In class the other day, a student made a presentation on his desire to become a lawyer in order to ensure greater justice in the legal system. Among other things, we talked about people convicted of crimes they did not commit. Coincidentally, the New York Times ran a cover story over the weekend presenting theirContinueContinue reading “INjustice in the legal system”
Category Archives: Culture
Spare Prose PLEASE!!!
Somewhere along the way, probably in high school, college students learn that “good” writing means long sentences and big words. But in my experience, most students don’t have the linguistic dexterity to pull this off. It just becomes an overwrought jumble of words and punctuation. Not that I can do much better myself, but IContinueContinue reading “Spare Prose PLEASE!!!”
Lower-Back Tattoo, R.I.P.
I saw recently, in the May 2007 issue of Esquire magazine, a story called “Obits of 2007” by A.J. Jacobs. I was interested, though not sorry, to read of the passing of the lower-back tattoo:Lower-Back Tattoo, 13, Is Dead The trend of getting a tattoo on the lower back as an erotic decoration died FebruaryContinueContinue reading “Lower-Back Tattoo, R.I.P.”
What’s Gangsta? (Part Two)
First Diddy, now Nas has weighed in on what “gangsta” means now that the pioneers of gangsta rap are pushing 40 (or, in the case of Dr. Dre, are 40-something). According to Nas, “These days, to be gangster is to grow, to survive, to inspire, to change the world.” –Esquire, January 2007.
The Message 2006
Rhymefest updates Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s classic in “Bullet”: Straight outta high school he didn’t know what to do Wanted to go to college but no money was nothin’ new Wanted to get away go see the world and do somethin’ new He got approached in the mall by the army recruit ToldContinueContinue reading “The Message 2006”
Girls Gone Wild. . . What’s the attraction for women?
I think we can understand the attraction of “Girls Gone Wild” to men. Men, after all, are pigs. But what’s the attraction for the women (or, rather, “girls”)? Is this sort of soft-core porn exhibitionism empowering for these women? Or is it just more of the same? Listen to the author of Female Chauvinist Pigs:ContinueContinue reading “Girls Gone Wild. . . What’s the attraction for women?”
Facebook? Fine by Me
So, I avoided joining Facebook for some time. In the first place, I thought it was lame for a grown-ass man to be on there. It’s for kids, not a twenty-eighteen year old like myself. In the second place, I already have a web presence for posting ideas and pictures and the like. And IContinueContinue reading “Facebook? Fine by Me”
Books are Good
“A personal library is an X-ray of the owner’s soul. It offers keys to a particular temperament, an intellectual disposition, a way of being in the world. Even how the books are arranged on the shelves deserves notice, even reflection. There is probably no such thing as complete chaos in such arrangements.” -Jay Parini, “OtherContinueContinue reading “Books are Good”
Style Rule
October 2006 Esquire magazine Style Rule No. 363: Before you wash your jean shorts, pretreat them by throwing them away.
California vs. New York
“In Calif., a stranger is a friend until he proves otherwise; in NY, a stranger is an enemy until he proves otherwise. One uses up a lot of energy in NY by that hypothesis.” –Susan Sontag, April 6, 1967 Notebooks and journals excerpted in the New York Times Magazine 10 September 2006