en-us http://www.intensedebate.com/users/707555 Comments by Jeffrey Dale Starr http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-wolf-and-the-lamb/#IDComment44558488 Phaedrus, I knew Aesop. Aesop was a friend of mine. And you're no Aesop. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:19:59 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-wolf-and-the-lamb/#IDComment44558488 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-value-of-dynasties/#IDComment44063279 Growing up in San Antonio rooting for the Spurs, I hate to admit it, but you're right about them too. I don't think anyone's knees wobble when they see them on the schedule. In their heyday, I think the hated Detroit Pistons were much more intimitading (the image of Bill Laimbeer still churns my Spurs-loving gut). Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:19:47 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-value-of-dynasties/#IDComment44063279 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-value-of-dynasties/#IDComment44062505 Great article, and I completely agree! Another aspect of dynasties is that they bring out the best in their competition. As a die-hard Cowboys fan, I was always frustrated that no matter how bad of a season the Detroit Lions were having, all of a sudden they turned into Lombardi's Packers when they faced Big D (especially during the Aikman era). If you're some crummy team like the Chiefs, and you know you're gonna end up with 3 wins or so, then New England or Indianapolis suddenly becomes the Super Bowl on your schedule. You'll rarely see a team unprepared when going up against a dynasty. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:13:01 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-value-of-dynasties/#IDComment44062505 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/nothing-means-what-you-think-it-does/#IDComment43646170 Another great article. I think what really supports what Eagleton was saying is the great challenge that faces anyone trying to become fluent in a foreign language (in my case, Japanese). It's one thing to learn the textbook version of a language, but then at some point you face the biggest hurdle - idioms. Every language has them, and if taken at face value can be very confusing: "he went the whole nine yards", "beating around the bush", "don't throw out the baby with the bathwater". I have always sympathized with anyone trying to learn English as a second language. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:43:52 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/nothing-means-what-you-think-it-does/#IDComment43646170 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/review-of-the-flaming-lips-embryonic/#IDComment43505891 I was holding a Diet Coke (which is the case most of my waking hours) when I wrote the article, so it was the metaphor at hand...so to speak [groans from audience]. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:13:34 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/review-of-the-flaming-lips-embryonic/#IDComment43505891 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/loquacious-lemmings/#IDComment43130359 I don't mind...I think it was great! Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:11:59 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/loquacious-lemmings/#IDComment43130359 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/loquacious-lemmings/#IDComment43067356 Vlad, that's hilarious. I had no idea that my article had been billed as "IKEA Sucks...". It might explain some of the visceral reaction - I guess if you love that store you might take it as a personal attack. I think we should name our next article, "Why Strawberry Is The Worst Flavor Of Ice Cream". Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:49:19 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/loquacious-lemmings/#IDComment43067356 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42975259 I'm not sure the expensive furniture can be sold any cheaper, to be honest. If it took you 3 months to hand-make a wardrobe, what would you charge for that? If you wanted to make a decent living, say $60k, you would have to charge $15k for that wardrobe. Who can afford that? My beef is with the manufacturers of mass-produced furniture, who could dramatically increase their quality by reducing their profit margin. We've all heard enough stories about Nike shoes being made in the Far East for $3.00 and being sold to Americans for $125. Same idea. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:57:20 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42975259 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42974998 Wrong. I don't look down on anyone buying these products. I thought I made that clear. I'm angry at the manufacturers who produce shoddy goods just to increase their profit margin. You should be angry too. And by the way, a lot of people seem to be making assumptions about who I am and where I come from. I grew up among the "lower classes" I spoke of and am not ashamed of it. Even now, I'm middle class at best. I guess prejudice is alive and well. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:53:53 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42974998 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42974732 You make a good point about the high price of quality merchandise. And if an armoire takes 4 months to build, I guess the builder has to charge an exorbitant rate. I guess there should just be a middle ground. I think if manufacturers of mass produced furniture upgraded their quality, it might mean reducing their profit margin from 70% to 50%. I just wish consumers would demand that sort of thing instead of just laying down and saying, "oh well, guess that's just the way it is". Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:49:53 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42974732 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42968153 I've personally never purchased anything from IKEA. But out of necessity I do have a crummy fiberboard computer desk, because, yes it was all I could afford. How does that make me a hypocrite? The thrust of my article was not against consumers but a complaint against manufacturers trying to increase their profit margin by selling junk. If you can't comprehend that, I'm sorry for you. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:22:37 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42968153 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42966026 Nice mis-quote. I never said that someone should buy a piece of "super expensive" furniture. Most people can't afford "super expensive" anything. I also wasn't criticizing the masses for buying IKEA products. I'm criticizing IKEA and their ilk for selling junk. If that bothers you, you must own stock in the company or be suffering from extreme guilt because you know I'm right. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:55:14 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42966026 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42965516 Again, I'm confused by the reaction to my article. Don't you think you should be getting higher-quality goods in exchange for your hard-earned dollars? Personally, I don't think forking out $150 for a piece of shelving is any real bargain. I think for that price you should get a solid product made of quality wood that will last as long as you want it to. The cheaper quality of wood (fiberboard is NOT wood) that you're getting for your money should make you angry. How does that make me a snob? When our great-grandparents bought something they expected it to last. Not because they paid a fortune, but because a few generations ago EVERYthing was built to last. This isn't about snobbery...it's a lament about the death of quality. That should make everyone angry...it's not an elitist attitude. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:48:40 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42965516 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42965022 I don't understand these reactions portraying me as some kind of elitist. I'm a middle class guy from a blue-collar background. Defending the corporate behemoths that spoon-feed you garbage proves what a lemming you really are. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:42:02 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42965022 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42962508 I didn't mean to suggest that everyone should only buy handcrafted furniture. In my article I point out that only the super-rich could really afford such things these days. But you have to admit - 150 years ago, before there was any mass-produced crapola, even simple people like farmers had well-made stuff. Even though it was cheap, it was still well made. Now, there are two extremes of choice: 1) super expensive and well made or 2) affordable junk. I'm not criticizing the average guy, I'm defending him - against being force-fed planned obsolescence. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:10:06 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42962508 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42957679 In the spirit of full disclosure, I own some of the junk I rail against. Maybe guilt was part of my motivation! Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:25:30 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/the-industrial-revolution-and-the-death-of-craftsmanship/#IDComment42957679 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/a-self-indulgent-musing-on-jazz/#IDComment42677817 Nice article! I had a similar experience as a teenager when an older friend gave me a copy of Ramsey Lewis' "The In Crowd". I said 'thanks' and set it aside, with no real intention to ever listen to it. But eventually I got bored with all the music I had, and was too broke to buy anything new, so I decided to give the jazz album a chance. Ended up loving it and have been a fan ever since. I think it's like a lot of good things (coffee, asparagus, Shakespeare)...it just takes a certain age and maturity to appreciate jazz. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:17:02 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/a-self-indulgent-musing-on-jazz/#IDComment42677817 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42618924 Oh, Chunkster! You're such a card! Mon, 9 Nov 2009 23:24:02 +0000 http://concreteacademic.com/2009/11/bibles-and-bullets-the-ugly-legacy-of-christian-missionaries/#IDComment42618924