The New York Times checked out a sidewalk booth outside the Fast & Fresh Supermarket Deli & Grocery on Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens, NY. Benjamin Patir called his son because he was lonely and, perhaps more important, because he had a quarter. Robert J. Covelli called his son, too, to find out if, at some point during the more than 24 hours he spent in custody, he had become, for the first time, a grandfather. Frank Federico, fresh from a courthouse jail cell, called his mother, who spared him any lectures and asked him if he needed a ride home. The...

13 February, 2010

A combination of actual paid work, managing the film series, and unusually exotic travel have kept Contrarian away from WordPress much of the last month. We will try to do better, dear readers....

10 February, 2010

It will not surprise regular readers to know that Contrarian is the founder and charter member of the Iceberg Lettuce Anti-Defamation League, an organization dedicated to defending the iceberg's humble, moist, crunchy goodness from calumny and abuse at the hands and tongues of self-appointed food snobs. As you may imagine, this can be a lonely crusade. Thus it is with joy in our hearts (and thanks to Contrarian reader C.C.) that we offer membership to UK Guardian food columnist Tim Hayward for his recent, eloquent paean to the glories of the iceberg. Moneyquote: [T]he iceberg...

22 January, 2010

Silas Donham responds to posts on the New York Times Motherlode blog criticizing those who would reject potential chemical treatments intended to improve intellectual function of infants with Down syndrome. This difficult topic provoked a debate here on Contrarian that was remarkably thoughtful and respectful. But when the Times picked up on our discussion, many commenters were incredulous that any parent would hesitate accept such treatments for their children. A few had nasty things to say. Silas responds: First, the disclosure: I am Jenn Power's husband, father to Jacob and Josh, and son to contrarian.ca, the blogger who got all this...

14 January, 2010

I was struck by the portentously antiquarian wording of the New York Times' lead headline the morning after the calamity in Port-au-Prince: Haiti Lies in Ruins; Grim Search for Untold Dead I may eventually have something to say about this ghastly, stultifying event, but for the moment, I am speechless. ...

14 January, 2010

For those who have followed the debate over potential treatments for Down syndrome in the New York Times parenting blog Motherlode to its source here on Contrarian, I have assembled a series of links you might want to follow. Our discussion of this issue began with this post back in November. Jenn Power elaborated on her concerns here, and Dr. Ahmad Salehi, the Stanford researcher whose work touched off the discussion, responded thoughtfully here. Jenn's husband Silas Barss Donham, my son, weighed in here. Other reader commented here, here, and here. Jenn is the community leader of L'Arche Cape Breton in Iron Mines,...

13 January, 2010

Motherlode, a New York Times blog on parenting, has picked up on Contrarian's discussion about potential treatments for the intellectual impairment associated with Down syndrome — and touched off quite a debate of it its own. Our own discussion began with L'Arche Cape Breton Community Leader Jenn Power's disquiet at the assumption that Down syndrome constitutes a disease in need of curing. Jenn, who is both the adopted mother of identical twins with Down Syndrome and — disclosure — my daughter-in-law, spoke eloquently of Down traits that don't need fixing: [I]ncredible smiles, overflowing affection, stubbornness, great sense of humour, cute toes, love...

13 January, 2010

[caption id="attachment_4124" align="alignright" width="150" caption="A really old brain"][/caption] With uncanny accuracy, the New York Times's Barbara Strauch describes the workings of Contrarian's brain. The part about boiling water is particularly embarrassing....

03 January, 2010

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that many fine editors had struggled to improve Contrarian's prose over the years. One of these was Jo-Anne MacDonald, a journalist of cool discernment and unflagging commitment who edited my columns in the Port Hawkesbury Reporter and the Halifax Daily News. Jo-Anne now works at the National Post, today's edition of which carries her lovely story about  76-year-old Lella Dubuque of Walpole, Mass. Last year, doctors diagnosed Lella with inoperable cancer, and many rounds of chemotherapy failed to arrest the disease. Her son Michael urged her to get a second opinion and to make her annual...

02 January, 2010
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