Tuesday night: La Traviata in Central Park. Hei-Kyung Hong sang Violetta, and Wookyung Kim as Adolfo. A handful of pictures here and a short video here (I had to do it--when else can you film an opera performance?)

Sunday: Capoeira across the street in Washington Square Park (see a few pictures here and watch a short video clip here).

Caught a little of the Gregg August (bass) quintet at Fat Cat. This band really moved...

My block, early 1960s (click for larger view). Man with the car is getting a ticket:
Peddling Images of a Lost City - New York Times

Also in the New York Times this weekend another thought-provoking column by David Brooks on the importance of culture for action and behavior.

See Washington Monthly's college rankings, which are based upon colleges' (1) promotion of social mobility, (2) fostering of scientific and humanistic research, and (3) promotion of an ethic of service to country.

Economists' blogs - The invisible hand on the keyboard from the Economist (about economists who aren't using their blogs to post pictures of ducks).

Tommasini's review of The Ring at Bayreuth, and his recommendations for Ring recordings.