Drama, Movies

Contagion—Nothing spreads like fear

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Nothing spreads like fear is a great subtitle. Unfortunately, the film is a disappointment. After living through September 11, SARS, and most recently the Fukushima nuclear disaster, we all have a pretty good sense that our world could suddenly be turned upside down. Many of us might die because of a natural or manmade disaster. image [Read More]
Curious News, Diary

The Last Days of a Dictator

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The last days of a dictator are not particularly fun. Hitler committed suicide in 1945 when the Russians were close to his underground bunker in Berlin. Saddam Hussein loved life too much and come out of a hole in the ground when guns had surrounded him.  I am not sure about Qaddafi’s attitude toward his image image [Read More]
Diary

A Story that you will not forget

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Even for someone who reads a lot this story will stand out and stay burned in your memory if you have children or consider having them in the future Notes From a Dragon Mom   By EMILY RAPP (NT Times) MY son, Ronan, looks at me and raises one eyebrow. His eyes are bright and focused. Ronan image [Read More]
Drama, Movies

The Sound of Music

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To get in the spirit of Octoberfest, I watched the iconic romantic musical for a second time in my life. The mountains around Salzburg are still amazing but the film has aged less well than My Fair Lady. Too often you notice that the scene is shot in a Hollywood rather than on location in image [Read More]
Diary, Must Know

The Limits of Empathy

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David Brooks describes in the NY Times his key lessons from reading Steven Pinker’s new book. We are surrounded by people trying to make the world a better place. Peace activists bring enemies together so they can get to know one another and feel each other’s pain. School leaders try to attract a diverse set of image [Read More]
Drama, Movies

Two Lovers

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I had not seen the poster for the film because otherwise I would have noticed that Two Lovers is not about two people.  During the film you realize it is about at least 3, possible 4 people, who are trying to figure out who they want to be with. We all know that this is image [Read More]
Diary

Irene shuts down NYC

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By SAMANTHA GROSS and LARRY NEUMEISTER, Associated Press reports. NEW YORK—The normally bustling streets emptied out and the rumble of the subways came to a stop. New York buttoned up Saturday against Hurricane Irene, which threatened to paralyze Wall Street and give the big city its worst thrashing from a storm since at least the 1980s. City image [Read More]