Pat Taub
Native American Films
Last weekend I attended the Palm Springs Native American Film Fest, which opened with a documentary about the Native American Pulitzer Prize winning author and poet, Scott Momaday. Next I watched several short documentaries about life on the reservation, punctuated by poverty and deep familial bonds. I loved the film about a determined young high school girl, a star basketball player, coached by her mother on a makeshift desert basketball court. Another film featured a young couple teaching their infant daughter their disappearing native language.
An image from the film, “Generations” about a single mother (left) and her two teenage children
Student Climate Protest
Today, March 15th students from all over the globe will be walking out of school and marching in an appeal to their leaders to take action on climate extinction. The strike has been called by Greta Thunberg, the 16 year-old Swedish student who started the student climate protests and has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. I hope the march has a strong showing and prompts world leaders to address climate extinction with a greater commitment than they have shown to date.
“The Wife”
This week I finally saw the stunning movie, “The Wife,” starring Glenn Close in the role, which won her an Academy Award nomination. She plays the wife of a celebrated writer who wins the Nobel Prize for Literature. This movie is a very absorbing domestic drama with a great plot twist. See it if you can.
A dramatic scene from “The Wife” with Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce
March Madness
No, I’m not referring to the political climate dominated by US meddling in Venezuela, the Orange Monster’s wall, or rich parents paying huge cash bribes to get their kids into prestigious colleges. March Madness is the college basketball championship which begins next week with playoff games played daily until a champion emerges. Now that Duke’s star player, Zion Williamson, is off the bench after an injury, can he lift Duke to the title?
Zion Williamson, Duke’s star freshman player, considered to be 2019’s best basketball player
The Living Desert
As my Palm Springs vacation winds down I plan to take in the Living Desert this weekend to catch the spring desert blooms. Everyone who lives here insists this is a must-see. After all the recent heavy rains this year’s flowers and fauna are predicted to be especially beautiful.
A flowering cactus from The Living Desert
