By John Rolfe / Red Hook, N.Y. This poem by Emma Lazarus, mounted in the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal, once made me proud to be an American. It was part of the mythology I was taught as a kid: the United States welcomes immigrants, gives them an opportunity for a better life, and benefits from their contributions. I later discovered that the reality is starkly, depressingly different. Since the nation’s founding, every wave of immigrants — Germans, Irish, Italians, Jews, Asians, Hispanics, to name a few— has been resisted. I saw merit in America’s “melting pot” concept until I noticed the hostility directed at those who do not sufficiently dilute their cultural identity. Some groups, such as Blacks, and Muslims are still struggling for full acceptance. Fear of the other — those who are physically or culturally different — is deeply ingrained in the human psyche, a primal holdover from times when survival depended upon hoarding resources with one’s own kind — the known and therefore trusted — from possible marauders (the unknown and therefore distrusted). Our current heartless treatment of immigrants, migrants and refugees, especially those of color, is hardly new. Even Afghans who risked their lives helping our military during our 20-year war in their country are having trouble getting in. The dispiriting thicket of red tape they face in the name of national security is an outrage that the Biden Administration has been slow to fix … for, I suspect, political reasons. With high stakes midterm elections approaching, immigration and crime are the top issues for Republicans, who vow to impeach President President Biden if they reclaim Congress. Among their grounds, they claim, is his refusal to honor his oath of office by leaving our borders “open” to an “invasion” that is devastating communities near our Southwestern border, costing taxpayers and threatening to destroy the entire country. A record total of more than 2 million unauthorized people have been apprehended in the past 11 months, which speaks to the dire conditions in the countries from which they are coming. How they are being processed (or not) is the crux of the matter. People with at least half a heart recognize that we need a better system that can handle great volume efficiently and effectively and do it humanely while keeping our border secure. But it seems even the notions of granting asylum from persecution or letting law-abiding people in with a clear path to citizenship are being tightly restricted and even abandoned. I am not saying that all Americans are stonehearted bigots. There are many compassionate, generous people working to help refugees, migrants and immigrants. It’s just that our system, our political and legal institutions, too often work against those who try to come here and stay. Now that Donald Trump’s efforts to build a border wall have stalled, Governors Ron DeSantis (Florida), Gregg Abbott (Texas), and Doug Ducey (Arizona) have been leading the GOP’s defense of the nation by sending busloads and planeloads of immigrants and refugees to sanctuary cities such as New York, Chicago, and Washington D.C. (including Vice President Kamala Harris’s neighborhood) often without first notifying authorities there. This cynical “We don’t want them, you take them!” tactic is being hailed on the right as a clever if not humorous form of protest, a way to showcase the hypocrisy of liberals in cities that do not bear the burdens of receiving and caring for thousands of desperate, destitute people. Never mind that DeSantis spent $615,000 to send 48 Venezuelan immigrants, some of them with a legal right to seek asylum, to Martha’s Vineyard on two chartered flights. That the immigrants were welcomed but quickly moved to a military base on Cape Cod was the right’s “See! We told you!” moment; their obvious bottom line being that Democrats and liberals are as hypocritical as Republicans and conservatives, and little or nothing will be done by either side to help those people forge a new life. In all this hideous political bickering, the humanity of immigrants and refugees, and what they have endured in their homelands, is rarely mentioned along with the costs and alleged threats they bring. Think about what it would take you to leave your home here and throw yourself on the mercy of strangers while making a long, perilous, uncertain journey to a strange country where you don’t speak the language and many people don’t want you there. Back in 2006, President George W. Bush called upon all members of Congress to not lose sight of the fact “that we’re talking about human beings, decent human beings that need to be treated with respect” in support of an immigration reform bill. The bill died and legislative efforts since then have been directed at removing the right of immigrant children born in America to be automatically granted citizenship or to deport undocumented people who have been living here peacefully and productively for many years to countries they have never seen. Yes, there are some bad eggs among the incoming, just as there are bad eggs in every group of humans, but the overwhelming message from the right is that those who are crossing the southern border are mainly “sweaty Third World campesinos” in “dirty work pants” (to use Tucker Carlson’s charming phrase), tramps, scoundrels, freeloaders, criminals (particularly rapists, in Trump’s view) and, worst of all, potential Democratic voters. Crime committed by so-called “illegals” is a valid concern (see the official stats here), but not as bad, according to the Justice Department, as we are led to believe in besieged states such as Texas. And contrary to myth, “States don't provide any public benefits to the unauthorized,” Muzaffar Chishti a senior fellow at the Migration Policy Institute, told NPR. “The only two public benefits that — under our law and the Constitution — we provide are basic public schooling and emergency medical care.” Chisti explained that “every study that has been done for the last 30 years has shown that immigrants, including the unauthorized, are a net gain for the country” because a large majority aren’t eligible for any social benefits and almost all pay taxes that actually help support the Social Security system for American citizens. The immigrants I’ve seen in the course of my daily life, from a Yemeni deli owner in Brooklyn to the Central American field workers at the farm near my home in New York’s Hudson Valley, toil very long, hard hours for modest pay in order to support families. And they aren’t taking jobs from “real” Americans. There’s a labor shortage now. Instead of working together to fix the horrid conditions in Central American and other countries — until they improve, waves of people will keep coming — we’re wrapped up in a grand exercise of NIMBY (Not in My Back Yard). Trump recently told interviewer Sean Hannity that if he returns to the White House he will deport “millions and millions” he says are “poisoning the country.” The GOP’s coldhearted approach is in keeping with the party’s long opposition to civil rights, LGBTQ rights, worker, consumer and environmental protections, and other humane issues. It’s not surprising that a sheriff in Bexar County, Tex., has opened a criminal investigation of DeSantis, who is also being sued by immigrant and civil rights advocates for enticing immigrants to travel to Martha’s Vineyard with false promises of jobs and support. Compassion is not the right’s strong suit. I will never forget hearing conservative icon Rush Limbaugh defend harsh border protection measures by saying that separating children from their parents is good because kids these days are pampered and it will toughen them up. The right isn’t the factory showroom floor for tolerance and inclusion either. According to the Anti-Defamation League, DeSantis presides over a state where anti-Semitic incidents rose 50 percent between 2020 and 2022, and where most of the people who have been charged in the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol make their home. And lest we forget, Florida is also the home of the “Don’t Say Gay” and “Stop-WOKE” laws designed — by those who claim to oppose governmental restriction of rights — to restrict, with dangerously unclear language, how race and gender are taught in schools. (Oh the horrors of people learning to understand each other and why certain conditions have persisted in this country for hundreds of years.) Naturally, DeSantis is a contender for the GOP’s 2024 presidential nomination. He seems to be one of a particularly mean breed of modern Republican and has earned the nicknames DeathSantis and DeSatan from detractors for his staunch, punitive opposition to pandemic protection measures such as mask and vaccine mandates. Meanwhile, the right keeps flogging the Great Replacement Theory that American whites are under attack and in danger of disappearing. It’s xenophobia of the kind that perpetually plagues this entire world. In America, immigrants have succeeded largely in spite of the perpetual resistance to them, not because the heartwarming ideal on the Statue of Liberty prevails. It’s an ideal we too rarely live up to. Crafting an effective, humane immigration system is difficult. Even harder is improving conditions in corruption- and violence-ravaged countries like Venezuela, El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala so their citizens will want to remain there. NGOs are working against all odds toward that goal and the U.S. government is devoting hundreds of millions of dollars to a multi-faceted “Root Causes Strategy” that will take time before any results are noticeable. Meanwhile, the game of immigrant hot potato goes on here. Perhaps it’s time to replace the poem on the Statue of Liberty. I suggest the lyrics of the 1960s song “Easy to Be Hard.” How can people be so heartless? How can people be so cruel? Easy to be proud Easy to say no Easy to be cold Easy to say no. John Rolfe is a former senior editor for Sports Illustrated for Kids, a longtime columnist for the Poughkeepsie Journal/USA Today Network, and author of The Goose in the Bathroom: Stirring Tales of Family Life. His school bus drivin’ blog “Hellions, Mayhem and Brake Failure” is parked on his website Celestialchuckle.com (https://celestialchuckle.com) with the meter running.

By Judi Markowitz Covid came crashing through our door a few weeks ago . He was unwelcome, and I truly did not expect him at this point in the game. Everyone else in the family had contracted Covid at varying times in the past few years, and we considered ourselves the lucky ones. I thought we had dodged the bullet and squeaked by this this foul intruder. I was wrong. From the onset of the pandemic, our family followed all the precautionary measures to remain safe. We wore masks, stayed away from large crowds, washed our hands constantly, and were vigilant due to the health issues of our daughter, Lindsay. The fear and trepidation that I had when Covid first reared its ugly head in 2020 was paralyzing. Viewing the rising number of infections and death tolls daily was incomprehensible. It brought back memories of being a teenager and watching TV as the number of troops deployed to Vietnam kept soaring. Consequently, there were also the wounded and death tolls broadcast every day. I could not comprehend Vietnam then, just as I could not grasp this new raging battle against Covid. It was January 2021 and the first vaccines for those 65 and older had just become available in Michigan. My husband, Jeffrey, and I secured our date and times to receive this life-saving gift, and we thought we could do the same for Lindsay. We were wrong. When inquiring about a potential time frame for Lindsay to be vaccinated, we were told that her age group would not be approved until the spring. This information seemed crazy. How could they deny a person with an extremely rare condition medical intervention at such a pressing time? Lindsay’s doctor wrote a letter explaining her need for a vaccine and we pleaded with the medical staff. First, we asked the nurses, then the supervisors, and lastly the managers. The answers were all the same — not now. Apparently being 41, and severely disabled with a respiratory condition, was not significant enough. Upon hearing about our dilemma, a close family friend in Chicago sprang into action and arranged for Lindsay to be vaccinated. She worked in the medical profession and was obviously well connected. So, in January 2021, we embarked on a road trip to Chicago. We drove there twice, approximately six weeks apart as prescribed. Of course, both times it was snowing heavily. We stayed in a hotel that was pristine and Covid-clean, ordered carry-out, and drove the next morning to the vaccine site. Lindsay received her shots while seated in the car, and then we were on our way home. When the boosters became available, Jeffrey called our friendly neighborhood pharmacist and made appointments for all of us to be vaccinated. Approximately six months after that, we did a repeat performance. Our intention was to receive the new Covid-19 Bivalent Booster when it became available in the fall. However, our plans did not matter because Mr. Covid didn’t care about our time frame or intentions. At the beginning of September, our son Chad came over for a visit after work and mentioned that he didn’t feel well, and was worried that he might have Covid.. He immediately took a home test and sure enough it was positive. The next day Jeffrey commented that he had been feeling tired, so he took a Covid test too. One more victim fell to Mr. Covid. Lindsay and I were both fine, but the odds were not in our favor anymore. Ironically, we received a phone call from Lindsay’s day program ; Lindsay had been exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid. The writing was on the wall — we had Covid too. It was apparent that Mr. Covid was a slick operator. He only stayed for a few days and then this invader disappeared. I must say that we were all incredibly lucky since we had mild cases. Our Covid symptoms caused all four of us to have insatiable thirst. We drank water like there was a perpetual spring in our house. Thankfully, we had an ample supply of Ice Mountain water bottles to help quench our thirst. Energy levels were down and so was our appetite. At times my legs felt weak, as if I had just gotten out of a kayak after a two-hour excursion on the lake. I also sounded like I had a cold. But other than that, I felt no symptoms. One thing that I was incredibly grateful for is that none of us lost our ability to taste. It would have been a sad day for me if that had occurred. I am a long standing chocaholic and not tasting that divine flavor everyday would have thrown me into withdrawal. Lindsay would have been in trouble as well. She has a penchant for Coca-Cola and watching her savor each sip is hugely enjoyable. I have often compared myself to the Energizer Bunny — I am always busy. But Lindsay is like the Energizer Bunny on steroids, with a bigger, better battery. She is action-packed from the moment she wakes up until late at night. So Covid did not deter Lindsay from her usual routine. If I hadn’t seen her test results with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have suspected that Lindsay had Covid. I have immense gratitude that she was spared a difficult case. Since she had to stay home from her day program, Jeffrey and I took to the road and gave Lindsay her usual pleasure rides to distances unknown. We looked for walking trails that were virtually empty and stayed outside much of the day enjoying the nice weather–away from other humans. Paradoxically, two years ago, the notorious Mr. Covid graced our family with one remarkable gift : the return to the U.S. of our son Todd, daughter-in-law Chana Tova and our seven grandchildren. They had been living in Israel for 17 years. Skype and Facetime had been our mainstay but, it could not compete with their actual presence on a daily basis. I knew we were missing so many life experiences and milestones– it became even more pronounced upon their return. I could finally be an integral part of their lives and enjoy seeing them grow. Their decision to stay in Michigan was driven by Covid. They came for a 10-day visit in October 2020. Soon after, Israel closed its doors and those who held visas were no longer able to return. They were in a quandary. My son’s job as a teacher ended due to the country’s pandemic lockdown and the grandchildren had been out of school since March. Tough decisions had to be made, so they went into deep contemplation mode. After a few days of considering the possibilities for their family in the U.S., they decided to stay. Todd secured a teaching position, and they enrolled the kids in school. The rest is history. Covid’s appearance at our door at this late date was unwanted. But our whole family being together at last–priceless. Judi Markowitz is a retired high school English teacher of 34 years. She primarily taught 12th grade and had the pleasure of her three sons gracing her classes. In addition, she taught debate, forensics, and Detroit film. Judi has four adult children and seven wonderful grandchildren. She is married to Jeffrey Markowitz, whom she met in high school. Judi grew up in Oak Park, Mich. which had a stellar school district, with excellent teachers. The city provided activities for all–and there were even sidewalks. Judi moved to Huntington Woods as an adult, which is a half mile from her childhood home. She wanted the same experience for her children as she had growing up, and Huntington Woods provided that. The View from Four Foot Two is Judi’s first book.

By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area The classic 1973 Bob Dylan song, “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” has been playing in my head for a few days now. Why? For the whole pandemic, I’ve been anxiously waiting for the dreaded diagnosis. Well folks, Covid knocked knocked knocked on MY door Tuesday, September 20. Hello there, you have arrived! Several months ago, if that red line had appeared on the at-home test,” I would have freaked out. Yesterday, not so much. Ho-hum, who hasn’t had Covid? I was doomed even though we barely leave the house, I’m always masked when I go out, and I’ve had all but one booster shot. This is a case of relatives bringing the lovely virus to me during their visit on September 15 for the weekend. They feel terrible about it, I’m taking it in stride. The lyrics of Dylan’s song are really referring to someone dying, about to enter heaven. I think they’re appropriate when you actually have a bad case of the virus. You kind of want to die. My head is splitting, I ache, I have a hacking cough, my ears hurt. I happen to have a suppressed immune system. My doctor said if I got Covid, it wouldn’t be pretty. No kidding! Culinarily, I wouldn’t call this quarantine my finest hour for eating. The past two nights have been cereal and bananas, rotating between Cheerios and Raisin Bran, for dinner. Daytime: coffee and Mandelbrot. This is about all I can manage, caffeine and carbs, my comfort foods. I have strayed from my normal good eating habits and have sunk to the bottom of the acceptable barrel. Last night wasn’t too bad. I actually slept! Today, four days later, I have a little spring in my step again. Geez, Paxlovid, that antiviral, really did the trick. So maybe getting the virus hasn’t been so bad, except for having to cancel everything I had planned for two weeks: my Friday afternoons of meditation with the Thai monks, great seats at the theater in San Francisco to see To Kill a Mockingbird, Rosh Hashanah dinner with my family, dentist and doctor appointments. No swimming or shopping. Isolation once again. However, something quite astounding just happened! My husband, Bob, has been isolating in another bedroom. He stumbles out of bed complaining of a terrible sore throat. Oh no! Does HE have Covid again?? I hover over his shoulder watching and waiting as he does his at-home test. Negative, he happily proclaims. Yikes! The light bulb goes on. I misread my Covid results from my test taken two days ago!! I’m negative too! I erroneously thought the red line under the C meant you have it. Au contraire. READ THE DIRECTIONS! Duh! Yes, I just had a bad cold, which is what my sister-in-law and brother-in-law found out that they had too. Alas, not reading directions is a family trait on my mother’s side. My sister Nancy and my two kids are the same way. If we read them, something goes awry anyway. This time it really went off the rails! The downside of my error? One, I canceled out my next week of appointments unnecessarily. Two, I’m taking an antiviral which tastes like the contents of a coin purse. Three, I feel like a fool. My kids got a good chuckle. That’s okay, I’ll recover from this mistake. My husband happens to read every word of every instruction sheet or booklet. He even reads the entire car manual upon purchasing a new vehicle. Bob can’t believe he married me! For all of you who are ailing from a bad cold, or allergies, the flu, or even a real case of Covid, consider having someone make soup for you. I really like this one today as it is brothy, vegetarian, and has carbs. It whips up fast with very little effort. (The only catch is that I found it necessary to go to an Asian grocery store to buy the ingredients. You may find yourself in the same bind unless your local supermarket carries more unusual selections.) Put in any fresh vegetables that you want for variety. If you want to make this as easy as possible, skip putting the egg in or poach the egg separately. Cooking it in the broth at the last minute is a bit of a shuffle. Just sayin’. Let us know here at The Insider if you really read instructions. If not, we’d love to hear about any mishaps you may have had. I certainly had mine! Author’s Note: I know that millions of people have had the virus and over a million Americans have died from it. I am not making light of all those who have suffered, are suffering, or have lost a loved one. I’m simply coming from a personal perspective of my own experience and how I manage life’s many bumps in the road. I also mistakenly thought I had Covid when there are good booster shots and vaccines to keep the illness at bay. I feel fortunate for science and my ability to obtain these medicines, which have helped me to avoid an actual positive result. Japanese Dashi Udon Noodles with Shiitake Yield: 4 servings 2 oz. dried shiitake mushroom caps 2 oz. dried dashi (sea kelp) 2 c. bonito flakes 3 qt. water 6 oz. udon noodles (or lo mein) 2 baby bok choy, sliced thin 1 medium poblano pepper, cored and seeded, sliced very thin 1 jalapeño pepper, cored and seeded, sliced very thin 4 scallions, sliced thin diagonally 1 large handful mung bean sprouts 8 oz. firm tofu, cut into 1/2” x 1” squares 1 tsp. salt Garnish: 1 scallion, sliced thin diagonally mung bean sprouts bonito flakes 1 lg. egg per person (optional) In a 5-6 qt. pot, put the mushrooms and the water. Bring to a boil; cover. Simmer for 45 minutes.  Add the kelp and bonito flakes. Continue to cook for 15 minutes more. While the mushrooms are cooking, bring a 3-qt. pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook only 5 minutes.  Drain in a colander; rinse with cold water. Drain well. Reserve. Strain the contents of the stock pot into another pot.  Press the contents with the back of a spoon to extract all of the liquid. Discard the kelp. Slice up at least half of the mushrooms or to taste and return to the stock.  Add the bok choy and peppers to the stock. After 2 minutes, add the scallions, sprouts, tofu, salt, and noodles.  Bring to a boil. Have ready 4 poached eggs, if using. Use tongs to distribute the noodles among four large soup bowls. Ladle on the broth and vegetables.  Top with poached eggs. Garnish with remaining scallion, sprouts, and bonito flakes. Another option; distribute the noodles, top each bowl with a raw egg, ladle boiling broth over the egg, then the garnishes. Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.

Fred Plotkin, a pleasure activist and passionate Italy and culinary expert, speaks each Friday with leading people in the arts FRED PLOTKIN is one of America’s foremost experts on opera and has distinguished himself in many fields as a writer, speaker, consultant and as a compelling teacher. He is an expert on everything Italian, the person other so-called Italy experts turn to for definitive information.  Fred discovered the concept of "The Renaissance Man" as a small child and has devoted himself to pursuing that ideal as the central role of his life. In a “Public Lives” profile in The New York Times on August 30, 2002, Plotkin was described as "one of those New York word-of-mouth legends, known by the cognoscenti for his renaissance mastery of two seemingly separate disciplines: music and the food of Italy." In the same publication, on May 11, 2006, it was written that "Fred is a New Yorker, but has the soul of an Italian."

By Andy Borowitz September 23, 2022 PALM BEACH (The Borowitz Report)—In a candid interview guaranteed to make headlines, Melania Trump revealed that she wished she could get a divorce “just by thinking about it.” While stressing that she had no plans to divorce her husband, Mrs. Trump said that doing so would require “a lot more than having the idea in my head.” “I think to get a divorce one would need lawyers, courts, those types of things,” she said. “To say you can undo something like a marriage just by thinking about it is some kind of crazy talk.” At the conclusion of the interview, Mrs. Trump emphasized, once again, that she was happy in her marriage to Donald Trump. “I live in a beautiful home with all the nuclear codes a woman could want,” she said.

By Jessie Seigel / Washington, D.C. The hotly contested race for governor in Texas continues to seesaw. The current governor, Republican Gregg Abbott, was ahead in the spring, but former Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke cut into Abbott’s lead after the Uvalde, Tex. school massacre on May 24th and the Supreme Court evisceration of Roe v. Wade on June 24th. And here we go again: Abbott has taken a commanding lead again as autumn is now upon us. According to a University of Houston-Texas Southern University poll in early September, Abbott was 7 percentage points ahead of O’Rourke—49 percent of Texans supporting Abbott, and only 42 percent for O’Rourke. By September 19, a poll conducted by the Dallas Morning News with the University of Texas at Tyler, from September 6-13 surveying nearly 1,300 registered voters, showed Abbott with a growing lead, 49 percent to O’Rourke’s 28 percent, 9 points ahead. Abbott’s handsome lead may, in part, be the result of an incumbent’s advantage in name recognition and access to airwaves, as well as money to buy that access. In August, Abbott flooded TV with negative ads that, for weeks–due to O’Rourke’s conservation of lesser funds and unexpected illness–went unanswered, leaving Abbott’s campaign essentially the only one on the air. According to the Washington Examiner, Abbott spent $10.3 million on broadcast, cable and digital ads between August 16 and September 15, while O’Rourke spent only $1.9 million. An additional $1.8 million was spent by memorably named “Coulda Been Worse,” an anonymous group of donors opposing Abbott. But the amount spent by O’Rourke and Coulda Been Worse combined could not compete with Abbott’s ability to spend—especially since Abbott also is sitting on a mighty war chest of $46 million, much of which will be available for use as the election approaches. It is no wonder, then, that Beto has conserved his ammunition for the fall. According to the Washington Examiner, he reserved about $9 million in advertising that began after Labor Day, and is expected to last through Election Day on November 8. To further complicate his challenge of Abbott, Beto was out of commission in August with a bacterial infection for some crucial campaign days. But he is now back on the trail with a vengeance. If Beto’s performance in his 2018 race against incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz is any indication, Beto is likely to continue to hit that trail hard. In the 2018 campaign, Beto traveled to every county in Texas, almost beating Cruz—a true accomplishment in a state which has not elected a Democrat to a statewide office since 1994. Cruz only topped Beto by 2.6 percent, the closest U.S. Senate race in Texas since 1978. Reportedly, Beto is taking a similar approach in this governor’s race. And he still has some time to play catch up in the polls. But horserace aside, the substantive question is what will reach Lone Star hearts and minds? What will it take for a majority of Texas voters to show their humanity and vote accordingly? Beto O’Rourke’s appeal to voters is based in human issues, among them women’s rights to make decisions about their own health and bodies, and stricter gun policy after Texas’ recent mass school shootings. Under the heartless Texas anti-abortion law signed and defended by Gov. Abbott, there is no exception for rape or incest, although, according to the Texas Politics Project, 80 percent of Texans—including more than 70 percent of Republicans—support abortion access in those situations. People convicted of performing an abortion can receive a sentence of up to life in prison and a fine of at least a $100,000. The anti-abortion legislation also authorizes private citizens to file civil suits against anyone who aids and abets an abortion in the state, with a minimum award of $10,000. Ever since the Uvalde school massacre, carried out by a man who legally purchased two AR-style rifles just after his 18th birthday, O’Rourke has been pushing for red-flag laws, universal background checks, and raising the minimum age for buying AR-style weapons to 21. According to polls, these proposals are popular in Texas. Moreover, the families of Uvalde victims, the Uvalde city council, and the Uvalde School Board have asked Gov. Abbott to call a special session to raise the minimum age for making such purchases. Thus far, Abbott has stubbornly refused. Instead, Abbott has tried to change the subject from his opposition to women’s rights and his failure concerning the Uvalde school shooting fiasco to his campaign on border security and immigration. His most recent gambit has been to transport immigrants by bus from Texas border towns to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. And Abbott’s political twin, Republican Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis is aiding Abbott in this inhumane endeavor by trickery, enticing asylum seekers in Texas onto planes with false promises of housing and employment, and then unceremoniously dumping them in so-called sanctuary cities in the Northeast. Those cities had no notice that they were coming, so were totally unprepared and had to scramble to help them. Sadly, Abbott’s cruel strategy appears to be going over well in his own state. According to the Dallas Morning News, a majority of Texans approve of how Abbott is handling immigration at the Texas-Mexico border, 52 percent to 39 percent, approving of actions like truck inspections and the deployment of National Guard and state police. Busing of immigrants to northern cities was approved by 54 percent. Still, some Texans are shocked by the callously sadistic quality of Abbott’s actions. Christopher Alston of Plano, Tex., told the Dallas Morning News that the immigrant busing is, “just a scar on humanity and a real true crime.” He added, “Those people are destitute and then they get jacked around like they’re a card, like it’s a game. We need to relocate Abbott to the middle of Russia.” On the other hand, Eva McElhearn of Denison, Tex. told the newspaper that the busing was “a good step because someone needs to address the situation and Texas shouldn’t just be the only one having to deal with the illegal immigrants coming over the border.” McElhearn’s thinking is not evil but a shortsighted view which ignores the suffering Abbott is deliberately causing—as well as his refusal to work with those trying to formulate a sustainable yet compassionate immigration policy. The result of the Abbott-O’Rourke contest will tell the rest of us just what kind of human beings Texans are. And this race, one of most closely watched matchups in the U.S., may well be a bellwether for the direction of the nation. Political columnist Jessie Seigel had a long career as a government attorney in which she honed her analytic skills. She has also twice received an Artist’s Fellowship from the Washington, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities for her fiction, and has been a finalist for a number of literary awards. In addition, Seigel is an associate editor at the Potomac Review, a reviewer for The Washington Independent Review of Books, and a dabbler in political cartoons at Daily Kos. Of this balance in her work between the analytic and the imaginative, Seigel jokes, “I guess my right and left brains are well-balanced.” More on and from Seigel can be found at The Adventurous Writer, https://www.jessieseigel.com.

One film journalist’s stream-of-consciousness cinematic journey through the pandemic, Part 101 By Laurence Lerman / New York City Summer is now most definitely behind us– not a great season, moviewise, but that’s yesterday’s news. Now is the time that studios great and small begin to roll out their prestige pictures. Here they come–the most distinguished and respectable films most likely to garner nominations for the upcoming awards season, which generally runs from November through March. The season includes the Producers Guild Awards, the Directors Guild Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards and the Golden Globes (which are returning to a network broadcast following one year of banishment!), among others. All of this leads up to the Academy Awards, the 95th Edition of which is slated for March 12, 2023. (It’s never too early to prep for The Insider’s annual Academy Awards contest!) Priming up this season’s prestige were three major film festivals—the mighty Venice, Toronto and Telluride fests—all of which unspooled in September. Between the three of them, a handful of major October releases enjoyed lauded worldwide premieres. They all definitely qualify as prestige pictures, with their distributors already positioning them for award nominations. There are still a couple of months to go for the rest of the year’s big contenders to arrive, but a pair of them landed in October in the form of the festival favorites Tár and The Banshees of Inisherin. (They join Gina Prince-Bythwood’s The Woman King, a popular festival pic that opened theatrically in September.) So without further ado, here are 10 movies set for October release which are worth looking into—from arthouse pics and documentaries to star-laden rom-coms and thrillers. Dive in! Amsterdam (Oct. 7) No specific plot details have been revealed yet, but by the looks of the trailer, David O. Russell’s latest offering appears to be a comedy-infused crime flick set in the ’70s involving a trio of friends who are thieves or con artists. It sort of seems like Russell’s 2013 American Hustle, but with even more stars, including Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Robert De Niro and Taylor Swift. Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle (Oct. 7) Directed by France’s Arthur Harari, this adventurous bio-pic tells the story of Hiroo Onoda, a Japanese soldier stationed on an island in the Philippines during World War II, who until 1974 was living and laboring under the delusion that the war was still going on. Onoda’s life was also the subject of Werner’s Herzog’s recent bestselling book, The Twilight World. Triangle of Sadness (Oct. 7) A luxury cruise for the rich and beautiful takes a satirically catastrophic turn when a celebrity model couple, Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean), find themselves stranded on a desert island and enduring some not-so-Instagramable situations. Woody Harrelson co-stars as the unhinged ship captain. Swedish filmmaker Ruben Ostlund won his second Palme d’Or at Cannes in May for this one (his first was for 2017’s The Square). Tár (Oct. 7) It’s been 16 years since actor/filmmaker Todd Field last sat in the director’s chair for Little Children. He finally returns with a psychological drama about Lydia Tár, one of the greatest living classical composer/conductors and the first-ever female chief conductor of a major German orchestra. Oh, and she’s a wholly fictional creation conceived by Field, who also wrote the script. Starring the unstoppable Cate Blanchett, who reportedly knocked ’em dead in Venice. Decision to Leave (Oct. 14) Stylish South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Stoker, The Handmaiden) won the Best Director Prize at Cannes for this romantic thriller, which focuses on a detective who becomes obsessed with a woman who may have murdered her husband. Halloween Ends (Oct. 14) The saga of the murderous Michael Myers and his forever obsession Laurie Strode, portrayed by the enduring Jamie Lee Curtis, will finally come to an end this month—or so the filmmakers say! David Gordon Green returns to direct his third (and final?) entry in the franchise, which appears to be as immortal as the boogeyman at its center. The Banshees of Inisherin (Oct. 21) Martin McDonagh’s new film reunites his In Bruges co-stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as buddies whose lives on a remote island off the coast of Ireland take a radical turn when one of them unexpectedly puts an end to their friendship. It’s a McDonagh creation, so acerbic banter is guaranteed. Ticket to Paradise (Oct. 21) Super-duper-stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts romantically and comedically reunite as bitter ex-spouses who come together on the eve of the wedding of their lovestruck daughter (Kaitlyn Dever) to prevent her from making the same mistake they once made. Call Jane (Oct. 28) In 1968 Chicago, a married woman with an unwanted pregnancy and a life-threatening heart condition must navigate an all-male medical establishment unwilling to terminate her pregnancy in order to save her life. This leads her to a group of progressive women led by an activist committed to women’s health who dreams of a day when all women will have access to abortion. Directed by Phyllis Nagy; Elizabeth Banks, Sigourney Weaver and Chris Messina star. Armageddon Time (Oct. 28) The latest drama by the always provocative James Gray (Little Odessa, Two Lovers) looks at the life of an artistically inclined Jewish boy (Banks Repeta) and his friendship with a Black classmate (Jaylin Webb) in 1980s Queens. Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong portray the boy’s parents, and Anthony Hopkins his British-born grandfather. Laurence Lerman is a film journalist, former editor of Video Business--Variety's DVD trade publication--and husband to The Insider's own Gwen Cooper. Over the course of his career he has conducted one-on-one interviews with just about every major director working today, including Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Kathryn Bigelow, Ridley Scott, Walter Hill, Spike Lee, and Werner Herzog, among numerous others. Once James Cameron specifically requested an interview with Laurence by name, which his wife still likes to brag about. Most recently, he is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online review site DiscDish.com.

By Naomi Serviss / New York City Her Majesty’s death on September 8th was a knockout blow despite its anticipation. Granted, the Queen was ancient, but she looked so good! Not exactly robust, but spry for a woman in her 90s. The world’s reaction was a mixed bag of tender tributes and accusations of murder. Two days before, she had warmly welcomed the shiny new Prime Minister, Liz Truss. The Queen had looked frailer then, but impeccably (as expected), seamlessly tailored, wearing expensively sensible black shoes. Beaming her trademark smile. No one has worn rainbow colors– tangerine, magenta, seafoam, golden yellow, fuchsia– more elegantly. The Queen power-dressed for every occasion. I always wondered how many Corgi hairs had to be plucked from her royal hem every day. Death is inevitable, at 96 or before. But Queen Elizabeth II’s demise seems to have occurred in a cruel mirage blink. Between the time it takes to inhale and exhale. Now that the funeral spectacle has been etched in history’s great books, it seems opportune to examine our fascination with this centuries’-old traditon. Lest we forget, their royal ancestors exploited, oppressed and colonized lands they had no business mucking about in. Traumatized generations of conquered victims do not easily forgive their enemies. A royal comeuppance is blowing in the wind. The constitutional monarchy seems so Monty Pythonesque. Outdated and ridiculous. And still, I remain mesmerized. We Boomers reveled in Princess Diana’s spotlight, some identifying with the 19-year-old under her mother’s thumb, marrying an older royal fussbudget mama’s boy (grapevine rumors). It was both dreamy and doomed. Who knew Di had an eating disorder? Who knew the extent of Charles’ fealty to Camilla? Now our eyes turn towards Harry and William’s thawing relationship, knowing both Diana and the Queen would be grateful for familial rapprochement. The two couples’ unexpected appearance together after one of the mourning services thrilled watchers. The foursome greeted well-wishers Who had brought notes and flowers, and chatted warmly with the crowd. It was the first time they had been photographed together in public since Commonwealth Day on March 9, 2020. William extended the invite. Royal reporters knew it was a significant moment in the history of the brothers, who’ve suffered so much loss. We marveled at how many times Kate performed a perfect curtsy, her slender back ramrod straight. Wearing those pencil-thin black heels! Meghan followed Kate’s lead But her curtsy wasn’t as pitch perfect. The Fab Four royals placed flowers, notes and the occasional Paddington Bear on the mounting pile of mementos. It recalled the aftermath of Diana’s death. Impossible not to think of her, as nostalgic images of the teenage brothers walking behind their mother’s coffin flashed on the screen, juxtaposed with real-time split-screen shots of the brothers walking solemnly near their father. Well-known network broadcasters scrambled to get the nittiest of details of a Bizarro World where pomp and circumstance isn’t just smoke and mirrors. Was Meghan really wearing a not-entirely-concealed microphone under her dress? We’re serving as historical (sometimes hysterical) witnesses to this curious mix of mourning and celebration. “Pageantry as an intoxicant,” as one talking head on cable TV called it. Odds are Queen Elizabeth II would have gleefully approved of the Firm’s Funeral Playbook Protocol. Millions of viewers were super-glued to the constant online livestreaming listening to the broadcasters’ endless patter. Not everything went like clockwork. King Charles III failed to control his anger when he scrawled the wrong date on an official document, then complained about a leaky pen. Camilla silently came to the rescue, whisking away the offending tool. Clearly, the Queen was both venerated and despised. For the Queen’s June Jubilee this year, she filmed a scene with Paddington Bear and pulled a marmalade sandwich out of her purse, smiling broadly. She was a hoot, playing pranks And joking around. So I’ve read. We’ve been weaned on the soapiest opera of our time. The Royals. The Firm. The Crown. Fairy dust! Hoopla! Feuding brothers! What about the Queen’s personal fortune? She left behind more than $500 million in assets from her 70 throne years. It will be passed down to King Charles III. A $28 billion empire that British royal family members refer to as “the family business.” The processionals and funeral have come and gone, tears have fallen and hopefully, fences are mending. It would be gratifying to catch William flashing a genuine smile towards his younger brother. Kate and Meghan may not be bosom buddies but the royals are nothing if not great public actors. As for the brothers’ future, perhaps this momentous occasion will chip away hurt feelings. It’s been a long goodbye. Hopefully, the traditions and rituals will nudge the siblings into renewing their allegiance to one another. It just might be the beginning of an ever-evolving royal friendship. A long one. Naomi Serviss is a New York-based award-winning journalist whose work has been published in The New York Times, Newsday, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Highroads (AAA magazine), in-flight publications, spa and travel magazines and websites, including BroadwayWorld.com

By John Rolfe / Red Hook, N.Y. I’ve lived through some very scary times — the Cuban Missile Crisis, the riots of the 1960s, the 9/11 terror attacks, and the January 6 siege of the Capitol — but I have never been filled with more dread than I am right now. Last week, on September 13, former President Donald Trump reposted on his Truth Social (oh, height of ironic names!) media platform a photo of himself wearing a QAnon pin above the caption “The Storm is Coming.” “The Storm,” in case you haven’t heard, is when Trump, QAnon followers (there are millions), and their related militias and goons rise up and reinstall Trump in the White House, presumably for life. “Deep state” officials and Democrats will be arrested with their top leaders, such as President Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, shipped to Guantanamo Bay, tried by military tribunal and executed. Wait. It gets worse for most Americans. According to long-dreamed-of plans by white supremacist and other extreme right groups, liberals and minorities such as Blacks, Jews and the LGBTQ+ community will be hung in the streets on “The Day of the Rope,” as the country is transformed into a white Christian ethno-state. I realize I sound like the guy in the classic sci-fi horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers who frantically runs through the streets screaming about alien pod people taking over, but read Malcolm Nance’s new book, They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurrection. Nance, who has spent decades in military intelligence and counter-terrorism, examines in alarming detail a movement that has been brewing in America for decades. Trump and the Republican Party harnessed it for political gain, watched it become a Frankenstein, and are now unleashing a whirlwind fanned by a right-wing media that is willing to treat the most baseless, lunatic claims seriously. January 6 was only a taste of what is in store. The absurd paranoia of the QAnon movement with its constant kaleidoscope of bizarre conspiracy theories — the main one insists the government is run by a secret cabal of cannibalistic, Satan-worshipping, child-trafficking Democrats led by Hillary Clinton — has been absorbed into the GOP. (See: Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Louie Gohmert). I suspect that at least some Republican bigwigs such as Lindsay Graham and Kevin McCarthy don’t really believe this claptrap but are too afraid to say so. Crossing the party’s base and especially Trump is not good for one’s political career and probably one’s health if the “Hang Mike Pence” chants on January 6 are to be believed. Heck, I have to imagine some followers have come to their senses but feel trapped. They are forced to keep the faith with Trump and QAnon for fear of being disowned or worse by family, friends and peers. There were reports of people secretly getting vaccinated against Covid to avoid crossing their right-wing tribe. "Tribalism is deeply ingrained," Republican representative Adam Kinzinger recently told CNN commentator David Axelrod. "I think this is part of what goes to explain why some of the leaders out here ... are so silent. I think people in many cases fear, more than they fear death, they fear being kicked out of their tribe ... When all of a sudden the people that you love lose respect for you or basically divorce you over text messages or whatever that is, that's a terrible feeling. I've lived it." Militia groups such as the Oath Keepers and the Proud Boys are being disrupted by prosecution for their involvement in the January. 6 insurrection, but there are still plenty of crazed lone wolves ready to take up arms, especially now that Trump is in serious legal jeopardy on several fronts (tax evasion, obstruction of justice, inciting a riot, election interference, illegally possessing highly classified documents). During a recent appearance on Fox News’s Sunday Night in America, Graham warned that there will be street violence if Trump is indicted. Trump echoed this threat a week or so later by strongly suggesting to conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt that Americans won’t tolerate it. After the FBI searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago palace on Aug. 8 and seized boxes of top secret material, the GOP and the far right were outraged. Three days later, an armed man attempted to enter the FBI’s field office in Cincinnati and was killed in a gun battle. On September 10, an armed man in Delmont, Penn. was arrested after entering a Dairy Queen in search of liberals and Democrats. He claimed he was trying to restore Trump as “President King.” Many QAnon followers refer to Trump as GEOTUS: God Emperor of the United States. These incidents summoned to mind the man who stormed the Comet Ping Pong pizza parlor in Washington D.C. with an AR-15 in 2016 because he believed children were being kept and killed in the basement by Hillary Clinton. According to Nance (and I believe him), these nuts and many who belong to militias are the heirs of Timothy McVeigh, the bomber of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. That attack killed 168 people and wounded 800. More dire events like it are coming with The Storm, possibly even with biological weapons and dirty bombs. Nance foresees not an outright second Civil War with armies and clear battle lines in fields like Gettysburg, but a constant state of violence like Ireland’s “Troubles” of the 1960s to 1998. Bombings, shootings, kidnappings and televised torture and executions will become common, with the goal being to destabilize the government and destroy the population’s faith in its ability to keep it safe. He expects this threat to persist for at least the next generation of Americans. I don’t know what is scarier: that so many people believe crackpot fantasies while erecting impenetrable shields against facts, reason and differences of opinion or culture, or that hundreds of former soldiers and cops and even active law enforcement officers belong to groups like the Oath Keepers. It’s probably safe to say they will aid, abet or turn a blind eye to carnage committed by their side. The fuse that ignites it is likely to be, if not the midterm elections, then certainly the 2024 presidential election. Significant victories by Democrats will almost surely be resisted and denied in red states where governors, secretaries of state, and local officials embrace The Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen by fraud. As it is, I expect violence at polling places where Republican-trained poll workers and observers try to prevent people they distrust from voting or Trump followers to become irate when they are told they can’t vote because they are in the wrong polling place or something is amiss with their registration. Armed extremists showing up at state capitol buildings as they did in Michigan in May 2020 is likely, too. I really hope I’m wrong about all this. But as I listen to even local right-wing talk shows such as the ones on Fox News radio station WKIP-FM out of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., I hear constant casual references to the deep state, the Democrat Gestapo, and “despicable liberals” who are trying to destroy America. “They’re coming for you” is a constant message from Trump, as well as the GOP and its media allies who insist anyone who opposes them is not a true American. All this ugly rhetoric reminds me of what the Hutus in Rwanda were fed by their leaders before they unleashed a genocide that took the lives in 1994 of upwards of 800,000 Tutsis, their fellow citizens. Call me paranoid, but I often wonder who among my neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances will be willing to kill me and my family because they believe they are in a me-or-them, life-or-death situation. Herd and mob mentality are horrifying phenomenona we’ve seen too often in places like Rwanda and the Balkans. I wish rational, responsible voices on the right were at least trying to calm the waters, but “rational” and “responsible” are in extremely short supply over there. As I read about the millions of guns in the hands of civilians, many of whom are eagerly gearing up for what they see as a glorious quest to remake America into some demented vision of glory, all I can think of are the words of Mike Giglio. A reporter and writer who has covered civil wars in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine, Giglio was a guest on the radio show Fresh Air last year, saying, “When people talk about civil war … like the glory of the American Revolution, I want to say, no, it's just suffering. It's not the redcoats versus the patriots. It's nonlinear. It's civilians dying for no reason. It's not tales of heroism. It's tales of people being afraid and causing destruction that they can't make any sense of in the end.” Nothing on the QAnon-polluted right makes sense these days and that’s what frightens me most. John Rolfe is a former senior editor for Sports Illustrated for Kids, a longtime columnist for the Poughkeepsie Journal/USA Today Network, and author of The Goose in the Bathroom: Stirring Tales of Family Life. His school bus drivin’ blog “Hellions, Mayhem and Brake Failure” is parked on his website Celestialchuckle.com (https://celestialchuckle.com) with the meter running.

One film journalist’s stream-of-consciousness cinematic journey through the pandemic, Part 100 By Laurence Lerman / New York City It’s been nearly 30 months since I jumped at the opportunity to write about all things cinematic for The Insider, which was launched at the beginning of the pandemic as Covid swept the nation and people began retreating indoors for the foreseeable future. Out of the gate, I began writing about the digital streaming landscape and how its wide variety of choices perfectly fed my intensifying stream-of-conscious viewing habits. After a daily dose of CNN (and occasionally MSNBC), I could dive into cinema’s 100-plus year history with abandon, hopscotching from newer films to older ones to foreign flicks to documentaries and so on. Through it all, I would happily produce a weekly Reel Streaming column, summarizing what I had streamed that week, be they random, unrelated titles or a collection of thematic mini-fests. As Year One of the pandemic came to an end and we entered Year Two, I expanded my reach to include new movie reviews, interviews (including a goodie with filmmaker Abel Ferrara), tributes to recently deceased artistes and features on vital reissues (like Francis Coppola’s revamped edition of his 1984 musical crime saga The Cotton Club). As the countdown to Covid’s three-year anniversary (oy!) begins, The Insider continues to razzle and dazzle, with no less than a dozen regular contributors offering their insights into all manner of news, politics, arts, global issues and cooking, as well as, oh yes, pandemic coverage (lest we forget how this all started). And so, in celebration of my 100th column of Reel Streaming for The Insider, I have created my Top Ten List of Favorite Films. One might think that a Top Ten list is fun, yes, but not such a chore. Hell, listicles are all over the Internet and Reel Streaming has featured some of its own Top Tens over the years (most recently, one on Elvis Presley films and another on French Revolution cinema, in honor of Bastille Day). But a personal Top Ten list of favorites is something I have avoided doing for the past 2 ½ years—and, indeed, most of my life. Having a favorite title at the ready when you’re asked, “What’s your favorite movie?” is a perfectly viable reaction to the question. A film critic should always have a movie in mind for the inevitable inquiry, as well as a quick explanation as to why. My response to the question is always Hitchcock’s North by Northwest, the abbreviated reason being that it was “the movie that got me into movies.” But a Top Ten list of favorites? At first consideration, it appears easy, but any cinephile worth his weight in buttered popcorn will tell you that a favorites list can never be etched in stone—it’s forever living…and changing. The associations one makes with a film on a list always shift as time rolls on. The movies never change, but the viewer always does and a favorite today could very well be reduced to simply being a “good one” tomorrow. Then there’s the consideration of the filmmaker and his or her body of work. Composing my list this week, I included David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia (1962), but I might have just as easily swapped it out for Lean’s The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). I love both films dearly, but Lawrence popped into my head and then onto my screen first, so it was the winner. I could also include River Kwai, I suppose, but that would mean my list would contain two David Lean productions. Is that really fair to the works of such filmmakers as Walter Hill, Federico Fellini, Alan Parker, Katheryn Bigelow, Ingmar Bergman, Peter Hyams, Oliver Stone, John Woo, Amy Heckerling and so many others whose movies I love but who didn’t make it onto my list? Or, rather, didn’t make it onto my list today? Nor do I want to throw in a bunch of “deep cuts”—personal choices that have special meaning for me but that couldn’t or wouldn’t be regarded as substantial choices. Am I cheating myself by not putting them on my own personal Top Ten? Maybe, but high-end choices are truly the thing of film snobbery and it’s really not necessary. Besides, I can name films like Karel Reisz’s The Gambler (1974), James Cameron’s The Terminator (1984), Nicolas Meyer’s Star Trek ll: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild (1986) right here and simply feel good that I mentioned them. For now, let me define my Top Ten List of Favorite Films as any movie that I could stumble upon on TV or pop into a device at any time or in any form (VHS, anyone?) and easily watch the entire thing. And then maybe watch it again. Here are 10 of them. Give me a call tomorrow, and maybe I’ll have a different 10 for you! North by Northwest (1959) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Crop dusting, cliffhanging and Cary Grant. Hitchcock’s definitive adventure thriller is filled with masterful set pieces, a stunning cast and a delicious story. It was a most unusual day for Roger O. Thornhill, indeed. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Directed by Stanley Kubrick The mysteries of the universe unfold before both Discovery astronaut David Bowman and wide-eyed audiences in the speculative science fiction masterpiece that truly grows richer with every viewing. Staggering—and, for me, strangely comforting. The Conformist (1970) Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci In 1938 Italy, Fascist secret police agent Jean-Louis Trintignant uses his honeymoon as a cover to travel to Paris to assassinate his former college professor, an outspoken anti-Fascist intellectual. Secrets are revealed and lives are changed in Bertolucci’s striking and baroque adaptation of Alberto Moravia’s 1951 novel. Blue Velvet (1986) Directed by David Lynch Disturbingly strange and unsettling, Lynch’s neo-noir-ish portrait of the dark underside of Americana’s white picket fence façade had everyone leaning forward and taking notice of the formidable new filmmaker in their midst. Further, Isabella Rossellini was unforgettable and Dennis Hopper scary as hell. National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978) Directed by John Landis Flawlessly scripted and perfectly cast down to the one-line walk-on roles, the finest American comedy of the past 50 years continues to garner belly laughs, probably because it was made before everyone starting taking things so seriously. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) Directed by David Lean The great David Lean’s magnificent epic historical drama about British officer T.E. Lawrence’s role in the Arab Revolt of 1916 finds its power in maintaining the mystery of its central figure (brilliantly portrayed by Peter O’Toole) until the very end. A pretty remarkable feat for a nearly four-hour long movie. Annie Hall (1975) Directed by Woody Allen Following a decade of comedies and an earlier career as a stand-up comic, joke writer and TV sketch scribe, Woody let loose with the first of his many serio-comic films on romance and relationships in the city he calls home. It’s still the only one of his 50 movies to bring home the Best Picture statuette on Oscar night. Chinatown (1974) Directed by Roman Polanski Inspired by Southern California’s water wars of the 1930s, Polanski’s richly complex neo-noir comes to the plate armed with Robert Towne’s brilliant multi-layered screenplay, one of the greatest of all time, and the one-two punch of Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway as a smarmy private eye and his wealthy, ill-fated client. Forget it, Jake, it’s Chinatown. The Wild Bunch (1969) Directed by Sam Peckinpah The revered revisionist Western from one of the genre’s greatest directors finds an aging outlaw gang trying to survive as the modern world of 1913 comes gunning for their livelihoods. William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson and Warren Oates have never been better as they walk the final mile to their inevitable violent ends. Ran (1985) Directed by Akira Kurosawa More than 40 years following his directorial debut, the mighty Kurosawa crafted this late-career epic masterwork set in Medieval Japan and derived from Shakespeare’s King Lear. Following all the battles and bloodshed, the lesson here is that if you’re a Japanese warlord, be sure to never hand over the kingdom to your three sons. Laurence Lerman is a film journalist, former editor of Video Business--Variety's DVD trade publication--and husband to The Insider's own Gwen Cooper. Over the course of his career he has conducted one-on-one interviews with just about every major director working today, including Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Kathryn Bigelow, Ridley Scott, Walter Hill, Spike Lee, and Werner Herzog, among numerous others. Once James Cameron specifically requested an interview with Laurence by name, which his wife still likes to brag about. Most recently, he is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online review site DiscDish.com.

Fred Plotkin, a pleasure activist and passionate Italy and culinary expert, speaks each Friday with leading people in the arts FRED PLOTKIN is one of America’s foremost experts on opera and has distinguished himself in many fields as a writer, speaker, consultant and as a compelling teacher. He is an expert on everything Italian, the person other so-called Italy experts turn to for definitive information.  Fred discovered the concept of "The Renaissance Man" as a small child and has devoted himself to pursuing that ideal as the central role of his life. In a “Public Lives” profile in The New York Times on August 30, 2002, Plotkin was described as "one of those New York word-of-mouth legends, known by the cognoscenti for his renaissance mastery of two seemingly separate disciplines: music and the food of Italy." In the same publication, on May 11, 2006, it was written that "Fred is a New Yorker, but has the soul of an Italian."

By Andrea Sachs, Editor September 15, 2022 Reprinted with permission from nu-detroit.com. Screenwriter Phoebe Ephron used to tell her four daughters, “Everything is copy.” All four girls subsequently grew up to be writers. That philosophy proved particularly useful during the storied career of her oldest, the ferociously talented Nora, who became a celebrated journalist, screenwriter and director (When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, among others). Famously confessional in her prose, Nora even got back at Watergate scribe Carl Bernstein — her philandering, soon-to-be former husband — by penning the wickedly funny 1983 roman à clef, Heartburn. As a longtime reporter, I’ve taken inspiration from that pithy Ephron quote for years. I think most writers also live by that credo, making literary hoopla out of the scraps of their lives. Well, I have to warn you that the experience that I’m about to unspool is barely a scrap — it’s more like a tissue. I found out at 8:00 this morning that I have Covid. The emailed results of the pro forma PCR I took yesterday in order to host an out-of-town friend were indisputable: POSITIVE. The lab made the all-caps lettering red, just in case the test taker’s heart hadn’t already stopped beating by then. Surely catching the variant du jour is grist enough for the mill, right? I must admit that I’ve been rehearsing to tell some version of this tale for the better part of three years. That’s how long ago we founded The Insider, “the oldest pandemic publication in history.” As editor of The Insider, I have interviewed a zillion — okay, half a zillion — people with Covid. That includes college students, pregnant mothers and anxious parents. If Covid could be transmitted by discussing Covid via Zoom, I would have caught it a half a zillion times by now. But despite the fact that I’ve been hearing for years about constricted breathing, about nostrils and taste buds that no longer work, Mr. Covid never found his way to my door. At this point, it seems most people I know have been afflicted by the virus and have their own overheated pandemic story to tell. I wouldn’t say I was jealous of the Covid confessors — no Covid envy here — but I’ll cop to an advanced case of Covid curiosity. I can’t hear enough about sore throats and Paxlovid rebounds. A girl can only hear so much about Paxlovid without wondering what her own rebound would be like. Naturally, being a professional yenta, I know good gossip when I hear it. So I put out the word immediately that I was now part of the pandemic posse. Out of the excessive number of friends I called to announce my news, most were sorta shocked. They know how careful I’ve been because I’m well past my teen years and have an underlying health condition to boot. No Broadway shows, restaurant interiors or movie theaters since this wicked pandemic began. Without fail, everyone I told this morning asked how I had caught Covid. I have no clue, except it’s still rampant in Manhattan and contrary to what some people may have told you, Manhattan is still home to 1.6 million people. I’ve been vaxxed and boosted up the wazoo. One friend insisted that was the source of my ailment, proclaiming with great authority that it was the Moderna booster shot that I had last week that had tipped me over the viral edge. I joked with a different friend that my mysteriously acquired medical condition was the Immaculate Infection. (Apologies to 2.6 billion Christians for that one.) Although I’ve lived a very Covid-cautious life, it’s like Mardi Gras on the Upper West Side. The restaurants and bars are packed with maskless revelers, as are the concert halls and museums. And last week, New York’s new governor, Democrat Kathy Hochul, announced that masks would no longer be required on buses and subways. Maybe the news hasn’t reached Albany yet — although New York City is no longer the nation’s coronavirus epicenter, and deaths are mercifully down, a third of the residents of the city have now had the virus. I’m not blaming my illness on gubernatorial misjudgment (well, I guess I am) but officials giving into pandemic fatigue are sure making it harder to outrun the exhalations of my fellow Empire State residents. So, you ask breathlessly, what has it been like having Covid for 10 hours? I am embarrassed to admit: it has been a breeze. I have been very fortunate — barely a scratchy throat so far. Under my own (contagious) breath, I am timidly whispering, God Bless Moderna! That could all change by the time you read this. If it does, you can be sure you will read about it in my forthcoming memoir, The Covid Hours: I’ll Have What She’s Having. Editor's Note: Andrea Sachs does not have Covid. A second (and third) PCR test showed that her first was a false positive. She is, however, grateful that so many of you were concerned about her health.