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Reading Plato with Huma Abedin

From First Thoughts

Today there is an NRO piece by Kay Hymowitz about the regard many have for Huma Abedin.  A few bits: Huma has won the hearts of many in the commentariat, not least Tina Brown, who tweeted Wednesday: “I say Huma for mayor. She has all the qualities he doesn’t.”  . . . .Even . . . . Continue Reading »

Edward Feser and His Fine Blog

From First Thoughts

CJ’s comment below led me to Edward Feser’s fine philosophy-centered blog . I’ve read things by Feser in passing, heard his name spoken of with respect, but never really registered his overall excellence. (No, the recent Hart-Feser dispute in FT about natural law did not kindle my . . . . Continue Reading »

Rules and Roles in THE WAY WAY BACK

From First Thoughts

THE WAY WAY BACK is a well-executed coming-of-age film, written and directed by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, the same guys that did THE DESCENDENTS. You’ll enjoy it. It has a similar feel to that film, particularly in some of its observations on contemporary society, but a more engaging (and far . . . . Continue Reading »

Vapidity, Artistically Rendered

From First Thoughts

So this Acculturated review of THE BLING RING makes it sound pretty interesting, despite being directed and co-written by Sophia Coppola, who also wrote and directed LOST IN TRANSLATION, which many regard as one of the most criminally over-rated movies ever. But the interest will depend, I guess, . . . . Continue Reading »

Lucien Jaume on Tocqueville

From First Thoughts

Brief review by British Tocqueville scholar Jeremy Jennings at Standpoint of this book . Can’t get the link for the review to work, so search for it yourself. The Good: Tocqueville as Pascalian Most intriguing of all is Jaume’s examination of Tocqueville’s relation to Pascal and . . . . Continue Reading »

My Reply to Patterson: TR Begat AK

From First Thoughts

Let’s hope that our (!) Jean Yarbrough, and perhaps even Scott Yenor and Ronald Pestritto will respond to Bob Patterson below. Here’s my two cents, based on an analysis of TR’s “The Right of the People to Rule” speech from 1912. The speech features both an ingenious riff . . . . Continue Reading »

The 222 Mays

From First Thoughts

What are “The 222 Mays?” Well, I suppose we could ask Mr. Memory, of The 39 Steps fame, but it’s George Will who tells us, while arguing against the constitutionality of Obama’s announced revision of a key PPACA deadline that I’ve been making such a stink about: This . . . . Continue Reading »