Opinion
Opinion pieces published in Piker Press, a weekly journal of arts and literature.
1,093 articles — page 29 of 37
Jack and Genna Barish are professors at a small college in Ohio with a full plate of everyday turmoil; Jack struggles with fidelity, Genna wrestles with disillusionment. The time has come, however, when they must deal with their 17-year-old son's emergent homosexuality. The story wends its way around and through their personal journeys, the reactions of their 14-year-old daughter Lizzie and the varying responses of the townspeople.
Nothing spells portion control like a severed finger in your fresh chili. A commentary on the gripping tale of customer Anna Ayala, who claimed this past March to have been literally given the finger while dining at a Wendy's in San Jose.
The first hot summery day of the year and Sand and Bernie rush off to the movies to check out "The Revenge of the Sith"! Will they love it or hate it?
Bubba Ho-Tep and the Elvis Everywhere Phenomenon. The pop-culture phenom we see these days is hardly a flattering portrayal of the King of Rock and Roll. My case in point: the recently released (on DVD) movie of Bubba Ho-Tep.
Review of The Mark of Voodoo, a book by Sharon Caulder, PhD. Terrible scholarly treatise, great trashy read.
If you want to know how to surf the Internet safely, go ask an old fashioned Baby Boomer. You may have thought your parents were out of touch, but it turns out that they were just ahead of their time. And in the wrong industry.
<b>On the Sad Death and Subsequent Resurrection of My Muse.</b> A writer wrestles with block, only to find a cure in, of all places, the pages of James Joyce.
Don't bother with all the high cost of psychiatric advice -- better mental health is just a bowl of cereal away.
Yes, you've forgotten Mother's day, but it isn't too late to make this the best Mother's Day she ever had. And you might end up feeling pretty good, yourself.
<b>The flu-shot.</b> Sure, skipping the flu-shot might <i>seem</i> like a good idea, but trust Basil, it's snot.
Just call em the St. Louis Carnies and be done with it, because this whole steroids-in-baseball freak show isn't going to be over until the Bearded Lady strikes out.
<b>Check-out Girl.</b> Once upon a time, back when the cold war was raging and ugly gold medallions were considered the height of fashion, I attended high school. One of the girls in my class, Ann, was funny, pretty and absolutely brilliant — a straight A student all through school. I found out recently that sometimes the brilliant ones don't make it in life the way you'd think. Sometimes they fall through the cracks.
Rich characters and vivid dreams provide the counterpoint to this tale of relationships as Solange Ambris loses first her exquisite but straying husband, then her admirable but controlling mother, leaving the middle-aged Sully left with the task of finally deciding for herself who she is when not defined by others.
A look at the classic novel, "Mrs. Mike" — romance and dead cows in the Great White North.
The Curious Affair of the Seventeen Year Old Vienna Sausages, and Other Matters Worth Relating.
Nothing ruins a birthday like the Oscars. Don't try to emulate celebrities, people, they're professionals.
<b>A Story of Mashed-Chocolate Love.</b> Who knew that becoming a grandparent means eating candy could be such a chore?
The White Trash Gene (WTG) is a recessive gene but unlike other recessive genetic abnormalities, this one doesn?t require procreation to wreak its havoc. It simply requires the close proximity of another like-gened sufferer.
<b>Good Morning, McDougall St. </b>Families of first generation Americans behave in certain predictable manners. Adults tend to keep to their own kind, usually, because theirs is the only language they speak. The kids, however, share a world, floating down a river of English that their parents can only watch from the shore. First appeared 2003-12-20
<b>Gypsy's Guide to Good Living</b> This authentic recipe for Gumbo contains more than just roux and onion; it also contains several parts tradition and a generous helping of family memories. First appeared 2004-09-18
Life is a lot like the journey to the Land of Oz, and when you get right down to it, even Glinda is a little more "witch" than "good".
There's no better way to say "I love you" than with the gift of a home enema kit. First appeared 2004-12-25
<b>In Which I Dispose of Wolf Blitzer, Scooby Doo and Seinfeld, Which Results in Doghouse Status for Me.</b> Basil throws away a perfectly good television set and lives to tell the tale. Barely. First appeared 2005-01-01
Don't blame parents for bringing that brat to church -- Jesus was the one who said, "Let the little children come to Me." We have to assume that God gets a kick out having the little critters around. Even with their incessant nose-picking.
<b>In Which I Revisit My Childhood, Courtesy of Sid and Marty Kroft.</b> The seventies were a time of terribly drawn, poorly scripted Saturday morning tv shows, and yet there is still a little magic underneath the silly rubber suits in the Land of the Lost.
Signing up for health insurance is almost worse than life threatening diseases.
<b>The Snot-Kid Diet.</b> What could turn a blissfully "heavy eater" away from a paradise-like buffet? Weight loss is just one snot-nosed kid away.
Fishing isn't a hobby - to this family, it's a disorder. Giant fish, demon fish, fish so mean you gotta beat 'em with a hammer: it doesn't matter when you're a mad fishin' foo!
Just when you thought it was safe to take your next breath, someone you know is telling you that it isn't. What should you do? Intrepid girl reporter Tedi Trindle takes you on a tour of the "Culture of Fear".
<b>Planting a Cigarette Bomb.</b> From an era when varsity high school students could smoke on campus with a permit from their folks is further evidence that smoking is not good for your health.