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It is truly banal to say that we have never seen a First Lady like Michelle Obama; she is, as they say in the fashion world, a one off. Historically, the role of the president’s spouse has always been ill defined. First Ladies–Jacqueline Kennedy hated the term because it sounded like the name of a saddle horse–have no constitutional authority and do not answer to the electorate. However, just by virtue of being the president’s wife, they have tremendous influence. Consequently, American people project their expectations about many things such as gender roles and family values onto America’s Queen Consorts, and the public can be quite fickle when those expectations are not met. No more has this been the case than with Michelle Robinson Obama.

Nominations for the Academy Awards are due out this week, but a couple of the prime Oscar candidates are just now making it to Central Ohio.

  As of last weekend, we can bask in the angst and atmosphere of Carol, a lush period drama directed by Todd Haynes (Far From Heaven). Set in New York in 1952, it stars Cate Blanchett as Carol, a divorced mother, and Rooney Mara as Therese, a young store clerk who catches her eye.

  Carol is attracted to women, and Therese apparently is too, judging by the fascinated gaze she directs at this glamorous individual who shows up in her store’s toy department. Nevertheless, Carol proceeds cautiously, not only because this was a more conservative era but because she wants to remain on good terms with Harge (Kyle Chandler), the jealous ex who still supports her and her young daughter.

  The film also proceeds cautiously, to the extent that viewers may grow tired of waiting to see just where it’s headed.

The New York Times is no match for Gov. John Kasich's slick manipulation.

  We already know that The Columbus Dispatch is an easy mark for the governor turned presidential candidate.

  In a NYT Sunday Magazine article Jan. 3, reporter Robert Draper lets Kasich have his way, failing to immediately counter misstatements.

  Some for-instances:

  Kasich quote: "I don't spend any time thinking about him" (rival and front-runner Donald Trump).

  Truth not reported:  Kasich interrupted and harshly criticized Trump a few debates ago and Trump slapped him down like a bug.

  Kasich quote: "I don't like divisiveness. I don't like negativity."

  Truth not reported: See above attack on Trump and recent brickbats Kasich hurled at rivals Chris Christie and Marco Rubio.

  Kasich quote: "I don't care what the polls say."

Centuries ago in the epic Indian literature of ‘Mahabharat,” there is a story of a boy named Eklavya who passionately wants to learn archery from a teacher named Drona. When he approaches Drona, the teacher refuses to teach him. Eklavya makes a statue of Drona, teaches himself archery and becomes the best archer that ever existed. When Drona finds this out, he asks for his tuition fees from his student. Eklavya readily agrees to give whatever his teacher wants. The teacher Drona asks Eklavya to cut his right thumb and give it to him. Eklavya, bound by his promise and love for his teacher, cuts his thumb and offers it as his fees.

Ecstasy--pure human ecstasy, not the cheap drug--is a beautiful, necessary thing. Living the modern life of civilized apes, we sometimes either impoverish ourselves of the ecstasy of life or outright outlaw it. Not good; not right. Seeing visions was essential to a great many of America's original people. How they got 'em seems natural enough--fasting, dancing, natural stimulants, worship of nature, etc...
  To which I say: Beatles = liberation.

  Thus it was at the sixth annual 'Beatles-a-thon', 12 hours of live Beatles music provided by Joe and Matt Peppercorn and their band of highly proficient deep believers in the Beatles canon. I was ecstatic simply waiting in line half-an-hour before it began at the Blue Stone at 12:30 p.m. December 26. Liverpool and nirvana, here we come!

I predict the New Year will probably include a presidential election.

  Sorry, that was a joke.

  You want to hear about music?

  Deerhunter performed at the Skully’s Music Diner December 17th. This show was about a year after singer and multi-instrumentalist Bradford Cox was involved in a car accident that hospitalized him and resulted in him taking stock of his life.

  Deer Hunter’s latest release, “Fading Frontier” is a reflection of this.

  Well, it’s weird because if you look at the photos of Cox in the hospital and compare it to the amount of sounds and movement on stage one would one remark that he recovered from depression induced from immobilization quite well.

  Musically the Atlanta group operated poppy hooks, on occasion upbeat, at intervals melancholy, but eventually optimistic with layered tales of bored inertia turned motivation. Deer Hunter is aurally some place in between indie-rock, jam-band land and Neu!

So as it turns out, we never made it to Frenchman Street.

Every year, a few friends and I engage in a weekend of musical tourism, taking trips to cities which claim a vibrant live music scene and/or some historical interest. Past trips have included Memphis (Beale Street, Sun Records, Graceland) and Nashville (Downtown, Grand Ole Opry), among others. You know, famous places. 

This year, we decided to make our pilgrimage to New Orleans to get hammered and listen to jazz. From the moment we got into the cab at the airport, locals directed us to Frenchman street. According to pretty much everybody, this was the place to see jazz. The party was great, the music was fantastic, and you didn’t have to worry about the filth and violence of Bourbon Street. So sayeth the cabbie, the hotel concierge and the guy working at CVS.

But the problem was that our hotel was right in the middle of the French Quarter. Everything was a just a short walk away, from bars to museums to famous cemeteries – everything, that is, except for Frenchman Street. At over three miles away, it was unquestionably a cab ride proposition if we intended to drink seriously.

“We as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a ‘thing-oriented’ society to a ‘person-oriented’ society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Beyond Vietnam,” 1967

Smith & Wollensky Columbus Steakhouse in Easton serves a smart and an original vegan option (with advanced nutritional requirements notice) that is pretty exciting to those who enjoy a savory varietal mushroom filled pasty. If you have a penchant for grilled asparagus, baked potatoes, varietal olives and the biggest, saltiest, capers I’ve experienced, you will resonate with their vegan offerings. Healthy, fresh berries finish the meal but don’t satisfy that tempting chocolate craving you may have (especially when you witness other desserts non-vegans delight in- FYI vegan chocolate exists). However, there was some confusion with the team on the salad dressing and the mashed potatoes presented, because both contained dairy. If you have allergies or a heart/cancer/diabetes condition or prevention strategy for which you are avoiding animal products, you will want to remain vigilant on qualifying suspicious offerings.