The Obama Economy
"I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say: 'Well, this is Obama's economy, that’s fine. Give it to me!" “ My job is to solve problems, not to stand on the sidelines and harp and gripe.” President Obama
Not Your Grandma’s Grapes
In today's wine industry, there is a much greater awareness of the wine drinker's preference than ever before. Over the past three decades wine consumption has increased, and the industry has projected for some years that North Americans will eventually become the greatest wine consumers in the world. Well, those projections have finally come to fruition.
I Can’t Help It If I Wanted Too! A celebration and review of Off The Wall by Michael Jackson
Too often it takes a dramatic loss to bring about appreciation for someone or something. On June 25th, 2009 I, like millions of people around the world, proved that statement true.
What Happened to the Socially Conscious Sing-Along?
Maybe it’s for the best that we’ll never get another “We Are the World.” The vision of clueless pop stars inserting themselves into the latest pet crisis is well-worn. And the result is often no more than a gauzy, feelgood affirmation of our own ability to write a check.
Throughout most of the twentieth century, popular music has proved to be a barometer of our youth in America. As the dominant music of our youth changed from jazz to rock n’ roll to soul to hip-hop, commercial radio was at the forefront of promoting and marketing music to popular culture. Now, as we enter [...]
The New York Anime Festival is an annual anime convention held at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan. It features exclusive and extensive anime screenings, guests from America and Japan, manga, cosplay, video games, live-action Japanese cinema, fashion, food, and the cultural treasures that gave birth to Japanese pop culture.
PRISON AND JAILS LACK ADEQUATE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR INMATES; THIS HAMPERS EFFORTS FOR SUCCESSFUL REENTRY INTO COMMUNITIES
On March 6, 2009 at approximately 1:30 pm, I entered the Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis, Indiana. I had taken a late lunch, hoping to run in & run out of the mall to return a pair of sunglasses to the Sunglass Hut kiosk. The person who works the kiosk was not there, so I waited. [...]
Cropsey! If there was ever an urban myth that I thought was real, the kid-snatching Cropsey legend was it. Growing up in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, I was fortunate enough to go on hiking trips in Staten Island and the Cropsey camp fire stories were always the best.
I binged on Michael Jackson music videos for awhile immediately following his death in June.
Styling myself an alternative rock and hip hop fan long ago, I swore off Jackson in my early teens; but now I’m back—death has a way of doing that—and I want it all. I crave the hopeful expectation of pop glory [...]
