I love David Lachapelle!

His photos are mesmerizing - the colors, the composition, the juxtapositions. Their very absurdity makes them beautiful, and they make you think; there is always something beneath the surface to explore. 

He reminds me a bit of Pierre et Gilles - their work is also highly stylized and has the same surreal look. And there is also more to their photos/paintings than just what appears on the surface. But their compositions are simpler than David Lachapelle's - they focus on portraits of one or two people, while his photos have no limitations in their subject matter whatsoever.

I think what I enjoy most about these artists is their use of color. It's so garish that it's cool.

You HAVE to See "Fuel"

Fuel is hands-down the best environmental documentary I have ever seen. It manages to both shock and inspire at the same time, so that I left the screening feeling a definite concern for the future but renewed inspiration to do something about it. It's not preachy, it's not self-righteous, and it's not boring. 

In fact, it's very entertaining and actually fun to watch... so if you're in the mood for a movie but don't know what to see (and if you live in New York or Los Angeles), check it out! 

http://thefuelfilm.com/ (Includes link to showtimes and theater locations)

Musings on "Schoolhouse Crock: Fifty Years of Blaming America's Educational System for our Stupidity" - Peter Schrag, Harper's Magazine, September '07

"Schoolhouse Crock"

Is good-quality universal education just a dream? We assume that it can be accomplished, and that so far we have simply been incapable of achieving it, but is it really possible? Looking back at history (before the 20th century), I don't know that anyone expected for universal education to exist in any form, good or bad. And I'm not suggesting that we shouldn't strive for it, even if it may be impossible, but I do wonder if we shouldn't reassess our expectations and find other creative ways to solve the problems we're currently pinning on our educational system.

Introduction

Welcome to NewsHistoryArt, Etc.!

If you're wondering why this blog exists, here's my motivation: I am constantly fascinated by random ideas and facts, and am also constantly trying to avoid boredom. It occurred to me a while ago that there might be other boredom-phobics out there who are similarly curious about the world, and I decided to create a mini-universe of the ideas and information that tease my brain throughout the day. I select the pictures, websites, posts, and art based purely on what interests me at any given moment, so they will probably be very random...

I hope you'll find something amusing to pass the time here!

R.V.