Repressive societies, like those ruled by regimes that rely on heavy policing to enforce state policy, have a way of creating unique situations and throwing up special characters. Often, the most interesting people are those who know how to navigate skating the edge, and who comprehend the perils involved for many concerned. They might have […]
Ho Ho This!
Christmas is here and if you live in America you know this because the bombardment starts on Thanksgiving. The television commercials are a dead giveaway, plus the specially named shopping days, “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday.” The most insulting ads are the car ones. There’s no greater Christmas surprise than buying a Land Rover SUV […]
“Phillip My Dear”: The Mighty Sparrow Turns 85
In the early 1980s when I was cabbing for a living, there was a NYC radio station that devoted all of its Sunday programming to reggae and calypso music. The deejays knew their stuff, and they covered a lot of ground, from the famous artists like the Wailers to the more select acts, such as […]
Middle of the Road
“The middle of the road is no private cul-de-sac I can’t get from the cab to the curb Without some little jerk on my back” Middle of the Road – The Pretenders During the Ariel Sharon reign, the Israeli Defense Force (the IDF) was particularly prone to brutal attacks and incursions into Palestinian refugee camps. […]