Politics, Ethics, Culture, and Faith The issues that separate Americans now go down to the bone –almost as deeply – I believe - as those that precipitated The War of Secession. In my own life I’ve seen relatives distance themselves, and Friendships broken, as a result of anger generated when these matters are confronted directly.
Dr. Robert T. Morris: Fifty Years a Surgeon A clear window into many important and interesting areas of life in general - as well as medicine - in the mid-19th to early 20th century. Warts and all. Good read. (***)
Christopher Landon: Ice Cold in Alex Interesting and well developed characters, in genuinely tension inducing situations - even when the matter of "who did it" is not really a mystery. Vivid enough for the place and period - WW2 North Africa to early 1950s Britain - to come to life inside your mind. (***)
Karl Von Clausewitz: On War I read this first many years ago.
The author then impressed me as being more lucid and broadly learned than many contemporary writers on this and similar areas. He still does. (****)
Loren Lomasky: Person's, Rights, and the Moral Community Well written, and clear. Many interesting ideas and explications of problems, but his theory itself - on a derivation of rights, seems possessed of unnecessary elements. Worth reading. (***)
J. B.Schneewind: Sidgwick's Ethics and Victorian Moral PhilosophyVictorian Moral Philosophy Details life and analyses work of one of the great figures in 19th century philosophy. Well written, gives good insight into the context of attitudes, assumptions, and circumstances affecting much of the intellectual spirit and life of Britain during those times. (***)
J.G.Ballard: The Drowned World Another (long-time) re-read.
Ballard tends to play one note - but it's a good one - and he plays it VERY well. Some uncontrolled/unforeseen calamity engulfs the world. Protagonist(s) confront general realization of the coldly impersonal nature of the world and how human responses are to a large extent a product of the interaction of those forces with his/there-own biological pre-dispositions - engraved in the structure of each and every one of their cells. And, that the true and only expression of one's authentic self and humanity, lies in how and whether one can/does inwardly accept the truth of these constraints, and expresses that realization, in those (few) opportunities available for actual personal choice.
Intentionally or not his work gives powerful and poetic expression to the Existentialist perspective.
The world of this novel happens to be slowly drowning in the over-heated flood-tides that result from a run-away solar anomaly. But, it could be just about any such occurrence - e.g. A "Wind From Nowhere," or the Japanese invasion of Shanghai (both of which served as the backgrounds of others among his novels). The story-line, character-types, dilemmas, decisions, and general moods are much the same in each story, but the pacing, poetry, intensity, and aggravating authenticity of the characterizations in each instance are gripping enough to make every reading worthwhile. (***)
The epic struggle against Soviet Communism lasted over 40
years. Our victory when it came was sudden and unexpected. And, many of the
most bitter struggles that marked its course were fought in shadows, the men and
women who waged them un-named, hence forgotten. But, even the memory of many of
the most public of its campaigns - including those in which thousands of
American fighting men fought and died - have also largely faded from public
consciousness as well.
US confirms Iraq body is of soldier -- al-Jezzeria Updated on: Friday, May 25, 2007
"Never Again" The insurgents kill Coalition personnel they capture.
It's their practice, not an action of rogue elements, or a
misunderstanding of the rules of engagement. It's who they are.
The abovementioned fact alone should be more than enough to
discredit any claims made to humanitarian intent on the part of those seeking a
withdrawal. And the fact of Islamist duplicity, their complete disregard for
human life including their own, and stated goal of world domination should be
sufficient evidence of the futility of believing that withdrawal and other
appeasement might gain us safety here at home.
To which I might now add, that far too many average
Americans are now laughing along with them - and are still unaware who the
intended target really is.
"As compelling as these conservative voices may be to
you and me, they are not making many new converts to the conservative cause. And
conservatives need more converts, because they are losing the ideological battle
for the nation's soul." --
If America's effort in Iraq is to be salvaged, and the
sacrifices and honour of its serving men and women are not to be thrown away, it
has to be done now. And, most of the work will have to be done by ordinary
people like you and myself. That work will involve the organization of a
coalition, a coalition that cuts across the usual divisions that set various
forms of conservatives, moderates and libertarians in opposition on issues like
abortion, gays, church-and-state, the federal deficit, immigration, etc.
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