Intercultural Hot Dog a Great Teacher

After all of the build up, there was no way Dillon was going to miss trying a hot dog in Paris. “A foot long, on a full baguette, and covered with cheese,” I recalled from my high school exchange trip. “Sometimes with French Fries stuffed right into the bun!” added my husband. “It lived up…

Sascha Finkelsztajn’s Jewish Deli in Paris: Who Has the “Right” Jewish Sandwich?

The traditional Jewish sandwich is a corned beef on rye, right?  It was actually our (not Jewish) Parisian host who told us about Sascha Finkelsztajn’s. Having been to a Jewish seder in Brazil and with a nod to his burgeoning Jewish cultural identity, 9 year old Dillon said it would be fun to try a bagel…

Kids Intercultural Video Movie Review: “Babies” Documentary

Probably not billed as a kids movie (more “gratuitous” nudity than the average PG movie) but Dillon and I were excited to see “Babies,” the documentary, which follows the lives of four babies during their developmental years (from birth to walking):  Ponijao from Namibia, Bayarijargal from remote Mongolia, Mari in Tokyo, Japan, and Hattie in…

Cute Racoons? Think Again! Racial-Ethnic Stereotypes Abound in Furry Vengeance

Remember the 1958 film The Blob, with its big red amorphous goo rolling and taking over the town, absorbing the minds of young people who were not strong enough to resist?  Of course the “BIG RED BLOB” was none too subtle a reference to the Red Scare and fear of Communism taking over the US.  Russia’s…

Dillon’s Pick: Confederate Insurance Company? Ouch!

Dillon’s pick this week is the ad above for “Confederate Family Insurance. It was so offensive, that we realized it couldn’t possibly be true.  Indeed, it is from Spike Lee’s faux documentary “Confederate States of America,” that looks at the US as thought the South had won the Civil War. It’s extreme representations, however, provide perfect…