fathers' day

happy fathers' day to all.

it's a time to remember my own father who was wonderful,attentive and a beacon of intelligence,rectitude,kindness and loyalty.so many good memories.
thanks dad.

phoenix

i'm in phoenix this weekend at a meeting and am totally blown away by how extraordinarilly unpleasant this city is for any kind of human existence. the temperature hovers around 110 every day. the city is
spreeeeaaad out for miles in every direction. there are very few venues
of interest within walking distance of each other---and who can walk more than a few blocks without the need for cpr in this heat?
there *are* a number of vistas of very tall palm trees and geometrically interesting outcroppings of sharp peaked mountains surrounding the city but architecturally the city is a hodgepodge of generally ugly ,new skyscraperettes sitting among and between one story strip malls.
why do old people want to come here for retirement --is it a halfway house to prepare for hell?

blast from the past

the literary trope of fueling the narrative by alternating multiple narrators seems to be catching on big these days but neil gordon in
-the company you keep- does it with a vengence. this book is compelling.it takes you by the collar and doesn't let go.
anyone wanting to reflect on u.s. political culture among thoughtful,social-justice commited college students during the 60s and 70s---this is the novel to read. don't care about the 60s and 70s?--read
it anyway. it's a can't-put-the book-down story.

r.i.p. susan goldberg

susan goldberg died this morning in toronto, canada. she was a colleague and friend of very long standing. her research at harvard ,brandeis and the university of toronto integrated our understanding of culture ,biology and psychology in
the development of young infants and children particularly those born prematurely or with a chronic disease.
she was a person of great personal warmth and with a passion for social justice.

she will be sorely missed.

my sincere condolences to her children.

jackson "not guilty"

thanks to a blackberry message from d. i was able to rush to a tv set and watch the denouement of the jackson trial/extravaganza. i was quite surprised at the verdict --i had expected that the jury would be reluctant to find him guilty on the most serious charges because of the checkered past of the accuser's mother (the whole family really). but it seemed inevitable that they would find him guilty of one of the lesser charges for which ample supporting (and believable)
testimony had been given. jackson's lawyers must have given quite a summation and the judge's instructions (98 pages) overwhelming and confusing.
perhaps the one heartening take home message is that in the u.s. today you can be a total freak in looks and behavior and member of an historically oppressed minority group and still get a sympathetic hearing in court (at least if you are a world-famous -superstar-multi-millionaire).
i'm not betting that his musical career is over. if his mind and body has the endurance (which isn't a sure thing--he looked very frail and spaced out during the trial) he could have at least one round of a very successful world tour given his fan base and now over-the-top notoriety.

crash

crash is the most interesting and best constructed film i have seen this year.
it is a tightly intertwined story of the lives of a multi-racial cast of characters as they play out the endearing and despicable aspects of their beliefs and desires.
they are all neither saints nor scoundrels but the touchingly flawed people we all are. the film privileges race as the focus of how the characters perceive each other---it's not a pretty picture but gives a fair and often nuanced view of how
racial stereotyping plays itself out amidst the stresses of everyday life in a big
u.s. city which throws the diversity of humankind together on a very uneven playing field.

see this film.

the creeps at crp

well ,the slimeballs and moral scum from the nixon era crp have
been skimmed for all the radio and tv talk shows where they have been
"ouraged" at the "traitorous acts" of the erstwhile "deep throat".

it would be hilarious to watch these hypocrites stand on their new podia of moral righteousness were it not for the truly dangerous state
of political discourse in the u.s. these days.

blossom dearie

yes apparently that's her real name. 77 years and with an angelic voice. i'm sitting here in the
living room simply rivetted by her music. evidently she's currently appearing in new york--
it's definitely worth the trip---i'm thinking about it.