, its American politics again. Rita doesn't think much of the 'Citizens United' decision... Greetings my fellow American Persons! My name is Behemoth Inc. and I am thrilled to celebrate my newly minted power of speech with you today. First I must confess that I come from a ... Read More...
