Huge El Nino surf dwarfs surfers on Maui
All I know about surfing I learned from Bodhi and Johnny Utah, but this is incredible.
[I recommend muting the stupid "Xtreme" music soundtrack]
Andrew Hazlett // This page is a notepad for ideas, links, and things of interest to me and probably few others. My Internet home-base is at http://www.TheOccasional.org.
I am establishing a cultural commentary and curation website called The New Modern. Visit http://www.TheNewModern.net for more information.
All I know about surfing I learned from Bodhi and Johnny Utah, but this is incredible.
[I recommend muting the stupid "Xtreme" music soundtrack]
These days, it’s no secret that translated literature gets short shrift. It has become a well-known fact that just three percent (or less) of all literature published in the United States is translated from another language. These days, too, its hardly less well-known that many publishers and book pages still shy away from translated lit for fear that the taint of a foreign language will chase away coveted consumers.
Still, translation is in a much better place now than even ten years ago. Thanks to the work of some inspired publishers and advocates, the worth of translated lit—and our gross negligence in not publishing more of it—is becoming better known. We’re even getting a certain amount of access to some of the best contemporary writing the world outside the United States has to offer.
So far we’ve come, yet still so far to go. We have the Tolstoys, yes, we even have the Murakamis, but there is so much classic and contemporary literature still out there that has never been published in English—never ever. So, to acknowledge all that’s out there, to inspire readers to thirst for more literature not originally written in English, and to do a service for those publishers in search of the next great translated book, we offer this collection of recommendations.
We’ve talked to some of the top translators into English working today; we’ve talked to publishers big and small; we’ve talked to agents, journalists, and foreign-language authors. We’ve asked them all for the best books that still aren’t in English. And have they responded. They’ve told us TRANSLATE THIS BOOK!, and now we pass that on to you.
Just as I was starting to come to terms with the fact that I'll probably never finish my "lifetime reading list" within the allotted time, along comes The Quarterly Conversation with a reminder that there are whole worlds of literature yet untranslated into the world's de facto lingua franca [Latin was my only "foreign" language in high school].
Although there is a lot of wonderful writing in English from India, there is a rich literary tradition in Bengali that remains untranslated. As I'm unlikely to pick up a thorough knowledge of that language over the next few decades, I'd like to read more in translation.
Moving, raw, early Springsteen (via @EttaGirl)
Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory: The Illustrated Edition is a rare sort of book -- a product of intellectual rigor imbued with deep emotion. First published in 1975, this work of history and literature has helped readers come to terms with the legacy of the First World War. After garnering a National Book Award and other honors, the book has been a fixture on college reading lists and "best of" lists. Now, there is a vividly illustrated edition that should spark fresh interest in Paul Fussell's nonfiction masterpiece.
My latest review for The Book Studio.
The future has gone retro. Apparently the designer will be selling posters soon.
Here's the designer's online store.

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 anxiety-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 within the Baltimore City government...

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Update: I just came across this Consumerist post about the restaurant and venue review site Yelp deleting "secondhand" and irrevelant reviews. Why can't Amazon take similar responsibility for editing customer reviews?
From Fresh Air, a discussion and musical tribute to the man behind "Skylark," "That Old Black Magic," and other timeless American standards.