This morning my doorbell rang at 6:15 AM. And rang. And rang and rang and rang. I don’t usually have visitors at that hour of the day, announced or un. I live in a quiet residential neighborhood and it’s rare … Continue reading →
Last night I went to the movies to see “Dreamgirls.” I wanted some light entertainment, and I got it. I was in Brooklyn, and the audience at the large and crowded theater I happened to go to was approximately 99% … Continue reading →
Yesterday I offered some thoughts on immigration and assimilation. I always try my best to make myself clear. But as is often the case, some commenters seemed to think I was saying something I was not (see the comments section … Continue reading →
Recently an acquaintance told me about a museum he’d visited that is dedicated to the umbrella cover. Yes, you heard me right: the umbrella cover. Those little thingees that cover umbrellas. The ones people like me lose almost the first … Continue reading →
I haven’t kept up with American Idol much this season, which is just fine with me. But every now and then I do take a look. Last night was the final, as the populists among you no doubt are aware. … Continue reading →
Reading the news of Richard Pryor’s death yesterday, I have to say that it surprised me—not that he died, but that he’d still been alive. He had been so sadly debilitated in recent years that it seemed remarkable that he’d … Continue reading →
Modern life holds modern terrors–such as, for example, modern weapons in the hands of modern terrorists. But one ancient problem that was thought to have been more-or-less eradicated in this country is making a comeback, to wit: bedbugs. Yes, yes; … Continue reading →
Okay, I don’t quite get it. I was in the elevator at my Woodland Hills motel, and in walked a lovely young girl. By “young girl” I mean she was somewhere between sixteen and twenty-six; I can’t quite tell the … Continue reading →
A recent issue of the New Republic featured this article entitled “The Killing Machine” by Alvaro Vargas Llosa. The subject is Che Guevara, that familiar and longstanding “logo of revolutionary (or is it capitalist?) chic.” That seems to be what … Continue reading →
I thought perhaps I might get your attention with that title. Now that Norm has come out of the closet as a “Desperate Housewives” fan (or at least, a viewer), I feel it’s only right to show solidarity (Solidarity Forever, … Continue reading →
The disappearance of Jennifer Wilbanks, originally feared to be a kidnapping-murder or spousal-murder case, has been revealed to be something altogether different. Less frightening, no doubt–it’s neither a case of random nor spousal violence–but profoundly disturbing nevertheless. It seems that … Continue reading →
Well, here it is, the invention I’ve been waiting my whole life for: Clocky, a clock that rolls away after you hit the snooze alarm, forcing you to get out of bed to turn it off when the alarm sounds … Continue reading →