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What Would a Citizens’ Democracy Look Like?
When retrieving my mail these days, I’m dismayed by the sheer volume of right-wing solicitations I find invading my mailbox. The mailings come from organizations such as Make America Great Again, The Trump Coalition, The Heritage Foundation, Citizens United, and the...
Synthetic Biology: Who Decides the Future of Evolution?
(shown above: Mammoth tusk hunters in Siberia return with their prize in ‘Genesis 2.0’)
As I’ve grown older, along with those around me, I find myself naturally contemplating life and death more than ever. My feelings about the fragility and impermanence of life have replaced the hubris and confidence of my youth. I’m fortunate to still have both of my…
Transcendent Travel: The Best Foreign Films of the Year
I’m a confessed cinephile. A lifetime of movie-going has provided me with a world-class education. I’ve been asked to provide very little in return. My training has placed no demands on me requiring disciplined studies or any kind of self-sacrifice; only the...
Norfolk’s Naro theater is showing “It’s a Wonderful Life” starting Friday
The article below was published in the Virginian-Pilot on December 20, 2018 By Dan Duke Assistant Features Editor, The Virginia-Pilot Associated Press File Photos: Jimmy Stewart explains things to Donna Reed in "It's A Wonderful Life" 1946 Thé N. Pham | The...
A Banner Year for Docs: The Best Non-Fiction Films of 2018
We love documentaries at the Naro. Our midweek ‘New Non-Fiction Film’ series with speakers and discussion continues to gain popularity in the age of Trump. As we search for what’s wrong in our system that has given us such a dystopian nightmare, an in-depth analysis...
The Case for Legalizing Cannabis in Virginia
We are living in a time of great cultural change regarding cannabis. It’s been a long time coming for those of us who first began experimenting with the plant back in the sixties and seventies. At the time, we thought we were on the cusp of a cultural revolution that...
Goodbye, Columbus: The Ascent of Indigenous Peoples’ Day
The Commonwealth of Virginia will observe Columbus Day this year on Monday, Oct 8th. As all school children know, the Italian adventurer Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ America in 1492, although he never actually set foot on the continental U.S. The legal holiday...
In The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts
I grew up middle class in Norfolk, and by all measures of a less material society back in the fifties and sixties, I grew up privileged. My father was a successful self-made businessman who benefited from a rising standard of living and a growing military presence in...
Shining A Light On Dark Money
At the time of the founding of the nation, political democracy in the U.S. was extremely limited. The root meaning of ‘democracy’ is rule by and for the people. But exactly who is included in the term ‘the people’? The founding fathers lived in an era when only white...
Who Stands To Benefit From A Troncated Virginian-Pilot?
“I think it would be fun to run a newspaper.” – Orson Welles in ‘Citizen Kane’ The golden days of newspaper publishing are long gone – the era that was celebrated in the classic 1941 film ‘Citizen Kane’ whose character played by Orson Welles was based on newspaper...
What Would a Citizens’ Democracy Look Like?
When retrieving my mail these days, I’m dismayed by the sheer volume of right-wing solicitations I find invading my mailbox. The mailings come from organizations such as Make America Great Again, The Trump Coalition, The Heritage Foundation, Citizens United, and the...
Synthetic Biology: Who Decides the Future of Evolution?
(shown above: Mammoth tusk hunters in Siberia return with their prize in ‘Genesis 2.0’)
As I’ve grown older, along with those around me, I find myself naturally contemplating life and death more than ever. My feelings about the fragility and impermanence of life have replaced the hubris and confidence of my youth. I’m fortunate to still have both of my…
Transcendent Travel: The Best Foreign Films of the Year
I’m a confessed cinephile. A lifetime of movie-going has provided me with a world-class education. I’ve been asked to provide very little in return. My training has placed no demands on me requiring disciplined studies or any kind of self-sacrifice; only the...
Norfolk’s Naro theater is showing “It’s a Wonderful Life” starting Friday
The article below was published in the Virginian-Pilot on December 20, 2018 By Dan Duke Assistant Features Editor, The Virginia-Pilot Associated Press File Photos: Jimmy Stewart explains things to Donna Reed in "It's A Wonderful Life" 1946 Thé N. Pham | The...
A Banner Year for Docs: The Best Non-Fiction Films of 2018
We love documentaries at the Naro. Our midweek ‘New Non-Fiction Film’ series with speakers and discussion continues to gain popularity in the age of Trump. As we search for what’s wrong in our system that has given us such a dystopian nightmare, an in-depth analysis...
The Case for Legalizing Cannabis in Virginia
We are living in a time of great cultural change regarding cannabis. It’s been a long time coming for those of us who first began experimenting with the plant back in the sixties and seventies. At the time, we thought we were on the cusp of a cultural revolution that...
Goodbye, Columbus: The Ascent of Indigenous Peoples’ Day
The Commonwealth of Virginia will observe Columbus Day this year on Monday, Oct 8th. As all school children know, the Italian adventurer Christopher Columbus ‘discovered’ America in 1492, although he never actually set foot on the continental U.S. The legal holiday...
In The Realm of the Hungry Ghosts
I grew up middle class in Norfolk, and by all measures of a less material society back in the fifties and sixties, I grew up privileged. My father was a successful self-made businessman who benefited from a rising standard of living and a growing military presence in...
Shining A Light On Dark Money
At the time of the founding of the nation, political democracy in the U.S. was extremely limited. The root meaning of ‘democracy’ is rule by and for the people. But exactly who is included in the term ‘the people’? The founding fathers lived in an era when only white...
Who Stands To Benefit From A Troncated Virginian-Pilot?
“I think it would be fun to run a newspaper.” – Orson Welles in ‘Citizen Kane’ The golden days of newspaper publishing are long gone – the era that was celebrated in the classic 1941 film ‘Citizen Kane’ whose character played by Orson Welles was based on newspaper...