It's 50 degrees in New York City today, the first time, I would say, since early November, and it is a great pleasure to enjoy such spring-like weather again. A walk through Central Park is called for with a side trip to the Whole Foods at 97th and Columbus. Lugging home two boxes of red wine, along with a nice supply of vegetables, fruit, and other assorted goodies, keeps us hardy.
Since New York is made for walking, the opportunity to travel by foot without the burdens of heavy jackets and clumsy boots is a big plus. And it's always a delight, too, to see all the people coming out of their houses to absorb the comparative warmth.
When the sun shines and the weather is mild and you haven't been able to enjoy such things for a while, you sort of feel like you can go anywhere in the City. Two hours of steady walking will take you all the way to the tip of the island and part way back up again. Sure, you can slip into the subway or board a passing bus, but even without them, all of Manhattan is in reach. And as I have said before, this is a little like having the whole world readily available to you. A very heady feeling, indeed!
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Blonde Bombshell
Film Forum is showing the 1933 Jean Harlow movie "Bombshell" this weekend. It tells the story of a movie star played by Harlow who just wants to live a normal life and flees Hollywood to be a normal person. In the end, though, being ordinary doesn't work quite out for Jean and so she returns to Hollywood delighted once again to be treated like the glamorous screen idol that has always suited her best.
This film apparently led to the pairing of the words "blonde" and "bombshell." In fact, the British version of the film was reportedly renamed "Blonde Bombshell." After that Harlow became well known as the blonde bombshell, as did a number of Hollywood stars after her. But why? What was going on at the time that made this an apt metaphor for a glamorous movie star? One meaning might be that such women were regarded as disarming, as even mightier than the sword, so to speak. Or, I suppose, it also fits that they have an explosive impact on others and their surroundings. Or perhaps, as one internet explanation suggests, they are like a great and sudden surprise, as in a sudden and alarming revelation. There always was something a bit alarming about Harlow, kind of threatening almost. Which, too, leads to the idea that no man is safe around such overwhelming females. They are as dangerous as a bombshell.
In the end, though, such analogies feel pretty offensive and still one more sign of our tendency to adopt violent images and metaphors that may initially strike us as harmless enough but probably do more damage than we realize.
This film apparently led to the pairing of the words "blonde" and "bombshell." In fact, the British version of the film was reportedly renamed "Blonde Bombshell." After that Harlow became well known as the blonde bombshell, as did a number of Hollywood stars after her. But why? What was going on at the time that made this an apt metaphor for a glamorous movie star? One meaning might be that such women were regarded as disarming, as even mightier than the sword, so to speak. Or, I suppose, it also fits that they have an explosive impact on others and their surroundings. Or perhaps, as one internet explanation suggests, they are like a great and sudden surprise, as in a sudden and alarming revelation. There always was something a bit alarming about Harlow, kind of threatening almost. Which, too, leads to the idea that no man is safe around such overwhelming females. They are as dangerous as a bombshell.
In the end, though, such analogies feel pretty offensive and still one more sign of our tendency to adopt violent images and metaphors that may initially strike us as harmless enough but probably do more damage than we realize.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Defamation of Character
Philip Roth is suing me for defamation of character. He claims I wrote patently false comments about him that exposed him to hatred, ridicule and contempt, and that these statements were disseminated publicly via my blog, though considering how many people actually read the blog, you'd really have to characterize it as, at best, a semi-public disclosure. But apparently all it takes to demonstrate libel or slander is that the comments were communicated to a third party. In any case, there it is, my first lawsuit.
Perhaps you recall the 4 posts about the seats at Alice Tully Hall and my being thrown out of Lincoln Center and having to go to jail and all that. Well, it turns out most of what I described wasn't entirely true. Come to think of it, not one part of it was true. Actually, here's the one part that was true: Philip Roth does show up at ALL the same concerts we go to. I always look for him and he's always there. Maybe once or twice, he wasn't there, but it's very close to always. That's the only part that's true. Now, I did seriously consider going up to him to offer him our seats in place of his, but I never even did that. Everything was fabricated.
You would think that Philip Roth would be too busy turning sentences around to bother with me. In case you don't know this reference, by the way, in one of his best novels "Ghost Writer," Roth's writer-protagonist says: “I turn sentences around. That’s my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and turn it around again. Then I have lunch. Then I come back and write another sentence. Then I have tea and turn the new sentence around. Then I read the two sentences over and turn them both around. Then I lie down on my sofa and think. Then I get up and throw them out and start from the beginning.”
And then, I guess, he goes to a string quartet concert, and I end up the recipient of a lawsuit. Fortunately, I have the perfect defense. When I wrote all of those particular posts, I myself was desperately turning sentences around and became so consumed by the exigencies of syntactical transmutation that I was driven temporarily insane and thereby relinquished all sense of right and wrong. It's true, I am now entirely in my right mind, but really no one should be held accountable for what is written in a blog. It is a maddening endeavor literally and its products must always be taken lightly.
Perhaps you recall the 4 posts about the seats at Alice Tully Hall and my being thrown out of Lincoln Center and having to go to jail and all that. Well, it turns out most of what I described wasn't entirely true. Come to think of it, not one part of it was true. Actually, here's the one part that was true: Philip Roth does show up at ALL the same concerts we go to. I always look for him and he's always there. Maybe once or twice, he wasn't there, but it's very close to always. That's the only part that's true. Now, I did seriously consider going up to him to offer him our seats in place of his, but I never even did that. Everything was fabricated.
You would think that Philip Roth would be too busy turning sentences around to bother with me. In case you don't know this reference, by the way, in one of his best novels "Ghost Writer," Roth's writer-protagonist says: “I turn sentences around. That’s my life. I write a sentence and then I turn it around. Then I look at it and turn it around again. Then I have lunch. Then I come back and write another sentence. Then I have tea and turn the new sentence around. Then I read the two sentences over and turn them both around. Then I lie down on my sofa and think. Then I get up and throw them out and start from the beginning.”
And then, I guess, he goes to a string quartet concert, and I end up the recipient of a lawsuit. Fortunately, I have the perfect defense. When I wrote all of those particular posts, I myself was desperately turning sentences around and became so consumed by the exigencies of syntactical transmutation that I was driven temporarily insane and thereby relinquished all sense of right and wrong. It's true, I am now entirely in my right mind, but really no one should be held accountable for what is written in a blog. It is a maddening endeavor literally and its products must always be taken lightly.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Guest Post: Proposed NY State Food and Beverage Tax
Here is my first guest post by Erik Braunitzer of New Yorkers Against Unfair Taxes who argues against a proposed tax in New York State on food and beverages:
The economic downturn has hit many areas hard, including the Empire State. New York state officials continue to have political debates on how to fix the deficit. One proposed “solution” suggests that we implement a food and beverage tax that would charge one penny per ounce of sugar which would potentially increase the total cost of some products, such as soda, by as much as 50 percent. We recognize the need to balance the budget, but taxing the hardworking citizens of the state is not a solution. In fact, it will cause more burden for New York families and businesses already struggling to make ends meet. Additionally, it will put thousands of New York jobs at risk. "Whatever revenue might be generated from this tax could potentially be offset by 6000 jobs being lost in this state. We can't let that happen." - Senator David J. Valesky.
The biggest argument that proponents of the tax have brought to the table is that a food and beverage tax will help curb childhood obesity. In reality, punitive taxes on food and beverages do not teach our children the importance of a good diet or how to live a healthy lifestyle - therefore doing little to improve public health. Comprehensive education, not taxation, is the key to improving public health.
Putting thousands of food and beverage industry jobs at risk and raising taxes on the products that hard working families enjoy is the wrong approach to fix New York's economic problems. Join over 7,000 other New Yorkers by signing our petition and telling Albany you oppose the New York food and beverage tax.
The economic downturn has hit many areas hard, including the Empire State. New York state officials continue to have political debates on how to fix the deficit. One proposed “solution” suggests that we implement a food and beverage tax that would charge one penny per ounce of sugar which would potentially increase the total cost of some products, such as soda, by as much as 50 percent. We recognize the need to balance the budget, but taxing the hardworking citizens of the state is not a solution. In fact, it will cause more burden for New York families and businesses already struggling to make ends meet. Additionally, it will put thousands of New York jobs at risk. "Whatever revenue might be generated from this tax could potentially be offset by 6000 jobs being lost in this state. We can't let that happen." - Senator David J. Valesky.
The biggest argument that proponents of the tax have brought to the table is that a food and beverage tax will help curb childhood obesity. In reality, punitive taxes on food and beverages do not teach our children the importance of a good diet or how to live a healthy lifestyle - therefore doing little to improve public health. Comprehensive education, not taxation, is the key to improving public health.
Putting thousands of food and beverage industry jobs at risk and raising taxes on the products that hard working families enjoy is the wrong approach to fix New York's economic problems. Join over 7,000 other New Yorkers by signing our petition and telling Albany you oppose the New York food and beverage tax.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Awards
Remember yesterday's quiz question? Musicals that won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in addition to Fiorello!, A Chorus Line, and Of Thee I sing? The answers are: South Pacific, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Sunday in the Park with George, and Rent.
Kind of intriguing don't you think to consider why these musicals get singled out and why, say, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Gypsy, and Company don't. Ah, the vagaries of awards. The worthiest entries often get ignored and the momentarily okay get all the glory. Of course, many worthy projects do receive proper appreciation, but there are some striking omissions. Citizen Kane is my favorite overlooked film. Here are some of my other overlooked favorites in a variety of fields:
Nobel Prize for Literature: Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Hardy, Elizabeth Bishop, Philip Roth
Oscar for Best Film: Wizard of Oz, Grapes of Wrath, Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard
Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama: Glass Menagerie, The Crucible, History Boys
Athlete of the Year: Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, Jimmy Brown, Gail Sayers
Car of the Year: Chevy Nova, AMC Pushbutton Transmission Rambler, AMC Gremlin
Kind of intriguing don't you think to consider why these musicals get singled out and why, say, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Gypsy, and Company don't. Ah, the vagaries of awards. The worthiest entries often get ignored and the momentarily okay get all the glory. Of course, many worthy projects do receive proper appreciation, but there are some striking omissions. Citizen Kane is my favorite overlooked film. Here are some of my other overlooked favorites in a variety of fields:
Nobel Prize for Literature: Leo Tolstoy, Thomas Hardy, Elizabeth Bishop, Philip Roth
Oscar for Best Film: Wizard of Oz, Grapes of Wrath, Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard
Pulitzer Prize for Best Drama: Glass Menagerie, The Crucible, History Boys
Athlete of the Year: Lou Gehrig, Hank Aaron, Jimmy Brown, Gail Sayers
Car of the Year: Chevy Nova, AMC Pushbutton Transmission Rambler, AMC Gremlin
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Fiorello!
Who was Fiorello LaGuardia and why did they write a musical about him? And why am I raising this strange question? Well, last night we went to the New York Historical Society to enjoy the first of four presentations in a series on past American musicals with important historical implications. Last night's featured show was...Fiorello!
First, it should be noted that Fiorello LaGuardia was one of the truly great mayors of New York City who gave people hope at the most difficult of times and somehow actually kept New York City on the move despite the devastation wrought by the Great Depression. Officially, he was mayor from 1933-1945 and before that served bravely and progressively as a New York Congressman. As Mayor, with the expert help of Robert Moses, LaGuardia committed the City to massive public works projects that almost certainly alleviated some of the worst effects of the Depression.
Just as important, LaGuardia was colorful. He seemed to be everywhere in New York City, showing up at five-alarm fires and happily conducting the New York Philharmonic. Moreover, he could speak Italian flawlessly and Yiddish competently (his mother was Jewish), as well as five other languages. He was only 5 foot 2 inches tall, the shortest mayor in New York's history, but he fought organized crime valiantly and publicly challenged any Wall Street patrician whom he feared threatened economic recovery. In other words, he was the perfect subject for an American musical.
But here's an amazing fact about the musical Fiorello! that I bet you didn't know. It was one of only seven musicals to win the Pultizer Prize for drama. Can you name the other six? I'm going to give you "A Chorus Line" and "Of Thee I Sing," because those are the only ones I can think of. The other four are what? (Answers in tomorrow's post).
LaGuardia is probably best known for reading the Sunday comics over the radio during a long newspaper strike in 1945, and sure enough, the first scene in Fiorello! shows the Mayor in his element using a variety of funny, expressive voices to make that most beloved of Sunday features come to life. He was a character to be sure, but more than that, a mayor of great substance and accomplishment who refused to be demoralized by the worst economic crisis in American history.
First, it should be noted that Fiorello LaGuardia was one of the truly great mayors of New York City who gave people hope at the most difficult of times and somehow actually kept New York City on the move despite the devastation wrought by the Great Depression. Officially, he was mayor from 1933-1945 and before that served bravely and progressively as a New York Congressman. As Mayor, with the expert help of Robert Moses, LaGuardia committed the City to massive public works projects that almost certainly alleviated some of the worst effects of the Depression.
Just as important, LaGuardia was colorful. He seemed to be everywhere in New York City, showing up at five-alarm fires and happily conducting the New York Philharmonic. Moreover, he could speak Italian flawlessly and Yiddish competently (his mother was Jewish), as well as five other languages. He was only 5 foot 2 inches tall, the shortest mayor in New York's history, but he fought organized crime valiantly and publicly challenged any Wall Street patrician whom he feared threatened economic recovery. In other words, he was the perfect subject for an American musical.
But here's an amazing fact about the musical Fiorello! that I bet you didn't know. It was one of only seven musicals to win the Pultizer Prize for drama. Can you name the other six? I'm going to give you "A Chorus Line" and "Of Thee I Sing," because those are the only ones I can think of. The other four are what? (Answers in tomorrow's post).
LaGuardia is probably best known for reading the Sunday comics over the radio during a long newspaper strike in 1945, and sure enough, the first scene in Fiorello! shows the Mayor in his element using a variety of funny, expressive voices to make that most beloved of Sunday features come to life. He was a character to be sure, but more than that, a mayor of great substance and accomplishment who refused to be demoralized by the worst economic crisis in American history.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Carnegie Hall Partial View
The result is in regarding what it is like to listen to symphonies with only a partial view at Carnegie Hall. Pretty darn good. Our partial view was in the uppermost balcony to the far left facing the stage. We could see about half the orchestra (with a particularly good view of the horn section and the lone tuba player) but we had to lean way over to catch a glimpse of the conductor or the soloist for the Chopin Piano Concerto. The work in the second half was a rousing Brahms' Second Symphony. But it's true that the sound is so rich and so beautifully enhanced by the Hall's excellent acoustics that just sitting there and not looking at all at what the musicians are doing is enough. We have had a fair amount of experience in Carnegie Hall's main hall - now called Isaac Stern Auditorium - but only with chamber works that are too small to take full advantage of the hall's sonic possibilities. These symphonic works filled the whole auditorium with great force and left us delighted with what we heard.
One of my favorite parts of the afternoon, though, was watching the lonely tuba player, whom, as I indicated, we were able to make out clearly without any leaning. He raised his magnificent instrument a few times during the Brahms, which must have been very satisfying for him, but when they did Beethoven's Egmont Overture as an encore, he had to sit there motionless with his trusty tuba by his side. Who becomes a tuba player these days anyway? What does he practice? And where? Does he get paid the same amount as the violinists? And how does his instrument affect his travel plans? Does he have to buy an extra seat for it?
At any rate, as I yank myself away from this tuba tangent, I just want to conclude by reiterating we had a fine time mainly hearing and hardly seeing. Keeping the focus on great live audio turned out to be a pleasant change.
One of my favorite parts of the afternoon, though, was watching the lonely tuba player, whom, as I indicated, we were able to make out clearly without any leaning. He raised his magnificent instrument a few times during the Brahms, which must have been very satisfying for him, but when they did Beethoven's Egmont Overture as an encore, he had to sit there motionless with his trusty tuba by his side. Who becomes a tuba player these days anyway? What does he practice? And where? Does he get paid the same amount as the violinists? And how does his instrument affect his travel plans? Does he have to buy an extra seat for it?
At any rate, as I yank myself away from this tuba tangent, I just want to conclude by reiterating we had a fine time mainly hearing and hardly seeing. Keeping the focus on great live audio turned out to be a pleasant change.
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