Month: December 2015

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Nobody Says “Oh, Hell” Anymore

helenchristie

Before I write anything else, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Personally, I plan to have a quiet New Year observance alone in my apartment in San Francisco, watching an online stream of the Times Square celebration in New York City.  Celebrate at 9 p.m. in San Francisco, and then retire with a book. I didn’t celebrate any of the traditional holidays earlier this month, and didn’t exchange presents with anyone. Dave Hill’s Monday night show on WFMU in New Jersey was interesting.  He celebrated Christmas with his family in Cleveland, and noted that he gave his … Continue reading Nobody Says “Oh, Hell” Anymore

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Fine, Edgy Comedy Album By Dave Hill

helenchristie

If you’re a proud member of The Good Taste Patrol, stop reading this post now. Dave Hill’s first comedy album, Let Me Turn You On,  is a rough-around-the-edges, ironic and filthy burst of genius. The album has been available on CD and in electronic formats since last May, but I found it last night after typing the artist’s name in a search space on Spotify. Mr. Hill — Dave, if you want to get familiar — has a loyal following.  He has extensive experience as a musician, and has worked with several different groups.  Currently, he has a radio show on … Continue reading Fine, Edgy Comedy Album By Dave Hill

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I’m Not A Snob. Honest!

helenchristie

I’m not sure if very many of you have noticed that my style of speaking is a bit weird. It’s “articulate” enough, but most of the time it also resembles an entry in a reference book. Heaven knows how I pull that off. If you and I have had a verbal conversation, you know what I’m alluding to. Alluding? Oh, dear. The speech is creeping into the writing today.  At least I had the decency to make it human by ending the sentence in a preposition.  In this case, the preposition is “to”.  “Off,” at the end of the previous sentence, … Continue reading I’m Not A Snob. Honest!

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Spring Flowers In Bloom

helenchristie

Beautiful spring flowers on Christmas Day can be appreciated, but global warming is tampering with nature. Global warming deniers have a snappy comeback every time someone suggests there’s a problem.  It’s always ill-informed, too.  If we have an unusually cold winter, deniers claim that’s proof the planet isn’t getting hotter.  They’re wrong. (In case you’re wondering what prompted a blogger to post on this topic on Christmas, The New York Times is reporting that spring flowers are blooming in NYC.  A link to the article is at the end of this post.) I subscribe to the print edition of The Hightower Lowdown, Jim … Continue reading Spring Flowers In Bloom

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The Critics Trashed This Film, But I Love It

helenchristie

Do any of you remember the 1975 movie Sheila Levine Is Dead And Living In New York?  It’s based on the novel of the same name by Gail Parent. I read the novel first, and it didn’t click with me.  The central character seemed a little too cold and self-absorbed.  In the movie, Sheila has more empathy. Maybe you’ll be disappointed if you rent this film.  A lot of people don’t care for it, and maybe with good reason.  It didn’t deserve the abuse from critics, though.  They could have given it one star and found something gracious to say, but they were critics. … Continue reading The Critics Trashed This Film, But I Love It

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Fare Evaders And Other Annoyances On The Bus And Subway

helenchristie

It’s likely transit fare enforcement gets weird practically anywhere. In San Francisco, good and bad behavior of fare inspectors and fare evaders fall on every point on the spectrum. Personally, I tap my card every time. On days when the fare isn’t in my budget, I walk (even when it takes more than an hour to get home). It isn’t that simple for everyone, but most of us have seen fare evaders who travel only a short distance. They’re doing it for the thrill, and when paying passengers see that happen it sways public opinion in favor of aggressive enforcement. … Continue reading Fare Evaders And Other Annoyances On The Bus And Subway

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Looking For Answers And Accepting What We Don’t Know

helenchristie

I remember when Kevin Collins disappeared in San Francisco in 1984. Since then, he has not been confirmed alive or dead.  The link at the end of this post suggests he may never have left the city. Over the years, theories about Kevin’s disappearance have been presented as nearly-confirmed facts by the news media. We should act on experience and recognize what we don’t know about this tragedy. A number of years ago, a man named Curtis Dean Anderson was arrested in Vallejo, CA after he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a little girl who fortunately was able to escape from … Continue reading Looking For Answers And Accepting What We Don’t Know