Superman or Super-Jewish-Man? Or Gay Superman?  Feh.

If you have extra time to kill, try this book - Up, Up and Oy Vey!: How Jewish History and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero.

Which reminds me, if you haven't read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, you should.  At least if you're a guy.

In other entertainment news, I saw the movie Jarhead the other day.  It didn't do much for me - probably because I didn't think there were any likeable characters. I do think Jake Gyllenhall did a fine job of acting though.  I don't know why people bother making war movies if they're not even going to attempt to come close to Saving Private Ryan.

I recently finished The Accidental Empire : Israel and the Birth of the Settlements, 1967-1977.  Very interesting history written from the center-left/left side of the political spectrum.  It seems clear that the settlements were a mistake from this perspective, although I think the author downplays the constant state of fear/war that Israel was under during the time.  Seems to me that not much has changed since '67, and if there were never any settlements, you'd still have things like tonight's actions happening constantly.  Are the Arabs not happy that Gaza is now Judenrein?

I'm about halfway through Suite Francaise by Irene Nemerovsky.  Némirovsky, a convert to Catholicism, began a planned five-novel cycle as Nazi forces overran northern France in 1940. This gripping "suite," collecting the first two unpolished but wondrously literary sections of a work cut short, have surfaced more than six decades after her death.  So far, I don't think it's great literature, although it definitely provides a look into a not too pleasant society and how it handled the Nazi invasion and occupation.  Like Jarhead, it's hard for me to get into because there are really no likeable characters, just people using their basest instincts in trying to survive - then again, I guess that's the point.  It's hard to believe that all of that happened only 65 years ago.

Just had a false fire alarm at the high-rise hotel I'm staying at in Manhattan at 11 o'clock at night.  Nothing like the thought of walking down 35 stories in a staircase crowded with summer tourists to get the blood going.  Not going to sleep soon.....

Ate at Stephen Pyles last Staurday night with the wife in Dallas.  Totally worth it if restaurants of note are your thing.  There are also enough menu options that allow you to keep down the tab to a reasonable price, especially at lunch time.

I din't get to eat in any fancy-shmancy palces here in NY - just room service for dinner and the usual bagel/cinammon rolls from the coffee cart for breakfast.  The tuna melt from Bazzini's for luch was quite yummy.  Hope I get a window between the rain storms to get home tomorrow night.