Dancing the Charleston in Constantinople/Or how the Russian Revolution brought jazz to Turkey

  With the 17th annual Istanbul Jazz Festival opening in a few days, I wanted to post a piece on the beginning of jazz in Istanbul. Given that jazz is sometimes described as a cultural and social revolution, it is fitting that it was the after-shocks of a real revolution, that brought one of the earliest [...]

Pride (In the Name of Love)

Okay, sorry about the cheesy title, but it is almost 11:00 and my brain cells are dying by the moment. Anyway, Zagreb recently hosted its 9th annual GLBT Pride Parade. The event was not without incident, according to parade organizers,  three participants-a Bosnian citizen and two Danish citizens were attacked. In a seperate incident, two participants [...]

Remembering Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner

“Dear Mom and Dad, I have arrived safely in Meridian Mississippi. This is a wonderful town and the weather is fine. I wish you were here. The people in this city are wonderful and our reception was very good. All my love-Andy.” (Dated: 6/21/1964). The day 20 year old Andrew Goodman mailed his postcard, he was [...]