Only Edition
Now a two-week tradition.
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Only Edition Now a two-week tradition. |
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VOL I, No. 014 |
CRANFORD, NJ, FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2002 |
No Cents |
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The Arts Where's the good writing these days? I'm thinking on the non-news pages of your daily papers. I'm also predicting our "good old days", either the '20's, the '50's or the '80's, depending on which of the generations of my family (sorry Mike) you belong to, are coming back in the form of a return to simpler lives, a smaller economy, and human decency. So, what has this to do with "The Arts", you're asking yourself. I just read a persuasive piece in yesterday's Arts section of the NYT, a column by one, A O Scott, "The Critics Notebook". In this column, Scott rubs the book and movie, "A Beautiful Mind" together. I've been encouraged to see the movie by friends and family who are aware of my mathematical interests. After Scott's review, I'll read the book, and save my Oscar week movie spending on "Gosford Park", displaying Helen Mirren. Scott doesn't bite on the publicity bilge being spread to smear the movie's Oscar chances. This review lays this movie's view of history beside other histo-cinematic efforts: The Hurricane, JFK, and Mississippi Burning. Some of these were accompanied by books, in others, the movie is the only art form. Scott observes the intermediate form of a book needn't be taken as the final view of the event, any more than the movie. One easily concludes from the review if there is an opportunity to distort history, it belongs to the movie. Scott concludes the review with this thought: The response ot those who point out distortions and omissions is usually some version of the truism that all movies distort, omit and simplify. This axiom, which can be applied to novels, and even, to some extent to biographies -- is assumed to be where the discussion ends. But that is where the discussion should begin.
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The News That's Fit to Print Well covered stories that only need mention here include the passage Wednesday of the Campaign Finance Reform bill. As John McCain (sponsor, R, AZ) observed: "If this bill isn't really going to accomplish anything, what was all the fuss about?" Touche', John. Below the fold in the NYT, "Race Gap Seen in Health Care of Equally Insured Patients". This was also reported on News Hour Wednesday night. NDT anticipates the conservative reaction: "Why are they stirring up this pot? Everything's quite all right in healthcare." More evidence of "liberal bias" (the subject of a future NDT column) in the media. All journalism, being selective, has a responsibility to offer its view of what's important. This one needs more light. Christopher Hitchens recently reminded us of G K Chesterton's sense of humor in defining journalism as the art of informing the public on the death of Lord Jones, when the public didn't know Lord Jones was alive. If you can deal with that view, you can handle the NDT. Featured Link: Favorite Links, from The Nation, which i s where these links originatd. To the extent their list is incomplete, "Ed" supplied the Nation with a complete list of the original links you see here. Financial Page: HPCPQ Index: 1096.94; Thursday close. The HPCPQ index tracks the value of $1000. invested equally in HP and Compaq at the market average the week of Jan 1, 2002. There's nothing like the price of a stock to get people's attention. |
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