A preview. I liked the way pianist Amy Williams described this year’s music director and principal soloist, Pierre-Laurent Aimard: “He’s a god. He’s one of those extraordinary musicians whose playing is near-perfect or perfect. I always try to hear his concerts whenever I can, and I’m always surprised and fed musically by what he does.”Continue reading “The 2007 Ojai Music Festival”
Author Archives: Kit Stolz
George Bush’s Attempt at a Global Warming Trial Balloon
Tom Toles gets scientific on the Prez.
The Inadequacy of Accurate Information
How does The New Yorker do it? They put out a better magazine every week than most publications manage once a month, or once a quarter. I especially love their art critic, the man with the difficult name of Peter Schjeldahl, who recently had a great piece on Hopper, and this past week wrote aboutContinue reading “The Inadequacy of Accurate Information”
File Under: Ulp!
It’s been lovely lately. For three or four days we actually had the perfect average temp: 68 degrees. Even here at Oak Creek, California, elevation about 1468, about ten miles from the coast, the late-night incursion of the marine layer has brought us what my aunt Ruth from back East used to call "coolth." WithContinue reading “File Under: Ulp!”
Ecuador to World: Help Us, and We Won’t Drill in the Rainforest
In response to intense pressure from indigenous and environmental organizations opposed to drilling for oil in an Amazon rainforest, Ecuador has gone to the world and asked for financial help, according to the Environmental News Service. The oil fields under Yusani National Park are estimated to contain 900 million to 1 billion barrels of oil,Continue reading “Ecuador to World: Help Us, and We Won’t Drill in the Rainforest”
There is a Bird We Cannot See
Great new poem from a poet and professor not known to me, Molly Lou Freeman, called There is a Bird We Cannot See. I just have to quote a couple of lines: She says There is destinyContinue reading “There is a Bird We Cannot See”
Bush on Climate Change — Translated
A little late, but via Dan Froomkin’s hard-hitting column from the Washington Post, here’s Andrew Gumbel of The Independent translating the Prez’s speech last week on global warming: "’In recent years, science has deepened our understanding of climate change and opened new possibilities for confronting it." Translation: In recent years, my refusal to acknowledge theContinue reading “Bush on Climate Change — Translated”
I Am Sorry, Earth. As I Scar You, I Scar Myself: A Q & A with Dancer Monica Favand Campagna
This spring a small-but-innovative dance company in Southern California called TRIP Dance Theatre premiered a production in a Hollywood theater about what poet Gary Snyder calls "the war against nature." The dance was called "Poisoning the Well." Using delicate Asian-flavored music, played live, the dancers first appeared carrying water and gathering around a well. SlowlyContinue reading “I Am Sorry, Earth. As I Scar You, I Scar Myself: A Q & A with Dancer Monica Favand Campagna”
Climate Change Metaphors, Speaking of…
This is not the prettiest of recent editorial cartoons on global warming from around the world collected by Slate, under their "hot topic" rubric. (That would have to be this one from Germany.) But speaking of climate change metaphors…here’s Heng from the The Straits Times.
Global Warming Metaphor Watch: Paul McCartney’s Idea
Well, actually Paul’s talking about the record companies, but you’ll see what I mean: My record producer [David Kahne] said the major record labels these days are like dinosaurs sitting around discussing the asteroid. They know it’s going to hit. They don’t know when, they don’t know where it’s coming from. But it’s sort ofContinue reading “Global Warming Metaphor Watch: Paul McCartney’s Idea”
Kit Stolz 