It is not stealing or looting to take things that inspire you in one culture and adapt and change them to further your own expression. It’s a right. It’s the essence of art. And it’s a right to be extended both ways.
Breaking Bourbon
A few weeks back I made the error of purchasing a second bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Oaked (it was erroneous because I must not quite have assimilated the full depth of my disappointment first time round). A minority view, I know, but I just found the extra oaking a case of “over-egging the pud” so to speak: the ever insightful Jordan of Breaking Bourbon begs to differ. Given the limited retail selection where I live, not to mention the ridiculous tax rate, when I spotted a bottle of Michter’s US*1 Bourbon I snapped it up (CA$103). Was it worth the price? Nah, like so many other so-called premium small-batch bourbons it was a decent enough, but a way overpriced effort, and this time, Jordan and I are in full accord — but he puts it so much better than I could. I thoroughly recommend Breaking Bourbon as a sound first stop for the unpretentious bourbon aficionado — beholden to no-one, crystal clear, to the point, and even if one disagrees, for that reason alone one still actually learns something. The one bourbon conspicuously missing from those reviewed is Noah’s Mill but I’m sure the boys will get to it.
The last great Japanese writer
Well of course the reference is to Mishima. Lee Jay Walker grasps the significance of Mishima.
[T]he genius of Yukio Mishima is that his books – and thinking – fused the complexities facing individuals in this new world of opportunity – and in the new world of forgetting the past that irked this amazing writer.
A samurai is a total human being, whereas a man who is completely absorbed in his technical skill has degenerated into a ‘function’, one cog in a machine.
[W]hile parts of the Islamic world are crushing freedom and writers are being butchered by Sunni Islamists in Bangladesh; while in the opposite direction the West is in a self-imposed machinery of narrowness based on the need to follow the politically correct narrative; then Mishima is an individual who is free from not only this world based on his dramatic death but, equally important, this great writer was free during his time on this earth despite all the trappings of modernity that could have crushed his soul.
New Orleans Remix
Worth checking out this recently published book. As has been variously argued, jazz as a spontaneous order makes a nonsense of the vulgar rationalisms peddled by the “cultural appropriation” fundamentalists.
First Heart Transplant
Fifty years ago to the day Christiaan Barnard led the first successful(ish) heart transplant operation. I still think of this amazing achievement, here written up in the South African Medical Journal: the recipient Louis Washkansky; the donor Denise Darvall. And for those who have no idea who CB was, here are two obituaries: Telegraph and NYT.
‘Super Fly’ Remake in the Works
Oh dear, yet another potentially lazy, flat and ham-fisted Hollywood retread is apparently in the works. I’m not saying it couldn’t be a decent effort (the brilliant music is, of course, in place assuming it will be reused) — but in the prevailing climate of hysteria emanating from the various politically “correct” priesthoods and their associated zombie armies, it could well be made overly bland and, still then, many fuckwit SJWs will no doubt take umbrage. Though Super Fly was a somewhat wooden film it was emblematic of a gritty and grim urban landscape, heightened by Curtis’ counterposing a deceptively beautiful soundtrack. (The sequel Super Fly T.N.T. was really crap: this time round the music was by Osibisa, who did good some stuff in the day, but not in this case). I don’t know Alex Tse’s work but an intelligent remake must surely pose the question as to why the problems haven’t been ameliorated in 46 years. (The independent-minded of you already know the answer!). The names Samuel L. Jackson and Quentin Tarantino spring to mind when one thinks of a reboot.
Competition, Economic Planning, and the Knowledge Problem
The collected works of Israel Kirzner — coming soon. Here, by the way, is Pete Boettke on “Why Israel Kirzner Deserves a Nobel Prize“.
Lou Rawls
Born on this day, one of my favourite vocalists. None other than Bobby Womack references Rawls in a song of his.
Jerry Fodor
On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone
A decent documentary on Sly is long overdue: next year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Dance to the Music, a landmark album for acid funk/soul. This documentary sounds promising but the distribution seems to be the standard damn snag: Michael should give mediAm a go (nothing to lose). Anyway, great to see that other genius and close “party” friend of Sly’s, Bobby Womack, captured on film as well. (Still no word on the Hendrix documentary).
manwithoutqualities 