Monthly Archives: December 2012

The Daughter in Fiction

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: If you are an Oprah book person, you’ve probably read Amy Tan’s The Bonecutter’s Daughter. If you like pop thrillers, you may have read Nelson deMille’s The General’s Daughter. But has it occurred to you how easy it … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing | 5 Comments

Touching the Void

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: AND Quite apart from any offense that might be taken by a believer, proselytizing, especially about atheism, just doesn’t seem to be good form. Plus, since Dawkins comes across as a snooty academic, his testimony can be considered … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Philosophy and Religion | 8 Comments

Optimist and Pessimist

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Either Ray Kurzweil is right about the Singularity, or he is wrong about it. Either way, I feel a little uncomfortable about his appointment as Google’s Director of Engineering. Either James Howard Kunstler is right about Peak Oil, … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Technology | 5 Comments

Best Rock Intros

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Here is a 2006 Chicago Tribune article by Mark Caro making an attempt at naming the best rock intros of all time. Granted, the article is a bit old but does it make a difference? Most of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Performers | Tagged rock music | 14 Comments

Here and There

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Julian Hoeber’s Demon Hill: art installation or just another funhouse at a carnival? Is it different with kids? Why do durians stink? Why do we react in similar ways to danger? Which college majors are to be avoided? It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Education, Food and health, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Linkathon

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: Steve Sailer interviewed: Part One, Part Two. Is there a widely-read writer in the U.S. who is less acknowledged than Steve? How is money made? The Harvard Business Review thinks that these days it’s bloggers who are shaping … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books Publishing and Writing, Linkathons, Politics and Economics | Tagged art, Newsweek, sex, social networking, Steve Sailer | 5 Comments

“Mike’s Murder”

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: In the 1984 “Mike’s Murder,” Debra Winger plays Betty, a young woman whose staidness is underlain by a barely-discernible yearning for immediacy. She has the most sensible of jobs — she’s a bank teller — and … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Performers | Tagged Debra Winger, James Bridges, Mike's Murder, Paul Winfield | 13 Comments

Push Button

Posted on December 29, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The 50s were a great time for push button. Razors. Auto transmissions. A host of kitchen appliances. ‘n Caledonian Mahogany’s Elbows and green things in general . . . But it’s not over. The most recent Atlantic Monthly … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

How to Cook a Soft-Boiled Egg

Posted on December 28, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Cooking a soft-boiled egg correctly is really quite simple. However, the process has deep taproots so bear with me for a bit with some background about my father and grandfather. The Backstory My grandfather arrived in the United … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and health, Personal reflections, The Good Life | Tagged recipes | 7 Comments

Tarantino Remake News!

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Over at iSteve, Steve Sailer speculates on a possible next project for Quentin Tarantino film: The Protocols of the Elders of Zion National Park. In late 2008, following the horrifying defeat of gay marriage at the polls in … Continue reading →