Happenings

So, I went to the Atkins-Nelson Museum of Art in Kansas City today. It was, quite frankly, FRICKIN SWEET.

I went with a bunch of Art Historian friends, and the funniest thing about us is that we would all get excited, each exploding into squeals of delight, over nearly every other painting. A bit excessive, I realize; you must understand that this is what I spend a large part of my week immersed in looking at on a projector screen. To see many of this in real life--and for free, might I add--is a rare privilege.

You see, something is lost in looking a work of art second-hand. The effect is diminished. The aura of the work is completely absent in a textbook, on a screen, or in a picture; the appreciation of truly impressive art is magnified a thousandfold by face-to-face experience.

We spent the most time in the Contemporary, African, Photography, and Native American sections (Check out these and other galleries by clicking the link above!). de Kooning, Warhol, Meybridge, Rothco, Pollock, Rodin--it was definitely an anthropologist/art historian's wet dream.

There was also a beautiful sculpture park, complete with gigantic shuttlecocks. That's right: SHUTTLECOCKS.

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Quote of the Day:

Mankind have a great aversion to intellectual labor; but even supposing knowledge to be easily attainable, more people would be content to be ignorant than would take even a little trouble to acquire it.

- Samuel Johnson

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Thankfully, there has been a slew of worthwhile news lately! Ready? Here goes.

Besides the passing of legislation begin much-awaited Healthcare Reform (YAY!), the Palin, oops, Tea Party ousting (R) Senator Harry Reid as chief white supremacist, and Derrik Martin being allowed to take his boyfriend to prom in a small Georgia town, here's what I've got that has me feeling hopeful for a change:

 

States Seek to Tax Services, From Head to Toe

via NYTimes

Which makes a whole lot of sense, really, considering we've been a tertiary--essentially, service-based--economy (as opposed to a manufacturing economy based on the flow of goods) for some time. Sure, it made sense for states to tax goods in the 30s. But not so much in 2010.

With revenues in many states reaching all-time lows (like in my own native Missouri), many states--including Maine, Nebraska, Michigan, and Pennsylvania--are searching for new strategies to cope with empty coffers.

A handful of states, including Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota and Washington, already tax all sorts of services. Most states tax at least some services, particularly items like utilities.

With No Jobs, Plenty of Time for Tea Party

via NYTimes

This article is probably not meant to be intentionally funny, but all of the people the article mentions who preach about the necessity of smaller government are demanding that the government fix the economy and restore their lost jobs. Did I mention that most were on welfare, Medicare, or Social Security?

They also argue that the U.S.'s economy tanked because the country has allowed free trade since 1980. Ha. Free trade. Sure. It certainly couldn't have anything to do with two international (and entirely unnecessary) wars during Bush-family presidencies, corrupt drug and oil companies, and head-up-ass Republican foreign policy, could it?

So if you're in the mood for something both pathetic and amusing, check this out.

Official: Pediatrician in line to head Medicare, Medicaid

via CNN.com

President Obama is expected to nominate a Massachussetts pediatrician and Harvard University professor to oversee Medicare and Medicaid, a senior administration official told CNN on Saturday. 

The official stressed that the nomination of Donald Berwick "has not been made yet."

Berwick is the president and chief executive officer of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, described on its Web site as "one of the nation's leading authorities on health care quality and improvement."

He is also listed as a clinical professor of pediatrics and health care policy at Harvard Medical School.

YAY! And for those bitching about the 14 other upcoming appointments bypassing the Senate, well, that clearly falls under the President of the United States' jurisdiction. At least, according to every civics class I ever took. I think the Senate has bigger fish to fry at the moment.

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So that's about it for today. Any questions?

wildcoyote