Russellarbenfox

LATEST ARTICLES ( 622 )

• Ten Moderately Short, and Only Moderately Philosophical, Theses on Voting

  

  1) I don't think there is a duty to vote, and I wouldn't support compulsory voting, even if that was a political possibility in this country. Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2018 SOCIETY

• Why the Estes-Thompson Race Matters to Me (Besides, You Know, Because It Will...

  

  Let's just get this out of the way: my track record when it comes to political predictions is utterly abysmal. So I'm not going to try this time around. Read more

  Posted on 02 November 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Jet Airliner"

  

  From the beginning of this series, I've been up front: these blog posts are about the pop, rock, funk, punk, and other songs of 1978 which wormed their way... Read more

  Posted on 01 November 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs from '78: "My Life"

  

  Forty years ago yesterday, Billy Joel released "My Life," the first single off 52nd Street, one of his greatest albums. I have no memory of when I first listene... Read more

  Posted on 29 October 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Radio Radio"

  

  "Radio Radio" is one of those songs about our material and aural history--specifically, a song about the songs we listened to, and how we listened to them, and... Read more

  Posted on 20 October 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Fire"

  

  Last time, talking about Chic's awesome disco tune "Le Freak," I confessed that as, a not-quite-10-year-old listening to rock music on my radio in Spokane, WA, ... Read more

  Posted on 02 October 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Le Freak"

  

  Considering how dominant disco was in 1978--as I noted way back in February, it was unavoidable that year--not a lot of disco stands out in my memories,... Read more

  Posted on 21 September 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Beast of Burden"

  

  Twice before I've showcased my love for Some Girls. There are songs that came out in 1978--whether I remember listening to them on the radio 40 years ago, or... Read more

  Posted on 09 September 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Time Passages"

  

  "Time Passages," the first song released from--and the first song in the track listing of--Al Stewart's album of the same name, is probably responsible, more... Read more

  Posted on 01 September 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Lights"

  

  "Lights" was the final single released off of Journey's wonderful album Infinity, which had already produced two earlier--and, musically speaking, probably... Read more

  Posted on 23 August 2018 SOCIETY

• Five Essential Aretha Franklin Performances (R.I.P.)

  

  The Queen of Soul is dead. Except--scratch that. Yes, she absolutely was the dominant female soul, R&aB;, and gospel singer of her (and our) time--but she was... Read more

  Posted on 16 August 2018 SOCIETY

• Thoughts on the Evolution of Mormon Political Engagement

  

  [Cross-posted to By Common Consent]The Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University put up on their website today a forum in... Read more

  Posted on 14 August 2018 SOCIETY

• What's the Matter with Kris Kobach?

  

  [I put some thoughts about last night's Kansas primary election results up on Facebook this morning, and Chris Suellentrop, an editor at Politico, asked if I'd... Read more

  Posted on 09 August 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "The Load-Out/Stay"

  

  If Joe Walsh's rock and roll song about the rock and roll life was bleary and crashing and awesome, this epic by Jackson Browne is earnest and reflective and... Read more

  Posted on 05 August 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Don't Look Back"

  

  Ah, Boston. The aspirations of progressive rock, the volume of heavy metal, with a huge guitar presence and huge hair. Similar to Kansas (which has already had... Read more

  Posted on 02 August 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Badlands"

  

  I didn't situate what is one of Bruce Springsteen's greatest songs with my memories of 1978--in fact, I almost certainly didn't even know it was a Springsteen... Read more

  Posted on 01 August 2018 SOCIETY

• Of Parties, Primaries, and (Gubernatorial) Endorsements

  

  It's 15 days until the August 7 primaries here in the state of Kansas, and early voting begins today. I'm a vote on the day-of person myself (I just like the... Read more

  Posted on 23 July 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Take Me To the River"

  

  There is some confusion on when, exactly, the Talking Heads's cover of Al Green's "Take Me to the River" was released. It was the only single released off... Read more

  Posted on 21 July 2018 SOCIETY

• Catastrophe, Technology, Limits, and Localism

  

  [Cross-posted to Front Porch Republic]Charles C. Mann's The Wizard and the Prophet, published earlier this year, is a fabulous book. Read more

  Posted on 19 July 2018 SOCIETY

• Songs of '78: "Who Are You?"

  

  The single "Who Are You" was released 40 years ago today; it was the lead song off of The Who's album of the same title, which would get its full release in... Read more

  Posted on 14 July 2018 SOCIETY