Twitter Updates
- On an unrelated note, just toured the Hyundai Rotem factory in South Philly. Watching trains being made is basically the coolest thing ever. 23 hours ago
- On the plus side, I'm now being trolled by a dude who super believes in UFOs (and not fluoride , obvi) newcrystalmind.com/2013/another-s… 23 hours ago
- It appears the good people of Portland didn't read my @slate article slate.com/articles/healt… Fluoridation defeated: oregonlive.com/portland/index… 23 hours ago
- @SimeonHein Now I see the light. Thank you. 23 hours ago
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Recent Posts
- The paranoid style in [Oregonian] politics
- “The view is nice from here; not scenic or nothing, but nice”
- Listen to me ramble about Atlantic City, labor law, sweatshops, and Star Trek
- Atlantic City is Weird, Possibly Doomed (and I really like it)
- Montana is the Only State Where Your Boss Has To Have a Reason to Fire You…
Monthly Archives: December 2012
P.G. Wodehouse in India
I remember hearing, at some point, that P.G. Wodehouse is quite popular in India. So, it being Boxing Day and all, I Googled the appropriate terms and the right sort of article began popping up. First, a slight NPR piece … Continue reading
Posted in book reviews, books, British Literature, history
Tagged Colonialism, India, P.G. Wodehouse, Shashi Tharoor
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Consider the Bee (Or, Actually, Don’t)
I recently stumbled across this wonderful letter to the New York Times, written in the October of 1865, taking a strong line against anti-loitering laws. It’s quite funny and, I think, the correct inclination. Arresting people for hanging out is … Continue reading
Posted in books, British Literature, economic justice, labor, Uncategorized, worker rights
Tagged Charles Dickens, Eugene Wrayburn, loitering, the New York Times, work
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The Curio Theater Does Tom Stoppard
The Curio Theater, on Baltimore and 48th Street in West Philadelphia, is my neighborhood theater. I’ve only seen two plays there, both of them by Tom Stoppard. If you have the time, and the inclination, I’d recommend The Real Inspector … Continue reading
Posted in British Literature, Philadelphia
Tagged Curio Theater, The Real Inspector Hound, Tom Stoppard
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Killing Them Softly Makes Criminality Look Awful
My review of Killing Them Softly, a movie I don’t necessarily recommend you see because its so grim), can be found here. A significant portion of the review got clipped, including all of the below. (Also, read the book it … Continue reading
Trolleys: West Philly’s Got ‘Em
I’m continuing my quest to re-post my Inquirer op-eds, which have the nasty habit of vanishing into the ether if left to their own devices (and to Philly.com). One of my favorite things about living in West Philly are the … Continue reading
Posted in Philadelphia, transit
Tagged Philly, public transit, SEPTA, The Philadelphia Inquirer
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J.R.R. Tolkien: Worst Professor Ever?
As the release of the first Hobbit film nears, I recall that as a youthful Tolkien enthusiast I often imagined the intellectual joys of attending one of the great man’s lectures at Oxford. Ah, bliss! Or not. According to Kingsley … Continue reading
Posted in books, British Literature, pop culture
Tagged Frodo, Galadriel, J.R.R. Tolkein, Kingsley Amis, Philip Larkin, The Hobbit
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James Bond Turns Against America
I’ve been reading some of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels in preparation for, and celebration of, the release of the super spy’s latest cinematic outing. The new Daniel Craig film, Skyfall, is excellent. The same cannot be said of Fleming’s … Continue reading
