Etcetera

The Wasting Away of Nations

. . . turns out to be the issue of the 21st century. Yet none of the candidates are addressing it. . . . . Continue Reading »

19 Dec 2011

More on ME on Havel

by Peter Lawler

here . This BIG THINKING includes a picture of Vaclav smoking and a kind of quick summary of what I wrote about the dissident criticism of American a long, long time ago. . . . . Continue Reading »

19 Dec 2011

The following musing is the result of rereading a very old speech while listening to current events on the radio: George Washington’s Farewell Address is concerned with national unity: “The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride . . . . Continue Reading »

18 Dec 2011

The Dissident Philosopher-Playwright—President Vaclav Havel

by Peter Lawler

. . . died yesterday. He was one of the greatest men of our time. Here’s a paragraph from his magnificient speech “Politics and Conscience” (1984): Or the question about socialism and capitalism! I have to admit that it gives me a sense of emerging from the depths of the last . . . . Continue Reading »

18 Dec 2011

THE DESCENDANTS

by Peter Lawler

Here’s my view. . . . . Continue Reading »

18 Dec 2011

Carl’s Rock Songbook #32: The Zombies, “A Rose for Emily”

by Carl Scott

Our main purpose in looking at this song is to better judge “Eleanor Rigby,” which to some commenters’ chagrin, I criticized in the last Songbook entry. The first contrast is that it is a song that doesn’t grab you at first—in my experience, it takes about five or so . . . . Continue Reading »

16 Dec 2011

Quick and Shallow…

by Peter Lawler

1. I agree with Jim that the debate pretty much played out as if Pete was consulting them all. He should at least try sending them each a bill. 2. I definitely don’t think Bachmann comes back. But: She did kick Newt where it hurts on the Freddie Mac thing and got him defensive on the life and . . . . Continue Reading »

16 Dec 2011

Emails on Newt and Such

by Peter Lawler

Here’s what I heard today from learned experts: 1. The relentless NRO campaign against Newt and for Romney is annoying and is probably helping Newt. Even the Pomocon campaign against Newt is probably helping Newt. 2. Newt can’t get the nomination because he’s just too ugly. My own . . . . Continue Reading »

15 Dec 2011

Carl’s Rock Songbook #31: The Beatles, “Eleanor Rigby”

by Carl Scott

The Songbook was analyzing a set of songs about Loneliness and Individualism, such as Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence,” before it got side-tracked into laying out my theory of modernity’s sociological stages. It’s time to return to the first task, which brings me . . . . Continue Reading »

15 Dec 2011