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.

Everything Old is New Again

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Steely Dan’s well-known audio perfectionism caused the group to be one of the first to scramble to CD format. I remember going into Tower Records on Manhattan’s West Side and emerging triumphant with one of their CDs–this at … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | 1 Comment

New Urban Old Town

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Sounds like Celebration, Florida, the Disney-inspired small town, is not immune from the problems of the real world: a murder at the end of 2010, followed shortly thereafter by a suicide. And now this article about murder’s dark backstory. … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Photography | 6 Comments

Dan Ariely

Posted on September 11, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Do you know the behavioral economist Dan Ariely? His work is worth knowing, and he is accessible to boot, the very model of the engaged scholar of the internet era: interested in both relevant research and the clear … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Economics | 3 Comments

Can “Good Enough” be Good Design?

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: A theme found regularly on this blog (or is it a preoccupation? or an obsession?) concerns the shortcomings of much of contemporary architecture. Do some of the same issues hold for design, in a broader sense? Some years … Continue reading →

Posted in Commercial art | 8 Comments

A Cardinal at the Conventions

Posted on September 7, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, finds himself in the unique position of addressing both of the national party conventions, supplying the benedictions to both Democrats and Republicans. Here is a link on a Catholic political blog … Continue reading →

Posted in Philosophy and Religion, Politics and Economics | 3 Comments

More Building Fun for Blowhard, Esq.

Posted on September 6, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: It’s kind of hard to tell the intentional from the accidental.

Posted in Architecture | Tagged Frank Gehry | 8 Comments

A Policy-Tinged Appreciation of The Wire

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The Wire is, by a wide margin, my favorite television show ever. Or, to put it in the currently fashionable way: my favorite. television. show. ever. Over at The National Interest, Francis Fukuyama writes a very nice appreciation … Continue reading →

Posted in Television | Tagged The Wire | 1 Comment

Psst . . . . Wanna Buy a Stinkin’ Badge?

Posted on August 22, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Sir Barken Hyena’s post on the subject of a video game company hiring without need for candidates to provide resumes is suggestive of some broader themes at play (or at work?) in the world of credentialing. Credentials come … Continue reading →

Posted in Education | 5 Comments

Songs That Define You

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Here is the site Six Songs of Me. According to an NPR article on the site: (Musicologist Eric Clarke and others have) set up a special site (fueled by Spotify) where you can pick your most meaningful songs … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged Music | 1 Comment

Politics

Posted on August 14, 2012 by Fenster

Fenster writes: Fabrizio has opted out of politics. That’s a temptation but I remain something of a junkie. I tell myself it is about good citizenship, and that’s partly true, but how much really? And how much is it the … Continue reading →