Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the street’ —Martha and the Vandellas, 1964 ‘Summer’s here and the time is right for fighting in the streets’ —Rolling Stones, 1968 ‘Summer’s here and…
Posts published in “Essays”
The Little Tokyo area in Los Angeles just celebrated their 140th anniversary. It has been 140 years since the first Japanese business opened in downtown Los Angeles. To mark the occasion a street festival including…
“Chicken in the car and the car can’t go, that’s how you spell Chicago.” I heard that jingle when I was a boy and have never forgotten it. I’m writing this on the cusp of…
Growing up in Ukiah/Redwood Valley during the 80’s, there were always a handful of street people. They were mostly benign and often had quite colorful personalities. Occasionally they met tragic outcomes, such as was the…
In 1968 my stock in peace movement circles was very high, due to the “success” of the first GI coffeehouses. In late February or early March I got a call from Tom Hayden, who hadn't…
The first time I remember visiting Mendocino County was on a road trip to the Mendocino Coast with my grandmother. I can’t tell you the year, but I’m guessing it was in the 1990s, and…
You can call them senior moments but if they've been happening your whole life then it's time to take stock and realize you're just a damn fool. The other day I was about to take…
A mighty and a passionate heart has ceased to beat. Edward Said died in hospital in New York City Wednesday, September 24, 2003, at 6.30 pm, felled at last by complications arising from the leukemia…