Text
May 23, 2013

“Retroculturation”

I heard this public radio program from 2006 about “retroculturation” in the Hispanic community rebroadcast recently on 88.5.

There might not be any connection, but this somewhat odd 2007 essay from TAC by Paul Weyrich and Bill Lind uses a similar term:

One of conservatism’s most fundamental impulses, and one of its most valuable in a time when history is neglected or forgotten, is to recover good things from the past. Traditional cities and towns, passenger trains and streetcars, are examples of this tendency, which we label retroculture. The next conservatism should incorporate retroculture as one of its guiding themes, a basis for its actions beyond politics. Want to fix the public schools? How about Schools 1950? We already have retro cars such as Volkswagen’s New Beetle and the Mini. Why not retro manners and retro dress? It would be nice to see men’s and ladies’ hats again instead of kids’ underwear. By making old things new, retroculture might offer a counterweight to the endless spiral downward that pop culture decrees in everything. If fire is needed to fight fire, perhaps fashion should be used to fight fashion.

Ironic that the community embracing “retroculture” the most is comprised substantially of first- and second-generation immigrants.

Photo
May 18, 2013
4,111 notes

(via anarchyagogo)

Photo
May 12, 2013
Examining the rise of the “nones” (link)

Examining the rise of the “nones”

(link)

Photo
May 09, 2013
378 notes
weirdvintage: Muhammad Ali playing Monopoly, 1963 by Steve Schapiro

weirdvintage:

Muhammad Ali playing Monopoly, 1963 by Steve Schapiro

(via savage-america)

Quote
May 06, 2013
71 notes
"

The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in this world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament.

I open the New Testament and read: ‘If you want to be perfect, then sell all your goods and give to the poor and come follow me.’ Good God, if we were to actually do this, all the capitalists, the officeholders, and the entrepreneurs, the whole society in fact, would be almost beggars! We would be sunk if it were not for Christian scholarship! Praise be to everyone who works to consolidate the reputation of Christian scholarship, which helps to restrain the New Testament, this confounded book which would one, two, three, run us all down if it got loose (that is, if Christian scholarship did not restrain it).

"

— From Kierkegaard’s Journals, and beyond question my favorite passage from his works. (via ayjay)

Photo
May 05, 2013
3 notes
Long Hidden Vatican Painting Linked to Native Americans “The fresco, The Resurrection, was painted by the Renaissance master Pinturicchio in 1494 — just two years after Christopher Columbus first set foot in what came to be called the New World. Antonio Paolucci, director of the Vatican Museums, told the Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano that after the soot and grime were removed, in the background, just above the open coffin from where Christ has risen, “we see nude men, decorated with feathered headdresses who appear to be dancing.” One of them seems to sport a Mohican cut. The image dovetails with Columbus’ description of having been greeted by dancing nude men painted black or red.”

Long Hidden Vatican Painting Linked to Native Americans

“The fresco, The Resurrection, was painted by the Renaissance master Pinturicchio in 1494 — just two years after Christopher Columbus first set foot in what came to be called the New World.

Antonio Paolucci, director of the Vatican Museums, told the Vatican daily L’Osservatore Romano that after the soot and grime were removed, in the background, just above the open coffin from where Christ has risen, “we see nude men, decorated with feathered headdresses who appear to be dancing.” One of them seems to sport a Mohican cut.

The image dovetails with Columbus’ description of having been greeted by dancing nude men painted black or red.”

Photo
May 02, 2013
42 notes
centuriespast: STEEN, JanThe Effects of Intemperance1663-65Oil on wood, 76 x 106 cmNational Gallery, London

centuriespast:

STEEN, Jan
The Effects of Intemperance
1663-65
Oil on wood, 76 x 106 cm
National Gallery, London

Photo
May 02, 2013
2,308 notes
don’t mess

don’t mess

(Source: punk-, via rigatonideology)

Photo
May 02, 2013
104 notes
retrogirly: Rita Hayworth Wink Wink ;) For My Texan

retrogirly:

Rita Hayworth

Wink Wink ;)

For My Texan

Link
May 01, 2013
The Locust Economy

Last week, I figured out that I am a part-time locust. Here’s how it happened. I was picking the brain of a restauranteur for insight into things like Groupon. He confirmed what we all understand in the abstract: that these that these deals are terrible for the businesses that offer them; that they draw in nomadic deal hunters from a vast surrounding region who are unlikely to ever return; that most deal-hunters carefully ensure that they spend just the deal amount or slightly more; that a badly designed offer can bankrupt a small business.