Monthly Archives: December 2014

The Christmas revolution

It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times. That paraphrase from that other Dickens novel pretty much sums up Christmastime. Christmas is full of contradictions, contrasts, conflict: some of the most dismal weather of the year vs. the demand to be jolly. The darkest month, the holiday lights. Death of the year but […]

Other kinds of racism

As the supporters of Elenita Muniz suggest, there is racism beyond that overt racism of which Muniz’s outraged critics protest themselves innocent. As part of the discussion of other forms of racism, I offer the following from my racial past. In high school in the 1950s, my English teacher told a story on herself: She’s […]

Orion, Apollo and the Model T

Want to know what’s weird? My 27 year-old son calls, wants to know if I’ve been watching the Orion test launch. He’s been up since seven to watch with his four year-old son. “Dad, you’ve got to see this. This Orion mission will be to our generation what Apollo was to yours.” TV coverage has […]

The politics of an apolitical movie

If you’ve been wandering around in a post-election funk, shaking your head, beseeching the heavens (Why? Why?), I’ve stumbled upon a small source of comfort. If you are seeking a clue to what seems like the maddeningly illogical Republican victory, I recommend “St. Vincent,” the feel-good Bill Murray movie appearing in local theaters. “St. Vincent” […]