Opinion

The West Coast premiere of Anupama Chandrasekhar’s comic-drama “Disconnect” is a jarring reminder of how and why we reach people on the other side of the world when we have a problem that needs answers. It's called BPO – Business Processing Outsourcing. Mostly 20- to 25-year-olds work the phones to try and solve your problem or – in this case – collect overdue bills. The pressure is harsh and the psychological trials are tortuous.

We’ve all heard the magic words that seem to get our adrenalin flowing a bit faster. Some examples: “THEY’RE OFF”; or, how about “GENTLEMEN. START YOUR ENGINES” (my apologies to Ms. Patrick); or the famous call to action on the food cook-off,  “CONTESTANTS, GRAB YOUR POTS;” and who could forget the announcement that the curling competition is about to start with a resounding; “GET OFF THE ICE, STUPID” – or something to that effect. Anyway, the most famous and recognizable announcement of all would have to be, “PLAY BALL.”

One reason Gov. Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30 tax increases passed so handily last fall was that many voters became convinced that if they didn’t say yes to the new levies, the sky would fall.          

The Mojave Desert never makes a good first impression. The sprawling basins and naked brown mountains, sparsely dotted with ragged Creosote bushes, offer little reason to linger. We prefer to pass on through in search of a more verdant setting. 

Have you ever thought about adopting a kitty? Kittens come to mind when someone decides to add a cat to their family. And sure, kittens are fun and cute, but they can also be a challenge. Kittens have lots and lots of energy that sometimes leads to destructive behavior. Most kittens need to be trained to use the litter box. And that cute little face? Someday it'll be just another adult cat.

With the arrival of spring, grocery store shelves begin to show an abundance of seasonal products. Spring fruits and vegetables appear in the produce section, while grilling displays are assembled in the meat section. However, it is the featured section of kosher foods for Passover that peaks my curiosity.

Created by Matt Goldman, Phil Stanton and Chris Wink in 1988, this sometime outrageous, inventive show has developed into a grand franchise with excellent promotion throughout the world in smaller venues, television and concert type offerings. The original creators do not perform, instead seven Blue Men alternate in the three main roles with bald heads painted blue that give off a childish, alien innocence with their antics. It’s all backed up with some interesting special effects and very loud, almost metal rock original music that has the whole theatre vibrating for most of the performance.

Despite all commercial evidence to the contrary, Easter, not Christmas, is the most important holiday in Christianity. Since the Middle Ages, Christians have observed this important time with Passion plays, dramatic presentations of the final events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth: his trial and execution at the hands of the Roman authorities and his resurrection from the dead.