While I have no loafers in which to be light, and in which I wouldn't be light, in any case, I do like design. From the Cooper-Hewitt to the Denver Art Museum to The Look of the Century, I like design. When I look at typefaces, or at prospective logos for my current employer, I ask what decade it reminds me of, and then, whether that decade has the associations I want. It's art married to function at the most basic level, but it's practical art in a very American sense.
The next time some Frenchman calls you a Philistine, show him this. If you want, mention that it ran on time, too. And if you really want to rub it in, remind him of the name of the designer. Yes, they're still around.
So, over there, on the left, after the Jewish blogs. there's a new section on design. It'll be a while before I can write intelligently about it, but when I read something interesting, I'll pass it along.