Philip Semour Hoffman was found dead inside his New York City apartment today. The apparent cause, according to police, is a drug overdose. Hoffman was 46 years old. Hoffman first came on my radar in 1999, with his subtle, electrifying performance as Freddie Miles in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Then, as always, he was the…Continue reading Philip Seymour Hoffman – the tragic death of a wildly talented actor
Category: News & Politics
Noah Pozner, 6
Mourners gathered in Newtown, CT, today for the funeral of Noah Pozner, a six-year-old boy who was killed in Friday’s shooting spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School. His uncle delivered the eulogy. “Noah was a little kid. He loved animals, video games and Mario Brothers. He was already a very good reader, and had just…Continue reading Noah Pozner, 6
What the Second Amendment Really Says
Here is the second amendment in its entirety: A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. The NRA, in its incessant lobbying, emphasizes only the the second part–“the right of the people to keep and bear arms”–completely…Continue reading What the Second Amendment Really Says
New California law requiring Amazon to collect sales tax helps brick & mortar stores
Beginning Saturday, Amazon will charge sales tax to California residents thanks to a 2011 tax law that is about to go into effect. If you keep getting letters from the California State Board of Equalization asking for unpaid taxes on goods purchased online, you can blame it on Amazon. Citing a 1992 Supreme Court ruling…Continue reading New California law requiring Amazon to collect sales tax helps brick & mortar stores
Afghan Women’s Writing Project
In the two-part essay I Am for Sale an Afghan woman describes the terror that she and her immediate family faced when she refused a marriage arranged by her uncle. The Afghan Women’s Writing Project is the brainchild of Bay Area novelist Masha Hamilton (The Camel Bookmobile, 31 Hours), who first visited Afghanistan in 2004.…Continue reading Afghan Women’s Writing Project