Today was Walt Whitman's birthday. "Good day for DOMA [the Defense of Marriage Act] to be ruled unconstitutional," remarked poet friend Robert Peake from London. A look at how Walt became a poet at all shows the truth of what Robert said: [Whitman] was working as a carpenter, his father's trade, and living with his mother inContinue reading “Around the world with Walt Whitman and Allen Ginsberg”
Monthly Archives: May 2012
Spring hottest ever: Greenhouse gas emissions on the rise
Acerbic lede from Dino Grandoni in the Atlantic Wire: In case, you know, you haven't been outside in the past three months, it's about to become official: unless a freak blizzard blankets the country by Thursday, the spring of 2012 will go down as the warmest for the U.S. in 117 years of record-keeping. Meanwhile CO2Continue reading “Spring hottest ever: Greenhouse gas emissions on the rise”
The moment when our leaders gave up on saving the world
Not my words, but those of Die Spiegel, the leading German publication, which released a recording of what was said inside the room among top leaders from around the world in Cophenhagen, in December 2009, in negotiations to save the climate. Their reporters wrote: The West, [then French President Nicholas] Sarkozy said, had pledged to reduceContinue reading “The moment when our leaders gave up on saving the world”
Romney: “Believe in America,” Donald Trump, and debt
In California this Memorial Day in my neighborhood, the house signs for the GOP presidential candidate are pleasantly blue, and they read: "Romney: Believe in America." Also on this day, we learn that the candidate has no intention of cutting the deficit upon taking office, and will be happy to add to the national debtContinue reading “Romney: “Believe in America,” Donald Trump, and debt”
Is climate change impacting real estate in the Southwest?
In the United States today, according to the real estate site Zillow, the two cities in the most trouble are Phoenix, where a little more than half than half of all homeowners are underwater — where debt outweighs the equity — and Las Vegas, where an astounding 70% of homeowners are underwater. Is it aContinue reading “Is climate change impacting real estate in the Southwest?”
The sexiness of a stupid woman, according to science
In Slate, a science reporter specializing in sex, Jesse Bering, reports on a new study that finds that women who look drunk and/or stupid are especially attractive to straight men. The study has problems — for one, a lack of a good control sample. For another, the hypothesis (that men find women who appearContinue reading “The sexiness of a stupid woman, according to science”
Poetry vs Oil (and bulldozers)
Vancouver poet Stephen Collis writes about the poetic resistance to another pipeline planned to transport oil sands slurry from inside western Alberta to market in Poetry vs. Oil. Right now, one major pipeline carries the goop to Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet, where it is loaded onto supertankers tourists can wave at from scenic Stanley Park. TheContinue reading “Poetry vs Oil (and bulldozers)”
The Way: A Catholic movie for non-Catholics
My old friend and equaintance Lance Mannion wonderfully appreciates that small but touching movie, The Way, which came out last year. He captures so many aspects of the film, from Martin Sheen's ability to carry a movie with sheer grumpiness, to the underlying beauty of the story. The Way is a sweet, sad, funny, joyful movieContinue reading “The Way: A Catholic movie for non-Catholics”
When 1 + 1 = 3: Ken Burns on Story
A fascinating short film (in the Burns style) on what the documentarian thinks makes a good story: Sez Burns: Abraham Lincoln wins the Civil War and then he decides he's got enough time to go to the theatre. That's a good story. When Thomas Jefferson said "we hold these truths to be self-evident, thatContinue reading “When 1 + 1 = 3: Ken Burns on Story”
Robert Creeley: A Prayer
A Prayer Blesssomething smallbut infiniteand quiet. There are sensesmake an objectin their simplefeeling for one. Robert CreeleyFebruary 1966 [Editors note: Spelling corrected, pic removed — inappropriately pretty. Search continues] Continue reading “Robert Creeley: A Prayer”
Kit Stolz 