From Thomas Wentworth Higginson’s 1891 Atlantic article on Emily Dickinson: At last, after many postponements, on August 16, 1870, I found myself face to face with my hitherto unseen correspondent. It was at her father’s house, one of those large, square, brick mansions so familiar in our older New England towns, surrounded by trees and … Continue reading Meeting Emily Dickinson
Their first victory, argues Ryan Lizza. The fundies didn’t want him for the Court and AG is a consolation prize. The man who defended torture and the suspension of the Geneva Conventions is therefore now in charge of defending our civil rights. Just remember: in the new Republican party, he’s the moderate. QUOTE OF THE … Continue reading GONZALEZ AND THE RELIGIOUS RIGHT
I liked this tack: “So I’ll be straight with you: things are getting worse. More than a thousand Americans have been killed. Instability is rising. Violence is spreading. Extremism is growing. There are now havens for terrorists that weren’t there before. And the Pentagon has even admitted that entire regions of Iraq are now controlled … Continue reading KERRY FINDS HIS VOICE
I don’t have much to add to what I have written before about Ronald Reagan. He was and is my hero, my political inspiration, the reason I was proud to call myself a “conservative,” when I first came into political consciousness. My first twenty years were spent in England and so he will always take … Continue reading REAGAN NOW
Pejman takes on the moral abdication of the Western left. On his own blog, he also has some useful tips on what to do to help. A FUNDAMENTALIST WRITES: “I wish you would quit mischaracterizing the views of the Religious Right. It’s fine that you disagree with religious conservatives but you should be more honest … Continue reading THE LEFT AND IRAN
A BBC correspondent is clearly horrified by the religious faith of most Americans. What else could explain their resolution to go to war? The condescension drips from every sentence. Here’s a classic extract: Mr and Mrs Average share an uncomplicated faith with its roots in the puritanism of their forebears. According to that faith there … Continue reading BAGHDAD BROADCASTING CORPORATION
I can see why Bill Safire is a little pissed. There’s no question now that president John F. Kennedy was an extremely sick man when he was president. The sheer mood swings that are inevitably accompanied by massive amphetamine addiction, testosterone injections, sleeping pills, and any number of other painkillers would render most of us … Continue reading HOW SICK WAS JFK?
This concept is a slippery one, so perhaps it’s worth examining its various possible meanings. The most obvious way to gain political advantage from a successful war is timing it to coincide with elections. I don’t see how the Bush administration can be plausibly said to have done this. The most obvious reason for the … Continue reading “POLITICIZING” THE WAR
It’s not so bad, says this correspondent. I may think I want to trade off longevity for a more vibrant today, but when the time comes for shuffling off this mortal coil, I might change my mind a little: While I understand your statement, “Would you rather live till you’re 85, gradually sinking into torpor … Continue reading THE OLD STRIKE BACK
I’d already smeared my Androgel over my upper torso when I sat down to read Jerry Groopman’s New Yorker piece on hormones for “andropausal” men. I should say I’m second to no one in admiring Jerry’s integrity, smarts and seemingly boundless energy. He’s my doctor, as well, and it’s no exaggeration to say I revere … Continue reading T-TIME
