Hazlett's Occasional

via wtmd.blogspot.com

The Senator Theatre, a magnificent and historic art deco movie palace not far from where I live, has been lurching from crisis to crisis for years now.  In a less-than-transparent process involving the Baltimore City government and various other local actors, it now seems clear that the Senator will be changing hands.

A number of proposals have been submitted to redevelop the theater—an axienty-provoking turn for many architectural and cultural preservationists.  One of the proposals is from WTMD, an outstanding public radio station based out of Towson University.  Here’s what they’ve posted on their website:

WTMD and Towson University have submitted a proposal that would transform the Senator into a multi-use film and concert theater that would also house the WTMD studios and offices.

We envision a space where film retrospectives, gala premiers and themed movie festivals are showcased in the same space as the musical artists you hear on WTMD every day. We want to fill the halls of this beloved palace with children’s programming, fundraisers for community groups and even showcase the multi-media work done by Towson University students. Our goal is to make sure the Senator is alive all day, every day.

Sounds great—as long as indie rock doesn’t drown out great films.  In the right hands, the Senator has a bright future as a cultural hub that could combine a well-preserved heritage and exciting new activities.

The worrisome thing is that the fate of the Senator will be determined by unknown forces withing the Baltimore City government…

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My friend John Miller is a political reporter and a conservative commentator of real integrity and independence [see, for example, how he’s run up against anti-immigrant forces].  He’s also an avid reader and reviewer of books, especially (but not exclusively) those dealing with history and literature.  You can glimpse the breadth his interests by listening to his podcast interviews with authors at National Review.  The author of several nonfiction works, John has just published his first novel, a work of historical fiction set in the Civil War entitled The First Assassin.  I’m expecting my copy from Amazon any day now.

But, as John’s debut novel becomes available, there’s been a disturbing preemptive attack on this unassuming, non-political literary endeavor.  Apparently because John is a National Review contributor, a small mob of politically-motivated posters are trying to poison the Amazon customer-reviews just as the book has come on the market.  Of course, I can’t attest to the literary quality of John’s novel, because I haven’t read it yet.  But that lack of first-hand information hasn’t stopped sophomoric political censors from trying to overwhelm Amazon’s customer feedback to The First Assassin.

Now, the reviews—and the comments on the reviews and the voting on the comments—are becoming yet another platform for infantile political theatrics.  Yet another example of how Amazon’s review system is broken and laughable.  I believe there’s such a thing as distributed intelligence, but mobs are not wise.

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nybooks:

Sanford Schwartz

David Park: Boston Street Scene, 1954; paintings from Helen Park Bigelow’s David Park, Painter: Nothing Held Back, just published by Hudson Hills Press

David Park (1911–1960) is one of those artists who isn’t widely known but whose work inspires a special loyalty and warmth of feeling among his admirers.

Read More

via npr.org

From Fresh Air, a discussion and musical tribute to the man behind “Skylark,” “That Old Black Magic,” and other timeless American standards.

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Looks like a twitter list! RT @walters_museum: Art of the day: Twenty-four finches, varying in pose and color http://ow.ly/162e8X

Good for him! Better if he’d Bhangra’d RT @legalnomads: #Canada’s Prime Minister joins dancers on Bollywood TV show… http://bit.ly/16ayge

Unsung heroes of British history now being sung: http://bit.ly/2uGLvA via @BBCHistoryMag

Bittersweet and just plain bitter. Life after the dissipation of a newspaper (Seattle P.I.): http://bit.ly/CgBmt

Whatever it is, I’m sick of it @reihansalam Palin-boosting & Palin-bashing is all thinly-disguised status politics. http://bit.ly/2HzBAD

RT @newmediajim: Passing Tiananmen Square. [would outcomes have] been different if social media been prevalent then http://twitpic.com/puci5

Epic! RT @Art_News: ART WORLD SMACKDOWN! http://is.gd/4WJnn Cast: @newmuseum @artwhirled @cmonstah @powhida

Baltimore’s magnificent buildings: A preservationist’s tour http://bit.ly/1tT2mn

RT @nytimesarts: ‘Frontline: A Death in Tehran’: That Face of Protest in Iran, Fading Fast http://bit.ly/1M2jOr #iranelection

It’s #MilitaryMon please consider contributing $11 for veterans via http://www.eleven-eleven.org/ [and please RT]

One of the best digital grants I saw while at NEH is bearing fruit: All early versions of “Hamlet” now here: http://www.quartos.org/

John Cleese interviewed on the making of “Fawlty Towers” 1/3 free iTunes segments http://bit.ly/1EQtXK