“Today in the art world, anything goes but almost nothing happens.” — Roger Kimball
By all means, read the whole essay.
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Probably, Yes
You have to ask the next question, in that in a village that looks like this:
…allowed construction of houses that look like this:
…that question being: “How much was the local planning committee bribed?”
I think we should be told.
Synchronicity
…or what we Olde Pharttes used to call “coincidence”*.
Last week I posted a query from a Reader (read it here) about relocating a grandson, and there were a number of comments from other Readers on the topic.
So later in the week, I found this little snippet (via Kenny):
Only 37% of respondents would encourage their family to serve in the military, while 63% would not, according to the poll. Several branches of the military have been plagued with recruiting and retention problems in recent years as the Pentagon continues to look for solutions.
Of those who would not encourage their family members to join the military, 57% said they felt that way because it is “too dangerous,” according to the poll. Approximately 45% cited the “failed wars in Iraq and Afghanistan” as the reason not to join.
Funny thing, that. I always thought that joining the military would entail some kind of physical risk, but that probably just shows how out of touch I am with the modern world.
*I know there’s a substantial conceptual difference between synchronicity and coincidence.
Monday Funnies
So let’s try and lick this week into shape with a little humor:
And speaking of girls with their dogs:
And to end with some rather nice puppies:
Now get out there and play, bitches.
Classic Beauty: Greta Garbo
Aaahhhh, Garbo. Nobody who has seen Anna Karenina or Ninotchka could avoid falling in love with her, as I most certainly did.
Here’s the reason for my infatuation with her. Apart from her astonishing beauty and sexy voice, she was someone after my own heart in that when she grew tired of her own celebrity and the whole Hollywood thing, she told everyone to take a hike and lived a life of her own, in seclusion.
My kinda gal.
Wait, Where?
This was actually an ad feature, but still:
Stuttgart, Germany?
Actually, yes. Of all the German cities I’ve visited — and that’s a lot — I was unexpectedly and pleasantly surprised by Stuttgart, Here’s why.
It’s quite pretty, being set in the midst of a series of ridges and hills — like Johannesburg — and it makes no bones about the fact that it is all about business — again, like Johannesburg.
But it’s also a nice place to visit: the food is varied and not expensive (at least, not when I was there. Tip: if you can find a place that caters to the after-school crowds, the deals are sensational: think 1-euro gyros and -pizza slices).
I remember asking the guy behind the counter in the above pic why they didn’t serve lamb gyros — highly unusual for a Turkish joint — and his response was: “German lamb is terrible.” (Schrecklich!)
Also, walking in the city itself is great fun, as there are several pedestrian-only streets and of course, there are the bars.
Close by, there are all sorts of interesting places, e.g. the Mercedes and Porsche factories and museums, for those who are that way inclined.
And unlike many Euro cities, renting a car is an excellent idea in Stuttgart for the simple reason that the Swabian countryside — Black Forest, y’all — is spectacular. (If you have the money — I didn’t — rent a Porsche Boxster.)
I wouldn’t go there in winter or even early spring, though: it’s pretty bleak. This was late April/early May, when I was there:
But the best part of going to Stuttgart is that even in summer it’s not a tourist-y city like Paris or even Munich.
I’d go back there tomorrow if I could.
Afterthought: like many German cities, Stuttgart was bombed all to hell during the slight disturbances of the early 1940s. But just a short trip up the autobahn from Stuttgart is Tübingen — which wasn’t — and it’s worth a couple of days all by itself.
The street food alone was voted “Best in Germany” by the kids — and they went to all the places I went to.