PicoBlog

Cigarettes were cool. When you think about the 1960s, that probably does not occur to you, but it’s true. Early in 1964, the U.S. surgeon general issued a report linking cigarettes with cancer. But the anti-smoking attitude that prevails today was still decades away. I was a high school freshman in a wealthy St. Louis suburb in 1967. It was a time when college students and some high school students were staging protests and making demands.

Several years back, I came up with this '70s Jewish Trivia Quiz as part of a '70s Night we had at a synagogue Shabbaton.  I must admit, it's my all-time favorite decade, a more innocent time when Israel could win international basketball championships and song festivals and occasionally even wars, make peace with its largest Arab neighbor and rescue helpless hostages in record time - and a time when an American President could proclaim "

One of the traditions I have decided to create around this newsletter is taking a year to study as many horror films released 50 years ago as I can, and celebrating Halloween by showcasing the best of the bunch.  Thus, I have been spending a hell of a lot of late night hours watching horror from 1973…which was a pivotal year for the genre. And 1973 did not disappoint, showcasing the wide range of the genre, from big budget horror films to the ultra-low budget “B” horror movies: ultra-gory horror films, sci-fi horror films and the chaotic mind-numbing horror films.

6 MINUTE READ | NUMBER 11One day I drove two-hours with a single purpose in mind: to indulge in the renowned thin-fried catfish at Middendorf's. I had heard about this culinary gem through friends, blog posts, and even a T.V. story or two. Naturally, my curiosity got the better of me, and I had to experience it firsthand. I’m not ashamed to say I’ll drive great distances for food. As I savored a mess of catfish and hushpuppies, I couldn't help but overhear a conversation unfolding at the table next to me, centering around the Manchac Bridge.

The films of Wes Anderson are tightly controlled and meticulously constructed. They center on characters who plan everything down to the last detail, which is another way of saying they are about Anderson himself. He favors symmetry in his compositions. He chooses every prop in every film. Each of his films features a scene of his protagonist walking through their place of work (or school, as it were), while his underlings ask him rapid-fire questions about his project.

On this, my umpteenth viewing of The Truman Show, I really locked in on the final exchange between Christof and Truman. Actually, one word in particular. That word was “goddammit.” Truman stands at the door to the outside world. “Talk to me,” says Christof, urging Truman through a heavenly loudspeaker to stay in the world he has created for him. Truman remains mute, processing his new reality. “Say something,” he repeats with a little more urgency this time.

The Kindergarten Teacher is a Holly wood remake of a critically acclaimed Israeli film about a kindergarten teacher who discovers that a 5 year old in her class is a prodigy who composes mature and sublime poetry. This gift surfaces early on in the film, contrasted with the teacher who has just begun to take poetry writing lessons and is working hard at her writing. Her struggle to nurture and protect the gift that she has perceived in the child, and the attempt to find meaning through the actualisation of the child’s talent is the film’s central theme.

Hello PTFSers! The tofu train is rolling along. Hannah has a question that’s out of my geographic knowledge. Lend a hand, if you can. Leave a comment Thanks in advance for sharing insights with PTFSrs! I spent most of this week in Napa at the Culinary Institute of America’s plant-forward summit, where among the touchy subjects was the future of meat. Vegans attended but the conference organizers framed discussions in practical ways — if we want to foster healthier people and help the planet, let’s all get along in the kitchen and at the table.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut was one for the ages, something out of a movie script, and an encouraging first sign of what may be to come for both him and the team. Messi’s South Florida odyssey started in dream fashion this past Friday, with the Inter Miami star producing a stunning last-gasp winner via a magical free kick that bested Cruz Azul, 2-1, in the Leagues Cup.