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Mr. Solzhenitsyn passed away two weeks after I placed him on my list of ten dinner guests. Last summer Ingmar Bergman died just four days after I visited the island of Faroe, where he lived for many years. To all figures public who I admire deeply: beware, I am a harbinger of death ( Read more... )

Obama's "people of the world" shtick reminded me of General Zod's speech from Superman II. Zod was, of course, a bit more ebullient ( Read more... )

Which of the following phrases is not attributable to Sen. Obama ( Read more... )

He is the final builder of the total building ( Read more... )

I spent all day with the celebrated Mr. Hobbes, a most perceptive fellow. As I supped stale rechauffé and from my windowed perch observed humanity, I dismissed their predictable movements, efforts, and appetites. I mistrusted the fellow who passed me the salt at lunch. By late afternoon I felt nothing but contempt. So I put him down and diverted to ( Read more... )

O who will show me these delights on high ( Read more... )

The main enterprise of the world, for splendor, is the up-building of a man. The private life of one man shall be a more illustrious monarchy than any kingdom in history. Let it be granted that our life, as we lead it, is common and mean. Beautiful and perfect men we are not now. The community in which we live will hardly bear to be told that every ( Read more... )

My regal possession is my power to think intuitively. Toward thought that is accomplished in concepts and logical combinations, in other words towards reason, I am cool, insensitive, in fact hostile. I feel pleasure whenever I can contradict it with an intuitively arrived-at truth. 'Everything forever has its opposite along with it' is my dictum. ( Read more... )

Becoming is what I contemplate, and no one else has watched so attentively this everlasting wave-beat and rhythm of things. And what did I see? Lawful order, unfailing certainties, ever-like orbits of lawfulness, Erinnyes sitting in judgment on all transgressions against lawful order, the whole world the spectacle of sovereign justice and of the ( Read more... )