Frequent contributor Jim Peters offers another of his essays: There is not a great deal to write about on Christmas Day. If I say that there is too much emphasis on commercialism and profitability, I attack the capitalistic experience that makes the holidays such an important part of rebuilding the…
Read More »
Buffalo, N.Y., faces the same kind of challenges that most older cities do, but a bright spot is the lucrative local theatre industry built around touring versions of Broadway shows like “The Addams Family,” which earned $995,000 a week in the 3,000-seat Shea’s theatre, according to the NYTimes. Read the article…
Read More »
NYTimes reports more than 100,000 people today demonstrated against Russian power-holders including Putin, who assumes he can rule without consent. The NYT today has two other articles about the growing protest movement in Russia, especially among young workers in the cities.
Read More »
A group called Mill City Flashmob recently appeared on Facebook. It’s mission: Lowell, the mill city. Socializing with the community. Membership in the group quickly grew (to become a member, go to facebook.com/MillCityFlashMOB). But the true test of any such organization is not how many visitors it can attract on…
Read More »
This poem is from the winter of 1983-84, when I was living in Southern California just south of Laguna Beach. Dana Point was a small coastal town that has since expanded to the extent that there is now a Ritz Carlton there. When I was there it was the bottom edge of…
Read More »
These days there continues to be a kerfuffle in certain places when mentions or symbols or images of Christmas make their way into our public schools. While perusing the December 24, 1971 edition of the Lowell Sun, I came across a story about a play presented at Lowell’s Reilly School.…
Read More »
“Venice of the North Series: Boott Cotton Warehouse, Eastern Canal” by Richard Marion (c) 2011 See more artwork at www.richardmarion.net
Read More »
Holidays to me are characterized by rituals: Cookouts on the Fourth of July, visiting the cemetery on Memorial Day, enduring the mainstream media’s incessant “War on Christmas” stories every December. Personally, I’m comfortable wishing folks a Merry Christmas, but I also sympathize with those who are hesitant to do so.…
Read More »
Lots of familiar faces, with the opening photo of the Christmas tree smokestack from Tony Sampas. Thanks to Phil the Ranger and all the LNHP folks for their kind sentiments [youtube]7pQ78UmGFow[/youtube]
Read More »
Paul McCartney on Tuesday returned to his roots in Liverpool for a concert at the Echo Arena on the dockside along the Mersey River. Read one fan’s report on the concert and hometown atmosphere from the a very active website devoted to McCartney, The Beatles, and their friends. For the obsessives among us,…
Read More »