This is just something I want to write down now, when the memory is fresh, before the collective gaslighing sets in: President Trump's campaign ran on undeniable racist themes, and the voters saw the bigotry as a feature and not a bug. When Clinton called half of his supporters bigoted, there was no wave of "oh no, … Continue reading Remember the Deplorables
Off-Camera Flash
There are really three pieces of photograph--getting the right things in the photo, taking the photo at the right moment, and getting the photo lit well at that moment. The first two are really hard to get right, but getting the third part right is cheap and easy, and will make a world of difference … Continue reading Off-Camera Flash
Simple Pumpkin Toffee Bread
I walked into Trader Joe's yesterday and was immediately hit by a wave of orange. Pumpkin to be specific. Pumpkin waffles, pumpkin bread, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin body butter...the list goes on. I'm not the world's biggest fan of pumpkin flavored things. Don't get me wrong, I love pumpkin pie. But Pumpkin Spiced Lattes end up tasting...well, … Continue reading Simple Pumpkin Toffee Bread
Sunday Funday
It's nice to have a day off. I'm looking forward at a long set of one day weekends (gray weekends) before I get a two day weekend (golden weekend). Let's not talk about no weekend (black weekend). Enjoy what you can though! This weekend, I had a lovely dinner with my friend Kathy May Tran and her … Continue reading Sunday Funday
Pictures from Colorado
Recently my family and I went to Durango and Cortez, Colorado for a vacation and it was gorgeous. We went to the Purgatory resort in Durango on the "off-season" (it's usually a ski resort) and had a blast. Rather than a true resort, Purgatory resort is a set of condos that people can purchase and … Continue reading Pictures from Colorado
Quick Thoughts on #affordable25
Housing in Cambridge is really expensive. In fact, it's too expensive, because housing is excessively regulated (that is to say, there's too much restriction on who can build what where). In the long run, the obvious solution is to let people build more, but in the short run, there's always a temptation to institute price caps, … Continue reading Quick Thoughts on #affordable25
No thanks, University of Chicago
A lot has changed in the past few months. I am now an intern, we are less than a hundred days away from a historic election, parts of Louisiana are once again under water, Epipen prices are more than quadrupled in price since 2007, and University of Chicago sent out a letter to its incoming freshman … Continue reading No thanks, University of Chicago
“Lets do something about Heroin. But not in Baltimore.”
Not so long ago, heroin was a "black people problem," in that it mainstream culture viewed it as a drug that primarily affected people of color, and not white communities. Then, pop culture and news media started noticing white people dying from overdoses, and suddenly the opiate epidemic was something worth addressing. It appears that … Continue reading “Lets do something about Heroin. But not in Baltimore.”
Diversity vs Integration
Diversity is when the white kids get to go to school with just the "right" proportion of non-white kids, while integration is when the schools all reflect the broader population. In a district that's about 6/7ths non-white, if all the white kids go school that is half non-white, they will experience diversity, while, the system … Continue reading Diversity vs Integration
Avocado Fries
As an Arizonan, I feel that I know avocados. I can estimate how long it will take them to ripen, I can figure out whether they'll taste better as guacamole or as just smashed on top of a piece of toast. Give me an avocado, some olive oil, some salt, and a spoon, and I am … Continue reading Avocado Fries
The Clumsy Cook 