In 1990, the Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa (“Seven Samuri,” “Rashomon,” “Ran,” ) wrote and directed a series of short films based on his own dreams. “Mount Fuji in Red” is one of the “dream tales.” In our real and present world news reports say the earthquake crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant reactor is leaking radioactive [...]
My interest in state dinners are all about details: protocols, attire, guest list, entertainment, menu. I’m collecting a little data from last night’s dinner honoring Chinese President Hu Jintao. From jump… First Lady Michelle Obama looked FABULOUS This dress outshines everything on the red carpet of the Golden Globes Sunday. (IMO) House Alexander McQueen produced [...]
We haven’t heard much about the President’s trip to Asia since the breakdown of trade talks in South Korea. A bust according to news outlets. Was it a total bust? No one’s talking about it now. Personally, I like this photo of him having green tea ice cream on a visit to the Great Buddha [...]
Culture always moves before politics. Think of how Jackie Robinson’s Major League debut preceded Brown vs. Board of Education, or how Ellen Degeneres’ coming-out preceded court rulings on same-sex marriage and “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” Cultural change is often the dress-rehearsal for political change. Or put in another way, political change is the final manifestation [...]
Rev. Rob Hardies, senior minister of All Souls Church, Unitarian in Washington, DC (my member church), sent this letter from Hiroshima via our church’s e-blast list. In 1947 Rev. A. Powell Davies, then senior minister of All Souls, was so moved by the devastation and impact of the atomic bomb dropped on the city 65 [...]
New Orleans is hot again. I’m not talking about the impeding and insufferable summer heat that is about to descend in 2 or so months, or the high the city’s still riding out from the Saints superbowl win. Shortly after the pilot, HBO greenlighted a second season of Treme (from the makers of “The Wire). [...]
The first car I ever purchased was a 1988 Chevrolet Nova hatchback. It was the “hybrid” of it’s day — a Chevy body with an engine manufactured by Toyota. I spoiled that car. Took it in for its oil changes on time; tune ups. It wasn’t long before every oil change became a diagnosis for [...]
After 11 PM last night, the House of Representatives voted on the Democratic health care bill H.R. 3962. The final vote was 220 – 215 in favor; 39 Democrats and 173 Republicans voted against the bill. See the vote breakdown here. There was one lone Republican vote for the bill. That vote was from Anh [...]
ANOTHER BIRTHDAY, ANOTHER BIRTH CERTIFICATE Today is President Barack Obama’s 48th Birthday. Which birth certificate do you have? Apparently a merry band of predominantly conservative skeptics have been the darlings of the news media for their efforts in time travel to switch the President’s place of birth from Hawaii to Kenya. Their mission…to make the [...]
I love, love, love Asian cuisine. Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Chinese preferably Sichuan. The first Sichuan dish I ever had was Kung Pao chicken. I thought my mouth was on fire. I was in love. I’m no expert or purist about Chinese food. I just like what I like. The tough part for me is [...]
