Dylan Ratigan: It's Complicated

Dylan Ratigan’s really good “rant” should make us all think.  How is it that the entire foreign policy of the most powerful country in the history of civilization is directed around the actions of a small and scattered group of people tucked into the mountains and deserts in the Middle East? You want the short answer or the long answer?

Out of Touch

Lebron James is out of touch. Since announcing his decision to leave the city of Cleveland in an hour long televised spectacle aptly named “The Decision,” Lebron James has demonstrated exactly the degree to which he’s out of touch. In fact it’s clear that he’s been out of touch for some time. Those who’ve had the pleasure of discussing this topic with me over the previous 7 years are well aware of my opinion/criticism of the man, which has centered on the very idea that King James has been walking around wearing a crown well before any actual coronation ceremony. There can be no ignoring the fact that Lebron is an outstanding basketball talent and easily among the best players in the NBA, but he has yet to be and may never be the best of his era or of all time. Yet both the media and James’ behavior led many people to believe otherwise, and in turn that’s exactly what caused the basketball superstar to use an hour of America's time so he could take his talents to South Beach.

Artistic Abstraction

Ever wonder what happened to realist art? That is, art that depicts real people or real situations etc... Probably not. Nevertheless, what did happen to it, and why do we live in a world dominated by abstract art. The art many people look at and think, "a child could have painted this." The art that draws the reply most people think of when they think of art nowadays,..."I don't get it." Well we live in a world dominated by abstract art because the CIA made it that way. There's no political point here, just a fascinating story. Something to think about the next time you happen to be looking at an abstract piece of art and the person next to you is raving about how it makes them feel, or is proffering their deep intellectual insight to the beauty of some abstract piece and how it *ahem* speaks to them. You don't have to feel bad if you don't get it. Maybe it has less importance as a work of art, than it does as a symbol of history. After all, much of the works of the Renaissance say just as much about the Catholic Church during that era as they do about art as an art form. If that last sentence (like abstract art) even makes sense. Fascinating.

The Ideas Department: Female Crash Test Dummies

Who would have thought that a female crash test dummy would be a good idea?...40 years after someone should have thought that a female crash test dummy would be a good idea? I don't know the answer to that question, but I do find it strange that the Transportation Department made through 40 years worth of meetings without anyone bringing this up. Sorry ladies.