I spent the first half of John Steinbeck’s Tortilla Flat wondering whether or not the unusual story was an affront to Mexican migrant workers. Of course, the classification of “workers” in this story is a stretch as Danny, Pablo, Jesus Maria, Pilon, Big Joe, and the rest of the inhabitants of the shanty town on [...]
Out of the pile of classic novels that I have accumulated over the years, I recently pulled an unread copy of Johann Wyss’ The Swiss Family Robinson that, according to the book’s ink-stamped inside cover, I acquired over two decades ago from my junior high school library. Fortunately, like the Robinson family, it was a [...]
When I first considering reading Joseph Heller’s Catch-22, I had only a vague idea as to what to expect. I knew that one US soldier entrenched in Europe during World War II realized that in order to stop flying bombing missions, he had to be classified as crazy. Of course, the only way he could [...]
If I didn’t sweat the small stuff, we’d be much worse off financially. Every month there’s an issue with some account, whether it be an unauthorized charge or an errant late fee or interest charge. Unfortunately, only American Express has been totally forthright and honest, while the rest of the banks (including Citibank, Discover, Capitol [...]
Only the debate of medium format versus 35-millimeter equals the passionate discourse of comparing digital to film. Many of the most famous wedding photographers have made the switch to digital, and yet many more will likely never switch, comparable to an audiophile’s refusal to embrace the technology of compact discs.
Digital photography offers a number of [...]
I stumbled on to the official BBC EastEnders website yesterday in an effort to confirm my suspicions that Louise Jameson, who plays matriarch Rosa Di Marco, was the same Louise Jameson that played Doctor Who’s Leela, an uncivilized savage companion for Tom Baker’s portrayal of the fourth Doctor. Leela was a sort of Eliza Doolittle, [...]
Today is Election Day. My status is as a permanent absentee voter, so I avoid all the problems with the voting machines, waiting in long lines, etc.
For the record (since the information is public anyway), I voted for John Kerry, Barbara Boxer, Zoe Lofgren, and Joe Simitian — surprisingly straight Democratic. I have never based [...]
