Author Archives: Fenster

About Fenster

Gainfully employed for thirty years, including as one of those high paid college administrators faculty complain about. Earned Ph.D. late in life and converted to the faculty side. Those damn administrators are ruining everything.

A Pentagram Solution?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: In a recent New York Review of Books, Timothy Garton Ash weighed in on the subject of multiculturalism. Correction: make that “subjects” of multiculturalism, in the plural, since the word has multiple meanings. “Multiculturalism” has become a term of … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy and Religion, Politics and Economics | Tagged Isaiah Berlin, liberalism, multiculturalism, New York Review of Books, pentagram, Timothy Garton Ash | 2 Comments

Quiz o’ th’ Day (with answer)

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Here are some quotes. The quiz question is to identify the job of the person who said them. “College costs too much and delivers too little. Students are leaving, when they graduate at all, with loads of debt … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | Tagged higher education, Mitch Daniels, Purdue, University of Virginia | 2 Comments

Trapped . . . a Desperate Man and a Strange Half Animal Girl!

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: . . . . is the tagline for Fear and Desire (1953), Stanley Kubrick’s first feature. The poster makes Kubrick’s first out to be some sort of hot noir. In fact, it is Kubrick’s attempt at making some sort … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Tagged Fear and Desire, Stanley Kubrick | 1 Comment

Record Stores

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: “What’s a record?” –my nephew, aged 14, about 15 years ago. “It’s called vinyl, dad. You wouldn’t know what it is.” –my son, aged 14, three years ago. Recently, a wag who is known to frequent this blog … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 7 Comments

Trapped . . . a Desperate Man and a Strange Half Animal Girl!

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The above blog title title is the tagline of an early film directed by . . . 1. Claude Chabrol (“piégés. . . un homme désespéré et un étrange, mi-animal fille!”) 2. Sam Raimi 3. Stanley Kubrick 4. Alfred … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | Leave a comment

Education Ruminations

Posted on January 24, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: When I worked at an art and design school, one of the predictable debates centered on the wisdom of interdisciplinary approaches. This particular school was famed for its intense studio orientation, departmentally based. The faculty in each of … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Uncategorized | 4 Comments

“Cinema Verite”

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Despite the name, Cinema Verite (2011) is not a straight-up documentary like those of Frederick Wiseman. Nor is is a documentary about a the making of a feature film, like Lost in La Mancha. It is the rarer bird: … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies | 2 Comments

Montaigne Unchained!

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster quotes Montaigne: “The weakness of our condition makes it impossible for things to come into our experience in their natural simplicity and purity. The elements we enjoy are corrupted, and the metals likewise; the gold must be debased by … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy and Religion | 2 Comments

A Reprobate Ancestor

Posted on January 13, 2013 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Alternative living arrangements now have a somewhat chic air about them. There’s cohousing, latter-day countercultural and perennially about to bloom as the boomers retire. There’s the micro-apartment option, the fun new craze for urban-bound but poor youth in … Continue reading →