February 2012
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Monthly Archives: February 2012

Death of a Monkee: Davy Jones, RIP

February 29, 2012

Which brings us back to Davy, dead at 66 from a heart attack this morning: he never followed his success with the Monkees by following his own muse as Mike did, despite teaming later with Mickey, Boyce, and Hart. He continued to perform in countless Mike-less reunions, but his legacy rests solely with a reputation garnered as a Monkee (about which much the same could be said about Mickey and Peter alas). But for four years, he was a Monkee, damn it, and the group could soldier on after Peter left in 1969 whereas it’s doubtful the band could’ve continued as the Monkees without Davy.

A Tale of Destruction and Depravity: George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

February 27, 2012

By Shmuel Ben-Gad

A Tale of Destruction and Depravity: George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

“From poetry the reader justly expects, and from good poetry always obtains, the enlargement of his comprehension and elevation of his fancy…” –Samuel Johnson. Lives of the English Poets: Waller. I first heard of the fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin last September, and have now read all five extant volumes: A Game of Thrones (1996), A Clash of Kings (1999), A Storm of Swords (2000) , A Feast for Crows (2005), and A Dance with Dragons (2011). (Two more are projected to complete the series.) It is a long, engrossing skillfully told tale It tells of a war for power. The continent of Westeros had seven kingdoms which were united under the Targaryen dynasty, masters of dragons.. This dynasty was overthrown by one Robert Baratheon. Upon his death, wars break out amongst claimants to the throne and also a rebellion or two by those who want to break away. The social order and technology approximate the mediaeval age of Europe. There is no romanticizing of knighthood, however. The struggle to gain and retain power is shown to be brutal and debased. Mr. Martin juggles many characters and subplots as well as the

Dawkins Only “6.9 out of 7” Sure There is No God

February 25, 2012

By Mike D'Virgilio

Dawkins Only “6.9 out of 7” Sure There is No God

Many fundamentalist atheists have an abnormal sense of certainty about what they think they know to be. Humility isn’t welcomed company amongst the militant atheists, and they don’t come much more militant, or absolutist, than Richard Dawkins, the world famous author and enemy of all things religious. Yet here we have Dawkins in a debate calling himself an agnostic, of all things.

Sin Can Be Therapeutic and Socially Beneficial, Says a Psychologist

February 24, 2012

By Mike Gray

Sin Can Be Therapeutic and Socially Beneficial, Says a Psychologist

“Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it is hurtful.” — Benjamin Franklin

“Bullet for a Star” is a Welcome E-release, But Overpriced.

February 23, 2012

By Lars Walker

The good news—almost wonderful news, except for the One Problem that I’ll detail at the end of this review– is that the late Stuart M. Kaminsky’s delightful Toby Peters novels are being released for Kindle by Mysterious Press. I downloaded the very first book of the series, Bullet for a Star, and read it with pleasure. The Toby Peters novels, if you’re not familiar with them, are light mysteries set in Hollywood. Toby is a very small-time P.I. who nevertheless keeps getting hired for cases involving famous movie stars (and a few other notables) of the Golden Age of Hollywood. In this story, an executive at Warner Brothers (which fired Toby as a security man some time earlier) asks him to look into a blackmail scheme. Someone has sent them a print of a photo of Errol Flynn in a compromising position with a very young girl. Flynn admits the accusation isn’t out of the question, but in this case he’s never met the girl. The studio wants Toby to make arrangements to pay the blackmail anyway. But instead of a simple exchange, there’s a fight, and Toby gets knocked out, and somebody gets dead, and then the action takes

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is Cultural Progress

February 22, 2012

By Mike D'Virgilio

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is Cultural Progress

I started getting SI because of extra United Airline miles I could use up. I find the magazine an enjoyable read because I’m a sports guy, but also because they tell great stories, and sport is ready made for compelling stories. But some people might think I get it for the swimsuit issue, which is not true. I thought it interesting in the weeks before that issue came out that there was a notice in the magazine to not get that issue if it was something you preferred not to see. I commend SI for that, but I didn’t take advantage of it and got mine last week.

Heartland Institute Responds to Publishing of False and Stolen Documents

February 15, 2012

By Editor

(Yesterday, documents purporting to be confidential strategy memos from The Heartland Institute, a national think tank and major player in the controversy over claims of an impending anthropogenic global warming (now climate change) crisis, were published by The Huffington Post and throughout much of the progressive-left blogosphere. The following is Heartland's statement about the stolen and fraudulent documents.)

Yesterday afternoon, two advocacy groups posted online several documents they claimed were The Heartland Institute’s 2012 budget, fundraising, and strategy plans. Some of these documents were stolen from Heartland, at least one is a fake, and some may have been altered. . . .

“Damsels in Distress” to the Rescue!

February 14, 2012

By Lars Walker

Ooh! Ooh! After more than a decade without a new Whit Stillman film, his new one, “Damsels in Distress,” is coming: The trailer doesn’t say when it’s being released, but Movie Insider says April. I want very much to see this movie. It looks very promising. I explain my passion for Stillman’s work here. Tip: First Things.

A Random Series of Music-Related Observations

February 13, 2012

By Larry Kaufmann

A Random Series of Music-Related Observations

A lot has happened in the pop music world in the last nine days, so herewith follows a random scattering of music-related observations. ——————————- Whitney Houston’s death really is a tragedy. If anyone was ever blessed by the musical gods and pre-ordained for greatness, it was Whitney. And yet, looking back on her recording career, I’m struck by how meager it was. Just six studio albums in 27 years, and only three in the last 22 years. Compare that with the Beatles, who at the peak of their popularity used to release three albums a year! I also can’t help but think that, in spite of her tremendous commercial success, Whitney Houston was not well-served by the music industry. Her first hit single, “Saving All My Love for You,” was indisputably her best and one of the few to show her extraordinary range and control. Most of her other 80s hits blended into the synth-pop dominating radio at the time. To see what I mean, compare “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and “Let’s Hear it For the Boy.” Houston’s vocal chops (not to mention charisma and sex appeal) leave one-hit wonder Deniece Williams in the dust, but suppose the singers

On Giving Up The Internet For Lent

February 13, 2012

By Robert Dean Lurie

I’m giving up the Internet for Lent. I did the same thing last year. This might at first blush seem a very odd thing to write about on a Webpage. After all, if everyone followed my lead there would be no new posts and no readers on The American Culture from February 22 until April 7. Sam Karnick would not be very happy with me. Thankfully, I know my odd little decision is unlikely to influence anyone, so I can rest assured that the lively exchanges on this site will proceed as scheduled. I will also admit I am being a bit misleading when I say I’m giving up “the Internet.” I work for a software and IT company and am online for most of the workday. I also co-administer the company’s Facebook page. What I’m really talking about is giving up personal Internet use: email, web surfing, social networking (aside from any that pertains to my company), and instead using all that extra time to focus on my family, my spirituality, and my self. As a writer it also affords me the chance to devote my energies to my craft rather than to the perpetual online hustle of selling

Do Laughing Gorillas, Chuckling Parrots, and Giggling Rats Prove Human Evolution?

February 10, 2012

By Mike Gray

Do Laughing Gorillas, Chuckling Parrots, and Giggling Rats Prove Human Evolution?

"Man is distinguished from all other creatures by the faculty of laughter." — Joseph Addison

Hines’s ‘The Unseen’ Is Worth a Look

February 10, 2012

By Lars Walker

I think I'll just start my review by saying that T. L. Hines's The Unseen is one of the most impressive thrillers I've read in some time—not just among Christian books, but among thrillers in general. I liked Hines' first novel, Waking Lazarus, quite a lot. This book—in my opinion—knocks it out of the park. It works on many levels, not only as a straight thriller, but as a cultural metaphor.

Lucas, the hero, is not strictly a part of the normal world. He moves from place to place in Washington, DC—abandoned buildings, service tunnels, even the sewer. He lives to watch other people, from hiding places he sets up behind walls and ceilings, “between the seams of society.” He's not a voyeur in the ordinary sense, however. He watches people in public places, or at work. He imagines what their lives are like. Lucas's watching obsession obviously mirrors various pathologies in modern society, from which (I suspect) few of us are entirely free. . . .

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Monthly Archives: February 2012

Death of a Monkee: Davy Jones, RIP

A Tale of Destruction and Depravity: George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

Dawkins Only “6.9 out of 7” Sure There is No God

“Bullet for a Star” is a Welcome E-release, But Overpriced.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is Cultural Progress

Heartland Institute Responds to Publishing of False and Stolen Documents

“Damsels in Distress” to the Rescue!

A Random Series of Music-Related Observations

Do Laughing Gorillas, Chuckling Parrots, and Giggling Rats Prove Human Evolution?

Hines’s ‘The Unseen’ Is Worth a Look

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