The Popinjay principle

The Popinjay principle By David Benjamin “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” — attributed variously to Mark Twain, Josh Billings, Artemus Ward, etc. PARIS — I was scheduled to address the Paris chapter of the British National; Union of Journalists…

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"I know a guy"

“I know a guy” By David Benjamin “After 2½ years we’ve seen enough. Enough of the chaos, the division, the schoolyard insults, the self-aggrandizement, the corruption, and especially the lies.” — Orlando Sentinel PARIS — The mass psyche of the Trump cult is a matter of undying mystery, not just for me but for the…

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What do you see on the insides of your eyelids?

What do you see on the insides of your eyelids? By David Benjamin PARIS — Perhaps the most felicitous happenstance in my return here last week was an encounter with Dr. Patrick Keeffe, Ph.D., MBOE, LSMFT, who told me over frog legs at a sprawling brasserie near the Gare du Nord, about his groundbreaking research…

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Heartland carnage

Heartland carnage By David Benjamin “You must never run out on the meadow. There might be danger. Out there, we’re unprotected.” — Bambi’s mother MADISON, Wis. — If you’re a deer or a driver in Wisconsin, sooner or later, your number’s up. Archie, my grandfather was an avid motorist who managed to dodge deer on…

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