Culture and Stuff

Two Days and counting.

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To liberal talk radio, that is. Several thoughts: 1). I’d be interested to hear what the people planning to tune into it are hoping to get out of the new service. 2). I’m surprised that there isn’t a more easily-findable website. 3). OK, to tell the truth I’m still perplexed about why they’re busy reinventing … Read more

Looking at Art in All the Wrong Places

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/snob alert/ A fellow gallerist who was born in Russia tells the joke about two New Russians who go to an art gallery and haggle with the dealer over a newly available van Gogh (estimates for any of which run in the tens of millions). Eventually they secure it (after an exchange that must be … Read more

Open Literary Thread

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I’m posting this open literary thread for three reasons: 1) It amuses me to reinforce Short Hope Unfiltered’s Stephenson meme; 2) I think that this is the first time that this site got called a blog ‘of note’ (you’d think we’d get more trackbacks/links, though); 3) I’m going to take a mini-vacation to Kitty Hawk, … Read more

For a Snowy St. Patrick’s Day

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There’s been some general dislike of Jame Joyce expressed around these parts as of late, and although I fully support the freedom of expression it represents, I’d like to submit, on this snowy St. Patrick’s Day (in New York City, anyway), as evidence of why he’s considered the genius he is, this final passage from … Read more

Oddly fitting, sorta kinda not really.

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The always-interesting to read* folks over at Socialism in an Age of Waiting had a very interesting metapost about Japanese… stuff (UPDATE: Stupid links are bloggered, as usual; scroll down to Tsupa, Tsupa, Nicha, Nicha. FYI, SIAW, TypePad’s $15/month, maximum). OK, OK, what got my attention was the link to this review of a book on erotic/pornographic art of the Edo period. Just so you know, there’s no actual pictures or anything, but it’s an interesting and educational** review just the same.

There’s also a poem from that post that has nothing to do with Japanese erotica. I devoutly hope so, at least.

Moe

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As you might have guessed…

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…I’m not precisely my chipper self today. A good deal of it has to do with this: I happen to live within spitting distance of UMD. Close enough to smell the burning mattresses, in fact. Now, normally I’d be saying that “It’s not so much…” blah blah blah, and then go into what really bugs … Read more

NEA’s New Mission

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William Safire’s op-ed piece today notes how the times are changing. How the right is now embracing the NEA in its nearly 40-year-old mission of “bringing the arts to all Americans, and providing leadership in arts education.” From Safire: Remember the hoo-ha a while back about the funding of edgy art, offensive to some taxpayers, … Read more