Another year, another compilation of the year's work in Lebowski studies. The annual "Lebowski Fest" is not just a place where wannabe Dudes get together and ask "why is everything a fiasco with you, man?" I bet the real Dude would get a big laugh from the essay on the White Russian.
Arthur Koestler would be on a short list of the most interesting and brilliant people of the 20th century. He also had a very, very dark side. Both parts of his nature were captured in the song "Arthur Koestler's Eyes," (which I've blogged about before), but a new biography of Koestler has just been published that chronicles his amazing life, quirks and contradictions. Looks like a great read for the winter months, but not something you'd want to bring to the beach.
Getting hit by an SUV (twas true - no worries I am relatively fine - but that sucked)
Personal best thing about 2009:
Finishing my masters degree!
Album of the Year:
It's Blitz - the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Honorable Mention: the self-title debut of Them Crooked Vultures
Music Video of the Year:
Sorry Beyonce, but it's Lady Gaga's Bad Romance - batshit crazy genius.
2009 Playlist:
Papparazzi by Lady Gaga
Use Somebody by Kings of Leon
People Got a Lotta Nerve by Neko Case
Lucid Dreams by Franz Ferdinand
I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
'Relator,' by Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
Alligator by Tegan and Sara
Zero by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
In These Arms by The Swell Season
Talking Hotel Arbat Blues by Handsome Furs (thanks to Batman for burning me the cd as a get-better-you-got-hit-by-a-car gift)
Best Concert:
Ok, so maybe I'm pathetically busy and wouldn't go to a concert if not for Allison so is it any surprise we concur: Lykke Li at 6th and I Synagogue. LOVE that venue and Lykke Li ROCKED.
Best Movie:
Zombieland - I don't know about you, but I like me some good ole' fashion entertainment and escapism when I go to the movies. And Zombieland delivered. It was the most enjoyable movie I've seen in a while. It delivered in terms of laughs and jumps and wholehearted entertainment. Allison's review is here.
Best TV Moment:
Jim and Pam of the Office finally get married! The hilarity climaxed when the Office cast spoof my vote for best viral video of the year.
Best Celebrity Moment:
Obvi the Kenye West debacle "No disrespect Taylor but Beyonce had the best video of all time!"
Best Fashion Trend:
The return of high-waisted, feminine dresses (yay for the influence of Mad Men amongst other things)
Worst Fashion Trend:
The return of harem pants. Think M.C. Hammer. This year, the high fashionistas were all over this trend which means we will have to suffer through baggy asses on the street in 2010.
***excuse my midfinals-paper-writing-holiday brevity***
A few years ago, John Miller of National Review compiled a list of the top conservative rock songs (there were actually two lists - the top fifty and an encore list of songs 51 through 100). Now he's doing the same thing with novels. He's taking suggestions from readers at his website, which you can find here. Lots of interesting recommendations, although I posted a comment (#177) that takes exception with some of them. I'm sure John would love to hear from YR readers about books that others have overlooked - and I'd love to be convinced that I'm wrong about the novels of Ayn Rand (wrong about what? Read the comment to find out - and read all the comments to compile a great winter reading list).
A heads up to the fiction fans in Yeah Right Nation:
National Review's John Miller (friend of the blog) just published his first novel, a historical thriller called The First Assassin. It takes place in 1861 Washington, at the start of the Civil War.
The book has already garnered a lot of praise, which is no surprise given the high quality of Miller's work for National Review and other outlets.
Reason is in the middle of a two-week tribute to the works of Ayn Rand. They have a lot videos, articles, and other materials here, including this interview with former Reason editor Tibor Machan:
Ralph Nader has written a novel - or maybe a "practical utopia" - with the rabble rousing title Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!. Some poor sap at The Nation actually read it, and his review reminds me of the scenes in Airplane where people sitting next to Captain Stryker decide to end their lives rather than listen to his incessant droning. Just how bad is it? This bad:
Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us! is meant to inspire, to show
that another world is possible, that change could happen here, now, in
our lifetimes. But its effect on me was just the opposite. Emma Goldman
famously said, "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your
revolution." Well, if have to listen to invented self-important
gas-bags drone on portentously for 800 pages in Nader's voice, I don't
much want to be part of his.
And this is coming from a friend. At least he knows how we've always felt.
Recent Comments