Category: Culture

…”The Vigor of Antibodies”

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How to Change the World: Social Entrepeneurs and the Power of New Ideas, by David Bornstein revolves around Bill Drayton:

James O’Toole, an expert in management and leadership, observes that great thinkers throughout the world agree that “groups resist change with all the vigor of antibodies attacking an intruding virus.” O’Toole examines a number of cases in which a potentially beneficial institutional change was resisted and finds that the resistance occurs when a group perceives that a change in question will challenge its “power, prestige, and satisfaction with who they are, what they believe, and what they cherish.” He asserts: “The major factor in our resistance to change is the desire not to have the will of others forced on us.”

Interesting and useful, via Jon Udell.

Martha Stewart’s Christmas Message from Prison

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Well worth reading, Martha posts a Christmas message:

When one is incarcerated with 1,200 other inmates, it is hard to be selfish at Christmas — hard to think of Christmases past and Christmases future — that I know will be as they always were for me — beautiful! So many of the women here in Alderson will never have the joy and wellbeing that you and I experience. Many of them have been here for years — devoid of care, devoid of love, devoid of family.

Baseball’s Steriod Problem: Comments around the Internet

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Unsurprisingly, there’s no shortage of comments on this week’s steriod use disclosures by Jason Giambi and a sort of disclosure by Barry Bonds (from grand jury testimony). I’ve compiled quite a few links: Alltheweb | Clusty | Google News | Teoma | Yahoo Search
Michael Hunt pens a refreshing column taking baseball, Bud Selig and the MLB player’s union to task for not addressing the problem. Nice to see a more realistic approach from the journal-sentinel after their strange Miller Park cheerleading.

Aluminum Christmas Trees

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Bradford McKee reminds me of a cultural icon from the 1960’s (I remember these): the aluminum Christmas Tree:

Mr. Shimon and Ms. Lindemann, while teaching photography together at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., have assembled a short history of the aluminum Christmas tree and its Manitowoc roots in a new book, “Season’s Gleamings: The Art of the Aluminum Christmas Tree” (Melcher Media), out this month. The book contains their photos of their trees ? twinkling limbs presented with deadpan cheer against mostly brightly colored backgrounds.

Overture Hall, Madison Symphony, James Trotter are all “Up to Date…”

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James Oestreich on last weekend’s Symphony & organ performance:

The organ sounded splendid in Mr. Trotter’s performance of the Jongen work, though this is not quite so blatant a showpiece as, say, Saint-Sa?ns’s “Organ” Symphony (which the orchestra played in an earlier, prededication concert). The tonal qualities are rich and varied, and the sonic heft seems well suited to the space.
But it is crucial for a concert organ, as opposed to a church instrument, Mr. Trotter noted in conversation, to be able to blend with a symphony orchestra as well as stand up to it. And the blend here was uncanny, sometimes tricking the ear into confusing reed pipes with woodwind instruments.
But as good as all this news was, the crowning touch for an old Madison hand who arrived hopeful but not optimistic was the condition and quality of the Madison Symphony. At a time of orchestral retrenchment nationwide, this part-time group seems to be flourishing, with an annual surplus of $50,000 to $100,000 on its $2.8 million budget, and an endowment climbing toward $15 million. It added a third concert for 7 of its 9 subscription programs this season, and subscriptions and attendance are strong and rising steeply (partly, no doubt, because of the new hall).

It was indeed, an enjoyable evening. I agree with the writer that Madison is fortunate to have such a wonderful symphony.

Eric Schlosser Speaks at the UW Union

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Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser spoke at the Wisconsin Union Theatre Monday night. Kristopher Irizarry has some excerpts:

Schlosser spent very little time discussing topics covered in his best-selling book ?Fast Food Nation,? with the exception of his engagement with the role the meatpacking industry plays in the life of America?s working poor, an issue he said he engaged several times in his career.
UW senior Kristen Jordan and junior Nora Dinneen said they were both a little ?disappointed in Schlosser?s politically slanted? speech.
?His research is impressive and I was hoping that he would speak more in the voice of his books,? Jordan said. ?I also wish that with all the bad organizations he talked about ? he would have given us contacts for organizations making a difference.?