Happy New Year everyone! If the new year is on its way, then spring can't be far behind.
Welcome to this month's reading group selection. David Von Drehle mentions The Melting Pot , a play by Israel Zangwill, that premiered on Broadway in 1908. At that time theater was accessible to a broad section of the public, not the exclusive domain it has become over the decades. Zangwill carried a hopeful message that America was a place where old hatreds and prejudices were pointless, and that in this new country immigrants would find a more open society. I suppose the reference was more an ironic one for Von Drehle, as he notes the racial and ethnic hatreds were on display everywhere, and at best Zangwill's play helped persons forget for a moment how deep these divides ran. Nevertheless, "the melting pot" made its way into the American lexicon, even if New York could best be describing as a boiling cauldron in the early twentieth century. Triangle: The Fire That Changed America takes a broad view of events that led up the notorious fire, not...
Where is Marti? I hope she is okay with all that snow in NY.
ReplyDeleteLovely picture! And a Happy New Year to you as well.
ReplyDeleteI need to look at that picture and remember that spring really does arrive eventually. In the meantime, the temperature here continues to drop even as the sun comes up. It's now 13 below zero ....
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year. Is that usual for it to drop down below 0 in Montana?
ReplyDeleteWas just talking to someone here at a job about how badly the response was to the snow in NYC. It used to be that life always went on no matter what the weather. I think it was because of previous layoffs of sanitation workers that the city was a mess, even in Manhattan.
The piles of snow (from the plowing) have gone down considerably, and what's left is very dirty. I think that some of it was carted away. It's been in the upper 30s the past two days.
That is a beautiful meander picture, Avrds.
Avrds: Here it is above 30C with a southerly coming this afternoon to ease the humidity. I have been for a swim at Bronte to see in 2011. I wish everyone the very best New Year, but remember Oscar Wilde " When the Gods wish to punish us they answer our prayers".
ReplyDeleteIs that the Big Hole River?It's a geat shot.TCM has Marx brothers flicks on all night long.Leftover Osso Bucco and Saffron Rice from last night,red wine and the Marx Brothers.I might even make it to midnight.But the one I haven't seen in years Go West isn't till 2:30.A prosperous New Year to all.For new years day I am going to cut up one of those southern lobster tails and make tempura instead of using Shrimp.Got a nice zuke to do veggie tempura with.One of my Xmas gifts was a CD Rom of the complete National Lampoon magazine.I have been laughing for days!
ReplyDeleteThat's the Yellowstone River in the Hayden Valley, where you see wolves from time to time. And usually there are bison roaming around.
ReplyDeleteI've cross country skied out there and heard wolves howling - enough to make me ski right back to my car! Beautiful valley though.
Swimming on New Year's Eve sounds very civilized to me. It's only 10 below zero (that's F) this a.m. Looks like we're in for a stretch of this.....
Here's an interesting idea that might be fun to keep an eye on:
ReplyDeletewww.notevenpast.org