A lot of people say that an octopus is like an alien…You’re stepping into this completely different world. Such an incredible feeling. And you feel you’re on the brink of something extraordinary. But you realize that there’s a line that can’t be crossed. ~Craig Foster/My Octopus Teacher (2020) If you follow me on Facebook, you … Read more
There is one thing Americans, regardless of their position on the red/blue or left/right spectrum, have in common. Every time there is a mass shooting, we ALL hold our breath in hopes that the perpetrator’s background does not conflict with any predisposition about who is responsible for the ever increasing instances of gun violence targeted … Read more
Oratory is a powerful tool. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address assured a war-torn nation America was an ideal that could survive a civil war. When Americans could have easily abandoned democracy and capitalism in the face of a global economic depression, Franklin Roosevelt urged them not to let their fears undermine the principles on which our … Read more
If you think “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) is a thing of the past, you would be sorely mistaken. The only thing that changes is the target audience and the perceived threats. Nothing makes this point more clearly than the following headline in the latest edition of the on-line University of Virginia newsletter “UVAToday.” UVA … Read more
As some followers of this blog are aware, I co-host a monthly series titled “Cinema and Conversation” at our local book store (Story and Song). The host each month screens a favorite film, then facilitates a discussion around the central theme and how the director, actors, et.al. present that message. I have only one hard … Read more