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Foreign Affairs March/April 2007
From the date in the title, it apparent that my reading list has gotten a bit long. It is only now that I’ve completed reading a magazine that’s been kicking around my house for four months. It might be considered part of my sabbatical. I chose not to follow the news as closely as I had been. Personal emotions fueled by the unrelenting steam of ( Read more... ) -
The Edo Period - An Impression of Japanese Art History
Sounds pretty majestic as a title. An impression. Has that cryptic double meaning of impression as knowledge and the western art movement known as Impressionism. My introduction to the wood block prints produced in Edo during the seventeenth and early eighteenth century when Japan was largely cut off from the West has been through an exhibition and ( Read more... ) -
Saturday Morning
It’s Saturday morning and I’m up at my usual time although there’s no need. The British Open is on and Tiger leads at twelve under, Ernie’s close behind at eleven under. It’s an interesting tournament out there at the birth place of golf. Links play they call it. The course is laid out on the patches of grass that dot the dunes between the arable ( Read more... ) -
The Warfare Goes Merrily On
The Israeli attack of Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon continues. I’ve followed the events as closely as I can and have still not come to any conclusions except that no good ends will come of this. There are arguments from both sides that appear to have merit. The Israelis do have justification for the attacks, the ferocity and target grid is what has ( Read more... ) -
Theater in Chicago
Yesterday was our third foray into the world of live theater here in Chicago. I came away with mixed feelings. The excitement and “glamour” of going into the city to see a live production clashes with the feeling that I haven’t always enjoyed what we saw. I need to point out that I am not anything like a serious theater buff nor am I one to ( Read more... ) -
Hearts and Minds
It occurred to me last night as I was watching the highlights of the Israeli bombardment of the Beirut International Airport and the endless cries of injustice and justification pouring forth from commentators on both sides of the conflict, that the battle for the “hearts and minds” by the American forces in Iraq is not wasted, but backwards. The ( Read more... ) -
Reentry into the World
It’s been several weeks since I’ve returned from my vacation in Europe. If I’ve managed to attract any repeat random readers, I apologize for the absence ( Read more... ) -
Globalism 101
Over the past few years the phenomena of globalism has swept across the world producing what can only be termed as uneven results. The arguments, both for and against, wash back and forth across the media outlets in a vain attempt to convince the mob of the righteousness of their position. For me, I favor capitalism. It seems like such a good idea ( Read more... ) -
Ruminations on Mysticism
I subscribe to several journals and magazines. Its not one of those nightmares that generates a new pile of unread pulpwood every month, but there are a few that go unread from month to month. My Foreign Affairs subscription gets consumed on a regular basis. The Newsweek seems to propagate at an alarming rate, but they are also digested before they ( Read more... )
