The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde or, Art Improving Upon Life
Sean MurphyON THIS DAY On May 23, 1934, bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot to death in a police ambush as they were driving a stolen Ford Deluxe…
The World Cup Is Coming
Mundial de Futbol* Tomaso sat down to watch the day’s action. He had missed several crucial games from the 1990 tournament because, like most men, the extraordinary physics and logistics…
Freedom Riders
ON THIS DAY On May 20, 1961, a white mob attacked a busload of "Freedom Riders" in Montgomery, Ala., prompting the federal government to send in United States marshals to…
The Immortal Wayne Cochran or, The Copycat Sex Machine
You know what the best part of that picture is? Everything. And now you are probably thinking: wow, is that guy for real? Oh, he's real. And we have footage. (Huge…
The Souder and the Fury
Yes, there is nothing new under the sun but you sure never get used to the smell. Check it: Rep. Mark Souder, the Indiana Republican who resigned today over…
Feelin’ Froggy?
Just about every species practices—and in some cases perfects—certain forms of cannibalism. I didn’t say that. The guy on TV, that anonymous narrator with the fake American accent did. Listen:…
Ten Ways of Looking at Four Decades
I. Listen: When some of your best friends are people who exist elsewhere—characters in books you’ve read, musicians you’ll never meet, people from the past who died decades (even centuries)…
Four Poems For Four Decades
You’ve Seen Me Before (1989) I am the nimble sparrow who is surprised By eager claws that approach without a sound. Security lies in lofty branches, overhead But I feel…
What’s It All About, Then? Part One: Jazz, Featuring Eric Dolphy
Question: What's it all about? Answer: I don't know. But I do know a few things. I know some of the things that make me tick. Even though I write…
A Day To Remember; A Life To Celebrate
August 30, 2002* Everything that is good about me is because of my mother. Fortunately, I was able to convey this simple truth many times in my adult life, but…