Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
This year represents a personal milestone: I have lived as long in Germany as in the United States (not counting my years as a baby). Inside, I’m now half American, half German, and I feel a strong attachment to, and appreciation of, both countries. I thought about this last weekend when two friends — one American, one German — sent … >>
Holiday weekends like Easter are also Hollywood weekends in America. It’s when whole families drive to their local multiplex to see the latest movies. Before they go, many of them turn to their favorite oracle for advice. Roger Ebert has been reviewing films for the Chicago Sun-Times since 1967, when he was only 25. In 1975, he teamed up with … >>
It was two in the morning, and the shops and markets of Dubai, open late during Ramadan, had finally closed. Realizing how far away my hotel was, I stopped walking after half an hour and caught the only taxi that came past. I sat down next to the driver in what I can only describe as a religious shrine with … >>
Last week, some of us in the print media observed a moment of silence for the death of a relative. After 146 years in business, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer printed its last newspaper on March 17. Unable to make a profit, the Hearst Corporation, which owns the P-I, has turned the paper into an online-only edition. You’d think that enough readers … >>
As we know from reading Spotlight Online, President Obama has proclaimed March to be “Irish-American Heritage Month”. Certainly, with the name O’Bama, he can joke about having a connection to Ireland. With 12 percent of Americans claiming some Irish ancestry, it’s not unfair to give the Irish a whole month. African-Americans, at 13.5 percent, have all of February as Black … >>
I almost missed it, it was so small. Hidden below a story about the death of Socks, the Clinton family cat, was this item in Time magazine: REOPENED Five years after the atrocities committed within its walls shocked the world, Abu Ghraib now touts modern amenities and humane treatment of its inmates. The renovated jail, rechristened Baghdad Central Prison, formally … >>
Ordinary Americans, and members of Congress, needed a deep breath to think about spending another $787 billion to get the derailed US economy back on track. Only one-sixth of the total was for projects in infrastructure and science, but a small item received an undue amount of attention. It was a $1.3 billion subsidy for Amtrak, the national passenger rail … >>
Finally, he’s back. In a major address to both houses of Congress Tuesday night, Barack Obama outlined his plans for the economy and his priorities for the country. Not only was it one of Obama’s most inspirational speeches; it was probably the most inspirational speech given by any president in recent memory. (Watch video | Read the text) The somber, … >>
A few years ago, author Tom Friedman talked about a trip he’d taken to Tehran. Demonstrators passed by his hotel, shouting “Death to America!” Friedman asked one of them why so many people hated his country. The Iranian told him that he didn’t hate America at all; in fact, he has family in the US and would like to go … >>
“Do you want to try it?” I couldn’t believe my ears. My mother, who is at an age when people start to fear change, was inviting me to do something new. We were at a large supermarket in Pittsburgh, standing in front of 20 checkout counters, four or five of which were staffed. The lines were fairly long, so she … >>