In what sort of seems as a marker of the decline of civilization, Karl Lagerfeld is developing a perfume that smells like books (Galleycat). Tina Fey, apparently forced to pre-autograph copies of her books, began writing things like, "Help, I'm stuck in a Korean Tina Fey autograph factory!" (WritersWrite). In other news that relates to writing by only the most slender of threads, Lady Gaga said recently of the creative process "You have to honor your vomit." (WritersWrite again). Salon examines this weird thing with hipster cops making repeat, unexplained appearances in comic books.
In a more serious vein, The New York Review of Books comprehensively addresses D. F. Wallace's The Pale King in the context of his other works.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Philadelphia: Bear stuck in tree; where is Steve the pig
About every local media outlet is spouting about a bear that was stuck in a tree and the firemen came and so now the bear is not stuck in a tree (Philebrity, with amusing interior-bear monologue). The location of Steve, the pet pig that was seized by local police for being a pet pig, is unknown. But, thank God, Steve has John Q. Public on his side. (Daily News)
In more serious news, The Inquirer notes that teachers all over the state have offered to implement salary freezes as a method of dealing with Corbett's education cuts. So much for the narrative of greedy public employee unions. Also, a study out of Cornell University argues that natural gas extraction will cause more damage to the environment than coal mining (Nature News). But that doesn't mean that the natural gas industry should be regulated, or taxed, or nothin'. And the Philadelphia Orchestra looks like it's going bankrupt, sadly. (NYT)
In more serious news, The Inquirer notes that teachers all over the state have offered to implement salary freezes as a method of dealing with Corbett's education cuts. So much for the narrative of greedy public employee unions. Also, a study out of Cornell University argues that natural gas extraction will cause more damage to the environment than coal mining (Nature News). But that doesn't mean that the natural gas industry should be regulated, or taxed, or nothin'. And the Philadelphia Orchestra looks like it's going bankrupt, sadly. (NYT)
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Books: Ayn Rand is the reason the human species is doomed; those Brits and their book-lovin'
Ayn Rand has a lot to answer for; one million copies of her celebration of selfishness (Atlas Shrugged) have been sold since Obama was elected. (NPR) That smell? One million copies of bullshit. In the U.K., they are getting ready to print excerpts of Roald Dahl's writings on cereal boxes. /shrug Whatever inspires kids to read, right? The Guardian has revamped its books site so that you can search for any book about which The Guardian has written, ever. If they haven't written about it? You can submit your own review. Rock on you adorable British people. Somebody with too much time on their hands has devised the Periodic Table of Storytelling.(Metafilter) But then here I am blogging about it, so. I guess what I'm saying is, what are you doing. Examine your choices. Good advice for all.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Philadelphia: Breaking animal news, right-wing follies
Animal news! A local pit bull that managed to survive being thrown down a trash chute of an apartment building has become a world-wide sensation. (ABC News) In Delaware County, somebody saw some dude's pet pig, called the cops, the cops seized the pig and relocated said pig to a farmhouse, for code reasons. (ABC News).
The right wing continues to run riot in PA. Gov. Corbett is continuing his scorched-earth route to hell by cutting from 23 million to zero a fund that does things like provide job-training, financial counseling, and other services to poor people. (Inquirer) Several hundred marched in Center City to protest state budget cuts to education. (NBC) Because of budget cuts, Penn State is cutting its Creative Writing MFA program. (Poets & Writers) The Lehigh Valley News calls Corbett's skewed priorities" make the proposed budget "intolerable." The Inquirer explains why the balanced budget amendment, introduced by fellow Pennsylvanian right-wing nut Pat Toomey, is bullshit.
The right wing continues to run riot in PA. Gov. Corbett is continuing his scorched-earth route to hell by cutting from 23 million to zero a fund that does things like provide job-training, financial counseling, and other services to poor people. (Inquirer) Several hundred marched in Center City to protest state budget cuts to education. (NBC) Because of budget cuts, Penn State is cutting its Creative Writing MFA program. (Poets & Writers) The Lehigh Valley News calls Corbett's skewed priorities" make the proposed budget "intolerable." The Inquirer explains why the balanced budget amendment, introduced by fellow Pennsylvanian right-wing nut Pat Toomey, is bullshit.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Books: DFW Pale King buzz; Steinbeck made stuff up; S. King's musical
Stephen King and John Mellencamp are creating a musical. (Galleycat) Maybe Ma was right and Jack 'n Diane were possessed by the devil?
Turns out that Steinbeck's Travels with Charley was mostly bullshit. Well, he had a dog named Charley but other than that? (Metafilter)
Now that David Foster Wallace's last, unfinished novel is coming out (April 15) people are musing all over the place about it. The Guardian contemplates the fact that the text was sitting on the study as Wallace hanged himself in the patio. As far as the book itself, New York Magazine calls it unfinished like the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is unfinished; and it treats boredom, its subject, "as the leading edge of truths we’re desperate to avoid."
Turns out that Steinbeck's Travels with Charley was mostly bullshit. Well, he had a dog named Charley but other than that? (Metafilter)
Now that David Foster Wallace's last, unfinished novel is coming out (April 15) people are musing all over the place about it. The Guardian contemplates the fact that the text was sitting on the study as Wallace hanged himself in the patio. As far as the book itself, New York Magazine calls it unfinished like the Cathedral of St. John the Divine is unfinished; and it treats boredom, its subject, "as the leading edge of truths we’re desperate to avoid."
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Philly: Gov. Corbett's internal demon-to-man ratio; Sandwich City!
Gov. Corbett gets that most people think he's an asshole, but thinks folks should be directing their ire at former Gov. Ed Rendell. Turns out his reasoning is mostly bullshit, but is that really a surprise? (Poconos Record)
The Philadelphia Public School blog points out that the proposed budget would cut 20% of its budget, and while funding would be cut by approximately $1500 per student or about a million per school, other school districts, such as Radnor, would only suffer a cut of $700 per student (The Notebook). Allentown has passed a budget that would cut class electives and 250 staff from its school district (ABC News). At a rally in Bethlehem to protest Corbett's proposed budget, cries of 'recall' were heard (The Morning Call).
In other news, Corbett has made it as hard as possible for the state's Department of Environmental Protection protect PA residents from the natural gas industry (Pennsylvania Progressive) And no matter what he's doing to the school, he's increasing the budget of The Department of Corrections by $13.5 million dollars (Pocono Record). But don't worry, Philly has been named 'Sandwich City' by some gourmet magazine!!!! (Inquirer)
The Philadelphia Public School blog points out that the proposed budget would cut 20% of its budget, and while funding would be cut by approximately $1500 per student or about a million per school, other school districts, such as Radnor, would only suffer a cut of $700 per student (The Notebook). Allentown has passed a budget that would cut class electives and 250 staff from its school district (ABC News). At a rally in Bethlehem to protest Corbett's proposed budget, cries of 'recall' were heard (The Morning Call).
In other news, Corbett has made it as hard as possible for the state's Department of Environmental Protection protect PA residents from the natural gas industry (Pennsylvania Progressive) And no matter what he's doing to the school, he's increasing the budget of The Department of Corrections by $13.5 million dollars (Pocono Record). But don't worry, Philly has been named 'Sandwich City' by some gourmet magazine!!!! (Inquirer)
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