James and Anne Hubbell are two of my favorite people. I saw their home and studio before 2003. That year, the Cedar Fire destroyed their home and studio––but not their spirits. They rebuilt and added, incorporating molten glass from the ruins. Jim’s creative genius in architecture, stained glass, tile, metal, and concrete sculpture is undiminished. Sunday, June 15, was my third or fourth tour. To Jim, no detail, even a floor drain, is too… read more →
Founded by one of my favorite people, Lewis Lapham, former editor of Harper’s, and author of many books, including The Wish for Kings: Democracy at Bay. Each beautifully produced issue, the current one on Revolutions, is a compendium of excerpts and images from a wide range of times and places. Fascinating memorable, information-rich maps by graphic artist Haisam Hussein.
My grandchildren love these: Schuricht, Cindy, The Pig and the Dragon. A pig not content with ordinary farm-animal life has no idea how far out of the ordinary her life will go. She encounters dangers she never imagined. The young dragon finds his place in his adopted family, only to realize he must make hard choices without knowing what it takes to live as a dragon. They both must learn to “let go” with love.… read more →
The best U.S. president of all time: William Henry Harrison: He was in office only thirty days, and was too sick the whole time to do anything.
These were brought to my attention by Graham Jones, my website designer: 1. We are advised NOT to judge all Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics, but encouraged TO judge all gun-owners by the actions of a few lunatics. 2. We hear Social Security will run out of money, but never that welfare or food stamps will. Recipients of the first worked for their money; recipients of the second did not. 3. We are… read more →
Admiration is a great pleasure, which I had when I discovered Haisam Hussein’s maps in Lapham’s Quarterly. He presents a great deal of information simply, memorably, beautifully. If you admire Tufte, you will enjoy Hussein’s work.
Nicholas Wade’s A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History challenges the taboo-ridden field of anthropology. In recent decades, anthropologists have denied that race exists. The Greeks would have called this a “virtuous lie” because its purpose is to prevent future injustices like we have had in the past. DNA statistical studies are fascinating and need not be threats to anyone. We are above all individuals more than we are representatives of whatever groups other… read more →
TED Talks vary in quality; this is one of the best. Exciting innovations that leave you happy that such creative people exist and have the opportunity to bring their ideas into existence.
Gun Control Obama’s Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has seen gunshot victims in the ER. He ignores four other groups of people: 1. Those in the ER because of injuries they sustained because they did not have guns to protect themselves 2. Those in the morgue for the same reason 3. Those walking around unharmed because they did have guns to protect themselves––this includes the hypocritical wealthier proponents of gun control––who have armed bodyguards, but don’t care about the… read more →