Fat Tuesday. We jump to observe indulgence for indulgence sake. For some, overdoing is where Mardi Gras begins and ends. It may not cross our minds to detox from a decadence for a period of time, afterwards. Or pick up a habit that has the equivalent result. At the very least, we might not ever …
Here’s a good Bill Simmons piece on the SNL 40 special: http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/ready-for-prime-time-the-giddy-brilliant-and-ok-somewhat-bloated-snl-40/ I actually managed to catch most of it last night, though I wasn’t even aware it was on until partway through. The one comment I would add is that Paul Simon’s appearance at the end was a little dispiriting. His voice sounded every …
In 2002, Rik Swartzwelder released an incredible short film called The Least of These which was based on Tony Campolo’s Agnes story. It was amazing, a powerful little movie bulging with classic lines like, “The kind of church which throws birthday parties for whores at 2 o’clock in the morning,” “Someone has to cut the …
If I could choose any stone to have over my grave, my pick would be Thomas Jefferson’s. His is an obelisk, and his epitaph reads as follows: HERE WAS BURIEDTHOMAS JEFFERSONAUTHOR OF THEDECLARATIONOFAMERICAN INDEPENDENCEOF THESTATUTE OF VIRGINIAFORRELIGIOUS FREEDOMAND FATHER OF THEUNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA This is as noteworthy for what it leaves out as well as …
Saturday night on a warm spring evening in January I made the long pilgrimage out to the boondocks that is Arlington, WA. There I discovered a lovely little club called Mirkwood where I would see my beloved Skablins play. I haven’t seen them in over a year, but also on the bill were It Gets …
Jill’s indoor gardening tip #1 – To protect your large plants from becoming a kitty liter box, take a cheap plastic saucer and cut a slit to the middle then a circle in the middle for the plant. Jill’s indoor gardening tip #2 – Fruit fly death trap. Sweet white wine drinkers tend to bring …
The town of Stateburg, South Carolina, looks ordinary at first glance. It is just north of Highway 76 about halfway between Interstate 95 and the state capital, Columbia, and most travelers would not think to stop there without prior knowledge of the place. Like many small towns on the East Coast, however, it has had …
Last Friday I saw The Imitation Game, the recent movie about British mathematician Alan Turing and the breaking of the German Enigma codes during World War II. It has been out for a while, but it was released only recently in my part of the world. It was panned a bit in The New Yorker, …
The documentary “Life Itself” shows film critic Roger Ebert in a less than flattering light. In a society that celebrates youth and vitality, some might find it shocking that we see Ebert’s face ravaged by cancer. We see shots of his final days when he’s unable to walk or talk. Yet he was able to …
When we shop for toys for the loved ones on our list, we like to think the kids are learning something. Books help children associate those squiggles with objects. Puzzles help them solve problems. Dolls engage the imagination. In eighth century Francia, the setting for my novels, the nobility had their own version of age …
Portland jazz artist Barbara Lusch is no novice to the heart and grit that fueled the 80s and brought about rock powerhouse numbers from Springsteen, Bowie, Bon Jovi and many other culture icons. In a creative attempt to underline the passion and emotive fervor contained in the lyrics of these rock ballads, Lusch and conductor …
I’m having fun with videos again. How old were you when man first set foot on the moon? I think we have little idea how deep an impact this monumental event had and continues to have on our species…….. – Betsy Youngquist https://www.dropbox.com/s/rooaz5lpx2zi118/Spaceships.mp4 BYART.com
Religion plays a central role in the lives of my early medieval characters, but portraying Christianity in the days of Charlemagne takes more than having prayers in Latin. Here are a five aspects of Christianity in this period that might surprise you. Midwives could baptize newborns if they feared the child would die. Childbirth was …
I’ve always liked this movie, Redford’s character as an incredibly driven loner from a small town, who is drawn to the spotlight and Europe is a good role for him – the cinematography of the skiing and small towns is incredible (filmed on location providing a great snapshot of small European towns circa 1969). I …
Should you brine your turkey if it’s been injected with a solution? No. Most turkeys in the grocery stores are injected now. This is something cooking shows rarely mention when they talk about brining. The only place I’ve seen it mentioned is the Amazing Ribs website: “Meat that is labeled ‘enhanced’ or ‘flavor enhanced’ or …
This is precious. The email below rolled in to East Portland Blog this morning purporting to be real, but it must be a spoof or a Portlandia skit. The group’s video is above. This is too Portland even for Portland. To outward appearances, this is a crowd source funding campaign for a proposed hostel in …
On August 9, 2014, Michael Brown, an unarmed 18 year old African American citizen of Ferguson Missouri, was shot multiple times in cold blood during daylight hours by a white police officer. The teen’s body laid in the street for FOUR hours because police labeled the shooting a crime scene instead of sending the victim …
When I decided to write fiction set in the days of Charlemagne, I knew very little about the Middle Ages but was certain of one thing: medieval people didn’t bathe. I recall being told by teachers that the folk thought it was unhealthy. As an author, all I needed to decide was whether the characters …
There are unconfirmed reports that bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce is dead. Frankly, that matters little, as I’ve enjoyed his presence for decades and it won’t diminish now. I carry a copy of his solo LPs “Songs For a Tailor” and “Harmony Row” with me at all times. As a teenager, those Cream records became rooted into …
With the World Series underway, I should add one more push to the notion of eliminating the Cleveland Indians’ “Chief Wahoo” logo. Polls in Ohio have shown a majority of fans have no objection to this caricature – and many of those who do admit its obvious racism still stamp their approval with the excuse …
When I grew up, the prospect of seeing the San Francisco Giants play in October seemed outside the scope of reality. In 1971, at the tail end of the Mays-McCovey era, they lost the National League Championship Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates in four games. I was eight years old at the time, and the …
Random thoughts at the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, from a husband of someone with Stage IV breast cancer: 1. There are no losers in the “battle;” some just run out of time. 2. There are an awful lot of people with breast cancer out there, women (and men), who have go through this …
I was recently talking to a friend about our mutual love of Pez… I’ve got a drawer full of Pez, mostly unopened with the two packs of little sugar tablets that will never expire… I loved Pez as a kid, and my mom would often bring home one that she thought I’d like. I got …
Early medieval women were far from passive damsels waiting for a knight to rescue them. Of course, this time period is hardly an ideal time for women: childbirth so risky expectant mothers were urged to confess their sins before they went into labor, fathers choosing whom a girl would marry, age 13 considered marriageable, wife …
We all remember Shaun Cassidy as a 70’s “teen idol” – but we tend to forget his 1980 exploration into “new wave / punk” with his “Wasp” album produced by Todd Rundgren with Todd & Utopia as the backing band – they cover songs by Bowie, Talking Heads, the Animals, and Ian Hunter. There’s a …
First published Sept. 8, 2014, on Spann of Time http://www.susanspann.com Who’s Guilty? God Knows. By Kim Rendfeld Delve into the justice system of early medieval Francia and you might find yourself grateful for what we have today, imperfect as it is. And I’m not only talking about the punishments for the guilty: slit nostrils, the …
“As a novelist, I don’t judge the marriage traditions of another society. My responsibility is to accurately depict my characters’ reality and their reactions to it. But examining customs in another time teaches us that the definition of marriage–who is eligible, who gets to decide, why one gets married–has indeed changed.” EDITOR’S NOTE: Kim Rendfeld …
By RANDY RENDFELD I love spicy hot food, but I’m not a masochist. Peppers should add flavor and not just heat. But that’s apparently not the culinary criteria for 510 reviewers of Dave’s Ghost Pepper Naga Jolokia Hot Sauce on Amazon.com. These reviewers like the near-death experiences this nuclear hell sauce delivers. As I write …
Microfiction by Knute Rimkus They lived in a white microhouse. It was a shoebox, for baby shoes, in the Varane neighborhood. Their neighbors lived in shoeboxes too. This misery did not love company. They ate dinner quickly. She thought the steak was too red and only ate half. She drank water. Murdoch drank a Cutty …