In the New Yorker...

[Front-Ranger]

Today the latest issue arrived and I sat down and read it cover to cover! I haven't done that in years! The cover appealed to me (see below). In Talk of the Town, I was pleased to see that Steven Soderbergh is forging ahead in his new theatrical career after hanging up his director's clapboard. (Do they still use clapboards?) I was even more thrilled to see that the inspiration for his play "The Library" came from the book Columbine by Brokie Dave Cullen! I hope it's successful and I bet it will be.

Just a passing thought: I don't see how anyone today can possibly say "Obamacare is hurting the American people" and actually believe that anyone is paying attention to them.

I read "Chemical Alley" about the lingering problems with the chemical spill in West Virginia. The story is very condemning of the Republicans who have turned back the Clean Water laws. It was rather sad. I read most of John McPhee's latest article "Elicitation" which was very interesting in parts, but jumped around a lot. It seems he's writing his memoirs lately. I just skimmed the other articles except for David Denby's review of Noah. Thank you, David. Now I don't have to see that movie. Gives me more time to spend with the Grand Budapest Hotel.

Sometimes I just don't get the cartoons and this was definitely one of those weeks!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Over lunch I just read Anthony Lane's March 24 appreciation--I don't know what else to call it--of Scarlett Johansson. I found the article strange, almost like a verbal orgasm. I really didn't care much for it.

[southendmd]

Over lunch I just read Anthony Lane's March 24 appreciation--I don't know what else to call it--of Scarlett Johansson. I found the article strange, almost like a verbal orgasm. I really didn't care much for it.

Yes, he certainly does gush in a very Anthony Lane-ish way. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Today the latest issue arrived and I sat down and read it cover to cover! I haven't done that in years!

You didn't mention the article about death certificates. That one looks like lots of fun! 

[serious crayons]

Over lunch I just read Anthony Lane's March 24 appreciation--I don't know what else to call it--of Scarlett Johansson. I found the article strange, almost like a verbal orgasm. I really didn't care much for it.

I skipped that piece after reading a critique of it on Slate. I like Anthony Lane and I don't want to not like him. But the critic made that piece sound loathsome and supported her case very well.

[Front-Ranger]

Well I remember when Pauline Kael went gaga over Last Tango in Paris. It happens sometimes. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

You didn't mention the article about death certificates. That one looks like lots of fun! 

I loved the April 7 article about bills of mortality and death certificates. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

I'm working on the "duty article" now, the one about the chemical spill in West Virginia. 

[Front-Ranger]

Actually I liked that article because I had heard the story on the radio and it brought up a lot of questions in my mind that the article answered.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Actually I liked that article because I had heard the story on the radio and it brought up a lot of questions in my mind that the article answered.

It's just that I expect I've read essentially the same story in The New Yorker any number of times over the past thirty years. Just substitute anything else that's harmful to the environment and to people for "chemical spill" and we've all read this story already. I'm not that far into the article but I expect there isn't anything really new here. It's like the saying, "Dog bites man" isn't news; "Man bites dog" is news. The article is The New Yorker equivalent of cod liver oil: you read (take) it because it's good for you.