Timeless Orwell
George Orwell was certainly one for the pithy saying with a lot of punch, short and to the point. I came across a web page specializing in Orwelliana, and was struck by the number of comments that seemed to be … Continue reading →
neo
Going out in style
Viewed at Roger Simon’s–the following headstone seems to have inspired me to poetry. Please forgive me; I must obey my muse. Technology gallops apace, Computers, hybrids, men in space. So, now there’s a headstone That’s shaped like a cellphone To … Continue reading →
Anti-Japan protests in China: what’s wrong with this picture?
What’s wrong with this picture (anti-Japan protests in China, via the NY Times)? It still seems strange to see mass protests in China at all, post-Tiananmen–even ones such as this, apparently organized by the government for its own murky purposes. … Continue reading →
Lost and found–the Oxyrhynchus Papyri
There are few things more satisfying than finding something thought to be irretrievably lost. In my own life, this usually ends up being something as mundane as an earring or a glove. I seem to specialize in losing a singleton … Continue reading →
Amtrak came through
Well, I’m here in NY, at my brother’s. And I’m happy to report that Amtrak is much improved, despite the lack of fancy high-speed Acelas. The milk train doesn’t stop anywhere anymore; even the slower train wasn’t so very slow, … Continue reading →
I’m not taking it personally,but…
…why, oh why, did this have to happen on the weekend I was planning to take the Acela to NY for the very first time? Amtrak, oh Amtrak. I keep hoping it will be improved from the last time I … Continue reading →
He’s back!
I’ve been checking every now and then, hoping to see a new post–and, sure enough, Vietpundit‘s back! None the worse for wear, I trust. One of my first blogger friends/helpers, Vietpundit has an unusual and interesting history and perspective. You … Continue reading →
Experts for life
A reader, as well as Roger Simon, alerted me to this article by Victor Davis Hanson. It makes some excellent points, as usual, and is well-written, as usual. If you’re not familiar with his work, you might want to put … Continue reading →
Saddam gets interviewed, but Dan Rather doesn’t get the scoop this time
One of the wonderful things about blogs is that they make it possible to read news that would otherwise be missed. The Iraqi bloggers continue to offer their unique perspective, and Big Pharaoh in Egypt manages to bring still another … Continue reading →
Deterrence: thinking about the unthinkable
Nuclear deterrence appears to have “worked” during the Cold War to prevent the conflagration most of us who grew up in those times feared and half-expected might happen. If deterrence did work, it was because both the US and the … Continue reading →
The fox and the hedgehog: Kerry and Bush revisited
Here’s a guy I’d love to have known. Everything I’ve ever read about Isaiah Berlin indicates that he was one of the most fascinating people ever; a giant mind, a great heart, and a tremendous sense of joy. One of … Continue reading →
It’s getting better all the time: Iraqization
The articles don’t acknowledge it explicitly. But it appears that “Iraqization,” derided by so many, is beginning to succeed. We have quietly, and with great determination, continued to train troops. Now, despite all the criticism, that effort is clearly bearing … Continue reading →