America’s cultural tradition has come to include the concept that all people deserve equal rights. However, women in many nations (including the United States) are subject to injustices that range from lower wages to spousal abuse, rape, lashing, and stoning. Understandably, among many Americans there is an outcry to intervene in the most [...]
Archive for the ‘Death’ category
Americans in Paris, part II
“Whenever we hit a city we haven’t been to before,” our friend Lynn told us as she put us on the bullet train to Paris from Aix en Provence, “we try to spend at least part of our time underground. The Paris sewer tour is a good idea, but if you have to choose, see the catacombs.”
Turns out [...]
What I did on my summer vacation
Cue Jim Carroll’s “People Who Died.”
It began on my way to the bus, with a phone call from my oldest, dearest friend, Meghan, who, through static interference and intermittent service, told me that our friend Q had died. For some reason I continually misunderstood her – I kept asking “who?” – for some [...]
Hungary
We have a new house. I have my typical liberal identity issues but seem to have successfully fought past these as I gaze approvingly at the new 50” flat screen in the room off of our open kitchen. Did you know that you’re supposed to “break in” a plasma? The first 100 [...]
Who got served? Four soldiers’ stories
1. My dear friend’s brother is 43; he’s in a happily rewarding second marriage and his kids are 5, 3, and newborn. Despite this brand-new sprouting family, though, he strongly feels his primary duty is to serve in the war, so he’s decided to enlist. His particular assignment, which is slated to last [...]
In memoriam: Captain Donald Taube (1942-2007)
I’m not the only one who can’t believe Don’s gone.
Don Taube — some call him Captain Don — was a fixture in our seaport neighborhood. He lived on a ship in the harbor. He drank tea and talked and checked his email at Fresh Salt, our local bar. (He loved the cookies, too.) He was [...]
Morbid Monday
Tony Soprano’s death (yeah, I think he got whacked) has been on my mind. Which lead to death being on the brain which led to a few internet surfs, which turned up the following…
In 2006, Mexican consulates across the US recorded 10,622 shipments of bodies for burial back home. In Arkansas, immigrants can purchase the [...]
Bang a gong
This summer’s free music pickings seem unusually slim, but two downtown shows this weekend drew large, eclectic, enthusiastic crowds.
Friday night the rain held off long enough for Animal Collective to squeeze out their set at the South Street Seaport. Setting their tribal-o-meter somewhere between Navajo night chant and Dub, Avey and Panda and friends put [...]
A necessary end
I was 25 years old before I realized I was afraid of death. One night I was watching the Oscars at a friend’s house and had a seizure, the kind they used to call “grand mal” and now call “tonic-clonic.” I don’t remember it at all — you lose consciousness for this kind of seizure [...]
Accidents
1. The jogger
A little over a week ago, my younger brother, a marathoner who lives in Arizona with his wife and two kids, was taking a routine morning run with friends when a car slammed into him from behind at about 60 mph. Knocked clean out of his shoes, one leg broken near the knee, [...]
