"The dominant culture of technology and big business and big government is not the important lasting culture of our civilization," Ferlinghetti said. "The important culture of our civilization is the literary and artistic and intellectual culture. That's the mainstream, and I'm proud to be part of that."

"The Beat goes on: Lawrence Ferlinghetti helped give voice to an enduring movement" at the L.A. Times' website. (That headline made me think I was about to read some kind of obituary, but to the contrary Ferlinghetti at 86 is still alive and kicking.)