The best.

I suppose the firefly experience being limited to such a short window each year helps keep it special every time.

Stony the Road: Reconstruction, White Supremacy, and the Rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Absolutely brilliant.

The above photo, taken during a funeral for the victims of the December 29, 2017 massacre of Canadian Muslims in a Quebec Mosque, is one that stays with me.

So, too, do the words of the Imam who met hate and tragedy with unbelievable grace and compassion.

She's also a beautiful cat!

I hope this snippet entices you to click through the above to read the entire (excellent) piece.

In short: Former Lt. Governor of Texas confirms the secret Republican operation that convinced Iran to continue holding then-captured Americans hostage so to hinder Carter’s 1980 re-election campaign.

My pleasure!

I love that you enjoyed it too.

2/ I came across this modern performance, and my goodness it's powerful—the verse above in particular.

By "powerful" I mean affecting, not "powerful" in a religious sense, though it could be that too I suppose.

Sung well, religious Christmas songs can be riveting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmyh...

Me too.

Another one I always enjoyed. A fun tune: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiVJ...

It's not that the other publications to which I subscribe aren't themselves excellent, but the quality of both reporting and commentary/analysis, in addition to the extensive investigative work, is invaluable for anyone wanting an accurate and deeper understanding of what's happening in the region.