- Snooping in Seattle … in the name of providing a “service.”
- Has the quality of social workers always been this dismal?
- Fear of terrorism makes people stupid. Sure, we knew that. But check out that stat about the odds of being killed by a terrorist vs a cop!
- What’s it like being a geek in prison? More and more Americans need to know.
- Looks as if Catching Fire is going to be as good as the first Hunger Games movie. Interesting, too, how this reviewer automatically uses terms making parallels with today’s USA.
- From comments: Reader A.G. offers up a booklist for the end of the world. (And of course, you know where to buy those books, right?)
- Yet another devoted Obama supporter laments his fate under the wheel of Obamacare.
- Some good news in that regard: The percentage of poll-answering Americans who think that the fedgov should be responsible for health care vs the percentage of those who say no way has flip-flopped nicely. Let’s hope permanently.
- Finally, here’s a bit of strange cheer: The Heidelberg Project brings outsider art to some of Detroit’s worst places.
I don’t know about the Social Workers, but they haven’t gotten rid of this guy.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/dhs-still-hasn-t-fired-black-supremacist-who-called-for-mass-murder-of-whites-20131119
As for the booklist, it needs updating.
As an interesting aside, I’ve been hearing practically nonstop from all known progressives that we are in fact in this together… Assclowns like Mr Barcott are shocked to find out it’s true.
I like the Heidelberg Project. The polka-dot house is especially appealing — it is bright and gay and whimsical. The run-down buildings in the last photo show some “pride” trying to hold up their heads in a bad situation. Tim Burke’s burnt-orange façade is neat and creative (the metal barrier door is so practical). The stuffed animals in the other photos are rather impractical, however; don’t know what they’re made of exactly, but the weather will take care of them soon enough.
Catching Fire is probably my favorite book of the trilogy- but I loved them all. I can’t wait, but I don’t know if I’ll actually go to the theater or not.
http://www.katu.com/news/local/A-Hillsboro-man-has-a-new-dog—from-Spain-232657191.html
Obviously the person who likes the Heidelberg Project doesn’t have to live in the neighborhood. The chief arson suspects were people who lived nearby. Also noted is the fact that the “artist” lives in the upper middle class suburb of Southfield. He can afford to live somewhere other than near his famous artwork. Most of the praise comes from the elite.
“Most of the praise comes from the elite.”
Ifyou say so.
It’s not about the neighborhood, it’s about the artwork.
I agree with Pat. I’ve always loved outsider art & I’m hardly a member of the upper middle class or any elite. I can definitely understand why some people hate it. But I’ll also bet it helps others enjoy their neighborhood.
[As for the booklist, it needs updating.]
Not necessarily. A 1950s fix-it book will be a lot more useful than one that begins, “Plug the diagnostic computer into the module and…”
[More and more Americans need to know.]
True. Back in the day the typical federal felon was someone like Al Capone. Now it’s someone like Martha Stewart.
Claire and Pat, regarding the Heidelberg Project, as ever art is in the eye of the beholder. Personally, while I like the idea of outside art this particular application of it leaves me cold. It’s the execution, not the concept. The polka dots are OK (and I especially liked them on the street itself), but the rest, not so much. I certainly wouldn’t want my neighborhood looking like that.
Laird — I wouldn’t mind.
I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood where every house is one-of-a-kind. Suburbia (and even the countryside) can be boring as hell, and everywhere has too many zoning laws that make life tiresome; their very sameness keeps people apart.
In a jazzed-up neighborhood, you get to know what kind of neighbors you really have — and you might find out you have more in common than you think. (At least it’s good for conversation.) Most of us are too uptight — including me at times — to go searching for people with something in common.
I don’t care one way or another about the Heidelberg project. As far as I’m concerned, people can dress up (or not) their property any way they want (of course they should be doing it only with THEIR property). When looking for a place to live, I always like to see a dead car or two in the neighborhood. It means people are more free there. If there is any mentality that bugs me, it is “improvers” – by that I mean people who want to put their good ideas and good taste into law.
As for saying the booklist needs updating, I meant that some of the books aren’t even available to buy, so we may need subsitutes.