It’s been a while since my last View, which was A Primer on The American Rescue Plan. Since then, I have spent some time thinking about tobacco; and frankly, that’s a subject on which I have rarely, if ever, reflected. Then again, it’s not COVID, or its aftermath; and has nothing to do with the events of Jan. 6, 2021, or their aftermath. To explain, Christina and I saw … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch — The Shady History of Connecticut Tobacco, Part 1: The Age of Discovery to the Jamestown, Virginia Colony
A View from my Porch
A View From My Porch: A Primer on the American Rescue Plan, What’s Happening to the Money in Old Lyme
Over the past several months, the regional media have covered American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding decisions made in several Southeast Connecticut communities. On July 26, the New London Day carried the headline, “American Rescue Plan Funding Floods Southeastern Connecticut.” Even before that, on June 15, Old Lyme’s First Selectman Timothy Griswold reported, “The American … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: A Primer on the American Rescue Plan, What’s Happening to the Money in Old Lyme
A View From My Porch: Continuing the Tikka Saga — with Slides of Trips to the UK
Clearly, we all need a break; this lighter essay is mine. In August, LymeLine published a recipe for chicken tikka masala from Lee White cooked in an "Instant Pot.” We made the dish, pictured below, with her recipe and found it to be an authentic and tasty interpretation of the “British staple.” Christina and I enjoy the aromatic spices, and have some “history” with … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Continuing the Tikka Saga — with Slides of Trips to the UK
A View from My Porch: Not Your Grandma’s Community Hospital
The healthcare landscape has changed remarkably in Connecticut. You may have noticed some name changes, new signage, and that “opportunities” for care have increased to a level that rivals access to coffee. In this essay, I’m going to review this new landscape, and consider why it developed. My goal is to help the reader make sense of Connecticut’s new, and still evolving, … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Not Your Grandma’s Community Hospital
A View From My Porch: An Extra Inning for ‘I See Great Things in Baseball’ — The ‘Phenom’ and More Thoughts
This has been an unusual summer. Christina and I have been very “COVID – cautious” and, of course, fully vaccinated. We’ve postponed or canceled trips, missed Brimfield, both May and July, and probably Sept. And so, I retreated to my secure baseball space, and drafted this essay. There’s a lot of baseball jargon here. In 2019, LymeLine published a series of essays on … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: An Extra Inning for ‘I See Great Things in Baseball’ — The ‘Phenom’ and More Thoughts
A View from My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 3 — The Rock and Roll War
Editor's Note: This is the third column by Tom Gotowka under the heading, 'Epic Poems of Folk and Rock.' Find Part I at this link and Part II at this one. I continue the “epic poems” theme in this essay, but shift to the epic works of conflict; focusing on the rock and roll genre, as influenced by the Vietnam War. In review, Part 1 presented several works of folk music … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 3 — The Rock and Roll War
A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 2
In my previous essay, I discussed a few contemporary works of folk music, that, in my opinion, are natural successors to the epic poems of antiquity. I continue the “epic poems” theme in this essay, but shift to the epic works of conflict; focusing on the rock and roll genre, as influenced by the Vietnam War, which remains in my memory as a chaotic and tragic period of American … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock Part 2
A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock, Part I
In this essay, I posit that many works of contemporary folk and rock music are the natural successors of the epic poems of antiquity. In support of that hypothesis, I begin with a brief review of the epic genre; and then, discuss a few contemporary works that I feel meet the epic standard. The Epic Poem: An epic is a long, narrative poem that chronicles the extraordinary … [Read more...] about A View From My Porch: Epic Poems of Folk and Rock, Part I
A View from My Porch: Is it Time for Americans to Acknowledge Climate Change?
Last April, LymeLine.com published a “Primer on Global Warming and Climate Change” Since that time, there has been a change in Presidential leadership; and, in January, the United States transitioned from a science-averse, to a science-centric Executive Branch, which may have an impact on how the Country views climate change. This essay is a “refresh” of the April essay, … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Is it Time for Americans to Acknowledge Climate Change?
A View from My Porch: The Marquis, Groucho, Sam … and Me
There are several events in American history for which I will always recall where I was, and what I was doing, on those dates. I just added the Jan. 6, 2021 violent attack on the Capitol by domestic terrorists, provoked by a defeated president at the end of his term, to my personal list of infamous events. Given the above, I decided to reconfirm my values; and so I am … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: The Marquis, Groucho, Sam … and Me
A View from My Porch: Thoughts on the Occasion of the Inauguration
At noon on this past Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, President-elect Joseph R. Biden was inaugurated in a ceremony on the West Front of the Capitol. This was the culminating event in what has been a hostile transfer of power from former President Donald Trump to President Biden. The Environment: The then President Trump had claimed, repeatedly and without evidence, that the … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: Thoughts on the Occasion of the Inauguration
A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines, Part 2.5: Where Are We With Vaccines? CT’s Distribution Plan, Immunity Questions & More
Editor’s Note: This is a previously unplanned third of three parts of a highly topical essay titled, “A Primer on Vaccines,” by Thomas D. Gotowka. Part 2.5 reviews Connecticut’s readiness to distribute the vaccine, identifies some of the side effects that may be experienced, and considers the acquisition of individual immunity. Read the previous parts of the essay at these … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines, Part 2.5: Where Are We With Vaccines? CT’s Distribution Plan, Immunity Questions & More
A View from My Porch — A Primer on Vaccines: Part 2; “Approaching Daylight”
Editor's Note: This is the second of two parts of a highly topical essay titled, "A Primer on Vaccines," by Thomas D. Gotowka. Part 2 considers the complexities of reaching vaccine distribution. The author's goal is that the reader obtains a fundamental understanding of the vaccine approval process, and recognizes that Americans will be provided a vaccine that is safe and … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch — A Primer on Vaccines: Part 2; “Approaching Daylight”
A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines: Part 1; “Still Running to Daylight”
This essay begins an examination of the development and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. Part 1 reviews the key terminology that one may encounter in the media; and the intense evaluation and approval process that is required for these vaccines before they can be used on Americans. I also identify the important developers and discuss their … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: A Primer on Vaccines: Part 1; “Still Running to Daylight”
A View from My Porch: The ‘Aristocrat of the Silent Screen’, the ‘Bee & Thistle’ … and Other Thoughts
The recent announcement that the Connecticut Audubon Society had reached an agreement to purchase the Bee & Thistle Inn, and plans to renovate it as the future headquarters for the Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center, piqued my curiosity regarding the Inn’s history. This essay briefly reviews the life of an individual who was fairly instrumental in its founding, the … [Read more...] about A View from My Porch: The ‘Aristocrat of the Silent Screen’, the ‘Bee & Thistle’ … and Other Thoughts