Scott Bates tells us that when we give ourselves over to the universe of which we are a part, then we escape the entrapment of self.
Monthly Archives: July 2011
Roger Clemens, Greek Tragic Hero
Roger Clemens tried to bully his Congressional interrogators the way that Oedipus bullies witnesses. To say that he should have handled himself differently is to say that he should have been a different man.
The Debt Ceiling Goes to the Movies
Columnists have been turning to popular movies to talk about the drama of the debt ceiling debate that is currently paralyzing Congress and threatening the credit rating of the United States. The films include “Fifth Element,” “The Town,” “Cowboys and Aliens,” and “Sophie’s Choice.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Back to the Future, Cowboys and Aliens, Debt Ceiling crisis, Fifth Element, Film, politics, Sophie's Choice, Town Comments closed
Harry Potter’s Use of Asymmetric Warfare
In today’s post I link to two very smart articles looking at Harry Potter through the lens of the battle against terrorism and armed conflict as it is conducted in today’s world.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Harry Potter, International politics, J. K. Rowling, warfare Comments closed
Which Shakespearean Hero Is Murdoch?
So which Shakespeare hero is Rupert Murdoch? Marche floats the names of Macbeth, Hamlet, Lear, Richard II and Richard III. I’d peg him as Iago.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Hamlet, Journalism, King Lear, Macbeth, Othello, Richard II, Richard III, Rupert Murdoch, William Shakespeare Comments closed
Grendel as a Norwegian Christian Fascist
Apparently Anders Breivik was very well read and he mentions George Orwell, Franz Kafka, and Ayn Rand. What I find striking about them on the list is that they all articulate high levels of paranoia.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged 1984, Anders Breivik, Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand, Franz Kafka, George Orwell, Terrorism, Trial Comments closed
A John Bunyan Defense of Harry Potter
Given how for years we’ve been witnessing certain evangelical Christians criticizing, banning and occasionally burning the Harry Potter books, what are we to make of their inability to appreciate Harry’s Christ-like sacrifice as the end of “The Deathly Hallows”?
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged C. S. Lewis, Christian Right, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J. K. Rowling, John Bunyan, Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Pilgrim's Progress, Religion Comments closed
Twice Left for Dead, Japan Claws Back
Two images came to mind as I twice watched the Japanese soccer team rebound from deficits. One was from Alain’s Renais’s film “Hiroshima Mon Amour” where we see grass clawing its way back in the city streets on the day following the atom bomb. The other was of the tortoise crossing the road in “Grapes of Wrath.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Alain Resnais, Grapes of Wrath, Hiroshima Mon Amour, John Steinbeck, Soccer, Sports Comments closed
