Elsewhere- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Michael Blowhard writes: Dear Blowhards -- Authors against Obama. Steve Sailer points out that nearly everyone everywhere -- globalism-lovin' elites aside, of course -- dislikes high immigration levels. Another good one from Steve, with smart and funny comments from the Steve Gang: Perhaps the authors of the Anti-Federalist Papers were right. Me, I gotta confess that I had no knowledge at all of something called "The Anti-Federalist Papers." Call me Mr. History. Meet "ordo-liberal"...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/elsewhere_312.html Impressionism's Inspirations- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Donald Pittenger writes: Dear Blowhards -- It started in Denver, went to Atlanta and is now completing its run in Seattle. It's the exhibit titled "Inspiring Impressionism: The Impressionists and the Art of the Past." The Seattle Art Museum page describing it is here. From what I read, Impressionism is a hot box office item for art museums. So the trick is to devise new ways of packaging the paintings. The current show uses what I consider an under-recognized fact as its hook: Impressionism...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/impressionisms_1.html Swiped Hymns- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Donald Pittenger writes: Dear Blowhards -- About every other Sunday my wife puts on my collar, attaches the leash, and then we go off to church. (Mind you, I have a good degree of sympathy for Judeo-Christian religion, but tend to drag my heels when it comes to actually attending services.) Hymns are sung in Presbyterian and Lutheran services -- the ones I'm most familiar with. And occasionally some of those hymns have melodies that seem curiously familiar. No, I'm not talking about familiar...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/swiped_hymns.html DVD Journal: "Shoot 'Em Up"- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Michael Blowhard writes: Dear Blowhards -- This supercharged and hyperbolic action spoof is like a James Bond, showy-action-sequence extravaganza done to a punk-metal soundtrack. It exists in the same unreal gunplay-and-stunts universe as a John Woo movie, and features a hero-villain pairing deliberately reminiscent of Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd. Yet despite the absurdity it's played with straight-ahead intensity. And a glamorous, mischievous, and skillful cast that includes Clive Owen, Monica...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/dvd_journal_sho.html Elsewhere- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Michael Blowhard writes: Dear Blowhards -- Behold some seriously beautiful graphic design. Critic David Sterritt tries to explain why Hitchcock's "Vertigo" continues to fascinate. Painter Laurie Fendrich wonders why anyone should major in painting. (This link and the one above thanks to Matt Mullenix.) Tyler Cowen doesn't think that new 3-D technology will save movies. Isegoria notices that Alaskan Airlines has had some success redesigning its check-in process. Let's hope the other...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/elsewhere_310.html Which to See- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Michael Blowhard writes: Dear Blowhards -- N.P. Thompson posts a smart and funny wrapup of the recent Seattle International Film Festival. Movie he mentions that I'm most eager to see: Nina Paley's "Sita Sings the Blues," which sounds beautiful. Or maybe Alan Ball's "Towelhead," which N.P describes as world-historically bad. I don't know about you, but I try to catch a good number of hyper-awful movies. Are you really a moviebuff if all you pursue is high-quality experiences Best, Michael...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/which_to_see.html A Perl of a Critique- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Donald Pittenger writes: Dear Blowhards -- Arts & Letters Daily directed me to this article by Jed Perl, art critic of The New Republic, in which he lashes out at some new museums and big-name Postmodern artists. Among many other things, he mentions that: I wish more museum directors and trustees understood how hungry--and how disgruntled--museumgoers in America really are. Again and again, people are pointed in precisely the wrong direction. It is depressing to think how many people have...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/a_perl_of_a_cri_1.html Changing Reading Habits- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Donald Pittenger writes: Dear Blowhards -- About a year ago I wrote about how I no longer could get very motivated to read books by or about currently active politicians. Today I thought about Jonah Goldberg's book Liberal Fascism, wondering when the paperback edition might come out and whether I should buy a cut-priced hardcover edition (they seem to cut prices when the paperbacks arrive) or simply buy a paperback. Or perhaps I should wait until the paperbacks go on the remainder shelf and pay.http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/changing_readin.html An Anniversary- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Donald Pittenger writes: Dear Blowhards -- Fifty-eight years ago this morning, ten-year-old me turned on the radio to catch some news. For once, the news was big. Surprising, too. North Korean troops were invading South Korea. China, save Formosa and a few small islands near the coast, had already fallen to the communists. Eastern Europe was in Russian hands. We had gone through the drama of the Berlin Airlift. South Korea had been a U.S. occupation zone after World War 2 and was now, for...http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/an_anniversary.html Reading Journal: "Gross National Happiness"- (Found June 29, 2008 ) Michael Blowhard writes: Dear Blowhards -- Arthur C. Brooks' book is a survey of happiness studies, combined with political-policy suggestions. Did Brooks write the book as a response to Richard Layard's "Happiness" Where the British Layard -- a Labour life peer in the House of Lords -- uses happiness studies to bolster up a traditional social-democratic agenda, Brooks looks at the same (or similar) data and reaches mostly conservative conclusions: Economic opportunity raises people's happiness.http://www.2blowhards.com/archives/2008/06/reading_journal.html |