Michael Blowhard writes:

Dear Blowhards --

* John Massengale has been watching some movies. Who needs Anthony Lane?

* Now that I've read George Hunka's posting about it, I'm eager to see "The Aristorcrats," a new documentary about the dirtiest joke ever told.

* Does GDP do a good job of measuring economic well-being? Lots of people have pointed out flaws. Here's a new one on me. Anthony Mueller argues that what's really wrong with GDP is something very basic: GDP is itself a function of the armed-for-war welfare state.

* Is your corporate boss a psychopath?

* Evan Kirchoff's evocation of a some time spent with a PT Cruiser may be a classic.

* Thanks to Michael Gates for pointing out this cheerfully gruesome Flash animation set to The Beatles' "Maxwell's Silver Hammer."

* Some people have become very creative with their tattoos ... (NSFW)

* Shame-Ridden Disgrace confesses that he finds the spectacle of naked chicks wrestling surprisingly sexy. Dr. Photo asks, Who needs silicone if you've got Photoshop? (NSFW)

* Thanks to Quiet Bubble for pointing out this amusing Ruminator interview with the wisecracking Fran Lebowitz.

* John McWhorter thinks that the urban riots of the '60s aren't anything to celebrate.

* The talented young designer Yuko Kondo reminds me of Peter Max crossed with Tadanori Yokoo.

* Six Muslim women living in Germany have been killed recently by their families for the crime of trying to act like free Western women. Randall Parker comments.

* It's not as though the U.S. is the only place on the planet that has tolerated slavery. Razib brings us up to date on the history of Islam and slavery.

* Jim Kalb suspects that Islam may be very well-suited to the part of the world where it flourishes.

* Here's a long q&a with happiness economist Richard Layard.

* Thanks to Shouting Thomas for pointing out this funny and oh-so-true Hog on Ice posting about the glories of men.

Best,

Michael

I posted this on massengale's site and wanted to post it here as well:

Why doesn't Whit Stillman make more movies? Woody Allen is practically a never-ending factory of crap and Stillman never makes a movie!

Posted by: lindenen on August 25, 2005 6:16 AM

What a magnificent tattoo!

Posted by: Peter on August 25, 2005 9:28 AM

That McWhorter essay on the Watts riots is well worth reading.

Posted by: jult52 on August 25, 2005 10:03 AM

Layards thoughts on happiness are interesting, but he takes his philosophy and Theory waaay to seriously. The way he makes happiness the highest good would mean that if there's someone who's happier than me, and I do something bad to them which increases my happiness more than it decreases theirs, I increase the worlds net happiness and have thus acted rightly. Just the type of ridiculous result that occurs when Theory is elevated above all else.

Posted by: Zetjintsu on August 25, 2005 7:09 PM






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