Walking through the neighborhood this weekend, I overheard a thirty-something woman talking to her daughter: “Wash their hair in the washing machine? You silly, how are you going to get their hair into the washing machine?” I don’t know the antecedent of “their” here — dolls? people? — but what was happening in the conversation […]
Archive for April, 2009
You gotta eat, right?
So I should probably be writing about swine flu or government jets buzzing Manhattan, something vital and current. But you know what? At the end of all the debates and anxiety, you still have to eat dinner, and unless you’re enjoying an AIG golden parachute, that means cooking at home. What are you going to […]
When expertise fails
Why did so many experts fail to see the economic crisis coming, despite obvious signs? How do we prevent future systemic failures of expertise?
Asia, 1989. Part I: The Trans-Siberian Railway
Faithful TGW readers: I’m working on a very tight project deadline for the next two months, so for my Tuesday posts, I’m reaching back into the vault. For the next six weeks or so, I’ll be publishing my journal entries from a trip across Asia I took 20 years ago, after spending seven months living […]
Your weekend bliss
You should really get outside, but in case you can’t, here’s video of one of the most sublime dance pieces I’ve ever seen, by Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker set to music by Steve Reich. (The dance itself starts a couple of minute into the video.)
A question that may be puzzling you, answered
“At first glance, it would appear that the followers of Christ, a man who was unjustly tortured and executed, would not be advocates of torture.” Classic Kotsko.
Marathon minion
I suppose watching a marathon is not as hard as running one. Spectators do not get as sweaty. Some sit in lawn chairs, but most stand up, wedged against barriers and each other. There is not much movement on the sidelines. The cheerleaders can only tip toe up and down, squinting, trying to discern one […]
