Film fun
Funny how George Grella is never lost for words when he shreds a movie to pieces. “Verbose” comes to mind. Yet when you give him an assignment — to pick Oscar’s winners and should-have-beens (March 20) — his supposed vast knowledge of the world of film fails him. Nine times he had “no choice.” This…
Get rid of the Lej
I have an idea to help reduce the cost and waste of the various county governments. I call this plan “M&M,” after my two nieces, who sometimes fight over the same toy. Instead of one large ring to rule them all, Monroe County can continue the tradition of smaller, more responsive local governments. 1) The…
No quick payback
Rochester was judged better than Buffalo the other day. But no honor was bestowed on either city. The Center for Community Change, a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit that jumpstarts grassroots development projects across the country, said Rochester and other Upstate cities rank above the national average in “subprime” loans made in African-American neighborhoods. The report, Risk…
Farmworkers fight for rights
No overtime pay. No regularly scheduled day off. No disability insurance. No right to collective bargaining. Welcome to the life of a migrant farmworker. At the beginning of the 21st century, they are still subjected to antiquated labor laws. About 200 people marched in Fairport in support of a bill under consideration in the state…
Speaking for Israel
Moshe Naimi suffered a horrible loss only weeks before he arrived in Rochester May 2 to speak at a fundraiser sponsored by the Jewish Community Federation. His mother, Furuk Naimi, was killed with 27 others March 27 when a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a Passover Seder in Netanya, Israel. What’s more, Moshe’s father, Nusrat…
The fantasy of the other self
After 40 years of comic books, generations of readers, and as much publicity as the hypemeisters, assisted by their kind friends in the media, can generate, and even after a long, unexplained, but politely ignored delay, Spider-Man simply cannot fail. It doesn’t really matter whether the picture is particularly good in any way, only that…
Bar seen
Montage Grille
Stay outta that hole
As you can see in Edward Albee’s The Goat, a great new play about a man who betrays his wife by screwing a goat, there’s no accounting for taste. I loved that play, but I’ve got to admit that, though I truly admire Blackfriars’ latest production and respect the show it’s doing, I really don’t…
Full of holes
Now that spring is breaking out, what’s not to love about “Clear Skies”? One thing, maybe: George W. Bush has slapped the term on his latest attempt to sell Americans on “market-based” environmental cleanup and the virtues of fossil fuels. Nothing new here for Bush; he let oil and markets rule the big skies…
Post-bop through hiphop
With dazzling technique and an adventurous spirit that takes his music in uncharted directions, Jason Moran is not content to let jazz stand still. The 27-year-old has recorded three Blue Note albums, the latest of which, Black Stars, was named best jazz recording of 2001 by The New York Times. On Thursday evening, May 9,…
Eight minute love affair
No smarmy come-ons, no nervous chatter, no suspicious ring-finger tan lines. Just eight minutes to make a love connection.
Zoning
The northeast quadrant reads like a city realtor’s sample-book. You’ll find a collection of housing styles from 1900 to 1950 and a range of housing prices from the handyman’s special to the stately manor. The area extends from Main Street and the railroad tracks in the south, to the river in the west. The town…
Falls calls
As the person who took the photograph on the cover of your April 17 edition (“Your Are Here: Inside the Heads of Extreme Athletes”), I have a couple of thoughts to pass on to your readers. First, the correct website address for Ruth and Roger Hopkins is www.naturalhighs.net (not “org” as given in the article).…
School choices
I read with interest your thought-provoking (and disturbing) article “Facing tough choices” (April 17). You noted the differing opinions of School Board member Rob Brown (“The district’s goal should be ‘a Brighton quality education’ for its students”) and Board President Joanne Giuffrida. Referring to educational programs that reach fewer students, such as School of the…
The Score
Rochester beat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-1, winning its season opener for just the second time in its seven-year history.
