Monday, March 31, 2003


Lucian Freud on Tape
Michael: After months of shilly-shallying, I finally took a few hours, drove downtown to Los Angeles’ Museum of Contemporary Art,... posted by Friedrich at March 31, 2003 | perma-link | (10) comments

Friday, March 28, 2003


Schiele, Fashion...Feminism?
Michael: A few weeks ago I got a picture from Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue via email from a friend. I... posted by Friedrich at March 28, 2003 | perma-link | (14) comments

Artchat Survival Guide 3 -- The Word "Art"
Friedrich -- In middle age I find that I have much less interest in aesthetic theory than I once did,... posted by Michael at March 28, 2003 | perma-link | (14) comments

Thursday, March 27, 2003


Consumer Reports, TQM and Educational Theology Redux
Michael: In my earlier post on Consumer Reports, TQM and Educational Theology I made some rather scattershot observations regarding educational... posted by Friedrich at March 27, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Wednesday, March 26, 2003


Joke
Friedrich -- A friend who works in advertising passes along a joke some German clients told him: "You know the... posted by Michael at March 26, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Web Surfing
Friedrich -- Chris Bertram (here) recommends some books on political philosophy. Eddie Thomas (here) and Aaron Haspel (here) analyze the... posted by Michael at March 26, 2003 | perma-link | (2) comments

Book Review -- "The Year 1000"
Friedrich -- In my better-late-than-never campaign to learn a bit about British history, I just finished an excellent and entertaining... posted by Michael at March 26, 2003 | perma-link | (5) comments

Forms of Self-Expression I Will Never, Ever Make Use Of
Friedrich -- Yikes. And double-yikes. Best, Michael DO NOT OPEN AT WORK UPDATE: Yahmdallah rightly points out that, hey, many... posted by Michael at March 26, 2003 | perma-link | (10) comments

Free Reads -- Saddam's Painter
Friedrich -- Those giant images of Saddam? The heroic, neo-Stalinist ones that hang apparently everywhere in Iraq? They had to... posted by Michael at March 26, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

Guest Posting -- Yahmdallah
Friedrich -- I recently swapped some emails with our favorite commenter, the guy who goes by the online handle Yahmdallah,... posted by Michael at March 26, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

Tuesday, March 25, 2003


Sisterhood is Forever
Michael: In researching some aspects of my postings on Impressionism, I have entered new territory (for me, anyway): women’s studies.... posted by Friedrich at March 25, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Monday, March 24, 2003


Consumer Reports, TQM and Educational Theology
Michael: It continues to baffle me why society places such an emphasis on the subtleties of where one goes to... posted by Friedrich at March 24, 2003 | perma-link | (5) comments

Saturday, March 22, 2003


Genghis Khan, America, and "Fine Art"
Friedrich -- The Wife and I recently saw the Genghis Khan art exhibit at the Met. (Here's a good Web... posted by Michael at March 22, 2003 | perma-link | (7) comments

Web Surfing
Friedrich -- James Q. Wilson, reviewing David Frum's new book about George W. for Commentary, here, and Richard Brookhiser, in... posted by Michael at March 22, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

Friday, March 21, 2003


When will Lewis H. Lapham Learn to Count?
Michael: I just don’t know how Lewis H. Lapham does it. By “it,” I mean, act as the editor of... posted by Friedrich at March 21, 2003 | perma-link | (9) comments

Ignored no more
Michael: In 2blowhard’s eternal quest to poke into the nooks and corners of the arts, fearlessly setting aside blinkered prejudice... posted by Friedrich at March 21, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

Thursday, March 20, 2003


Guest Posting -- Tim Hulsey on Western Novels
Friedrich -- Once again we're (or at least I'm) being humbled, upstaged and enlightened by one of our visitors, and,... posted by Michael at March 20, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

Pic of the Day
Michael: In researching material for my series of postings on Impressionism, I must say that French painting of the second... posted by Friedrich at March 20, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

AK -- Your 15 minutes may be up
Friedrich -- Hey, isn't that Martina's old doubles partner? Is it only me, or did the world just this minute... posted by Michael at March 20, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

Wednesday, March 19, 2003


Web Surfing
Friedrich -- John Zmirak, an inspired conservative/reactionary, has started a new blog here. He’s using it mainly as a portal... posted by Michael at March 19, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

Reading the West
Friedrich -- As you know, I'm just back East after a couple of weeks in Arizona and California. Visiting the... posted by Michael at March 19, 2003 | perma-link | (14) comments

Policy Break--The Curious Death of Human Rights
Michael: One of the better things about crises is that they often clarify things intellectually. One such moment of clarity... posted by Friedrich at March 19, 2003 | perma-link | (4) comments

Tuesday, March 18, 2003


Artistic Quote of the Day
Michael: As you recall, we were laughing at a statement by Degas yesterday during our West Coast Blowhards Seminar, conducted... posted by Friedrich at March 18, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

Monday, March 17, 2003


Snob Quotient in Sports
Michael: On several occasions you’ve indicated that you are a women’s tennis fan. You share this interest with my wife,... posted by Friedrich at March 17, 2003 | perma-link | (4) comments

Friday, March 14, 2003


Pic of the Day
Michael: We’ve touched on the strange neglect suffered by 19th century academic painting once or twice, but a picture I... posted by Friedrich at March 14, 2003 | perma-link | (4) comments

Free Reads -- Polanski trial testimony
Friedrich -- Ever wonder what exactly went on in that Jacuzzi between Roman Polanski and that underaged girl? Now you... posted by Michael at March 14, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

Thursday, March 13, 2003


Department of Male and Female Relations
Michael: I’d like to nominate Kim Cattrall for an award, Most Flamboyant Gesture in Ending a Relationship. The relationship in... posted by Friedrich at March 13, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

Bipolar Elvis
Michael: As you know, I’m both a big Elvis fan and a depressive personality. I always thought these were unrelated... posted by Friedrich at March 13, 2003 | perma-link | (7) comments

DVD Review -- "Enigma"
Friedrich – Hey, a quick and happy movie (er, DVD) recommendation: Enigma. Have you caught it? A thoughtful and grownup... posted by Michael at March 13, 2003 | perma-link | (12) comments

Wednesday, March 12, 2003


Throw the Rulebook Out
Michael: In the aftermath of the Enron/Worldcom/Tyco scandals there has been a call for switching financial accounting from a "detailed... posted by Friedrich at March 12, 2003 | perma-link | (5) comments

Free Reads -- Denis Dutton
Friedrich -- Did you know that Denis Dutton, the very brilliant and resourceful philosophy professor who's also the publisher of... posted by Michael at March 12, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Tuesday, March 11, 2003


Newer and Older Horror Movies
Friedrich -- By chance over the last couple of days, I watched a couple of horror movies from different eras... posted by Michael at March 11, 2003 | perma-link | (11) comments

Two or Three Things I Learned About Impressionism, Part VII
Michael: This is the next in a series of my postings on what Impressionism meant to its contemporaries and creators.... posted by Friedrich at March 11, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

Monday, March 10, 2003


Fiction Books -- Taste Triangulating redux
Michael: In reading your posting, Fiction Books -- Taste Triangulating, I realized in scanning your list of authors that I... posted by Friedrich at March 10, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Sunday, March 9, 2003


Why Don't You Know What I'm Thinking?
Friedrich – Why does a woman expect her man to be able to read her mind? And why does she... posted by Michael at March 9, 2003 | perma-link | (22) comments

Fiction Books -- Taste Triangulating
Friedrich – I haven’t blogged much about books, lit and writing, which along with movies is the current artform I... posted by Michael at March 9, 2003 | perma-link | (14) comments

Friday, March 7, 2003


Money Where Your Mouth Is
Michael: I don't often find myself laughing out loud at much on the NY Times' op-ed page, but I can't... posted by Friedrich at March 7, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Free Views -- Ken Kewley
Friedrich – For all the bitching I do, and enjoy doing, about the carrying-on of the self-proclaimed art world, I... posted by Michael at March 7, 2003 | perma-link | (4) comments

Postmodern Fairy Tales
Michael: My almost-two-year-old son is fixated on “The Three Little Pigs.” He walks around growling and making blowing sounds, and... posted by Friedrich at March 7, 2003 | perma-link | (2) comments

Wednesday, March 5, 2003


A Rising Vote of Thanks
Michael: Lavrenti P. Beria, top spymaster for Joseph Stalin, was not a nice man. He rose through the ranks of... posted by Friedrich at March 5, 2003 | perma-link | (0) comments

David Frum and Richard Skinner on George W.
Friedrich -- I got fascinated by this thoughtful q&a at The Atlantic's website (here) with David Frum, author of a... posted by Michael at March 5, 2003 | perma-link | (15) comments

Tuesday, March 4, 2003


Modern Architecture and Sexual Anxiety
Michael: Perhaps you recognize the author of the following quote: The evolution of culture marches with the elimination of ornament... posted by Friedrich at March 4, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Free Reads -- Caitlin Flanagan on Sexless Marriages
Friedrich -- The personalities of some of some young people these days seem as freakish to me as the bodies... posted by Michael at March 4, 2003 | perma-link | (3) comments

Monday, March 3, 2003


A Modest Proposal Regarding Taxes
Michael: As we are coming up on tax time, and I’m going to be paying a bundle this year (having... posted by Friedrich at March 3, 2003 | perma-link | (5) comments

Pic of the Day
Michael: About 20 years ago I stumbled across the work of photographer Darius Kinsey in a beautifully printed paperback edition... posted by Friedrich at March 3, 2003 | perma-link | (1) comments

Saturday, March 1, 2003


Web Folk Art
Friedrich -- Internet folk art, gotta love it. At least I do. * Here you'll find a musical-animal charmer. Be... posted by Michael at March 1, 2003 | perma-link | (8) comments

Bad Meditator
Friedrich -- Have you ever been a meditator? I've had stretches when I've done it regularly. I get a lot... posted by Michael at March 1, 2003 | perma-link | (4) comments