currents

Books to Spark a Future

Two books, Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet and Three Cups of Tea: One Mans Mission to Promote Peace One School at a Time are highly recommended reading for anyone who is trying to grasp a sense of agency and problem solving in the current political climate. (reviews below). Three Cups is particularly important argument for the value of education.

Time for Squirrels?

A common Internet experience: someone sends a silly video clip and you wonder "why am I watching this?" But, it can add a few bright moments to the work day, right? Take a look at the squirrel maze sent to me by a person with a deep-seated fear of squirrels.

http://www.maniacworld.com/squirrel-obstacle-course.html

Carrier=Propaganda?

I recently attended a CUNY Grad Center symposium, Where the Truth Lies. A small group of lefty, activist, Marxist, media critics (no biases in that crowd!) was led through the day by David Branccacio and inspired by Milton Glazer on topics related to propaganda. The most controversial speaker was the producer of an upcoming 10-program PBS series, Carrier. This savvy Frontline/Charlie Rose veteran traced the lives of Navy personnel on a deployment to the Persian Gulf. The work was described by an audience member as having "high production value" meaning, the blast of cool rock and roll music and dynamic, monumental-scale cinematography seemed more like a "be all you can be" commercial. Despite criticisms, it might prove to be a valuable series. After all, who is fighting this war? what are their motivations, values, back stories?

The Nullities...

This semester, one of the most crystalline theories that I have come across is the idea of the "nullities". My students presented it like a 50s sitcom title ---"meet the nullities..." In reading the book the Globalization of Nothing, it becomes so clear that non-places, non-services, non-people and non-things are a real concern in contemporary life. Fortunately, critical discussions reveal some antidotes...like saying "good morning" to strangers or questioning the retail script when Old Navy accuses us of all being "guests."

Architecture of Bittersweet Happiness

Alain de Botton recently published The Architecture of Happiness. He proves to be consistently quotable. For instance, "It is in the dialogue with pain that many beautiful things acquire their value." (p. 25) Perhaps CNN has this in mind as their cameras follow California fire victims to former home sites. Journalism of misery. sigh.

The End

This week, the Village Voice's theme is "The Last Night on Earth" When asked, several people mentioned store-raids and caviar. I think it is a way of laughing at just how much fear we have to live with in NYC. Here is a link to the Onion's story on "Conceptual Terrorism,"   yet another way to laugh (rather than cry).
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/conceptual_terrorists_encase_sears

Gold Hill Fourth

The Fourth of July is a great holiday for being in out-of-the-way places. Every year, I go to the Gold Hill Colorado BBQ and blue grass concert for a dose of frontier, hippy or sporty America, depending on your focus. What struck me this year was that a second flag was on the flagpole---a peace sign. The war seems very far away from these small places in America. Soldiers fight (while we chew roasted chicken) for a continued freedom which I guess includes ignoring international problems...

Pandora's Box o' Music

I seldom promote .com sites but Pandora.com is fun music technology. It allows you to pick an artist and then it will create a play list based on similar sounds. This morning, in an attempt to be peaceful, I plugged in "Suzanne Vega"... it seemed to have the capacity to find wailing female songstresses into infinity. Eventually, they want you to buy into the system, but fun to sample.

Female Media Heros?

Manhattan was abuzz yesterday with speculations on the death of Anna Nicole Smith. She entertained us for years with stories of, uh,personal weaknesses, indiscretion, dieting miracles? Her demise picks up where crazy astronaut lady leaves off. Currents is here to remind you that  Harvard just  appointed the first woman president,Drew Gilpin Faust... Sandra Day O'Connor is still alive. Send both of theses "ladies" a Valentine's day card!