A Favorite Painting 9

Wassily Kandinsky, Yellow, Red & Blue 1925

To me, Kandinsky is the greatest of the first wave of abstract artists in the first half of the twentieth century. This painting is representative of the musical quality of his work, suggesting a kind of visual tone and rhythm defined by color and the implied movement of his lines. It also lends itself to a "read-what-you-want-into-it" approach, rewarding contemplation with an amazing array of ideas and impressions. This piece has a particular humanistic element too, with the sketched profile at left seemingly absorbing the effect of the other elements swirling around him/her. But even lacking such a specific visual cue, it's easy to envision people and life as central to the images he creates, since they portray a vibrant, vital imagination at play with the literal world. Definitely an exciting and rewarding work.

The Great Amy Rigby

I believe I've played Amy Rigby more often in the eight years I've been doing my radio show than any other artist except maybe Bob Dylan, so much so that I tend to refer to her as the program's patron saint. Just an incredibly talented, and as you'll see here, funny performer who just keeps putting out one great album after another. I got to see her live a few years ago in Kent, Ohio where she performed with Marti Brown (Sally and Natalie were with me- remember?) Recently she's been touring with her husband Wreckless Eric, and I can only hope they get within a few hundred miles of Dillon, and if they do, I'm there.

Wednesday's Philosophical Nugget

Some words of wisdom from Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (1533-1592), noted French philosopher and essayist:

"If falsehood, like truth, had but one face, we
would be on more equal terms. For we would
consider the contrary of what the liar said to
be certain. But the opposite of truth has a
hundred thousand faces and an infinite field."

Baseball Stadiums I Have Visited, Part 2

Working in New York City between 1982 and 1984 afforded me the opportunity to visit two more major league stadiums (well, in this instance, the term major league is very relative). Frankly, one of the reasons I took a job in New York was to have access to big league games (along with the museums and libraries; after all, I was something of a nerdy academic, even before going to graduate school).

4. Yankee Stadium (New York Yankees)

I have a clearer memory of my first visit to Yankee Stadium than almost any other baseball going experience (at least of those more than a few years past). I remember buying the tickets at an outlet in Union City, NJ (the town adjacent to where I had my apartment in Weehawken); I remember thinking through what other team I wanted to see (the Minnesota Twins, because they had a bunch of up-and-coming young talent at the time: Hrbek, Brunansky, Gaetti); I remember the subway ride up to the Bronx, and getting off to walk around the stadium; I remember coming up the passage to the diamond and being entirely stunned by the greenness of the field, the whiteness of the railing spread our above the outfield, and the rich orangey brown of the infield dirt. I had a seat directly behind home plate maybe ten or twelve rows back (I sprung for a pretty expensive ticket, though about half way through I moved to the upper deck to get a different view, and ended up liking that better-- I couldn't ge tused to looking through the netting used to protect fans close-up from foul balls). I do not remember who won, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere there, as I did everytime I went to Yankee Stadium (probably five or six more times altogether over those two years). On another occasion, I went up to see Carl Yastrzemski's last game in NYC, and that was pretty cool, given the longstanding rivalry between the Yankeees and Red Sox. I should mention that I consider myself a Yankee hater, mainly because of Steinbrenner, but I always liked going to see them play at home. It really was a special experience, and you can count me among those who think it's a travesty to tear the place down. I can't imagine the new park holding any of the magic of the House That Ruth Built.

5. Shea Stadium (New York Mets)

Shea Stadium was something altogether different, and considerably less worthwhile. I always considered myself a National League guy, but the long train ride out, uncomfortable seats with poor sightlines, crummy food, and a then-dismal Mets team (the tail end of the Kingman years, pre- Gooden and Strawberry) made it hardly worth the effort. I think I only made the trip twice when the Braves were playing (and they were actually enjoying some good times as Dale Murphy emerged as an MVP). My primary memories are so different from what I experienced at Yankee Stadium-- mostly being hot, uncomfortable and bored. In my experience, one of the two worst stadiums I ever visited. The new stadium the Mets'll be playing in this year can't help but be much better.

One post-script: I remember one incredibly hot day in 1984 when I was planning to go and catch the Yankees game. I came into Manhattan early to do a little shopping first and by noon, the heat was so unbearable, that I couldn't imagine sitting in the hot sun through the afternoon. So instead, I ducked into a movie theatre that prominently promised air-conditioning and saw Ghostbusters. I enjoyed myself immensely (not the least for being cooled off so completely), but always wondered if I made the right decision to skip the game. As it happened, I ended up moving back to Buffalo shortly thereafter and haven't been back to Yankee Stadium since.

Part 3 should be up tomorrow or the next day.

Question for My Readers (Well, Some of Them)

After reading the above Baby Blues strip this morning (by Rick Kerkman and Jerry Scott) , it made me wonder, is Emma walking yet? I'm sure somebody reading this will know the answer, and be willing to share an update in the comments section.

Confucius Says...

I've been giving short shrift to the Asians with the Philosophy, so here's a golden oldie from the most influential Chinese thinker, Confucius:

"Tsze-kung asked, saying, 'Is there one word which
may serve as a rule of practice for all one's life?'
The Master said, 'Is not Reciprocity such a word?
What you do not want done to yourself,
do not do to others.'"

Baseball Stadiums I Have Visited, Part 1

In a comment related to my previous post about the start of Spring Training, Lil Sis asked which major league parks I've visited in all my years as a fan. So herewith begins a series in which I identify them all, along with what (to me at least) are some pertinent comments about the respective experiences I associate with each. The list will be more or less in the order that I visited the various parks.

1. Exhibition Stadium (Toronto Blue Jays)

When the Blue jays (along with the Mariners) joined the American League in 1977, they became my de facto home team, since Toronto was only 90 miles away from Buffalo. My friends and I would go up to see the Blue Jays play two or three times a year in what was easily the worst park to watch a game I've ever experienced (at any level). Exhibition Stadium was built for football, and the sightlines were terrible unless you were seated immediately adjacent to the infield (the right field seats were the worst of a bad lot). Since we didn't have a lot of money, and the team was pretty popular, especially as they got good in the early 80s, we often got stuck out in those right field seats. I remember one home opener in particular, where the seats were crummy, the weather was terrible (Toronto in April is a pretty iffy proposition in that regard) and it seems like we (my brother Nick and my friend Jeff were with me as I recall) spent most of our time huddling around cups of hot chocolate under the stands. But we also saw a lot of great games, and some fine young players (Jesse Barfield was a particular favorite) as they came of age. Oddly, by the time the Blue Jays were really good (and winning World Series), they were playing in the modern Rogers Center, and I never found the time to go see them play there. There was something about the rinky-dinkiness of Exhibition Stadium that made it charming, and I always saw the newer stadium as kind of cold (in atmosphere, not temperature-- it has a dome) and so of little appeal. maybe this year, when I'm back east I'll think about giving it a try.

2. Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh Pirates)

The second major league stadium I visited was with Nick in 1979. We drove down to Pittsburgh for a doubleheader between the Pirates and Braves. During the game, there was an announcement that the Pirates (then a very good team) had adopted the Sister Sledge song "We Are Family" as their theme song. Led by an aging but still effective Willie Stargell that team would go on to win the World Series that year. The Braves (who I was really more interested in seeing) were a bad team, but Phil Neikro did win one of the games, confounding the Pirate sluggers with his knuckleball. Another announcement during the game was that the following night was dollar night-- with general admission seats all going for a buck. We had planned to drive back to Buffalo after the doubleheader, but instead went to visit our cousins in Johnstown to see if any of them wanted to come back the next night with us. I don't believe any of them took us up on the offer, but we were back the next night sitting in the left field bleachers for another Braves loss. I remember that Dale Murphy, a highly touted Braves prospect, looked really bad over those three games (though later he'd develop into a two time MVP), but I was glad to have had the opportunity to see him in person nonetheless.

3. Atlanta Fulton County Stadium (Atlanta Braves)

My senior year in college, I got it into my head that I should pursue a career in public relations for a major league ball team (I was a communications major, and the other options weren't all that exciting). So I wrote a letter to Wayne Minshew, who handled p.r. for the Braves, and he graciously wrote back inviting me to visit if I were ever in Atlanta. So naturally, I made the arrangements to fly down as soon as I could. I met Mr. Minshew and he showed me around the team offices, giving me a rundown on what he and his staff of one did. The Braves first round draft choice that year, pitcher Ken Dayley, was also on the premises that day, though I didn't get to meet him. Mr. Minshew was very hospitable, but in the end, they just didn't have any openings. I stayed for the better part of a week, at a hotel right across the street from the stadium, and saw four games against the Reds and Mets (if I recall-- I don't have my friend Jeff's memory for those kind of details), again all Braves losses except for the one started by Phil Neikro. Those were the wilderness years for the Braves, and I haven't been back to the city in the summer since, so haven't checked out Turner Field, though it's definitely on my to-do list.

That's part 1-- the next installment should be posted tomorrow or the next day.

Classic Smothers Brothers

I tend to think its somewhat forgotten today just how great the Smothers Brothers were in their prime. They're justly remembered for the strong stand they took against the censoring of material they wanted to portray on their late sixties variety show, but before they were free speech heroes, they were incredibly funny performers (and I suspect they still are). Here's one of their classic routines from, I'm guessing, the mid 1960s.

President's Day Philosophy

I'm not sure that anyone would agree with all of the comments collected below (or even that they all constitute philosophy), but it seemed worthwhile to produce such a list for the President's Day holiday. Like all the philosophical posts, they are offered up as a prompt for further thinking, in this case about the role played by the executive in our system.

"The President is at liberty, both in law and conscience, to be as big a man as he can." Woodrow Wilson, 1908

"No man can bring out of the Presidency the reputation which carries him into it." Thomas Jefferson, 1795

"A Galileo could no more be elected President of the United States than he could be elected Pope of Rome. Both posts are reserved for men favored by God with an extraordinary genius for swathing the bitter facts of life in bandages of self-illusion." H.L. Mencken, 1949

"One cannot always be sure of the truth of what one hears if he happens to be President of the United States." William Howard Taft

"... a man in his right mind would never want to be President, if he knew what it entails. Aside from the impossible administrative burden, he has to take all sorts of abuse from liars and demagogues.... All the President is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway." Harry Truman, 1947

"By the time a man gets to be Presidential material he's been bought ten times over." Gore Vidal, 1974

"I had rather be right than be President." Henry Clay, 1839

"A man can be right an' president, but he can't be both at th' same time." Finley Peter Dunne ("Mr. Dooley"), 1900

"I would rather be in my grave than in the Presidency." Attributed to George Washington by John F. Kennedy.

Spring is Here!

Pitchers and catchers from a number of teams reported today for Spring Training, with most other clubs gathering tomorrow. It's a sure sign that nice, warm weather and relaxing days in the stands are soon to follow. Also, I received a message that my copy of the 2009 Baseball Prospectus (my personal favorite of all the various annuals that forecast what to expect in the coming season) was shipped yesterday. Definitely good reason to start looking at things in a more positive light, even if it is only a game.

Clouds Over the Hotel Lafayette

Yesterday I posted a photo of the great sunset over the Pioneer Mountains in SW Montana. Today, it's the equally striking sky over downtown Buffalo (from a couple summers ago). I think the lesson is, if you look up anywhere, you might see something pretty striking, whether mountain sunsets, or clouds framing skyscrapers (or anyway, what pass for skyscrapers in Buffalo).

Sunday's Philosophical Nugget

Today we have a quote from the writings of Guido Giordano Bruno (1548-1600), who was burned at the stake as a heretic, though I hope no one will hold that against him:

"It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think
with the masses or majority, merely because the majority
is the majority. Truth does not change because it is,
or is not, believed by a majority of the people."

A Favorite Painting 8

Francisco de Goya, The Executions of the Third of May 1808, 1814

This is the kind of painting that a historian is sure to appreciate, symbolizing, in its dramatic depiction of violent retribution, the period often referred to as the Revolutionary Era. The scene took place in Spain when citizens in Puerto del Sol offered some meager resistance to the forces of Napoleon then establishing occupation of the country. In the aftermath, Egyptian troops under French command were ordered to massacre any locals they could find, participation in the resistance apparently not necessarily a consideration. The brutality shocked Spaniards, like Goya, who had thought the French revolution offered a chance of democratic reform as it spread into Spain. The massacre quickly disavowed them of any such notion. The painting is stark in its violence, and although painted several years after the event, conveys the immediacy of the horror, in part through its almost sketch-like quality-- Goya didn't need to strive for hyper realism in style, because the emotional impact required little detail to embellish its power. One of the outcomes of that revolutionary generation was a more broadly commitment to realism in the arts, but it also planted the seeds for a modernism that, stylistically speaking, began to reckon the realism of emotion over that of draftsmanship. I think you can see Goya's work as an early expression of that.

Happy Valentine's Day

Here's one of the all-time great love songs, by Sam Cooke. It's from an old broadcast of American Bandstand and a little scratchy, but that hardly detracts from the song. Enjoy!

Some Valentine's Day Philosophy

This little bit from Friedrich Von Schiller seemed appropriate to the occasion:

"Egotism erects its center in itself; love places
it out of itself in the axis of the universal whole.
Love aims at unity, egotism at solitude.
Love is the citizen ruler of a flourishing republic,
egotism is a despot in a devastated creation."

Driving Back From Butte II

I spent most of today visiting my friend Jim up in Butte. Driving back, I was treated to a pretty nice sunset, which I thought I might share. Somehow, the photo doesn't quite capture how cool it looked in person, but you get the idea anyway. As a transplanted eastern suburbanite, I don't know if I always appreciate all that Montana is supposed to offer. But the sky is pretty regularly amazing.

Friday Philosophy

Something short, but sweet from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

"If you put a chain around the neck of a slave,

the other end fastens itself around your own."

Friday Family Quiz

OK smart guys (I mean that in the gender neutral sense ;-)-- my recent quizzes have proven to be no challenge at all, but I think I may have stumbled across a stumper. Where was the above picture of Natalie and Ben taken? Let's just see how smart you are!

As for last week, the first contest asked you to identify an infant held by Natalie, and wouldn't you know it! The first guess, by Lil Sis was correct: Joseph Banning (though there was a bit of confusion regarding his nickname). Kudos to Lil Sis.

The second contest, more of a creative enterprise, asked you to identify the masked Theresa's superpower. There were several good guesses, but I have to pick Theresa's own "able to leap small children in a single bound" as the best. Congratualtions to all the players! Let's see if this week I can finally foil you!

More Friday Family Blogging

Here's a good one of Dad in his workshop:

Let's test your creativity (not the official weekly quiz): what do you suppose he was working on? He seems to be lining something up on the table saw. Throw your guesses intot he comments section.

Friday Family Blogging

Let's start off today's family stuff with another of my favorite pictures, of Natalie, Ben and the now sadly departed Ernie.

I can't think of a question to pose about this one; I just hope you like it.

Political Comment

Yesterday I saw a Congressman (I think his name was Price) from Georgia on C-Span being interviewed about the current debate over economic stimulus. His basic position seemed to be (and this is a paraphrase): "we don't need the government to get us out of this mess; we'll get out of it because we're Americans." Now, it seems to me that, yes, as Americans we have the capacity, and hopefully the will, to do what's necessary to get out of this mess-- but in what way does that invalidate using the government and its resources to help accomplish that job? Is he suggesting the government isn't American? If it isn't, then what is he suggesting about the Constitution, which after all not only defines the nature of our government, but also the freedoms we all enjoy and would presumably use to make things better?

George Packer has written in the New Yorker that this debate is ultimately not about economic recovery. Here's a quote from a recent piece:

"The two parties are pretending to argue about the efficacy of the stimulus bill. They’re really arguing about the role of government in our society and economy, in the middle of a crisis and after decades of neglect. They’re arguing about whether health care, education, energy, and infrastructure are necessary areas for substantial federal spending and oversight. That’s why the stakes in this argument are higher than the final price tag on the stimulus package."

I can understand why there would be (and should be) some suspicion of government-- especially after the past eight years-- and I'm not saying they deserve a blank check with no oversight (again, that hasn't worked out too well recently). But if we don't believe that we (and, more to the point, our ancestors) created a system that can be employed in the service of the people in time of crisis, then what is it about our system that we are clinging to (and trying to export to other parts of the world, like the Middle East)? There seems to be an inherent flaw in the argument that the government is the enemy, at least as an absolute statement of principle.

A Favorite Painting 7

Umberto Boccioni, Charge of the Lancers 1915

When I was posting photos from my Italy trip last fall, I mentioned that I was anxious to see the futurists exhibited in the National Gallery of Modern art in Rome. This painting is an example of the style, though not part of that collection. It embodies a type of "action painting" long before the term was applied by Clement Greenberg to the abstract expressionists. I find the fluidity and coloring most engaging, and while there's a martial component that might normally put me off, it's offset by the collage element of the newspaper backdrop, conveying a sense of reportage (and history) as opposed to some kind of celebratory mythologizing. No doubt Boccioni was influenced by the cubists, but this work seems to hint at the coming revolution in cinematic montage with its dynamic thrust so evident on a static plane. Truly an exciting picture.

Thursday's Philosophizing

Here's a thought from the eminent American thinker, Lewis Mumford.

"A day spent without the sight or sound of beauty,
the contemplation of mystery, or the search
for truth and perfection, is a poverty-stricken day;
and a succession of such days is fatal to human life."

Busy Day

I don't recall what Gerik is giving the thumbs-up for, but it's been a long busy day for me (with more to come), and I think it conveys a nice positive message/image to post in the absence of any deeper thoughts. I'm even foregoing looking for a philosophical quote, as I have some papers to grade and another class to teach this evening. So consider this picture of affirmation as a placeholder until I have time to put up something more substantial (tomorrow).

Tuesday's Thought for the Day

The British historian John E.E. Dalberg, Lord Acton, wrote this back in 1907:

"In every age... [liberty's] progress has been
beset by its natural enemies, by ignorance and
superstition, by lust of conquest and by the love
of ease, by the strong man's craving for power,
and the poor man's craving for food."

You Gotta Love the Weinie King

Preston Sturges may have been the greatest comedy writer in Hollywood's long history. The string of films he directed, as well as wrote, in the early forties, from The Great McGinty to Hail the Conquering Hero constitute one of the longest sustained winning streaks, in terms of quality and hilarity, of the studio system era (probably unmatched since the days of Chaplin & Keaton). Here's a brief scene from near the beginning of one of his lesser known efforts, Palm Beach Story, starring Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea, and the inimitible Robert Dudley as the Weinie King:

Four More Days Until Pitchers & Catchers Report!

Spring is on the way (it's even a little warmer today in Dillon, or seems so). Pretty soon they'll be playing baseball again, and I'm looking forward to visiting as many ballparks as possible this summer. Here's a little quiz: anyone recognize this park?

How about this one?

I'm at least moderately hopeful of visiting both places later this summer, if all the necessary factors fall into place. Leave your guesses in comments.

Thought for Monday Morning

This should be pretty non-controversial, but worth considering, from Scottish philosopher James Mill:

"...the lot of every human being is determined
by his pains and his pleasures, and that his
happiness corresponds with the degree in which
his pleasures are great and his pains are small."

Egyptology 001

For Ben in particular, but hopefully everyone else tuning in will get a kick out of this classic performance by Steve Martin:

Dr. John's Top Five, February 8, 2009

I've spruced up the video slightly by moving the camera back to include the picture of Ben & Natalie that sits beside my stereo system (giving the illusion, I hope, of someone listening to the program). Hope you like it.

Sunday's Philosophical Nugget

My friend Bill will be gratified to see me quote the Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius Antonius:

"Never value anything as profitable to thyself which shall
compel thee to break thy promise, to lose thy self-respect,
to hate any man, to suspect, to curse, to act the hypocrite,
to desire anything which needs walls and curtains:
for he who has preferred to everything else his own
intelligence and daemon and the worship of its excellence,
acts no tragic part, does not groan, will not need either
solitude or much company; and, what is chief of all,
he will live without either pursuing or flying from death."

Bonus Family Blogging

I should probably hold this one for next October, but it's such a nice picture (love those bubbles!) with so many familiar faces, I couldn't wait. Besides, I've got plenty more to use if I do remember to mark the actual anniversary later this year (I may not be a great photographer, but I'm certainly prolific!).

The Great Nina Simone

The video here is nothing special (just a series of slides), but here's a great song by an artist who truly deserved a wider audience, even beyond the success she enjoyed:

A Favorite Painting 6

John Neagle, Pat Lyon at the Forge" 1826-27

A classic representation of the Republican Ideal at action in art. This portrait of a working man not only celebrates the work ethic celebrated in the early years of the nation's history, but also hints at how the system is set up to encourage second chances. The building seen through the window in the upper left is a prison-- a place previously inhabited by Lyon, before he emerged to become a successful blacksmith and businessman, successful enough to commission the painting. But instead of employing the traditional trappings of success for his "sitting," he chooses to both acknowledge his past difficulties and demonstrate that the success came as a result of hard work. A great example of how American artists of that generation were re-defining the terms of artistic representation to reflect the ideals of their society.

Saturday Philosophizing

Here's something from Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), noted German political theorist:

"It is more than likely that if men were ever to lose
the appetite for meaning which we call thinking,
and cease to ask unanswerable questions,
they would lose not only the ability to produce
those thought-things which we call works of art
but also the capacity for asking all the unanswerable
questions upon which every civilization is founded."

Driving Back From Butte

I thought I'd share a picture I took earlier today while, as the heading suggests, driving back home from Butte. This is Mount Fleecer, the only mountain that I know by both sight and name (mainly because I go by it so often). Often when I pass, the top is covered in clouds, or there's fog around the bottom. Today it looked so crisp and clear, I had to stop to take a photo.

The Last Movie I Saw

Last night I went to see Frost/Nixon directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Sheen and Frank Langella in the title roles. I have to give Howard and Langella credit-- they manage to create a humanistic portrait of Nixon without soft-pedaling the nature or effect of his crimes. To put it another way, the film could have just conformed to a particular take on the disgraced president-- either chopping him down completely (which is more or less how I remember Robert Altman's Secret Honor) or creating a false sense of human frailty, as opposed to hubris (which is how I recall Anthony Hopkins' portrayal in Oliver Stone's Nixon*). Howard's film allows for a degree of sympathy while fully acknowledging Nixon's hand in his own ultimate defeat, and makes it pretty clear that such human-level sympathy hardly exonerates him from blame for his transgressions. I don't think the film stands up as a great film, mainly because the first half is a bit tedious in providing exposition for the showdown between David Frost and Nixon in the famous interviews that took place a few years after the latter's resignation. But once the interviews begin, the movie gathers momentum and makes up for the shortcomings in the first part. Special kudos to Oliver Platt, playing a somewhat quintessential Oliver Platt role as one of Frost's colleagues; he always brings something entertaining to the plate, much in the tradition of the great character actors of the past. I also liked Sam Rockwell as James Reston, but maybe only because his was the character that most represented my perspective of Nixon going in to the film.

*I haven't seen either Secret Honor or Nixon since they were first released, so it's possible my memory of each is off. Maybe I'll try to hunt them up on video to see if I'd still read them this way.

Friday Philosophy

Having just completed teaching a course in Women's History, this pearl from Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas Carotat, marquis de Condorcet, seemed particularly apt:

"Among those causes of human improvement
that are of the most importance to the general
welfare, must be included, the total annihilation
of the prejudices which have established
between the sexes an inequality of rights,
fatal even to the part which it favors."

Bonus Friday Family Blogging Quiz

This is more of a challenge to your creativity... If Theresa were a masked super-hero, what were her special powers be? Most imaginative answer (fill up the comments section, folks) takes the prize. Play as often as you like!

Friday Family Blogging Quiz

These quizzes never seem to be as tough as I expect them to be, but maybe today I've got something of a stumper. You'll all recognize Natalie in the above picture, but the question is, who is the infant she is holding? As always, put your guesses in the comments, and I'll announce the winner next week.

Last week, I tried twice to fool you, and had no luck at all. In the first case, you were asked where the picture of Helen & Maria was taken, and Sally correctly guessed Fantasy Island. In the bonus quiz (which I really thought would be much tougher), Theresa correctly named Ben (in the first guess!) as the photographer of the picture of Natalie and me (and confirmed by Ben himself, who I didn't expect would remember). You guys are way too good at this, but maybe (heh, heh, heh) I'll get you this time!

More Friday Family Blogging

Here's one of Benny-- what's he grinning about (also not the formal quiz, but feel free to guess)?

Friday Family Blogging

As mentioned here, I've started digitizing older photos taken on film (remember film? can you even still buy it anymore?). So, here's one of Marenka that must go back at least ten years:

I wonder if Lil Sis (or anyone else) recognizes where this was taken (not the actual quiz-- that's coming up later).

Political Comment

One of the common labels employed by critics attacking of President Obama's stimulus bill is "socialist." I know that's a fright-laden term since it evokes images of Josef Stalin and the KGB, but the history of socialism is much broader and often more benign than such a connection implies, especially in this country. For one thing, socialistic ideas are not incompatible with democracy; and though it's a less obvious fit, at least theoretically, it's not really all that incompatible with capitalism either (understanding that such a relationship involves a degree of compromise on both sides-- look at Germany for example). Certainly, programs that have socialistic elements have been successful in the past in this country; this morning, Mark Schone at Salon.com collected a whole slide show of evidence. Part of the genius of Franklin Roosevelt was his ability to set aside labels (and their attached ideologies) to embrace policies that might help, regardless of their theoretical origins or attachment to specific factions (and during the New Deal, that meant fascism as well as socialism). His goal, and ultimately his success, was in crafting a set of programs that collectively worked to preserve the fundamental democratic/capitalistic nature of our system, by demonstrating its inherent flexibility in occasionally embracing seemingly radical ideas. It would be nice if the current critics could be so open-minded, and confident that our system is ultimately strong enough to endure such pragmatic compromise, especially in a time of emergency. Stephen Pearlstine's article in this morning's Washington Post addresses this same issue.

Thursday's Philosophical Nugget

Courtesy of Ludwig Wittgenstein, the Austrian-British thinker who grappled a lot with the connection between language and understanding:

"Everything that can be thought of at all
can be thought of clearly.
Everything that can be said
can be said clearly....
Philosophy is a battle against the bewitchment
of our intelligence by means of language."

More from Our Anniversary Show

Every year when we celebrate another year on the air, I always kick off the anniversary show with this song: "Memphis, Egypt" by the Mekons (see partial playlist in the marginalia at left). If you listen closely to the lyrics, you'll note that even as it sonically celebrates the visceral kick of the music, it offers a pretty trenchant critique of all it has come to symbolize, from rebellion to corporate co-optation. I'd like to think that this song attempts to re-claim it for the former purpose, but in a strictly dialectical analysis (which I think the Mekons might appreciate) maybe you can't have one without the other (?). Anyway, the video is very cool, so give it a looksee.

A Favorite Painting 5

R.B. Kitaj, Walter Lippman 1966

Like the Miro I posted a week ago, I first saw this painting in the Albright-Knox Gallery in Buffalo; unlike the Miro, it hasn't been on display there for years, though it's stuck in my memory. I love how it evokes a seemingly common movie scene, even as it challenges the viewer to put together the individual pieces of its mise en scene, which Kitaj has effectively dismantled, and slightly shuffled. I especially love the shadowy figure at the top of the stairs-- could it be the titular character of Lippman, the topcoat visually representing a common stereotype of the reporter, the silhouette effect metaphorically representing the reporter's place as an outside observer? Or is that Lippman's face on the lower right, again apart and observing the action before him? I don't know, but these are the kind of questions prompted by the piece that makes it endlessly fascinating to me.

Top Five List from Last Week's Show

Now that I've figured out how to insert some highlights from my radio show, Dr. John's Record Shelf, it should become a regular feature of this blog. Here's the Top Five list from our 8th Anniversary Program last Sunday. I hope you enjoy it.

Wednesday's Philosophical Nugget

Today I offer up some words from the Portuguese-Dutch lensmaker, Baruch Spinoza.

"Laws which prescribe what everyone must believe,
and forbid men to say or write anything against
this or that opinion, are often passed to gratify,
or rather, to appease the anger of those
who cannot abide independent minds."

Remembering Italy

It's been awhile since I posted some Italy pictures, and since its kind of a lazy day where I'd like nothing better than to take a stroll along the Arno River in Florence, here are some shots of that river:

This is the view looking northeast from Lungarno Serristori on the north bank of the river.

This is a picture of Lungarno Serristori (the street that runs along the bank of the river) from the other side of the river.

Here we see the Arno, looking to the northwest from the Piazzale Michelangiolo. The big bridge in the center is the Ponte Vecchio, which is lined with jewelry shops.

And last, a twilight view of the river looking west from the Ponte a Santa Trinita (which is the bridge just beyond the Ponte Vecchio in the previous image).

By the way, these pictures are all from my first trip to Italy in 1999/2000 (we were there for the millennial new year), which I've just started digitizing. I'll likely post some more as I get them finished.

Today's Philosophical Thought

To start addressing a perceived imbalance in my recent choices to quote, here are some words of wisdom from Edmund Burke, the eminent 18th Century British political thinker.

"All government, indeed every human benefit
and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act,
is founded on compromise and barter...
Man acts from motives relative to his interests;
and not on metaphysical speculation"

Richie Valens Video

This isn't one of his bigger hits, but it's all I could find of Valens actually performing (as opposed to just still shots while the record plays). I recommend searching for one of his albums, because the guy was a great talent on wax even if he didn't make it to film very often.

Big Bopper Video

The one and only J. P. Richardson performing his biggest hit. This is from American Bandstand, with Dick Clark as host. You've got to admit, the Bopper knows how to sell a song!

Buddy Holly Video

It's a little grainy, but it starts with a nice intro by someone who looks a little like Arlene Francis (anyone have another guess on that?).

Fifty Years Ago Today

One of the earliest and greatest tragedies of the rock era occurred on February 3, 1959, when the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson) went down in a snowstorm (I guess we can at least be thankful that Dion wasn't also on that flight). The poster above advertised the the show they were supposed to give that night in Moorhead, Minnesota. I consider Buddy Holly to be one of the major figures of early rock and roll, establishing a precedent to be followed by many in the sixties of not only writing his own material (guys like Chuck Berry and Fats Domino were also doing that) but also moving into producing his own recordings. If you've never seen The Buddy Holly Story starring Gary Busey in the lead, check it out. It's not entirely accurate, but it sure does seem to capture something of the time, and Busey's performance is electrifying. Valens and Richardson also made some timeless music, and if they weren't quite as prolific as Holly before they died, it hardly diminishes the sense of loss at what they might have contributed had they lived. I'll see if I can find some clips to post later on.

Gee, Maybe I was Onto Something

There's an interesting story in today's Buffalo News that corroborates some of what I was decrying in my previous post-- namely the loss of local personalities on the radio dial. Obviously, much of this is driven by money, and particularly loss of advertising dollars; but that should be just as big an incentive for creativity as homogenization. Long live the likes of Ramblin Lou!

The State of Radio

There's an interesting take on Rush Limbaugh and his ilk at this site (I found the link initially at Mark Evanier's site). Beau Weaver, the author of the piece does a good job explaining the negative impact that Limbaugh has had on national political discourse, especially insofar as the talk show hosts have driven more thoughtful, reasoned discussion off the airwaves. I'd argue that, in addition to that, they've largely destroyed what I might refer to as the "art" of radio, which as a medium falls well short of meeting its potential to both entertain and inform. Virtually all of the personality has been stripped from the airwaves (since most successful talk show hosts, right or left, vary little in the personality they present), and the opportunity to offer more creative programming has been tossed away in favor of the cheap production costs that go into replicating the Limbaugh formula. I don't know why listeners don't demand more than a belligerant affirmation of their existing views; when TV first started to drain radio audiences and hence resources in the 1950s, there was an amazing burst of true personality driven programming (much of it tied to the concurrent youth and rock movements), so it can happen. It used to be fun to drive across the country, listening to local radio stations along the way and picking up on the regional differences. Today, such efforts yield endless rounds of Limbaugh, Hannity, and O'Reilly-- without a hair's breadth of difference between them (FM is little better, offering only preprogrammed stations of single genre music per station). I know I sound like a old fogey on this matter, but the only people who can possibly think radio is better today than thirty or forty years ago are just too young to know what they are missing.

Monday Morning Philosophy

Courtesy of the noted Scottish skeptic, David Hume:

"The many instances of forged miracles, and prophecies,
and supernatural events, which, in all ages,
have either been detected by contrary evidence,
or which detect themselves by their absurdity,
prove sufficiently the strong propensity
of mankind to the extraordinary and marvelous,
and ought reasonably to beget a suspicion
against all relations of this kind."

p.s. How come no one ever comments on the philosophy quotes? Can I assume they at least make you take a moment to ponder?

Super Bowl Prediction

I only got a couple or responses to my request for favorites in the big game, and the mini-consensus is to pull for the Steelers. I'm going to go way out on a limb and make this prediction (based on my close analysis of the past several Super Bowls): the first half will be an almost total yawn, with no more than 13 total points scored, and even the hot new commercials will be a disappointment. After that, who knows? Deep down, I think I'd rather see the Steelers win and set a record for Super Bowl victories than see a pretty clearly inferior team claim a championship. But I have to admit, if the Cardinals do play well enough to win, their's would be the more dramatic story-line (plus, it would make Tom happy to see them win-- so that'd be alright with me). Considering that I'm a fairly big sports fan, I'm actually pretty ambivalent about the whole thing; and truth be told, I can't imagine the football game generating as much drama as the men's final in the Australian Open earlier today.

A Favorite Painting 4

Charles DeMuth, My Egypt 1927

American modernism at its finest, blending the almost technocratic clarity of its line and distribution of light with the sly mockery of the title (what, after all, will be the American equivalent of the pyramids thousands of years from now but the wreckage of our industrial architecture?). DeMuth's clean, illustrative style would not be out of place in a magazine advertisement, but the basic elements of the composition recall those of the German expressionists (or fellow American Lyonel Feininger) and it's not hard to see how he foreshadows the later Abstract Expressionists. The contemporary that I most associate him with is Charles Sheeler, whose work will likely make an appearance in this feature in the near future. What do you good readers think?

Super Sunday (But Not Because of Football)

Today is the eighth anniversary of the debut of "Dr. John's Record Shelf," my radio program on KDWG broadcast from the campus of the University of Montana Western. We first went on the air on Super Bowl Sunday in 2001, and although the date on which the game is played flits around between late January and early February from year to year, we decided to mark our anniversaries on the day of the big game since it adds to the festive atmosphere of the occasion. The first song played on that first show was the Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll," which seemed an appropriate kickoff, given our intended focus. Over the years we've added a number of features to complement the music, one of which is the Top Five List (which, by the way, we pinched from Nick Hornby, not David Letterman). Anyway, as part of this year's celebration, I figured out a way to get a little of the broadcast onto the web (we don't stream at K-Dawg), and I'm going to test it here. It's a pretty static video of the Top Five List from two weeks ago. If this works, it'll probably become a regular feature on the blog-- starting tomorrow with the Anniversary Top Five. So, let me know what you think.