The journey continues…we flew to central Turkey to explore Cappadocia, a region created by three volcanoes that haven’t erupted for thousands of years but have left behind soft rock formations that give the area an other-worldly look – a cross between a science fiction set (I’m told the last Star Wars movie, chronologically the first, was filmed here), and Monument Valley. Wind and rain have eroded the soft rocks and shaped the area into a Read More…
Today after a leisurely breakfast and perusing a couple of papers (I always try to get an English version of the local paper) it’s time for a tour of the Bosphorus. Our boat, like other passenger boats, goes up and down the sides of the straight while the big oil tankers cruise the middle – boats go from the Black Sea to the Sea of Maramara for half the day and the reverse direction for Read More…
NOTE — Over the next two weeks Qmuze will be coming to you from Turkey and Israel. I will be tweaking the Qmuze model of politics, culture, and entertainment by commenting on what I saw, what I thought, and what I wore. Grab your passport and stay tuned! (I apologize in advance for any spelling or other errors — this will be fast and furious.) Day 1 –ISTANBUL I have such fascination with Turkey: physically, Read More…
I know you love lying on the beach listening to the sound of waves and feeling the sun’s warm rays massage you — I do too. Unfortunately, the evidence of the sun’s damage to skin (cancer and wrinkles) is overwhelming. Still, life can’t just be lived indoors so you’ve got to have a good sunscreen. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a recent report by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group says that “more than half of the Read More…
Three big political stories in the news last week caught my attention: Mitt Romney announced his candidacy, John Edwards was indicted on campaign finance charges over payments to hide an extramarital affair, and Congressman Anthony Weiner was accused of sending lewd photos of himself to a woman in Washington. Does character count in politics? We want our politicians to be smart — we even like them tall– but do we care if they are faithful to Read More…
It’s June and there are graduates galore. Commencement addresses are echoing across the country: advising, lecturing, and encouraging generations as they move into the next chapter of their lives. A friend asked if I would send her child a note upon graduation. As I thought about what to say to this young woman, I wondered what I really knew about life? What would I say to my own children? The only thing I’m really sure Read More…
I have been waxing rhapsodic about Mitch Daniels for two years. I was really hoping he would run for president, and after his good friend Haley Barbour took himself out of the race, I was sure Mitch would run. On Sunday, as I stood in front of my TV with my latte in one hand and my New York Times in the other, someone on one of the morning shows announced that Mitch Daniels would Read More…
I expected the movie Bridesmaids to be funny and I was not disappointed — it was hilarious. I was however, a little surprised by how ribald the humor was. The girls, it seems, can get just as down and dirty as the guys. Kristen Wiig, of Saturday Night Live fame, co-wrote the movie and stars as Annie, old friend, maid-of-honor, and loser at love. Helen (Rose Byrne) is the bride’s new (and perfect) friend, and Read More…
Talat Masood, a retired lieutenant general in the Pakistani Army wrote an op-ed piece in Monday’s New York Times titled, “Patience, Not Punishment, for Pakistan.” I decided to opine on Mr. Masood’s piece with some alliteration of my own: Passive/Aggressive: Mr. Masood wants us to know that he “feels our pain” and then he lets us know that it could get worse: “The volatile situation in Pakistan is matched by the understandable outrage of Americans Read More…
If you think The Beaver sounds like a comedy you would be oh-so-wrong. Mel Gibson’s character, Walter, is suffering from depression, and while he resorts to using a beaver hand puppet to express himself, the result is heartbreaking, not funny. Mr. Gibson is very good in this role (possible Oscar nod?) – a role his real life seems to have been preparing him for. Mr. Gibson doesn’t hold anything back — he is a Read More…
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