T here is no doubt that Republicans will pick up seats in Congress- poll numbers and political history make it a certainty- but there are some things Democrats can do to mitigate their losses. First, Democrats must create jobs. The most important issue for voters during economic downturns has always been and will always be…
Opinion
The ups and downs of health care
The French philosopher Voltaire warned us that the perfect is the enemy of the good, but is the health care legislation passed by Congress so deeply flawed that it can no longer be considered good? In order to make that determination, let’s first look at the legislation’s merits. First and foremost, the legislation provides insurance…
Opinion
What Congress didn’t say
Reconciliation is a parliamentary procedure established in 1974 as a means of creating federal policies that are related to meeting Congress’ fiscal objectives. The process limits debate to 20 hours and does not allow for bills to be blocked by filibuster. In other words, only a simple majority is needed to pass the bill. Although…
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Caravaggio or Michelangelo
Photo: Wikipedia According to a recent New York Times article, art historian Philip Sohm has published a study arguing that Caravaggio has bumped Michelangelo from his position as Italy’s greatest artist. Caravaggio is known for his hyper-realistic style that seems to stop time and capture incredibly dramatic moments. Caravaggio is also known for his rather…
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When Novelists Sober Up
In the Summer of 2009, Tom Shone wrote an article for The Intelligent Life on how sobering up has affected some of the Western world’s greatest novelists. He discusses great novelists like John Cheever, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Charles Bukowski. Shone’s theory seems to be that getting sober tends to have…
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Deconstructing Masterpieces
In 2009, Tom Shone wrote an article in which he explains the evolution of the term masterpiece and how today it often does not describe an artist’s best work. The following is an excerpt: In the popular arts, the qualities that make for a masterpiece—the stylistic innovation, the self-consciousness, the ability to transcend genre—often militate…
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Feminist Criticism of Lit by Female Writers
On an article entitled “What Are Women FIghting About? Emily Gould discusses why “women are often the cruelest critics of other female writers”. Here’s an excerpt: So I become, once more, the kind of person I can’t bear: the female critic who despises any female writer who doesn’t project what she feels is the accurate…
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Do Jazz & Hip-Hop Mix?
The world of jazz criticism was thrown into mayhem during the 1960s. Jazz had begun to move into new and unanticipated places. Artists like Ornette Coleman, inspired by Avant-Garde musicians, did away with harmony, rhythm, and melody. Miles Davis began to include electric instruments and delved into rock and funk for new sounds. By the…
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The Universality of English
John McWhorter published an article in World Affairs recently in where he posed some interesting questions: What if English became the only language in the world? Would this result in a cultural loss? Is this even possible? The following is an excerpt: As we assess our linguistic future as a species, a basic question remains….
Opinion
Nothing but a passing fad
The tea party movement may play an important role in shaping America’s immediate future, particularly the upcoming mid-term elections, but it must propose real solutions if it intends to be more than a passing fad.
Culture
Fanfarlo a band deserving of more acclaim
Although Fanfarlo may wear their influences a tad too proudly, they have a unique take on post-rock emotional fervor.
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Humor & the Brain
Recent advances in brain imaging technology have provided us with a great deal of insight into the workings of the human mind. A recent study has focused on how the brain affects sense of humor. An article in New Scientist explains that researchers have discovered a difference in how jokes affect the minds of extroverted…