More news from the Religion Newswriters Association conference I attended in Austin – a Public Religion Research Institute survey of Hispanics in America turned up some surprises. For example, 69 percent of Hispanics in general have a favorable view of Pope Francis, but only 54 percent look favorably on the Catholic Church. Read more.
Barbara’s Riffs on Life
Who Is a Jew? The Pew Research Center Tackles the Question — And Gets Some Answers
Who is a Jew? Before it could undertake its 2013 survey of U.S. Jews, the Pew Research Center had to think hard about what makes you Jewish in twenty-first-century America. It turns out that believing in God is not essential to Jewishness, and neither is being married to a Jewish spouse. Having a sense of humor helps a lot, however . . . Read more.
Shanghai Chic — It’s All About the Shoes in This Skyscraping Town of 24 Million
By Barbara Falconer Newhall Young people are flocking to swashbuckling, get-rich-quick Shanghai. Come back soon to see what they’re wearing on their feet. I’m just back from a two-week blitz tour of China and am off to Austin for a Religion Newswriters Association conference tomorrow. There will be plenty to share when I get back. […]
The Lost Poems of Jane Johnston Schoolcraft — A Native Michigan Voice Rediscovered
In the process of moving their collection, the librarians at the Illinois State Historical Library came across some boxes of old documents. One of them contained a lost cache of writings by Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, a little known Ojibwe poet from Michigan. Read more.
Five Things I Like Best About My Kitchen
We remodeled our kitchen in 2000, and we made some design decisions that still make me happy. Read more.
Rugs, Afghans and Scarves — My Pentwater Cousin Weaves Them All
I wrote about my outdoorsy cousin Jeanie a couple of weeks ago. This week it’s my artsy cousin Mary Helen’s turn. She weaves gorgeous rugs from fabrics she gets at yard sales. Read more.