fairiesBy Francis Young

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Contrasting the candidates’ closing arguments

Oct 27, 2024 | thespectator.com | Charles Lipson |Arieh Kovler |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young

It’s easy to summarize the two sides’ closing arguments. For Kamala Harris, the closing argument is “Trump is really, really bad.” Asked to expand, it is “Trump will end abortion rights” and “Trump is a fascist.” For Trump, the argument is, “Things were great when I was president, and I will make them great again.” Asked to expand, it is “I will be better than Washington and Lincoln.
How Israel chose its targets in Iran

Oct 27, 2024 | thespectator.com | Arieh Kovler |Charles Lipson |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young

In Christian countries, it’s typical to put things off until “after Christmas” when the new year begins. In Israel, the equivalent is “after the festivals.” The Jewish fall festivals begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year followed by Yom Kippur and the eight-day festival of Tabernacles, Sukkot.
The ancient association between Halloween and fairies

Oct 26, 2024 | thespectator.com | Francis Young |fairiesBy Francis Young |Douglas Murray |Suzi Feay

Among the many options available for Halloween costumes and decorations these days, from witches to zombies, from mummies to serial killers, there is one traditional Halloween character you are unlikely to see: fairies. But in Irish and Scottish folklore, which provides the basis for modern Halloween traditions, fairies were central to this festival.
The new worst team in baseball

Oct 19, 2024 | thespectator.com | Ryan M. Spaeder |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young |Douglas Murray

To this day, the exact origin of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 is unknown. It may be easy to blame poor old Mrs. O’Leary, though the conspiracy-minded out there speculate that the blaze might have been a deliberately planned event orchestrated by powerful interests to reshape the city for profit and control.
Why on earth is the 2024 election so nail-bitingly close?

Oct 19, 2024 | thespectator.com | Andrew Sullivan |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young |Douglas Murray

Washington, DCNot since South Park Elementary’s election campaign between a Giant Douche and a Turd Sandwich has an election bedeviled me as much as this one. On the one hand, the choice is disarmingly simple. One of the candidates is obviously mentally unhinged, delusional, malignant and contemptuous of the rule of law. One of the candidates hasn’t just broken norms. He has broken the norm, the indispensable norm for the continuation of the republic: accepting the results of an election.
Breakfast wine is where it’s at

Dec 8, 2023 | thespectator.com | Kathleen Willcox |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young |Douglas Murray

In the old days (2019), mimosas and Bloody Marys were really the only the socially acceptable forms of alcohol that could cross your lips before 12 p.m. To drink earlier would be a worrying indicator that you’re an alcoholic, or worse, a professional writer. That benighted era is safely in our rearview.
How to make the perfect French apple tart

Sep 30, 2023 | thespectator.com | Olivia Potts |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young |Douglas Murray

There is, as the saying goes, more than one way to skin a cat. The same could be said — although rather more appealingly — about the number of ways to make a French apple tart. French apple tarts are ubiquitous in their home country but, despite the umbrella name, no two recipes are the same. Usually, it is made without a recipe, seemingly without thought — just by muscle memory, passed down from family member to family member, an inheritance in pastry.
The end of the Washington Post

Jul 25, 2023 | thespectator.com | Mark Judge |fairiesBy Francis Young |Francis Young |Douglas Murray

The Washington Post is collapsing. Once one of America’s great media institutions, the paper lost $100 million last year and has shed 500,000 subscribers. Recent reports reveal that Post owner Jeff Bezos is going to be more hands-on to try and save the paper. Yet trying to get employees of the Post to do their jobs is like trying to get dogs to play baseball. Dogs just aren’t interested in baseball, and the breed of journalist now at the Post is just not interested in journalism.