Author Topic: In the New Yorker...  (Read 1922574 times)

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #600 on: January 16, 2013, 12:20:44 am »

I haven't read that yet, but I will. Love George Saunders.


I just heard that he has published a book of short stories...sounds like a must-read!
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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #601 on: January 16, 2013, 02:35:20 pm »
OK, well, that made for depressing lunchtime reading, Rachel Aviv's article, "The Science of Sex Abuse," in the Jan. 14 issue.

It was particularly depressing to me because the principal subject of the article has been a member of the Society for Creative Anacronism, and he isn't the only "SCAdian" I've heard of to be a pedophile. The Society was almost destroyed because of civil judgments arising from a case that occurred right here in Pennsylvania, where a member who was actually celebrated for his involvement in "youth activities" turned out to be a serial child molester.

And the part in the article about offenders essentially telling therapists what the therapists wanted to hear (because the therapists wouldn't believe the truth) reminded me yet again of accused "witches" telling their prosecutors what the prosecutors wanted to hear.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #602 on: January 16, 2013, 07:01:00 pm »
What is the weird sensation called when a word keeps popping up? Today, I was reading a review of the new movie Beasts of the Southern Wild (recommended by Dave Cullen) when aurochs appeared yet again: http://www.denverpost.com/movies/ci_21055216/bracing-beauty-beasts-southern-wild-triumphs-child-hero

Well, now I've seen the movie and when the aurochs appeared, I was like "Wait a minute, those look like pigs and that's wrong!" I knew from the New Yorker story that cows are descended from aurochs, not pigs. And I had just been to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science where I saw an aurochs skeleton. In the following article the special effects guy admits that in using Vietnamese pot belly pigs for the aurochs they were taking poetic license with evolution:

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/07/17/exclusive-the-secret-of-the-aurochs-those-beasts-of-the-southern-wild/
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Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #603 on: January 16, 2013, 07:47:07 pm »
Well, now I've seen the movie and when the aurochs appeared, I was like "Wait a minute, those look like pigs and that's wrong!" I knew from the New Yorker story that cows are descended from aurochs, not pigs. And I had just been to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science where I saw an aurochs skeleton. In the following article the special effects guy admits that in using Vietnamese pot belly pigs for the aurochs they were taking poetic license with evolution.

I'd say that's a lot of license.  :-\
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #604 on: February 04, 2013, 02:08:14 pm »
Over lunch today I finished the Jan. 28 article about the illegal export and sale of a Mongolian dinosaur fossil. The author mentioned a fossil show held annually at the Denver Merchandise Mart. A fossil show sounds almost as much fun as a train show. Have you ever gone to the fossil show, FRiend Lee?
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #605 on: February 07, 2013, 02:06:45 pm »
I don't ordinarily pay much attention to the ads in The New Yorker, but in the Jan. 28 issue I noticed an ad for ceiling fans. The company's name is Big Ass Fans.  ;D

The ad is on page 33.
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline serious crayons

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #606 on: February 07, 2013, 02:31:53 pm »
The profile of Dr. Oz in the Feb. 4 is pretty good. It's mystifying that a doctor with his credentials would present what sound like snake-oil sellers as credible guests on his show. I've long mistrusted Oz, if nothing else for his ubiquitous presence in Facebook ads hawking questionable weight-loss treatments.

Still, the article failed to penetrate Oz's seemingly blithe self-assurance or explain his willingness to endanger his well-founded professional reputation. You're left still not really understanding why he does that. Maybe it's just not possible to explain any further.

 


Offline Jeff Wrangler

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #607 on: February 07, 2013, 02:50:41 pm »
The profile of Dr. Oz in the Feb. 4 is pretty good. It's mystifying that a doctor with his credentials would present what sound like snake-oil sellers as credible guests on his show. I've long mistrusted Oz, if nothing else for his ubiquitous presence in Facebook ads hawking questionable weight-loss treatments.

Still, the article failed to penetrate Oz's seemingly blithe self-assurance or explain his willingness to endanger his well-founded professional reputation. You're left still not really understanding why he does that. Maybe it's just not possible to explain any further.

I've had a chance to read only the first few pages of that article, and it was interesting to me to learn about his background (I was a bit baffled by the comparison to George Clooney; I don't see that at all  ;D ). In general I don't trust "celebrity doctors."
"It is required of every man that the spirit within him should walk abroad among his fellow-men, and travel far and wide."--Charles Dickens.

Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #608 on: February 07, 2013, 03:51:42 pm »
Last night I sat by the fire and read about the female mass shooter Amy Bishop (http://archives.newyorker.com/?i=2013-02-11&email-analytics=newsletter130211p070#folio=070 if you're a subscriber). What a sad and yet compelling story, especially the part about her shooting her brother several years before the mass shooting. It's becoming increasingly clear that young people can develop this murderous tendency if genetics and environment go haywire.

I've also been reading about John Hinkley Jr., who shot Pres Reagan and Jim Brady. There are some intriguing conspiracy stories that I was not aware of before about his father's friendship with the Bush dynasty. Bush was running against Reagan for the presidency at the time.
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Offline Front-Ranger

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Re: In the New Yorker...
« Reply #609 on: February 07, 2013, 07:05:57 pm »
In this week's issue (it's the double anniversary issue) there is also a review of Steven Soderburgh's Side Effects which opens tomorrow. I'm interested in seeing the movie, not least because it has Rooney Mara (sister to Kate) and other good actors in it. The review mostly covers Soderburgh's body of work and his announced retirement from filmmaking. That would be sad but he has some exciting plans for the future.
"chewing gum and duct tape"