For more than forty years now, Americans have been engaged in a furious culture war, disputing the significance and worth of that fast-receding decade, the “Sixties.” What were the Sixties about and what did they mean? Fortunately, the good folks at Merriam-Webster have been keeping track. Back in 1961, Merriam-Webster created a mini-culture war of…
Howard Fineman, scared shitless
Liberal blogs have given Newsweek columnist Howard Fineman a well-deserved slapping around for his recent column announcing that the “Establishment” has decided that President Obama is, well, a loser. Mind you, Howard isn’t saying this, he’s just repeating the “mumbling” that he’s heard. Now, some of it may be contradictory, inaccurate, etc., etc., etc., and…
N. Gregory Mankiw and the coercive power of the state
In the Sunday Washington Post, a variety of economic types are given the opportunity to sound off on President Obama’s tax proposals. Dr. Mankiw, who’s often appeared in these posts, is, unsurprisingly, unenthused, though he notes politely that the tax rates Obama is proposing aren’t really that bad. He concludes his thoughts with the following…
Switzerland: It’s not just about the chocolate these days!
No indeedy! That’s Sophie Kummer with the rouge mop, wigging on Thelonious Monk’s “Well, You Needn’t,” with the help of Alex Alflatt, bass, Raoul Baumann, keyboards, Sylvain Grimm, drums, and Nicolas Heiniger, flute. With the IRS making more and more of a fuss about secret Swiss bank accounts (and, excuse me, was there ever a…
The Arch Sophistication of Alessandra Stanley
Poor Alessandra Stanley! The New York Times—apparently functioning in a serious hip on a budget mode these days—has assigned her the impossible task of writing amusing copy on the state of American sit-coms. After an obligatory nod to the one sit-com she actually wants to write about, the ever-cool, though rarely watched—certainly not by me—“30…
Paging Dr. Mankiw
Harvard Economaniac Greg Mankiw responds to those whipper-snappers at the Crimson who have some unkind things to say about Big Red’s econ department. According to the kids, “The economics department is perennially plagued with abysmal satisfaction ratings and high student-to-faculty ratios.” In the first place, Doctor Greg sez, “I have been told, however, that if…
Bemsha Swing, 2006
Joe Lovano Nonet Live in Paris
Joe Lovano Nonet Live in Paris, at New Morning, February 19, 2001, featuring Joe Lovano, Steve Slagle, Ralph Lalama and Gary Smulyan, saxes; Barry Reis, trumpet; Larry Farrell, trombone; John Hicks, piano; Dennis Irwin, bass; and Lewis Nash on drums.
Chaplin v. Shatner: Who Was Greater?
Well, most of us are going to go with Charlie, but there are two sides to every story, after all, and I examine both in the current issue of the Bright Lights Film Journal. My take on Chaplin’s City Lights is here, while I review Robert Schnakenberg’s Encyclopedia Shatnerica here. The whole issue, not terribly…
In Walked Bud-o-mania!
Well, pretty much. Starting us off is an almost too hip vocal version featuring both Nnenna Freelon and Diana Krall (also on piano), with Clark Terry, flugelhorn, Jacky Terrasson, piano, Ron Carter, bass, and son of Thelonious T.S. Monk on drums.