Monthly Archives: December 2012

Is that a novella in your pocket, or are you just sorry to see me

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Glynn Marshes

Glynn Marshes writes: File this under questions nobody thought to ask — until they did: Who decided how long “it” has to be in order for “it” to be called a novel? If you assume the answer’s a matter of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing | 4 Comments

Django Non-Review

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: People are rightly criticized for criticizing movies they haven’t seen, so I won’t set myself up as a critic of Django, which I have not seen and don’t plan to see. I don’t know, it’s just that I … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Incredible

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Chucho commented on my Desert Island Discs post, mentioning slyly that that old pagan Rowan Williams included a song by the Incredible String Band among the eight he would take to a desert island. There are some artists … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Performers | Tagged | 6 Comments

Douglas Fairbanks and “When the Clouds Roll By”

Posted on December 16, 2012 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: This Douglas Fairbanks project, the first directing effort of Victor Fleming, stands at the nexus of a number of popular art traditions. It dates from 1919, a year prior to Fairbanks’ swashbuckling debut in “The Mark … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial art, Movies, Performers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Desert Island Discs

Posted on December 15, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Desert Island Discs is a BBC radio program, one that has been running since 1942 and is one of the longest running radio programs in the world.  Various prominent types are asked to imagine themselves cast away to … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Performers, Personal reflections | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Goosing My Religion

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: Atheism is big these days. Have you noticed? And by “big” I don’t mean that a lot of people don’t believe in god (that’s been the case for a while); I mean that a lot of people … Continue reading →

Posted in Personal reflections, Philosophy and Religion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The View from My Train

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Took the Amtrak from Orange County to San Diego over the weekend. On the way back home, I snapped this snap of Solana Beach. No wonder everyone wants to live in California.

Posted in Photography, The Good Life, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Excellent Email Subject o th Season

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Messiah Returns to Brandeis Join the Brandeis community for our annual community sing-along of George Frideric Handel’s stunning oratorio MESSIAH. It is led by students from the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra and the Brandeis University Chorus under the direction of Professor James Olesen. This year, there will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy and Religion | 3 Comments

“The Sadist”

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: Ultra low-budget — shot in two weeks for $33,000 —  b&w psycho-killer thriller with Arch Hall, Jr. as the nutcase, written and directed by James Landis, and set almost entirely in an automobile junkyard in the California … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Linkathon

Posted on December 8, 2012 by Paleo Retiree

Paleo Retiree writes: A quick, informative look at the latest from James C. Scott, a very interesting anthropologist-historian. Camille Paglia dissects Katy Perry and Taylor Swift. John Derbyshire celebrates the “Dark Enlightenment.” It’s a great reading list, though I’d have … Continue reading →

Posted in Linkathons, Music, Politics and Economics | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments