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Miserable Rotten Communist Dictator Resigns

. . . himself to being remembered as just one more miserable rotten communist dictator . When asked what he was going to do now, Castro replied, “I’m going to Disney World!” It is rumored that Disney World will be updating Epcot Center’s Hall of Miserable Rotten Communist . . . . Continue Reading »

19 Feb 2008

Navigating to Japan

In the June/July issue of First Things , then assistant editor John Rose reviewed a fascinating book about a certain kind of youth culture in Japan. The book was Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation by Michael Zielenziger. The culture, more a sociological phenomenon, is . . . . Continue Reading »

15 Feb 2008

Who Belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Their stats are undeniable, but their character has called into question their eligibility for the ultimate honor the baseball community can bestow: a place in Cooperstown. Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens, even Shoeless Joe Jackson—all have their defenders and their . . . . Continue Reading »

14 Feb 2008

Rush Limbaugh: “Should I Ask for Jobs?”

Rush’s four (count em) Mac Pros went kaflooey with Leopard . And so he is weighing whether to appeal to Steve Jobs personally to do something about it, now that the latest Leopard update has proved to be a disappointment. In the end, Rush knows that he’d probably only make things worse, . . . . Continue Reading »

14 Feb 2008

Deconverting in Egypt

So they left the Coptic Church to become Muslims in order to attain an easy divorce, then tried to deconvert and re-enter the Coptic Church, because they never truly believed in Islam, but still believed in Coptic Christianity, which forbade them to divorce, which they did anyway, as Muslims, which . . . . Continue Reading »

13 Feb 2008

An Electrifying Encounter with Christ

By way of Gene Veith at Cranach . . . . . Continue Reading »

13 Feb 2008

Spielberg to Beijing Games: “Cut!”

Steven Spielberg will not continue as an artistic adviser to the upcoming Summer Olympics in China—a one-eighty Spielberg attributes to a pang of conscience over China’s continued support of the Sudanese government. And you can thank Mia Farrow, it would seem, for panging him. It was she . . . . Continue Reading »

13 Feb 2008

Is Time’s Time Up?

Folio has the latest magazine circ figures : And Time has taken a beating in paid circulation, down 17.57%. While it’s still the No. 1 newsweekly, Newsweek isn’t that far behind. Its numbers are also down, but by a mere .30%, and if Time continues to sink, the gap in total circ numbers . . . . Continue Reading »

12 Feb 2008

Notes from the Archbishop’s Underground

Ruth Gledhill on what distinguishes the current Archbishop of Canterbury from his predecessor . In a phrase, “intellectual arrogance.” Or, perhaps as the current ABC said himself when addressing the Synod, he is simply prone to a “misleading choice of words” “clumsily . . . . Continue Reading »

12 Feb 2008

Reply to Junior Fellow Applicant

An Ellyn Von Huben has chosen to apply for the First Things junior fellowship on her blog rather than go the conventional route. Allow me to reply in an equally unconventional manner. Dear Ms. and/or Mrs. Von Huben: Your application has been received. I found it both frightening and entertaining, . . . . Continue Reading »

11 Feb 2008