ment. Daniel Grassian looks at Hunter S. Thompson’s infamous hero, Rauol Duke,
as a surreal, noir-like “Hard Boiled Detective” while presenting yet another “col
orful” description of the home town of PCR, Las Vegas.
Pop artist Jasper Johns is the subject of Deborah Cibelli’s article discussing
the art community’s age-old argument regarding “high art” and Popart that is com
mercially successful. Michael Siu joins the family values debate in his study of the
recent changes to — and commercialization of — an ancient Chinese custom, the
bestowal of “red packets” on younger family members by their elders. And finally,
on lighter notes, John Donlon offers an historical perspective on the ail of strip
tease, from Adah Menken’s 1861 performance from the back of a horse to the
recent gender-bending acts of transvestite strippers while Matthew Stolick pro
vides an amusing summary of “the camp sensibility” of collectors and their col
lections of superfluous, silly items. There you have it. Enjoy!
Juli Barry
Assistant Editor