Archive for February 5th, 2012


Words are hardly “such feeble things” in Orwell’s literary journalism

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Chris Mackowski under Arts & Literature, Business & Finance, History, Journalism, World [ Comments: 1 ]

Orwell, George. The Road to Wigan Pier. (1937) — Orwell is best know for his dystopic 1984 and Animal Farm, but Orwell cut his chops as a journalist, and he understood the power of his pen. In Wigan Pier, he looks at the abominable Depression-era conditions of northern England’s working class. “I have seen just enough of the working class to avoid idealizing them,” Orwell says, yet he obviously admires them for somehow making due, lowering their standards of living rather than giving in to despair.  He also realizes their value in calling out the hypocrisies of the country’s middle class. Full story »


Walden Sunset

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Chris Mackowski under Arts & Literature, Environment & Nature [ Comments: none ]

Walden Pond, sunset, Saturday, 4 February 2012


Soft power, hard power, election power

Posted on February 5, 2012 by Guest Scrogue under Politics, Law & Government [ Comments: none ]

by Robert S. Becker

If he wins, risk-averse, calculating Mitt Romney won’t name a firebrand V.P. Not noxious Newt, who’s way too grandiose to play second fiddle to anyone. Thus, short of a Black Swan event, we can expect two safe national tickets, thus reversing the election pyrotechnics the last time around, with its high drama and gaseous eruptions.

Too bad for media frenzy, late-night comics, or pundits amused by theatrics — who all relish barking-mad, headline-grabbing mavericks. On pre-emptive invasions alone, will the two top dogs compete with the bellicose tirades spewing from Bush, Cheney or McCain, let alone Perry or Bachmann? Full story »


The loathsome list again

Posted on February 5, 2012 by wufnik under American Culture, Journalism, Media & Entertainment, Politics, Law & Government, United States [ Comments: 2 ]

When you come down to it, we’re surrounded by morons and fools, many of whom are our leaders–political, cultural, media, whatever. Opening a newspaper or turning on the television in modern America often is like diving into an oil spill. So it’s time once again to remind ourselves of their transgressions, which we have the Buffalo Beast to do for us, so we don’t have to waste time trying to keep track ourselves. Once again, here is their annual list of the 50 Most Loathsome Americans in 2011. It’s got Megyn Kelly (pictured, number 45) on it, and all the Repubican presidential candidates, and Rupert Murdoch is way up there at number 2, bless his heart. And The Donald, of course.