Mary Cliff, folk music and radio legend
Growing up in the 1950s, Mary Cliff sang along to the radio with her mom while doing the dishes at their home in Arlington, Virginia. “Radio was the thing in our house,” she said. “I learned all my music from the radio.” She also sang along to 78 records played on a wind-up turntable, which she still owns. Cliff, 77, started working in radio in 1966 as a stenographer, and... READ MORE
Novelist’s unique take on crime
George Pelecanos is the award-winning writer of 21 novels set in and around Washington, D.C. — all researched, he said, “in the street rather than the library.” Pelecanos, 63, prides himself on prowling mean inner-city streets to get the most accurate descriptions for his crime novels. Lately, though, the resident of Silver Spring, Maryland, has been relegated to the woods of... READ MORE
A life filled with spooky work and stories
Columbia resident Alma Katsu cannot be constrained to one occupation. She’s a former analyst for the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency. She’s a consultant for emerging technologies in the government and private industry. But she’s also an award-winning author who can’t even be contained within one literary genre, with novels in romance, historical... READ MORE
For 40 years, journalist pursues her love
“From WYPR, I’m Sheilah Kast. We’re On the Record.” That’s the line Sheilah Kast delivers each morning as she introduces her daily public radio program, “On the Record,” on WYPR in Baltimore. buy zocor online https://health-intelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/job-manager-uploads/company_logo/2017/zocor.html no prescription Kast has hosted daily programs at the station ... READ MORE
How flowers survive social distancing
Amid these times of distancing from other people, perhaps we can learn from the intricate relationships in nature, including the one between flowers and the bees who pollinate them. Since plants permanently “shelter in place,” they have had to develop the means to reproduce. Pollination is the symbiotic relationship between plants that are fertilized and pollinators that do the... READ MORE
My last column: Thank you and goodbye
I can still remember a time when, at an academic banquet, a woman approached my table and asked, “Are you Alexis Bentz?” When I confirmed that I was, she exclaimed that she was an avid reader of the Beacon and a fan of my work. She told me that she hadn’t considered the generational gap before, and that my column had inspired her to view teenagers in a new light. The... READ MORE
We certainly are living in hairy times
We sit in our abodes. And sit. Junking on TV and too much food. Blowing through our entire collection of jigsaw puzzles. Calling old friends. Trying to stay one step ahead of the virus. But one force of nature continues, self-quarantine or not. Hair grows. online pharmacy glucophage for sale with best prices today in the USA Mine has. In spades. Yes, I know, at my age, ... READ MORE
Torpedo Factory founder’s first love: art
Marian Van Landingham has achieved many distinctions so far in her 83 years, including as a federal agency writer, speechwriter for a U.S. Congressman, and during a 24-year career as a delegate to the Virginia legislature. But the former Alexandria Art League president is perhaps best known as the founder of Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory Art Center. Oh, “and she is known for her... READ MORE
Books recall the history of World War II
The Bibliophile On May 8, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of V-E Day, marking the Allied victory in Europe and North Africa. These books shine a light on that theater of combat. World War II Map by Map, by DK and Smithsonian Institution, 299 pages, DK hardcover, 2019 After the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt urged Americans listening to his... READ MORE
Find wilderness in the urban landscape
Eight years ago, Cory Cone and his wife, Nathalie, wandered into Mount Washington’s Clyburn Arboretum, where they were drawn to a collection of stuffed birds. Among them was an indigo bunting, a bird known for its vibrant azure hue. “I was completely amazed that a bird that beautiful could be seen in the city I lived in,” Cone said. He immediately began a quest to find a bunting... READ MORE
