They all seem to be tweeting This observation by Herzog is totemic of what seems to me like a mass self-induced autism, immersed in a vortex of banality, that society has sunk into. When I observe how oblivious people are of reality when out and about with their device, it’s easy to understand why many of us refuse(d) to…
It just so happens that IMHO, the two greatest musicians of the twentieth century, have the best blogs dedicated to their remarkable work. Louis Armstrong has Ricky Riccardi batting for him — someone whose praises I have repeatedly sung. Now I know that the other artist I refer to may seem a world apart but they…
New York Times obituary He wanted, he told Marc Myers of the website JazzWax in 2012, “to get electronics to accurately capture the human spirit,” and to make the records he engineered sound “as warm and as realistic as possible.” Blue NoteJazzmusicRudy Van Gelder
Here is a review by the excellent Gene Callahan of Pierre Manent’s book Situation de la France. (I’d put money on some getting their knickers in a twist about the cover) Gene CallahanislamLiberalismmulticulturalismphilosophy of social sciencePierre ManentPolitical philosophyregressive leftsocial epistemology
Alice Dreger talks about the importance of academic freedom and why the corporatization of the modern university threatens free speech on campus. I’ve been aware of the wonderful work of FIRE for some sixteen years ago, an outfit first brought to my attention by the immensely brave Mary Lefkowitz (more on Mary in the near future). The first video acts as an overture…
Another pointed article from Nassim Nicholas Taleb. My view as follows. It is correct to say that any attempt to define religion is a problematic enterprise. For a start, Judaism strictly speaking, is not a religion in the same sense that Christianity is. Christianity historically, turns on belief as the criterion of identity, an emphasis on a theology.…
Below is an excerpt from the intro to this relatively recent scholarly book subtitled A Social History of the Southern Chinese Martial Arts that is now available in paperback. A man should always think of the source of the water as he drinks it; it is this shared feeling that keeps our kung fu brothers together. —Ip Man, “History…
Antony Jay has died. This quote from The Guardian expresses the beauty of idea diversity working in tandem for a higher truth. Their partnership was successful despite their different political allegiances: Jay, the rightwing free marketer, and Lynn, the left-leaning actor, researched and wrote everything together. The Telegraph The Guardian The Independent anthony jaybeaurocrapsPoliticsPrime Ministerregressive…
Unfortunately for the poor man awaiting the Last Days and raving away at God and man in the bowels of Sourwood Mountain directly below thousands of normal folk playing golf and antiquing and barbecuing and simply enjoying the fall colors—for on the following day at the height of his lunacy the cloud blew away and…
I did make this suggestion a year ago. In my view while he has several good suggestions, the two vital components to Alice’s platform is to have Groucho Marx on the $50 bill and Peter Sellers on the £20 note. To this I would add Peter Cook on a five quid note. alice coopergroucho marxhumourpeter cookpeter sellerssatire
manwithoutqualities 