July 2020 - dash of thought

Month: July 2020

The Power of Taste
Part I: Individualism for Ruminants

25. July 2020

by Vince

One day in September 2011, Alain Ducasse, one of the world’s most highly decorated chefs, walked into the Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant in Hudson Valley, New York. The main purpose of his visit being a photo shoot, he was served the epitome of a frugal meal—bread and butter. And yet, this simple dish featured the pride and joy of the restaurant’s co-owner and chef, Dan Barber. Single-udder butter is created from the cream […]

“Law of the Border”

18. July 2020

by Vince

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Review

Lütfi Ö. Akad’s film Law of the Border is a cinematic masterpiece that marked a pivotal point in Turkish cinema when it came out in 1966. Today, it appears as a brilliant reflection on the complexities of borders, unequal opportunities, and other limitations that define modern societies. Borders are ambiguous phenomena. On the one hand, they are intended to be simplifying limitations, attempts at drawing clear lines through reality. On the other hand, they are […]

State of the Nation-State

11. July 2020

by Vince

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Contemplation

While global travel restrictions are currently changing daily, it's time to reflect on borders and what lies between them---the nation-state. The Lithuanian poet and intellectual Tomas Venclova can provide some inspiring input for such reflections.

“Roller Coaster”

4. July 2020

by Vince

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Review

Here’s the truth: I’ve never been on a roller coaster. I’ve never taken LSD. I’ve never tried to step out of an elevator on the 13th floor. I’ve never been to Austin, Texas. And I’ve never written about music. Hence this is no reportage; I’m not a music journalist. I’m not a historian either—facts are important to me, but at times they seem fleeting. And yet, all of these things fascinate me, especially when they […]