Theresa Brown wrote Choosing How We Die for the New York Times on July 24, 2015. It’s an excellent overview of the challenges we face as a nation with an aging population and not very adequate mechanisms for providing options about end-of-life issues.

On July 8, 2015—yes, only as recently as slightly more than two weeks ago—the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a proposed rule which addresses, in part, advance care planning. As the CMS fact sheet reflects, advance care planning—as a service for which Medicare will pay a doctor—has only been available as a part of “Welcome to Medicare” at age 65. For healthy, active, never gonna die Boomers, advance care planning discussions are not going to

Core issues have been on my mind lately. They gelled when I saw No, It’s Not Your Opinion. You’re Just Wrong, written by Jef Rouner and shared on FB by Friend RL. More on opinions in a moment.

Public discourse is a disaster right now. Maybe we should blame the media, our leaders, or, just maybe, we should recall Pogo, channeling Walt Kelly, who told us “we have met the enemy, and he is us.” Argue the premise if you want to; I’m here not to debate that issue. Instead, I’m focused on two aspects of poor discourse, hoping increased awareness might provide opportunities for improvement. (Expect more postings on the same broad topic.)

Kudos to Mr.

Here’s what has happened on July 9 and 10, in past years. What? Huh? Sadly, I caught of major dose of writer’s block, and I just can’t kick it. TBT—it means “truth be told” to me, not throwback Thursday—I think this might be fun. Let me know.

On July 10, 1040, Lady Godiva rode her horse, bare-ass naked, to protest some tax or something. Having put forward this information, I disclaim any direct knowledge about what happened, or that it happened on July 10. That said, naked on a horse worked better in July than January, north of the equator. (Here from Peter and Gordon is Lady Godiva, which has nothing other than a naked lady to do with

[Note: I’ve lightly edited and updated Happy Father’s Day from June 12, 2014. Look down at my shoes if you see me soon after reading this post. And, finally, this is the last post for this weekend. If Father’s Day 2015 means anything, it means someone—me—gets a break!]

Well, Father’s Day 2015 is upon us, just a day away. I’ve now been the subject of 22, and shared a total of 44 with my father.

I like Father’s Day. Lots. I have my two-part ritual, developed over the past decade or more and missed only once, when I attended an old friend’s memorial service back East in 2009. (RIP, SH; you’re missed!)

Part one involves watching the last day of

Curating on Wednesdays—71 weeks without a miss, I’m pretty sure—gives me a chance to share with you what others have written. Alas—a word I’ve overused to many times—life happens, and this Friday post depends primarily on what others have written.

I stay away from Israel generally, as my life has all of the tsouris it needs right now. That said, in the last few days my friend Larry Gellman has shared pieces by Peter Beinart for Haaretz, J.J. Goldberg for the Forward (where a great-uncle of mine was what would be, today, the CFO, 85 years ago), and Jeremy Ben-Ami (the President of J Street), whose piece also appeared in Haaretz. When I read the three columns—all articulate, fact and