Author Archives: Blowhard, Esq.

About Blowhard, Esq.

Amateur, dilettante, wannabe.

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: “I ceased in the year 1764 to believe that one can convince one’s opponents with arguments printed in books. It is not to do that, therefore, that I have taken up my pen, but merely so as … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy and Religion | Tagged argumentation, persuasion | 5 Comments

Quote of the Day

Posted on November 13, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: “I leaf through now one book, now another, without order and without a plan, by disconnected fragments…If I encounter difficulties in reading, I do not gnaw my nails over them; I leave them there. I do nothing … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books Publishing and Writing, Philosophy and Religion | Tagged Montaigne, Patron Saints of UR, reading | 5 Comments

Down These Mean Streets a Man Must Go…

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Here are a few pics of some notable L.A. landmarks from my trip there a couple weeks ago (previous installments here and here). First, Union Station.

Posted in Architecture, Movies, Photography | Tagged Biltmore, Blade Runner, Bradbury Building, Charlie Chaplin, Chinatown, Dutch Colonial Revival, Film Noir, Ghostbusters, Los Angeles, Mad Men, One Percent, Spanish Revival, Streamline Moderne, The Shining, Union Station, Vertigo | 9 Comments

That Video on r/gonewild or PornHub Yet?

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: From what I can tell, the great thing about this technology is the ease with which you can share data. So do you wanna remind people that with a simple tap their homemade porn will be all … Continue reading →

Posted in Technology | Tagged Advertising, Homegrown Video, Samsung Galaxy | 3 Comments

Camille Paglia’s “Glittering Images”

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Camille Paglia — professor, provocateur, scourge of leftist academics and feminists — has a new book on visual art and was in town recently to lecture on it. I trekked over to the Skirball Cultural Center on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books Publishing and Writing, Education | Tagged art deco, Camille Paglia, Glittering Images, Los Angeles, Madonna, Skirball Cultural Center, Tamara de Lempicka, Vogue | 16 Comments

Birthday Day at UR

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: I dedicate this song to The Question Lady, who turns 23 today.

Posted in Personal reflections | Tagged Cracker, David Lowery, happy birthday to me and to you | 3 Comments

The Last Bookstore

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: While in downtown L.A. this weekend, we checked out a hip new shop called, ominously and ironically, The Last Bookstore.

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Commercial art, Photography, The Good Life | Tagged book store, Los Angeles, poetry slam, pulps | 11 Comments

Catholics, Carnitas, and Holy Death in Los Angeles

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: Yesterday I spent the day walking around downtown Los Angeles with faunafrailty, who has been known to show up in the comments here occasionally. During my leisurely Sunday stroll, my keen observational faculties revealed something that might elude … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and health, Photography, Travel | Tagged California, carnitas, Catholicism, Dia de los Muertos, Los Angeles, luchadores, Mexican Coke, Mexican nationalism, Olvera Street, paganism, Santa Muerte, white guilt | 13 Comments

“Blood Meridian,” a Western for People Who Hate Westerns

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: This summer I read two wonderful novels, Hombre and Valdez is Coming, early Westerns written by the masterful Elmore Leonard. After finishing those books I decided it was time to tackle one of the Big Kahunas of the last … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing | Tagged Blood Meridian, Bulwer-Lytton, Chip Kidd, Coen Brothers, Cormac McCarthy, David Pearson, Elmore Leonard, fancy writin', Glanton Gang, Harold Bloom, Heart of Darkness, Hombre, Moby-Dick, No Country for Old Men, Patrick O'Brian, Philip Roth, Thomas Pynchon, Valdez is Coming, westerns | 26 Comments

Movie Clip of the Day

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: No wonder he was banging the help. You never know when a fan will turn into a crazed demon that you have to toss into the fire.