Let Me Down Easy

Last week I went to the Arena Stage to see Anna Deavere Smith's one woman play, Let Me Down Easy. This is s great show. It deals with Health care in this country, but it also deals a lot with death

Here is Smith discussing the show with Bill Moyers.

Neo Aztec Calendar

From The Architects Newspaper, an article about a calendar designed by Mexican artist Ricardo Cid. Image of the full calendar here.

Graphic> Neo Aztec Calendar

Aurora Borealis

Some new photographs from Nat Geo of the aurora borealis.

New Aurora Pictures: First Big Show of 2011

Eudora Welty - Photographer

I previously posted a video of Eudora Welty discussing her short story "The Worn Path", but Welty was also a very accomplished photographer. Here, from Smithsonian Magazine, is a video of her photographs.

JFK's Inauguration

John F. Kennedy became President 50 year ago today. Here is his inaugural address.

Beatrice and Virgil

So I final read Beatrice and Virgil, and I liked it probably even more than Life of Pi. I like the fact that Yann Martel always tries to write something totally different than what he has written before. A lot of authors just try to do the same thing over and over.

My favorite part of the book would have to be Virgil's attempt to explain to Beatrice what a pear is. After you read this you will never look at a pear the same again.

There is also a lot of brutality in the book, but at the same time the relationship between Beatrice—a donkey— and Virgil—a howler monkey— is quite moving.

I already have posted two video of Martel discussing this book, so you can go back and look at them for more on this book. (April 14, 2010 and May 24,2010)

1640 Luthern Bible

A news story on a 1640 Lutheran Bible that was discovered in a school in Bondeul, Wisconsin.

WLUK Story: 340-Year-Old Bible Found @ Yahoo! Video

Man in a Blizzard

I have cribbed this from Roger Ebert's post here. Jamie Stuart's short film "Man in a Blizzard" was shot during the New York City snow storm back in December.

This film is a homage to the great 1929 Ukrainian film "Man with a Movie Camera". Ebert's post also contains a YouTube version of the 1929 film, although watching the YouTube video does not compare to seeing that film on the big screen. I saw "Man with a Movie Camera" about two years ago with live musical accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra, and that was quite an experience.

Happy Birthday KJV

This year is the 400th anniversary of the completion of the King James version of the Bible. Though many now use trendier translations of the Bible, the KJV is still one of the most important influences on the English language.

Two good books that deal with the English translation of the Bible are: God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible by Adam Nicolson, and Wide as the Waters: The Story of the English Bible and the Revolution It Inspired by Benson Bobrick.

To mark this anniversary here is a list of 78 phrases that passed into the English language from English translations of the Bible.

78 everyday phrases that have a biblical origin

Oak Hill Cemetery

Some photographs I took this afternoon at Oak Hill Cemetery. Established in the 1840's as part of the rural cemetery movement, the cemetery is just a couple blocks from my apartment. It runs down the hill towards Rock Creek.

Oak Hill Cemetery - 01/09/11

Tusheti Mountains

A pictorial romp through Georgia's Tusheti Mountains + life and death adventure. What more could you ask for?

Riding on the edge in Georgia

Vivian Maier

Quite a sensation has surrounded the discovery of the street photography taken by Chicago nanny Vivian Maier. Maier died in 2009, so she did not live to see the recognition of her work. Examples of here work can be seen on the blog Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work, and on this New York Times blog post. Here is a video about her.

Best Nature Photographs

I have been disconnected for a while because of my move, but I am back on now. Here is the Nature Conservancy's Best Nature Photographs from 2010.

Best Nature Photos of 2010