This weekend on the Dish, Andrew denounced Bibi's attempts to blow up the presidential race, deconstructed Romney's "apology" nonsense, described his problem with Rasmussen polls, pointed to yet another Bill Kristol FAIL, celebrated a great new Obama ad, showcased the latest example of desperation from Karl Rove's super PAC, reminded us that Americans haven't forgotten the Bush years, and – gasp – admitted he wants to see Hillary as president someday. To read all of the latest coverage of the embassy attacks and their political fallout, see our designated thread page. It wasn't all politics for Andrew, though – he took the time to note how Dish readers can make the world less lonely.
We also provided wide-ranging coverage of both faith and doubt. Greg Garrett sketched an Augustinian approach to Christian political engagement, Casey Cep reimagined the meaning of sacraments, Robert Dean Lurie remembered Jack Kerouac's pervasive love of Jesus, and Paula Findlen uncovered the origins of modern religious pluralism. Susan Jacoby asked where all the women atheists were, great writers stared down death, Peter Lawler argued that Hitch's materialism couldn't account for his own greatness, and Josef Pieper illuminated the difficulties of sustaining hope.
In literary and cultural news, William Childress ruminated on the poet's purpose, Darryl Campbell named the foundation of criticism, Jonathon Green took a stand against democratizing definitions, Jeff Sharlet contemplated the lesson of suffering, Stefany Anne Goldberg reviewed a 19th century self-help book, and George Sugihara noted why we miss the signs of impending disaster. Read Saturday's poem here and Sunday's here.
We thought about sex and our bodies, too. Debbie Herbinick looked at the science behind good sex (it turns out Dan Savage has been right all along), Jeffrey Eugenides saw through the fantasies of the college libido, and Steven Strogatz mused on the math our bodies can teach us. Relatedly, Brian Jay Stanley explored our desparate need for validation and, for those trying to forget a fraught encounter, it turns out drinking doesn't help – but pot does. (For those interested, Keith Humphrey's debated what legalizing cannabis would mean for the potency of our weed.)
In assorted coverage, we mentioned how little cheats and rationalizations add up, James Estrin moderated a debate on how phone photography impacts our visual sense, Andrew Polsky feared the consequences of constant flattery from our politicians, The Billfold revealed the surprising story behind the IT preparations for the Iraqi elections, Karina Longworth reported on the afterlife of a defunct video store, John Churhill pondered the dignity of unglamorous work, and Alain de Botton peddled an "ethical advertising agency." We asked John Hodgman anything here and here. MHBs here and here, FOTDs here and here, VFYWs here and here, and the latest window contest here.
– M.S.
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