LOSER?

In the wake of the success of Million Dollar Baby at the Academy Awards, it is most interesting to read the Economist's views on the loser as winner. Economist.com Lexington

Putting God Back Into American History

Those of you who follow this journal know that one of my great interests is the role of God or religion in the fabic of American Life and Government. Here is an excellent piece from the New York Times on the subject. While not exhaustive, it makes the point that the founding fathers were men 'of God' although not in the fashion construed by today's evangelical Christians. The New York Times > Week in Review > Putting God Back Into American History

The Grammarian

Would that we all had an editor such as Ms.Gould. David Remnick gives a lovely eulogy for the New Yorker's late editor. The New Yorker

INSPIRATION

Perhaps some of you might be looking for some inspiration of a spiritual sort. We all need an infusion of wisdom to broaden our horizons, lift our spirits and center our beings. May I suggest FATHER JOE by Tony Hendra. Hendra is a well regarded comedian who maintained a long-time relationship with a remarkable monk on the Isle of Wight. The book is amusing as well as quite profound. Fathe Joe (the monk) teaches us all the lesson of humility.

Another remarkable book is NEARER MY GOD TO THEE by William F. Buckley Jr. It is clearly some reflections of a very personal nature of one who is facing death with equinimity but not before he imparts a little of the wisdom he has gained during his lifetime.

First Family of Culture?

This is a fun and quite educational article from the Chicago Tribune on some personal tastes of the President. Very illuminating. For instance ...he owns an iPod. Chicago Tribune First Family of culture?

Anti-Americanism

This is a well balanced and insightful article from this week's Economist on Anti-Americanism. The article coincides with President Bush's trip to 'Europe'. Henry Kissinger famously used to complain that if needed someone to represent Europe; he didn't know whom to call. Mr. Bush is being given a number in Brussels. As the dollar sinks, the deficit soars and our expensive military stretches itself so very thin; it is time that the United States recognize the importance of Europe. Maybe then the Anti-Americanism will commence to abate.Economist.com | Anti-Americanism

Our Godless Constitution

The framers of the Constitution were all God-fearing, church-going men of high moral character. At least they memorialized themselves as such. Their fear of an 'established' religion' works in harmony with the free exercise clause in a seamless fashion. Lack of an an established religion merely means that the Federal Government could not impose a particular religion on all the inhabitants of the country. Rather they free to exercise any religion which they chose.

The Gates

The Gates

Christo (and his wife) have decorated (?) Central Park with 23 miles of saffron colored gates constructed of fabric and steel. An amusing and intriguing notion. Catch them fast. They will be up only two weeks providing some bright relief when the weather is dull. TNR Online | Aestheticism Lite (print)

Too Shocking For Us?

The Guardian notes that current public sensibilities in the arts by no means match the horror and violence tolerated or enjoyed in the past. What one could get away with in days gone by.Guardian Unlimited Arts features The devil inside

LENT

For all Christians out there. A note from Oscar Wilde.
Oscar Wilde

…And thus we rust Life’s iron chain Degraded and alone:And some men curse, and some men weep, And some men make no moan:But God’s eternal Laws are kind And break the heart of stone.
And every human heart that breaks, In prison-cell or yard,Is as that broken box that gave Its treasure to the Lord,And filled the unclean leper’s house With the scent of costliest nard.
Ah! happy those whose hearts can break And peace of pardon win!How else may man make straight his plan And cleanse his soul from Sin?How else but through a broken heart May Lord Christ enter in?
Thoughts for Lent...
http://us.f305.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?Idx=0&Search=&YY=87352&order=up&sort=date&pos=0&view=a&head=b

IRAN

The New Statesman promises us everything we need to know about Iran in one issue. Their several articles do a good job. New Statesman

KARL HAAS | 1913-2005:

All of us who love good music are saddened by the death (at 91) of Karl Haas. His "Adventures in Music" has been a fixture of Public Radio for as long as I care to remember. I can only hope that they have a goodly stack of tapes of his broadcasts so that the melifulous tones of his voice and the enormous depth and breadth of his musical knowledge shall not be lost. A good friend is gone and we shall play a Mozart Requiem in his memory. KARL HAAS 1913-2005: Erudite DJ Haas connected with everyday people

Sex Ed

Harvard's President, Larry Summers has created quite a furor by suggesting that men and women might have differences. I suppose that some can't accept the fact that two objects can be different without one being inferior or superior to the other. The New Republic Online: Sex Ed

Last Week

For years, The Spectator has published a weekly review of world and UK events in a fascinatingly dry and non-judgemental fashion. It is usually a wonderful read and mightily useful if one has been 'out of commerce' for a while. Harpers has commenced a similar weekly review on it's website. www.harpers.org

George Bush delivered his State of the Union address. Hesaid the country was "confident and strong," then announcedhe would reduce or eliminate 150 government programs. Hecalled Social Security "a symbol of the trust betweengenerations," then discussed proposals for the reduction ofits benefits and an increase in the retirement age. Hesuggested that his tax cuts be enshrined in perpetuity andthat "the spending appetite" of the federal governmentshould be restrained. He said he would "confront" MiddleEastern nations in the name of peace, but insisted theUnited States had "no right, no desire, and no intention toimpose our form of government on anyone else." Bushdescribed marriage as "a sacred institution and thefoundation of society," but he failed to mention the mayorof New Paltz, New York, who stands accused of 27 counts of
attorney general, and Senator Arlen Specter described him asa man who had made it "up from the bootstraps without evenboots." Another senator dismissed accusations of Gonzales\'scondoning torture as "exaggerated." The King of Nepal saidhe was a proponent of multiparty democracy, then fired thegovernment, sent troops to the house of the Prime Minister,and assumed direct ruling authority. Cambodian oppositionleaders were stripped of their parliamentary immunity andfled the country. John Kerry claimed that Osama bin Ladencost him the presidential election, and Howard Dean admittedthat he hates Republicans. Shiites claimed victory in theIraqi election, the Association of Sunni Scholars declaredthe vote illegitimate, and election officials confirmed thatalthough Saddam Hussein was eligible to vote, he didn\'t.Iraq\'s president called the notion of a U.S. troopwithdrawal "complete nonsense," and President Bush said thatU.S. soldiers were "unrelenting in battle, unwavering inloyalty, unmatched in honor and decency, and every day theyare making our nation more secure." He also put the value oftheir death in combat at about $100,000.Condoleezza Rice insisted that attacking Iran was not on theU.S. agenda "at this point." Israeli and Palestinianleaders agreed to attend a peace summit in Egypt, and Hamasthreatened "all-out martyrdom attacks" if raids and killingsin the occupied territories did not stop. Darfur\'s violenceand mass killings failed to qualify as genocide, accordingto a U.N. commission, and South Korea downgraded North Koreafrom "main enemy" to "military threat." The Irish RepublicanArmy denied that it robbed banks, then said that it was nolonger interested in disarming. Secretary of HomelandSecurity nominee Michael Chertoff said the government couldnot "protect everything, everywhere, every time," and that",1]
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marrying gay people. Alberto Gonzales was confirmed asattorney general, and Senator Arlen Specter described him asa man who had made it "up from the bootstraps without evenboots." Another senator dismissed accusations of Gonzales'scondoning torture as "exaggerated." The King of Nepal saidhe was a proponent of multiparty democracy, then fired thegovernment, sent troops to the house of the Prime Minister,and assumed direct ruling authority. Cambodian oppositionleaders were stripped of their parliamentary immunity andfled the country. John Kerry claimed that Osama bin Ladencost him the presidential election, and Howard Dean admittedthat he hates Republicans. Shiites claimed victory in theIraqi election, the Association of Sunni Scholars declaredthe vote illegitimate, and election officials confirmed thatalthough Saddam Hussein was eligible to vote, he didn't.Iraq's president called the notion of a U.S. troopwithdrawal "complete nonsense," and President Bush said thatU.S. soldiers were "unrelenting in battle, unwavering inloyalty, unmatched in honor and decency, and every day theyare making our nation more secure." He also put the value oftheir death in combat at about $100,000.Condoleezza Rice insisted that attacking Iran was not on theU.S. agenda "at this point." Israeli and Palestinianleaders agreed to attend a peace summit in Egypt, and Hamasthreatened "all-out martyrdom attacks" if raids and killingsin the occupied territories did not stop. Darfur's violenceand mass killings failed to qualify as genocide, accordingto a U.N. commission, and South Korea downgraded North Koreafrom "main enemy" to "military threat." The Irish RepublicanArmy denied that it robbed banks, then said that it was nolonger interested in disarming. Secretary of HomelandSecurity nominee Michael Chertoff said the government couldnot "protect everything, everywhere, every time," and that
Scientists determined that sunlight helps fight cancer, thatbarbecue causes it, that overweight people have a strongerbiological need to sit than others do, and that rats areresponsible beer drinkers. Picking up women was outlawed inCosta Rica. The telecommunications industry had mergerfever, and the Pope caught the flu and was hospitalized.Cable provider Adelphia entered the age of pornography, andthe Nashville police paid informants $120,000 to have sexualencounters with prostitutes. Convicted murderer Michael Rosswithdrew his offer to "volunteer" to allow Connecticut toexecute him, and a man and woman were arrested for beating,chaining, starving, and pulling out the fingernails of fivechildren. Laura Bush explained that she likes fashionbecause it\'s fun. Sgt. Javal Davis, a former Abu Ghraibprison guard, pled guilty to charges of battery anddereliction of duty, two British terrorism detainees choseto remain in prison rather than accept house arrest, and aU.S. judge ruled that foreigners held in Guantanamo Bay hadthe right to challenge their detainment. Donald Rumsfeld hada clear conscience.Evolution was not being taught in many U.S. high schools,and teenagers in Texas were having more sex, a survey found.Investing in Google was a good move. Investing in Russianoil companies was not. Thirty-year-old actor LeonardoDiCaprio accepted a lifetime achievement award, and rapperCalvin "Snoop Dogg" Broadus was accused of sexual assault. AMarine general described the pleasures of shooting Afghanimen, and a gas leak killed the prime minister of Georgia.Good relations with Halliburton were more important to theU.S. Army than $2 billion in disputed bills. Malaysia\'s HomeMinistry gave illegal immigrants one last chance to leavethe country before being whipped, and scientists learnedthat birds are not dumb. Sweden was considering raising",1]
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he needed a staff member who "really understands computers."Scientists determined that sunlight helps fight cancer, thatbarbecue causes it, that overweight people have a strongerbiological need to sit than others do, and that rats areresponsible beer drinkers. Picking up women was outlawed inCosta Rica. The telecommunications industry had mergerfever, and the Pope caught the flu and was hospitalized.Cable provider Adelphia entered the age of pornography, andthe Nashville police paid informants $120,000 to have sexualencounters with prostitutes. Convicted murderer Michael Rosswithdrew his offer to "volunteer" to allow Connecticut toexecute him, and a man and woman were arrested for beating,chaining, starving, and pulling out the fingernails of fivechildren. Laura Bush explained that she likes fashionbecause it's fun. Sgt. Javal Davis, a former Abu Ghraibprison guard, pled guilty to charges of battery anddereliction of duty, two British terrorism detainees choseto remain in prison rather than accept house arrest, and aU.S. judge ruled that foreigners held in Guantanamo Bay hadthe right to challenge their detainment. Donald Rumsfeld hada clear conscience.Evolution was not being taught in many U.S. high schools,and teenagers in Texas were having more sex, a survey found.Investing in Google was a good move. Investing in Russianoil companies was not. Thirty-year-old actor LeonardoDiCaprio accepted a lifetime achievement award, and rapperCalvin "Snoop Dogg" Broadus was accused of sexual assault. AMarine general described the pleasures of shooting Afghanimen, and a gas leak killed the prime minister of Georgia.Good relations with Halliburton were more important to theU.S. Army than $2 billion in disputed bills. Malaysia's HomeMinistry gave illegal immigrants one last chance to leavethe country before being whipped, and scientists learnedthat birds are not dumb. Sweden was considering raising
Watergate reporting notes for $5 million, and a reportshowed that the former head of the New York Stock Exchangepaid his personal assistant $240,000 a year. The founder ofHabitat For Humanity was fired for sexual harassment,Richard "Kinky" Friedman announced he would run for governorof Texas, and the selection of a jury of Michael Jackson\'speers began. Frozen urine dropped from the sky in Scotland.Permanent URL for this column:http://www.harpers.org/WeeklyReview2005-02-08.html

US Empire?

For more than two centuries, nationalism in all its various forms—from the high-minded chauvinism of the British Empire to the virulent poison of Nazism—has been a familiar, and often negative, phenomenon. Emerging first in Europe, which it nearly destroyed and which has now apparently learned to control it, extreme nationalism still erupts from time to time in other parts of the world. The word "nationalism" never quite seemed to fit the United States, where continental vastness and enormous power have hitherto been tempered by an often-expressed distaste for empire and by the notion of world leadership by example. In the first years of the twenty-first century, however, in a dramatic departure from traditional policy, the spirit of unilateralism and militant nationalism began to dominate Washington's policies and attitudes toward the outside world. This is the opinion of Bryan Urquart in the latest issue of The New York Review of Books.

LEFT/RIGHT

Andrew Kenny writes that the only difference between the political left and right today is to allow fools to argue furiously. Perhaps he has point. Read it in this article from the Spectator. The Spectator.co.uk

E. B. White

Although he is known outside New Yorker circles primarily for the "Strunk & White" Book of Style, E. B. White was a splendid recounter of tales of the City of New York. They mostly appeared in the New Yorker, but also in his charming Guide to New York. This is a wonderful reminiscence by his son-in-law.The New Yorker

Arts & Letters Daily

If any of you are unaware of this splendid website, please do yourself a favor and check it every day. It usually selects three articles, book reviews and essays a day. Never too much but quite often from sources not often otherwise checked. The list of resources on the far lefthand side is also immensely. Arts & Letters Daily - ideas, criticism, debate

Let's Not Make the Same Mistakes in Iran

David Kay makes a strong case for the level of ineptitude characterizing the United State's assessment of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction prior to the Iraq war. He makes a stronger case for not falling into the same abyss with respect to Iran. Let's Not Make the Same Mistakes in Iran (washingtonpost.com)

DISTRACTIONS

The next few days are filled with celebratory events. The apothesis of American Football will occur on Sunday with the SUPER BOWL For what it is worth I like the Patriots.(How do you like that -- they won 24-21/posted 7.2.05) Tuesday brings the double blast of Christian CARNIVAL and the Chinese or Lunar NEW YEAR! Much to do. Much happiness to spread to all. For the orientals a new set of clothing is to be worn, however as previously noted, the year of the rooster may not be so propitious. As for the Mardi Gras, may all remember that Wednesday is Ash Wednesday so it may be wise to temper the celebration a bit. All three are pleasant distractions at an otherwise dismal time of year. Enjoy and relax.

Father Joe

This book by humourist Tony Hendra is a real gem. Despite a few relatively minor hitches, Father Joe remains a ray of hope in a foundering genre. Spiritual memoirs are too often simpering, self-serving, schmaltzy, and freighted with deadly prose. But Father Joe is theologically and emotionally sophisticated, very funny, and very well written. Most books of this type are all heart and no head, or vice versa. Given the genre’s conventions, it’s a miracle that Hendra manages both. In the deadest of deadpan, Hendra declares Fr. Joe a saint. No punch line. No knee slap. No sarcasm. If you find that hard to believe at the book’s start, you won’t by the time you reach its end.
Hendra is a gifted writer, and this is a wonderfully composed, touching, humorous, and surprisingly intellectual volume. In the concluding sentences of the brief prologue, Hendra sets out the challenge: “How to make my dear, good friend live again? Roll back the rock... take him by the hand, and lead him into the light. See him laugh and teach and heal once more.” Turning the page to begin chapter 1, you know you are in the hands of a skilled storyteller: “How I met Father Joe: I was fourteen and having an affair with a married woman.” Commonweal : Father Joe

V.S. Pritchett

One of the last Century's most enjoyable writers seems to be enjoying somewhat of a renaissance as the result of a new biography. Pritchett is well worth the read. The New Republic Online: Midnight Oil

A Fowl Year to Wed?

I have always enjoyed celebrating the Chinese or Lunar New Year because it gives one a great excuse to enjoy a magnificent East Asian meal in an otherwise dismal time of the year. But lo and behold we are facing a bum shot this time around with the year of the Rooster.Los Angeles Times: A Fowl Year to Wed?

Swept Into the World

Here is one of those articles that really makes one think. Several hunter-gatherer tribes live on remote islands in the Indian Ocean without benefit of any 'modern' conveniences. Apparantly they were able to predict the onset of the Tsunami and avoid its worst effects while their more technilogically advanced brethren were caught by surprise and devastated. Now the question is whether Western aid, which has flooded these islands, will ultimately hurt these tribes by 'helping them'.Los Angeles Times: Swept Into the World

Investors Beware

This beats both the monkey theory and the dartboard. Scientific studies show that a zero intelligence approach to the stock market wins over any "intelligent" mode of stock picking. Perhaps this what is prompting George Bush to propose a Social Security system that would permit individual investment accounts.New Scientist Breaking News - 'Zero intelligence' trading closely mimics stock market

The Crisis of Art Criticism

Here from Spiked, a discussion of the sad state of art criticism which seems to have been overtaken by the PC police. Pity because art criticism is one of the great mechanisms our culture has of weeding out the dross from the good.spiked-culture | Article | The crisis of art criticism