The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has been much in the news again lately, and quite frankly I've been surprised how many years have passed before it became a hot topic. I did a search on my blog to see exactly when I first wrote about it. Turns out that it was 2018 when I read James Patterson's detailed account of what Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell were up to. I mentioned it here in my end-of-year summary of audiobooks read in 2018.
The full title of Patterson's book is Filthy Rich: A powerful billionaire, the sex scandal that undid him, and all the justice that money can buy : the shocking true story of Jeffrey Epstein.
I was never a James Patterson fan. I picked up this volume because it was non-fiction. I'd picked up an earlier novel of his at one time just to see why he was so "popular." The first chapter was as far as I got. I do not find books or films about sicko violence to women to be entertaining.
In the case of Filthy Rich, I was drawn in by the wealthy clients and "friends" in Epstein's circle. If these thing were true, as Patterson presented them, why was the media so silent? Bill Clinton was very much "in the club," purportedly making numerous trips* on Epstein's Lolita Express. [For those unfamiliar, Vladimir Nabokov's novel Lolita is about a middle-aged lit professor with a pedophilic obsession, who becomes infatuated with a 12-year-old, manipulating her into a sexual relationship and more.]
So which is it? Life imitating art or vice versa?
To my knowledge, none of Epstein's clients have been indicted for their actions. (By way of contrast, Roman Polanski fled the country to avoid prosecution for similar behavior, but none of the the Epstein entourage has been indicted as far as I know.
But I note at the beginning, why has there been so little media coverage of these events until recently.
As Dylan wrote in his ballad of Hurricane Carter:
"Ain't it a shame to live in a land where justice is a game?"
* I do not recall exact names and numbers at this point.
Early in my writing career I attended a writers conference in which one of the tracks was titled Advanced Article Writing. One of the classes addressed interviewing. The instructor shared many insights and provided us with tools that I used for decades, including bio sheets and a list of open-ended questions that would get people to open up and share interesting stories and feelings. One of those questions went something like this: "What do you worry about that sometimes keeps you awake at night?"
Worry is one of those things that most of us grapple with at one time or another. Out of curiosity I did an Internet search to see what we worry about today. Pretty quick I came across a list which claims to provide the most recent data on Americans' top fears, based on a survey of 1,008 adults conducted in spring 2024.
[EdNote: Seems like a small sample size. Am curious what the breakdown is by gender and age demographics. Nevertheless, it's a good starter list of things we're anxious about.]
Here are the top 10, ranked by the percentage of respondents who reported being "afraid" or "very afraid," along with the corresponding percentages where available.
Corrupt Government Officials (65%) - Consistently the top fear since 2015, reflecting deep mistrust in government at all levels.
Cyberterrorism (58%) - Fear of cyberattacks, amplified by global conflicts and reliance on digital infrastructure.
Loved Ones Becoming Seriously Ill - A persistent personal concern, heightened by health-related anxieties post-COVID.
Loved Ones Dying - Closely tied to health fears, reflecting worry about losing family or friends.
Russia Using Nuclear Weapons (52.5%) - Driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Not Having Enough Money for the Future - Economic insecurity, rising from 10th in 2023, fueled by inflation and financial uncertainty.
U.S. Becoming Involved in Another World War (55%) - Tied to global conflicts like Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas.
North Korea Using Nuclear Weapons - Fear of nuclear threats from rogue states, reflecting global instability.
Terrorist Attacks - Persistent concern, with 52.7% fearing attacks, linked to recent world events.
Biological Warfare - Anxiety about biological weapons, re-emerging in the 10 due to global tensions.
Noteworthy Observations:
All top 10 fears in 2024 were reported by over 50% of respondents, indicating a general rise in fear compared to earlier years when only the top fear exceeded this threshold.
Six of the top 10 fears relate to war or terrorism, reflecting the impact of global conflicts like Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas. [EdNote: And perhaps the way the media covers them.]
Economic concerns, such as running out of money, have climbed due to inflation and post-pandemic recovery challenges.
Climate change, while significant (49% afraid or very afraid), did not make the top 10 but remains a consistent concern.
Fears like ghosts (10.6%) or snakes (around 30% per earlier surveys) rank much lower, showing that political, global, and personal health fears dominate over traditional phobias.
Many, if not most, of these fears are shaped by current events, media consumption, and social media algorithms that amplify anxieties, according to Chapman researchers. For the full list that this data was taken from, you can visit the Chapman University Survey of American Fears 2024.
Moon River is one of those songs that grows on you over the decades. Written by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffany's, it's a wistful, romantic ballad about longing, dreams, and the pursuit of freedom. In the film it's sung by Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, but it's had many covers that were equally transcendant. The lyrics evoke a journey of self-discovery and hope, with the "river" perhaps symbolizing life's unpredictable path shrouded by a light misty haze.
The song reflects Holly's yearning for a better, more authentic life beyond her transient, glamorous facade, capturing themes of wanderlust, companionship ("my huckleberry friend"), and the search for belonging. Its gentle melody and poetic lyrics convey universal emotions of aspiration and vulnerability.
The film itself (Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961), is based on Truman Capote's novella of the same name. Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly is a glamorous but enigmatic young woman in New York City who lives a carefree, socialite lifestyle while hiding her past as a runaway. She befriends Paul Varjak, a struggling writer and her new neighbor, who becomes captivated by her charm and mystery. As their relationship deepens, Holly’s guarded nature and pursuit of wealth clash with her desire for genuine connection. The story explores themes of identity, freedom, and love, culminating in Holly’s emotional journey toward self-acceptance, set against the backdrop of 1960s Manhattan.
Reading and writing about this song makes me want to revisit the film, to see it with fresh eyes. May it one day come to pass.
* * *
Meanwhile, here are three versions of the song--one by Audrey Hepburn from the film, a nice rendition by Elton John and a Frank Sinatra version after the lyrics.
One of my first 45s when I began collecting records was The Beatles' "Twist and Shout." It was the flip side of this gem that really struck a chord with me, "There's a Place." When released on March 2 1964 "Twist and Shout" was an immediate hit, instantly climbing to the #2 position. It would no doubt has achieved #1 but because The Beatles occupied all five of the top slots on Billboard's Top 100 that historic week, four other worthy tunes had to scuffle for the second thru fifth slots.
It was only a few weeks earlier that The Beatles had made their first appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show (Feb 9 & 16), whetting the appetite of America's youth for more. Beatlemania had begun.
The thing is, there must have been hundreds of thousands (millions?) of kids like me who would buy records for the A-side, and then get curious about the reverse side. I still have my original "Satisfaction" somewhere in my things, and what an unusual B-side there: "The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man."
The Beatles' "There's a Place", from their 1963 debut album Please Please Me, was primarily written by John Lennon, with contributions from Paul McCartney. What struck me recently was how the song reflects a theme that runs throughout John's career. Here are several examples.
I don't want to spoil the party so I'll go. I would hate my disappointment to show.
Yer Blues: "Yes, I'm lonely. Want to die."
Fool on the Hill: "Day after day, alone on a hill... Nobody seems to know him..."
Nowhere Man: "He's a real nowhere man Sitting in his nowhere land Making all his nowhere plans for nobody"
Lennon's solo albums after the Beatles breakup continued to feature deeply personal, introspective lyrics exploring themes of pain, isolation and identity. And you see the seeds of this all the way back at the beginning.
John Lennon wrote the song in 1963, purportedly inspired by the Motown sound, and possibly drawing inspiration from the song "Somewhere" from West Side Story (which begins, "There's a place for us...") composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Lennon was drawn to the emotional resonance of the phrase "There's a place," but reinterpreted it in a more introspectiveway.
As is well documented, Lennon and McCartney were both heavily influenced by American R&B and soul music at the time, and the song reflects their attempt to blend these influences with their own style. Lennon later described it as an attempt to emulate the style of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
The song was written in Lennon's childhood home at 251 Menlove Avenue, Liverpool, during a period when the Beatles were rapidly composing songs for their debut album. It was recorded on February 11, 1963, at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London during the marathon session for Please Please Me. The Beatles recorded 10 songs in a single day, with "There's a Place" requiring 13 takes (10 for the backing track and 3 for vocal overdubs).
The song features John Lennon on lead vocals with a mournful harmonica intro, Paul McCartney on harmony vocals and bass, George Harrison on lead guitar, and Ringo Starr on drums. Its raw energy and tight harmonies reflect the band's live performance style at the time.
"There's a Place" was one of the Beatles' early originals, written during their pre-fame days when they were still performing in Liverpool and Hamburg. It was included on Please Please Me alongside other originals like "I Saw Her Standing There" and covers of American R&B hits.
In the U.S., the song appeared on the Introducing... The Beatles album (Vee-Jay Records) and later on The Beatles' Second Album (Capitol Records), showcasing its significance in their early catalog.
The lyrics describe a mental or emotional place , a safe haven where the narrator retreats to escape feelings of sadness or loneliness: “There’s a place / Where I can go / When I feel low / When I feel blue / And it’s my mind / And there’s no time / When I’m alone.”
Tim Hatfield, in his deep dive into the Beatles catalog, When We Find Ourselves In Times of Trouble, suggests that Brian Wilson's "In My Room"(Beach Boys, 1963) may have been inspired by "There's a Place." Each is about finding a place where you can lock out the world.
The song contrasts with the upbeat, love-centric pop of the era, hinting at deeper emotional struggles. Some biographers suggest it reflects Lennon’s personal experiences with loneliness or insecurity, themes that recur in his later work. Like great poems and songs, the lyrics remain open-ended enough to be universally relatable. I myself totally connected with it. The tight harmonies give it a lively, optimistic feel juxtaposed against a theme that is melancholic. The song also showcases the Beatles' early knack for blending pop accessibility with emotional substance. Its inclusion on Please Please Me demonstrated the band’s ambition to be more than a cover band, establishing Lennon and McCartney as serious songwriters.
In later interviews, Lennon cited "There's a Place" as an early example of his personal songwriting. In a 1980 interview, he noted it was “my attempt at a sort of Motown, black thing,” reflecting his admiration for soul music and his desire to express authentic emotion.
* * *
While not as famous as other Beatles tracks, "There's a Place" is regarded by fans and scholars as an early gem that hints at the band’s future depth. It’s often cited in discussions of Lennon’s emotional vulnerability in songwriting:
As I left the theater I came away feeling, "Wow! That was fun." The iconic riff from Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" set the tone and the thrills never let up. Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, directed by Joseph Kosinski (Top Gun Maverick). Perfect casting for every role in the lineup, stellar cinematography and a masterfully crafted screenplay conspire to knock your socks off.
THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
The four main characters are skillfully developed. Each has an distinct identity and a personal quest. Their destinies will rise or fall based on their success or failure in achieving their personal ambitions... as a team.
Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was himself once a promising F1 future star in the 90s, but a traumatic crash cut his career short. He hasn't quit racing, but it's on a lesser scale. When Ruben Cervantes (Bardem) seeks him out to return to Formula One racing, Hayes now has an opportunity to become one of the sport's elite drivers.
Cervantes has two aims. His primary aim, after nine years of failure, is to win a championship. If he fails at this, his board of directors will pull the plug on their racing program. He second aim is to have his promising young future star Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) to awaken to his full potential as a driver by learning from Hayes's experience and example.
EdNote: I love the name Cervantes. Has Bardem's character been "tilting at windmills" these past nine years? Is he pursuing an impossible dream?
The fourth critical component in the fictional APXGP Formula 1 team's success is technical director Kate McKenna (Kerry Condon), the team's chief tactician and strategist. Her driving motivation is to prove herself as a trailblazing woman in a male-dominated sport, optimizing the team’s car and strategy to achieve a Grand Prix victory. She also plays the role of mediating conflicts between Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce, no small task in itself.
Put all these ingredients together is and you have an electrifying story.
* * *
This past few years we've. been treated to two other superb racing-infused films: Ford v. Ferarri and Ferarri. Each is carried along by its own unique storyline, and F1 is no different. In each story there is something at stake. Ferarri features Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz, at a critical juncture in the future of their company and their relationship. Ford v Ferarri features Christian Bale as driver Ken Miles and Matt Damon as the legendary Carroll Shelby. Can Ford break into the Ferrari-dominated Formula One orbit? Corporate interference, technical challenges and personal battles must all be overcome.
* * *
Gold & Black: There was a lot to like for me personally in this film. For starters, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem has been two of my favorite actors. With Jerry Bruckheimer at the helm, it seemed almost a certainty that this film was not going to crash and burn. The team's Gold and Black cars had a special meaning for me. When I first joined Cub Scouts, circa 1960, my dad painted my first Pinewood Derby car gold and black. The next three years I painted my cars yellow and black. That last year, my yellow and black car took third place in the Pinewood Derby, a car I built myself. But it's that first car, the gold and black one my father made for me, that I wish I still had today.
Another memory from my childhood was a game called Mille Bornes, which is French for "a thoughsand milestones." It was a card came based on Formula One racing. We also had a Formula One board game. While dirt track racing held a big appeal for us, it was the Indy 500 that brought us nearer to the European racing scene.
* * *
F1 has many classic subplots, most significantly the rookie versus the veteran storyline. I couldn't help think of Jack London's story "A Piece of Steak" which highlights this theme. London's story highlights the career of Tom King, an aging Australian boxer facing poverty and hunger as he prepares for a crucial match against a younger, fitter opponent named Sandel. King, unable to afford proper food, reflects on his past glory and the brutal toll of his career, knowing that a piece of steak could give him the strength he needs to win.
In F1, we similarly encounter the vitality and glory of youth being contrasted with the wisdom and discipline that comes at a price through experience.
This was the 53rd Annual Park Point Art Fair. Wow! What a great track record. The weather forecast was mixed, but we'd decided to go and it turned out to be a beautiful day Saturday mid-morning to early afternoon when we did our walk-through. As usual, there were artists of all types and stripes creating in all manner of media. Ceramics, fiber arts, Jewelry, photography, sculpture, wood, glass and combinations of the above, from whimsical to practical as well as serious.
Here are just a few of the varieties of creativity we saw:
Support Your Local Artists
There were also food trucks and musicians, includng Russ Sackett, Hannah Rey,
Water Cat, The Has Ben's Paul Metsa and Mississippi Mike Wolf.
MY ONLY RECOMMENDATION
to the folks who assemble this event
would be to include websites or contact information on the program
for the participating artists so attendees can find them later.
Otherwise, THANK YOU to the Park Point Community Club
"Children are the research & development division of the human species"
--Patt Olivieri
When I heard from our local library that Brodini was going to perform, I made it a point to be there. And I was.
Brodini does comedy magic shows for kids. What I saw, though, wasn't just kids lovin' it. Every adult in the room enjoyed seeing their children get bug-eyed and bedazzled. And many, like myself, were probably recalling their first experiences of being mesmerized by a live magic show. Or at least in my case, that is what I was thinking about.
His name is Graylyn Morris, but his stage name is Brodini.
Brodini's name is taken from his two early sources of inspiration. Marshall Brodien played Wizzo the Wizard on the Bozo Circus show when Graylyn was a kid. The second part of his stage name came from a source that has spawned hundreds, if not thousands, of magicians. Morris read a book about Houdini (like many of us did) and watched the famous Houdini movie starring Tony Curtis as the master magician and escape artist. With such admiration for Houdini, it was easy to later name himself Brodini in honor of the man.
Brodini has performed in Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam and for a month each of the past 12 years in Mexico. Here's how he describes what he is doing:
"My show is all audience participation. What I like most about kid shows? The kids are the show! I explain in every show, if I can do magic you can too…"
Brodini says he learned from books, which is what I did, too. I borrowed books from the library and my parents even make some of the tricks for me. For example, Brodini opens his routine with an egg bag, a standard in which the magician makes an egg appear from an empty bag. My mom made one for me. And my father built a miniature "set" for levitation. Instead of levitating a woman, I levitated one of my mom's Barbie dolls. It was a pretty cool illusion.
For Brodini, "it's all about the kids!" You can see it in his eyes how it flows from his heart.
My biggest takeaway from Brodini's show was not how "amazing" or talented he was. (Yes, he's very natural at sleight of hand, and the rest of his tricks are mind-baffling for those who have never performed magic.) Rather, what I came away with was how ordinary people like you and I can use the gifts we have and make a difference in other people's lives. That was the real magic that I saw. Graylin isn't trying to be David Copperfield or Penn & Teller. He's just a human touching young hearts and firing up their imaginations.
As a longtime Dylan fan, it's been gratifying to see the influx of new fans drawn into the Dylan circle. Maybe even a few of you will join us in the Northland when we celebrate Bob's 85th birthday at Duluth Dylan Fest 2026 next May.
If you're a new fan, there are a surprising number of websites devoted to Dylan. I read somewhere that Dylan sites number in the hundreds. Here are some of the major ones that many fans visit and use regularly:
Expecting Rain (expectingrain.com) is a long-standing, comprehensive mash-up of news and discussions pertaining to everything that is published anywhere each day pertaining to Dylan directly or indirectly.
Bob Links (boblinks.com), curated by collector Bill Pagel (who owns both of the houses Bob grew up in here in the Northland) is a site dedicated to providing Bob Dylan concert information. In addition to past and future show times and locations, you can also find setlists, reviews and links to other Bob Dylan related sites.
Founded and curated by Tony Attwood, Untold Dylan (bob-dylan.org.uk) is a site devoted to in-depth song analysis of Dylan's extensive catalog, not just dissecting lyrics but the music itself.
The Bob Dylan Fan Club (thebobdylanfanclub.com) is a fan-run site initiated at Dylan’s request (I was told), focusing on his recent activities.
The Bob Dylan Center (bobdylancenter.com) in Tulsa is relatively new, and designed to be a Mecca for Dylan fans. The website offers a "sneak preview" of what's happening there and when.
* * *
As noted, Dylan websites are legion but the top drawer sites all have something in common. Each legacy site is the product of an immense amount of dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice.
One such site is Michel Pomarede's Come Writers and Critics (https://www.bobdylan-comewritersandcritics.com). Pomarede, who lives in Southern France, presents on his site the most complete collection of Dylan book covers I've ever seen. I have a few rarities myself but when I attempted to stump him I found he already had these in his catalogue.
If you're seeking digital works with URLs, it's near certain you'll find a link on Expecting Rain. But when it come to print, Come Writers and Critics will most assuredly astound you with its breadth.
Here's a recent exchange we had regarding his site.
EN:What prompted you to start this website?
Michel Pomarede: I really started collecting Dylan in 1978, when I read Paul Cable's His Unreleased Recordings.
I had some bootleg records, but with that book I really discovered the hidden part of the iceberg (tapes), and the Dylan books. At that time, it was quite possible to buy all the Dylan books available, and even in their different editions !
I was also interested in magazines, and bought everything I could find. In the pre-Internet time I mostly bought from Wanted Man in the UK and Rolling Tomes in the USA. That was before the flood (that started in the late 90s) when it became impossible to get everything that was published. In a way it became a kind of stress as new books were appearing from all sides.
Then came the Internet. I was immediately interested in that technology, and started to build the Website in 1996. It was an excellent therapy: I stopped buying everything and concentrated on the books I had a chance to read, that is those in English, French and Spanish. With the website I could have a large collection, even if it was virtual, and the publication of a list of what existed seemed useful to other collectors.
See what I write about that in the About page of the site:
At the beginning... 'it was just a list of Bob Dylan books, sorted by languages and illustrated by small not enlargeable vignettes: there was no high-speed Internet at that time, and large images took a long time to load'. It started with my own book collection; it quickly grew with other people's help.
EN: What have been your most gratifying "finds"?
MP: I met European collectors, had access to their lists and discovered the extraordinary Japanese books, then the Iranian rarities for example. I bought for the fun some books in exotic languages: each time it is a thrill to receive these items (I confess I continue to buy some of them). I think I have in my own collection about 10% of what is presented on the site: nobody could own all that stuff at home.
EN:How long have you been collecting for this site? MP:The first version of the site was put online in 1996. At that time I was working (I am a Pharmacist), and had not too much time for it, but I added to it every item I heard about. It is only in 2017 that I really seriously worked on the site, but I have been collecting items for about 29 years so far.
The site is entirely built by me, written in html code, in the old fashion way, without any Joomla! or WordPress. It is quite stimulating for my 73 years old brain.
EN:I'm impressed. Do you have a favorite Dylan album?
MP:I like all Dylan albums till Infidels. My favorite album, except the 1965/66 trilogy of course is Street Legal, very underrated IMO, and also Desire... It is hard to choose.
EN:Yes to Street Legal being underrated. How many times have you seen Dylan?
MP:I saw Bob Dylan for the first time at the Paris 1978 concert (3 times), then in 1981 (2), in 1984 (2), 1987 (2)... and then at least twice on every European Tour till 2024. I do not know how many times that makes, may be 30 or 40, in France and UK.
EN:What makes Dylan such a global phenomenon?
MP:Bob Dylan is quite unique in his lyrics and the way he sings them.
Nobody can compare to him: he is THE cultural and poetic reference of his generation. During at least 25 years he had the faculty to write what we had in mind but could not say; he really showed the way to many of us.
The full title of Patterson's book is Filthy Rich: A powerful billionaire, the sex scandal that undid him, and all the justice that money can buy : the shocking true story of Jeffrey Epstein. 
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