Jack Goldsmith on The Terror Presidency Q&A

• On Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (548 U.S. ___; 126 S. Ct. 2749; decided June 26 2006) Goldsmith believes the result is okay but the analysis was not. This was the case that affirmed that the President was not above the law and that the military commissions set up to try the Guantanamo detainees were unlawful because they violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice and the 4 Geneva Conventions. For Linda Greenhouse coverage of the decision, click here. For excerpts of the Justices’ opinions, click here. Goldsmith disagreed with the analysis, I think, because he believes that 1) we need new Congressional laws, new conventions, generally that in this new environment we need to go back and look at first principles; 2) that the Geneva Conventions do not apply to al Qaeda; and 3) that the decision made the Geneva Conventions apply to a thing, a non-state actor, which it was not meant to apply.
• It’s too easy to say that torture is bad for 2 reasons. The first reason is that there is a very technical definition of torture that is both express and with contemplative and well considered loopholes. For example, the law says that “prolonged mental harm” is impermissible. The word “prolonged” was added to permit and allow non-prolonged mental harm. This loophole was a deliberate loophole. The second reason I did not catch. My notes say, “If at all that we engage with torture, coercive interrogation techniques” Sorry.
• Re testimony of Attorney General nominee, Mukasey. His view of law is terribly important and fraught. In the past, the state of war was temporary and discreet and defined in time. We are in a state of war; that’s not just rhetoric. All three branches of government have in legal terms - affirmed the use of the term war. Great power should be exception not rule. The Presidency needs 1) power and 2) intense accountability. Goldsmith added that Mukasey didn’t say much in his confirmation hearings.
• A questioner posed that Al Qaeda is not just killing for killing’s sake. And he suggested that fear mongering – that their terrorists are nihilistic and simply without purpose – affected the interpretation of law. It was an interesting exchange because the questioner and Goldsmith were on different planets. Goldsmith didn’t accept the premise of the question which was that the emotional reaction to this culture of fear affected the interpretation and application of law. Goldsmith acknowledged right off that Al Qaeda had political goals and implied, so what? When the questioner pushed that such climate changes law, Goldsmith said not really. The exchange amused me; many females have a story from law school of being told that emotion and passion have no place in the law.
  

More to come.

Jack Goldsmith on The Terror Presidency

On Sunday I went to Politics and Prose and listened to Jack Goldsmith discuss his book The Terror Presidency. A couple of weeks ago, Jeffrey Toobin talked about his book The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court on Book TV. He noted that some liberals had a tendency to believe that conservatives just weren't quite well informed enough and if they were so, then they would be conservative. So these liberals were often befuddled by a smart conservative.

Jack Goldsmith would be one of them. His presentation was terrific and before he admitted to being a law professor, his style made clear he knew how to talk so listeners could take notes and retain the information.

The reviews were good but misinterpreted a little. The title – The Terror Presidency was not to imply that this President is a terrorist. But rather was meant to conjure three specific qualities of the Presidency, the office of the Presidency. The title intended to

1. note that the Presidency exists in an age of terrorism.
2. evoke the idea that the Presidency is deeply fearful
3. acknowledge that Presidents make us fearful. This was as true of FDR and Lincoln as it is of Bush.

There are two fears that compete every day and exist in constant tension.

On the one hand, there is how fearful they are in the executive branch about the next attack. They are more fearful than they let on. Why are they afraid?

1. they read the threat matrix every day
2. They worry that the threat matrix understates it. They feel they don’t have enough data to fight the threats, the probabilities are unknown, and actionable intelligence is lacking.
3. They have a deep sense of responsibility about innocent American being killed, especially since they failed on 9/11

Again in Franklin Roosevelt’s time as well as Lincolns there were those same intense fears, and these set of fears let to relentless aggressiveness.

The other competing fear, in opposition and in tension with the fear of the next attack is a fear of law.

Since the 1970s, laws and restrictions of power on the Presidency evolved. These curbs grew out of the abuses of the government and the CIA during the 50s, 60s and 70s. Certain acts were made crimes. And those laws were new, relatively.

In earlier times, there was a different environment and different culture. Roosevelt and Lincoln, as they considered the fear and responsibility of their office and contemplated their acts and the level of aggressiveness, asked themselves: would democracy support this? And then they did all they could to ensure that support.

Now, with the crimes created in the 1970s, this Presidency asked itself – will we be prosecuted? Are we committing a crime? Will we be indicted when we travel abroad? Could an independent counsel investigate? So they asked for lots of opinions and feared the law. They got legal interpretations on often vague criminal law.

The 9/11 commission noted that our government was too risk adverse. That was one of the criticisms – that the lawyers at the C.I.A. were too restrictive and cautious. We need to be aggressive but not cross the line. The problem is that often that line isn’t clear, and when in a stance of assertiveness, moving toward that line, the odds and fear of crossing it is real.

Also, of important note – one of the central reasons why the laws were unclear and legal interpretation difficult is that that they were written for engagement with or fighting again state actors. In post-9/11, often the opposing force is a non-state actor. Al Qaeda is a non-state actor. So figuring out how laws from the 1970s, written with a different type of enemy in mind, challenged the administration and lawyers alike.

So that tension of fear of law and fear of terror will not go away. The central message of his book is that this particular tension is a problem.

The mistakes of this particular administration take two or three forms.

1. They declined to go to Congress to make the laws clearer, more appropriate to non-state actors, updated to the new environment. This omission is especially remarkable because the Congress was controlled by the same party as the Presidency. They resisted doing so, in his view, because they worried that going to Congress would tie their hands. Didn’t want to ask and be told no, so better not to ask. Goldsmith believes this is a misplace notion of power. Such a stance avoids short term pain, but the lack of engagement with Congress cheated the administration of education and the ability to learn from their mistakes.
2. They were too secretive. Not with the public, but with the relevant Congressional parties. They did not benefit from the input of the pertinent Committees of Congress. This is bad because there is no critical feedback and the process of making decisions and judgement calls becomes insular. Democracies are powerful because there are mechanisms to learn from mistakes and chances to change course. This administration chose not to be secret, not to defend policies, and in doing so took away needlessly from legitimacy.
3. They failed to engage politics. Politics is not a dirty word. Politics is a way of avoiding mistakes. Roosevelt understood three things clearly were necessary as the Presidency pushed up toward the edge of the line. He understood, and acted as though he understood, the importance of
1. trust and credibility
2. congress on board
3. consensus building

Notes on the Q& A period to follow.

Hillary Campaign in Bed with Drudge

Okay, or at least working with them. Remember the Drudge Report splashed into public consciousness as a source for news that percolated (or barfed up) into the "mainstream media" when Matt Drudge posted the first news of the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Now the New York Times reports on the co-dependence of Drudge and Hillary Clinton. Drudge says, "I need to be part of her world. That's my bank." And former Democratic National Committee employee now working for the Clinton campaign, Tracy Sefl is planting Clinton driven and favorable reports (even if inaccurate) on the Drudge Report.

Some might believe that this is pragmatism. To me, honoring and respecting such a man with such a site is a further poisoning of the civic realm and compromise of principles.

Colbert and Russert - One Doesn't Get It

On the front page of the business section, David Carr offers his take on Steven Colbert's appearance on Meet the Press yesterday, The Gospel According to Mr. Colbert. He also makes the case that the traditional media doesn't get it or understand the problem or that they're the butt of the joke every bit as much as the politicians they cover.

He relays how his 84 year old father didn't understand why this Colbert was on Meet The Press. Carr notes,
"But the message I draw from Mr. Colber is not that members of the media-political complex need to laugh at themselves, but that they need to take a hard look. The incipent generation of news consumers has made it clear that it does not want to see a bunch of guys with really nice neckware standing on the White House lawn talking about what they did not learn in the press room behind them and then flick at 'sources' who suggest that 'one thing is clear.' One thing is, in fact, clear, from the plummeting numbers for network news: the jig is up. Consumers have decided that network news and talk show are every bit as fake and not nearly as funny as 'The Daily Show' and 'The Colbert Report.'"

It's worth a full read. Carr goes on to quote a GWU journalism professor.

Frank Rich and Bill Moyers on Blackwater

If you want more specifics on Frank Rich's piece, check out Bill Moyer's Journal. It seems clear that Rich saw it or got his sources from the same. Moyers also mentions Hillary Clinton's PR connection to Erik Prince. This week's program featured Blackwater expert Jeremy Scahill who wrote the book on Blackwater - Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army. He picks apart the spin of Jeff Prince's media onslaught. Scahill adds that Prince deliberately chose Burson-Marsteller because of its closeness to the Democratic party. Other lowlights include

• It's Jeremy Scahill's view that Democratic Congresspeople did not do their homework.
  
• Blackwater guards (as well as Isreali commandos) were in New Orleans! Got there faster than the federal government. Prince just sent them in and a week later had a contract. The Blackwater guards were paid $350 a day and billed the US taxpayer $950 a day - for a profit of $600 a day each, per day! This is the cost of the small government Republicans so value and the privatizing of governmental functions.
• Blackwater is NOT all American as Prince claims: "They are all Americans, working for Americans, protecting Americans," as he noted several times in his blitz last week. Prince finds the word mercenary pejorative and says it doesn't apply to what they do. A mercenary is a professional soldier that works in the pay of a foreign armyYet his company hires TCN - Third Country Nationals - to fight America's battles. They ARE mercenaries. This helps to hide the cost of the war - both in lives and money.
• Prince's lawyers argue their status both ways - they are a private company and therefore are not subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. But they - at the same time - argue that the deserve the same sovereignty (that is soveriegn immunity) and are therefore not subject to civilian criminal law - either in Iraq's or in the US. It's straining relations with the Iraqis. One of Blackwater guards, drunk, shot and killed a body guard of the Iraqi VP. Blackwater simply shipped him out of Iraq. This story was recounted again today on the front page of the Washington Post in a general survey of the difficulties of oversight.
  
• 60 Minutes did not provide important context during its interview with Prince. 60 Minutes! Remember when 60 Minutes was the gold standard? (They botched Clarence Thomas' interview too, as Frank Rich notes.) The lovely Lara Logan questioned Prince. The same Lara Logan who Howard Kurtz quotes in his book, Reality Show, as saying "I would rather stick needles in my eyes than spend one second of my time on that story," referring to a request from her CBS bosses to do a piece on whether female soldiers were keeping cyber-pets online. In the 60 Minutes interview, she and Prince walked by the memorial for at Blackwater's NC headquarters for the 4 Blackwater employees who were strung up in Fallujah - the ones that caused the US military to crush that city. She did not mention that the four families of those men are SUING Blackwater for wrongful death and doing so mostly because they couldn't get answers as to what happened to their loved ones. A Blackwater executive told a mother, if you want to see that document you'll have to sue us. The Freedom of Information Act doesn't apply to private companies acting on the US gov't behalf (and being paid by US taxpayers) either.
  
• Fred Fielding - now White House counsel - was one of the original lawyers for Blackwater who diligently defended Blackwater against the families law suit.
  

And again - I encourage you to read the investigative piece in this month Vanity Fair. I wrote about the piece here. Rich writes, "So far some $6 billion worth of contracts are being investigated for fraud, however slowly, by the Pentagon and the Justice Department." David Rose in The People vs. the Profiteers (link at previous post) well demonstrates that the investigations are NOT being done "slowly;" they are not being done at all but instead are being deliberately stalled or obstructed.

Both Bill Moyers and David Rose elaborate the troubling aspects Rich only highlights - the fraud, cheating, and immorality that have been causing shame and suicides.

Hillary Exhibits Another Bush Quality - No Questions!

NPR broadcast this news on Sunday, Clinton Keeps Distance from the Media. Hillary is not exposing herself to an open forum of questions from reporters. Sound familiar????

For other similarities to George Bush, read this earlier post.

Steven Colbert is Everywhere!

Okay - so apparently he is running in both the Republican and Democratic primaries of South Carolina. He noted you can do that in South Carolina but you also can marry a 13 year old girl. He was the guest on my favorite radio show on Saturday, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. Very fun show and will make you laugh.

He also appeared on Meet the Press. He noted that if won at least one delegate in South Carolina, he'd consider it a win. And that he'd give that one delegate up if he'd be allowed to make a speech.

I wish he'd be harder and more aggressive with Russert. It seemed a bit rehearsed, as if Tim knew where and how the conversation would go. (He even had Bert, from Sesame Street handy as a prop).

As far as I'm concerned, Russert is the one of the most culpable in his passivity and inability to properly frame the issues or his questions. He doesn't listen to the answers and curb his follow ups because he is so self-impressed with his prepared queries. These times are too fraught to suffer incompetence in such a powerful post. Colbert could have hammered him and he didn't. Too bad.

If you want to hear from or about the real Colbert there are three options:

1. The Meet the Press web extra - watch here.
2. Fresh Air interview with Terry Gross - listen here. A friend noted to me she heard from Colbert in this interview the best definition of God and hell she'd ever heard. When I heard it, I agreed; its exactly how I would explain God and hell. Thank goodness for different voices discussing religion. Ones other than the religious right.
3. Vanity Fair October 2007 issue piece, The Man in the Irony Mask by Seth Mnookin. This profile is lengthy and revealing. Read here.

Hillary Clinton and her Rovean Mark Penn

If you want to hear a full interview with Mark Penn, The Diane Rehm Show had him on the 18th of September to talk about his book on Microtrends (and he was at Politics and Prose yesterday).

On the New York Times Oped page, Maureen Dowd takes issue with Mark Penn's ideas, and Frank Rich insults him by calling him Hillary Clinton's Rove and notes Penn's connection to Blackwater.

Dowd is right about Hillary and her personality. Her demeanor is relevant. Sally Bendell Smith was also on Meet The Press and discussed her revealing book on the Clinton marriage. I highlighted the excerpt that appeared in the November issue of Vanity Fair. There's also one at the Meet the Press site.

Smith will also be at Politics and Prose on Saturday, November 3 at 1 pm.

Republicans in Disarry; Only Hillary Would Unite Them

Apparently Republicans are in deep disarray. The religious conservatives (the theocrats) may run a third party candidate.

Apparently the only thing that could unite Republicans would be opposition to Hillary. So if you want the Republicans to stay divided, vote for someone OTHER than Hillary.

You can watch the 9.5 minute video from the Chris Matthews Show here. Click on "How can the GOP beat Hillary?" Apparently the answer is all the Dems have to do is nominate her!

Clinton Campaign Again - Funny Fundraising

Okay - yet another reason to be wary of a Hillary candidacy. It's not just the facts revealed in the LA Times today but the fact that these facts fit a pattern. A bad pattern that makes Hillary vulnerable. See "An Unlikely Treasure-Trove of Donors for Clinton: The candidate's unparalleled fundraising success relies largely on the least-affluent residents of New York's Chinatown -- some of whom can't be tracked down."

That would be a third of the 150. Not tracked down at all. Clinton campaign says "these things happen," and if there's impropriety they'll give it back.

That might swing if this were the first and only whiff of improper fundraising but remember the revolving door on the Lincoln Bedroom? Remember the Chinese nationals who were caught giving to Bill Clinton's 1996 campaign? This is a BAD flashback.

We don't need this! There are Democratic candidates that are cleaner and more invulnerable on this issue. Nnone of them are squeaky clean; yesterday's New York Times had a front pager on dirt around Edwards' campaign funds. Read here.

And this investigative piece was, guess what, picked up on cable news all day. The problem is not going to go away. Especially with the history.

UPDATE: Saturday October 20th. New York Times reports Clinton campaign returns $7,000 after questions raised. Fine, but not good enough. It's a recurring problem the Dems do NOT need in their candidate.

3 Events @ Politics & Prose

For those non-Washingtonians, Politics & Prose is an independent bookstore in Northwest Washington.

On Sunday afternoon, Jack Goldsmith talks about his book The Terror Presidency at 1 pm. He is a former Justice Department employee who quit before a year was out. Earlier this week, he had a little New York Times op-ed bit suggesting questions for the nominated Attorney General Michael Mukasey. Here's an overview of his book, in interview form, at Newsweek.

I wish when he resigned from the Office of the Legal Counsel, he'd have made more noise and wrote an op-ed piece then. What is it with these guys slinking off and writing books years later? Principles grow with a book advance? He's right, but he'd have been more right before the 2004 election.

On Tuesday at 7 pm, Paul Krugman is up with his book, The Conscience of a Liberal. He was on Diane Rehm earlier in the week too. You can listen here.

Next Wednesday at 7 pm - a gathering to celebrate the 150th anniversary of The Atlantic Monthly. Mr. Linger-a-while aka William Langewiesche (see post below) will be there as well as James Fallows and ChristopherHitchens. They will read Martin Luther Kings' Letter from a Birmingham Jail.

A Call for a NEW Constitutional Convention

Yesterday on The Diane Rehm Show, Diane discussed with Larry Sabato his new book, A More Perfect Constitution. Sabato is a political scientist at the University of Virginia and he runs the Center for Politics there.

He is proposing a new Constitutional Convention and notes that Article 5 offers two ways to change the US Constitution - only one has every been used (amendments). The other is to call a convention.

Article V:
"or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress."

I was so fascinated by his proposals. They include increasing the representation in Congress. The House to 1000(#5) ; the Senate to 136, DC would get one, the largest states would get more (#1). Put term limits on the Supreme Court at 15 years (#13) and up the number of Justices to 12 (#15). Fix the War Powers Act and put more power in the Congress as the Framers intended (#10). One six year term for President, with an option 2 year extension - up or down vote on the extension (#9). Add balance budget amendment (#7) as well as the line item veto (#11) and campaign finance reform - public funding for all House and Senate races (#20).

He also suggests helpful remedies to the election process besides public campaign financing. Changes to the state primary dates (involving half time at the Rose Bowl) as well as the Electoral College.

His full 23 proposals can be read here.

Intrigued I skipped the why, when, and how these changes would be implemented and jumped to the renovations to the Capitol building to accommodate all the extra chairs in the House chamber and the desks in the Senate chamber. This morning I thought of the House and Senate office buildings and where would the additional offices go and of all the streets that have been, to me insanely, cut off - security. We could just get rid of those streets all together and build bunkers!

You can listen to the 45 minute interview here. Many of the callers were skeptical and pessimistic. How can you not be in this age? But Sabato countered by citing the young people he's taught over the last 30 years. (people of my generation). He suggested with our generation there is hope because of the intelligence and will power of people my age and younger. Maybe the atrocities of the Bush presidency will motivate and stimulate such a change, or at least a discussion.

If I could have, I'd have gone to the free and open symposium hosted byBob Schieffer of CBS news at the Mellon Auditorium on Constitution Avenue (!) The goal is "to spur a grand, national discussion on the Constitution of the United States and whether the cornerstone of our republic could or should be a means of revitalizing civic and political engagement in America, curtailing apathy and renewing confidence in American politics and government."

A worthwhile, lofty aspiration. Check out these supporters.

What do you think?

Oliver Sachs Examines Music and the Mind

For my musically talented relatives and friends…This link has a fascinating excerpt from the book too. Oliver Sachs is at it again. His new book, Musicophilia, examines the relationship between music and the mind (and I've been listening to Chopin ever since).

Check it out here.

Oliver Sacks will also be at Politics & Prose on Friday, November 2nd at 7 pm to discuss his latest book

Peace Prayers at Cathedral while Bush Spews About World War III

The National Cathedral offered a 3 day program on Interfaith Peace Prayer Practices this past week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The days were planned in conjunction with the Dalai Lama's visit to DC to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

And while the President in his news conference instilled fear of World War III, not only did the Cathedral offer this program but an exhibit of Iranian artists is featured in the gallery. Wishes and Dreams: Iran's New Generation Emerges closes October 28th, so check it out soon.

Monks from the Namgyal Monoastery created a Sand Mandala for World Peace. Saffron bags with colored sand, metal funnels, foam brushes. The image drew you in - especially a single human eye. They worked on it over several days. I'm not sure how long before they disperse the sand - a point of the exercise to emphasize life's impermanence.

I missed the Jewish prayer practices on Tuesday, but on Wednesday Sufi Prayers and Chants gave me a chance to hear the noon practice of Muslim prayer. These sounds should be heard more often. It seems to me, sadly, that the sounds of this language is mostly associated with images and thoughts of terror in our culture. I was looking for a different context, and I got that. The Salah is a prayer that includes physical movement, which brought to mind the unity of yoga which aims similarly to unite soul, mind and body in a spiritual practice. The Rumi Forum led the hour.

The program quotes:
"Rumi was once asked, 'Is ther any way nearer to God than prayer?' And he answered, 'Yes, but it is also prayer. It is prayer without the outward form. This outer form of prayer is the body of prayer, since it has a beginning and ending. Everything that has a beginning and ending is a body. All words and sounds have a beginning and an end, and therefore are form and body. But the inner soul of prayer is unconditioned and infinite, and has neither beginning nor end."

Today, Sharon Salzberg gave a dharma talk and led a guided meditation in loving-kindness. Some elements of my notes: "Loving-kindness includes not excludes, opens doesn't close. It's not sentimental or phony. It is a path of discovery and adventure. The terrain is enormous and takes courage, boldness, imagination and inspiration. Kindness is often dismissed as a secondary virtue; if you're not brilliant, brave or wonderful, well then be kind. To be a radical, be kind. This practice can help you move out of ruts of attention, rituals of habits. Equanimity is a balance of the mind, open, comfortable with not knowing."

In the guided meditation, she led us through 4 wishes: Be safe, be happy, be healthy, be at ease. We did this for ourselves, others in our lives, strangers and finally all living beings. Loving-kindness meditaton is for all beings, Salzberg reminded us. She told a story of woman who'd had a particularly difficult year who got through knowing that with loving-kindness meditation in the world, someone, somewhere in the world was wishing her well.

And then I walked the Labyrinth. I'd done this walking prayer practice before but up in the nave of the Cathedral. In the St. Joseph chapel, the experience altered. Live music enhanced the draw. Walking in is to be a time of release and emptying. I walked in very slowly. In the center, a time of receiving and union. There, I saw the gold mural behind the altar in a new light. I worship there regularly, but then I saw the image differently. Walking out is a time to return, renewal and action. I lingered in the room and wrote this poem:

Paths of Perception

Passing
Shifting
Shadowing

Walkers
Strangers
Travelers

Turning and twisting
Away
Each off on our own path

One
Then twenty
Congested
Step Aside
Wait

Then not
Then alone again
Stepping apart

Arrive at the center and
Face the golden mural of
Joseph of Arimathea

Jesus' friends carrying
His corpse, his shadow
To the tomb, the womb

Walking up the winding path,
Ascending
Holding him with love

In love
Walking the labyrinth

Strangers
Common paths, common hearts
Broken hearts, brave hearts

Walking, changing directions
Perceptions

Jesus carried

Don't Miss "Away From Her"

Wow.

I was already crying yesterday, so I decided I might as well watch Away From Her. What a delightful treat. More so because of the contrast with so many films which turn out to be such a waste of time.

This movie compels with the

• setting - scenes of snow and shadows;
• acting - expressive faces conveying pain, bewilderment, longing;
• dialogue - even the littlest bit conveys so much.

When the director of the nursing home uses the exact same words to begin her tour, you know everything you need to know about this minor character. You'd have to be that type of person to care for the elderly who are fading slowly away because of Alzheimer's. She's a minor character, yet her choices on how to run the care home, including one rule in particular, affects and drives the story.

By the way this story is closely based on an Alice Munro short story, The Bear Came Over the Mountain. If you're not familiar with this short story writer you should be (along with William Trevor).

For those unaware of the plot - Fiona realizes she is sick with Alzheimer's and decides to put herself into a home to save her husband from the burden of caring for her. They've been married forty-four years, and she is younger than most dealing with this disease. Grant's desire and need to hold onto Fiona drives the narrative, and it's not just the disease that gets in the way.

What I loved most about the film - and I loved so much about it - was the contemporary twist on chivalry. Grant turns out to be a traditional knight. The movie makes clear he had been a rake, a philandering professorial husband. But his love for his wife makes him self-sacrificing in the most troubadour, romantic tradition. A recurring theme of romantic love is giving up the one you love for their happiness. And this story offers a beautiful modern rendition of that.

Both Fiona and Grant love books and words, and I loved the fact that poetry was woven into the story as well as the manner in which it was. Auden and Ondaatje both are, in the words of another blogger, "sprinkled into the script like shards of crystalline beauty."

These scenes, and there are a few, reveal who these people are, what this couple is like and how they interact but also simply why poetry appeals. I have on my guest room wall (also my study) these words from Octavio Paz: "Beauty is not in what the words say but in that which they say without saying it. Not naked, but through a veil, breasts become desirable."

Here's Ondaatje, from the Cinnamon Peeler, used in the film: "When we swam once/I touched you in the water/and our bodies remained free/you could hold me and be blind of smell/You climbed the bank and said/this is how you touch other women.../And you searched your arms/for the missing perfume."

I tried to find some of the poems read by Grant to his wife. But none of the "Letters From Iceland" appear in my 800 page collection of Auden poems and a search on Amazon revels they are available to buy for about $300.00. I'm going to have to replay those scenes and transcribes myself.

The chivalry and the poetry are the elements that distinguish this excellent film. But the acting is also outstanding by the principles - Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent. Both have such eyes! The smaller performances - Olympia Dukakis - as expected are always good. An outstanding performance by Grace Lynn Kung who plays Nurse Betty really stands out. One of my favorite moments is when Nurse Betty twists Grant's shallow observations on the difference between young and old to a difference of gender perceptions.

The remarkable script is noteworthy as well. Sarah Polley, an actress in her 20s, adapted and wrote the screenplay as well as directed. She respects her audiences' intelligence, but the dialogue - how what is said conveys deeper meaning both by the choice of words and the character of them. Words can be tentative, strong, humorous, biting. And the dialogue here communicates layers of meaning.

A scene at Fiona and Grant's kitchen table, when he suggests that she go to the place temporarily, is extraordinary. The viewer knows that it isn't temporary and also that both Fiona and Grant know that too - but its too painful to think or say otherwise. They both understand that and we do too, thanks to the writing.

KD Lang's Helpless runs over the credits. And I would have thought that just too too much, but the melody is beautiful.

Don't miss "Away From Her." To see the movie preview and read the New York Times review here.

Is Steven Colbert Really Running for President?

Today's New York Times had hidden inside the news that Steve Colbert's folks were investigating the filing requirements to run in South Carolina at least. Interesting to hear of the varying Democratic and Republican reactions. Those Republicans have no sense of humor. This news appeared in the Arts section (inside even) and not in the first sections political pages. He is selling a book.

Yet Another Reason to Stop Hillary

Thomas Edsall, the political editor at the Huffington Post, gives us yet another reason not to vote for Hillary. His headline is Defense Industry Embraces Democrats, Hillary By Far the Favorite. Seems in the past that the Defense Industry favored Republicans 3-2 (Bush - 820K got more than double the contribution than Kerry 365K). But they seem to think that Hillary will be our next president so they're flowing their money that way. It's worth a full read.

Dancing with the Stars Week 4 Results

Floyd is out which is too bad. Mark should have been the one to go. His score was lower. Floyd is more appealing, more hungry. And well, I love his partner Karina who nearly won when she partnered up with Mario Lopez. (Plus, my grandfather's name was Floyd). Didn't watch the whole results show yet - but it looked as though they had at least one interesting Cirque-de-Soliel-like performance.

Next week JLo performs during the results show!

Private Lawyers Suing Iraq Contractors for Fraud; Justice Dept Obstructing

Ohhhh. It's hard to be aware, awake, alive. Just watching the news or reading the paper, or opening up your Vanity Fair.

I avoided William Langewiesche's piece - The Mega-Bunker of Baghdad - because obviously that would raise anyone's blood pressure. I admire this guy's great writing and reporting - the piece he did on the prison riots of Brazil last year riveted. And he's hot; after hearing him at a talk last May at Politics and Prose my girlfriend nicknamed him, Mr. Linger-awhile because he liked to talk and talk and talk. That piece is not available online so you just have to go buy the November issue (John and Jackie Kennedy on cover) if you want to read it. I've not been able to bring myself to do so yet.

So I detoured to read the lengthy excerpt from Sally Bendell Smith's new book about the Clinton marriage, White House Civil War. It makes a pretty convincing case that but for Hillary's ambitions Gore would have won in 2000. It was sickening to read. Sickening because of the fear that it might not all be in the past. Smith's book also garnered a weaker one pager in this week's Newsweek, well entitled Not Really Feeling It. It's the top story at Newsweek online.

Disclosure: Intellectual honesty compels me to note that Sally Bendell Smith also wrote a Princess Diana biography which infamously put forth the theory that the Princess had Borderline Personality Disorder. That's been pretty much discredited elsewhere, most recently in Tina Brown's book. So while the Diana biography undermined Smith's credibility with me; she's now redeemed it. I believed every word of what I've so far read by Smith on Clinton mostly because it fits in with other pieces I've read on Hillary (see review in The New Yorker, The Lady Vanishes, of the Clinton books out this past Spring, in pertinent part: “That was it for me in terms of Hillary Clinton,” Senator Bill Bradley, of New Jersey, told Bernstein. “You don’t tell members of the Senate you are going to demonize them. It was obviously so basic to who she is. The arrogance. The assumption that people with questions are enemies. The disdain. The hypocrisy.” --- hmm -- doesn't that sound like any one named Bush???)

Had Clinton not run for Senate, then there'd not have been this fiasco with contractors with the Defense Department and Justice asleep. The People vs. the Profiteers by David Rose is UNBELIEVABLE and motivated me to post this blog. I am amazed that the news is this piece hasn't been featured elsewhere. Has anyone seen any television coverage on this, and the work that attorney Grayson is doing on behalf of US taxpayers?

I learned of Gonzalez's connection to Halliburton and KBR. The misdeeds of contractors hurting our soldiers - apparently not just gunning down innocent Iraqi citizens in the streets. Could Jeff Prince be any more repulsive? Private means private - not when it's ill-gotten gains from corrupt politicians using taxpayer money. The Today Show even gave him a forum to defend himself.

Rose's piece is horrifying and a powerful (powerfully depressing) story. Here's just one thought:
"Would it be so outlandish, he (Grayson, a lawyer suing on behalf of government whistle blowers) wonders, to suggest that the same Justice Department that has been accused of firing U.S. attorneys for political reasons might be suppressing war-related fraud claims for political purposes?"

I hate Hillary.

Dancing With the Stars Week 4

I went to a writing conference this past Saturday and one panel was on electronic writing. "No blog entry longer than 800 words." Oops. See posting on Dancing with the Stars weeks ago. Ok. Wasting words!

Mark Cuban - weird choreography for a Viennese Waltz. Didn't like her costume either. But, he did seem more comfortable, with better posture, and wasn't completely off as he was last week when he and his partner literally were on different feet. 7,8,7 = 22

Sabrina Bryan - Paso Doble in purple sequins to eighties tune, You Spin Me Round Right Baby. Good movement though the purple and the music were distracting. Images of Matthew's Mug kept intruding (Vassar's on-campus bar). Had to watch it 2x to actually see the dance. 10,10, 10. First 30 of the season.

Jane Seymour - Waltz to Billy Joel's Piano Man. Who picks these songs?!? Gosh, she is gorgeous. And elegant and the dancing was beautiful. And her costume was lovely and she had cool tiara in her hair. Argument over whether there was a lift or not. 8,9,9 = 26. Wow, they even need a replay of the "lift."

Floyd Mayweather - WOW. That was an incredible Paso Doble. Music finally fit and what a show. His posture was MUCH improved. His boxing and strong shoulders tended to roll his shoulders forward. So the change was much noticeable. He did a back bend and then a huge leap. I watched it twice because I just enjoyed his dance so much. I hope this one is the week's Results Show repeat. 7,8,8 = 23

Melanie Brown aka Scary Spice - Did a pretty boring waltz. She didn't look at ease. Her shoulders were lifted, neck stiff. For a flowing dance, it didn't seem to flow. You could see her thinking. Also could see her tattoo on her back left scapula; contrast to the chiffon dress. 8,9,9 = 26. Overrated to me.

Cameron Mathison - Danced the Paso Doble to the Superman movie theme. I guess becasue of judge's comment in an earlier week that he was like Clark Kent/Superman. Edyta struggled with the choreography but that was terrific! She also had practically nothing on, appeared to be a few blue scarves. But is was his best dance so far. 9,9,9 = 27

Marie Osmond - Waltz to Elvis Presley, Only Fools Rush In. Are we going to see a waltz danced to a waltz? That was much better that Scary Spices. Marie through herself into it, relaxed and lovely. Her head flowed - "She worked the hair," and she even through herself into a spin on the floor. 9,9,8 = 26

Jenny Garth - Paso Doble to music I've no idea. Technically a much harder dance than the two previous guys. Very strong choreography. She looks like she's had some ballet training. She looked like she belongs here. Maybe a woman will win this week. She and Sabrina stand out. 8,10,9=27

Helio Castroneves - No waltzing music. Only male competitor to dance the waltz and of all of them I'd have liked to have seen him in the Paso Doble. Best choreography - interesting dance and movement. Unique, which is hard to do with a waltz. They did turns with his hand on her front left hip. Very engaging. He commented that it was more like acting for him. 9,9,9 = 27

Next week sambas and rumbas. Latin night.

571 words! Now 575.

Frontline on Power and Cheney Tomorrow at 9 PM

Frontline is doing an hour on the expansion of presidential powers, broadcasting tomorrow, Tuesday, in most markets at 9 pm, called Cheney's Law. David Addington with the help of John Yoo, formerly at the Justice Department, are the legal minds behind most of the legal basis. Should be interesting.

The official program description from the Frontline web site:
For three decades, Vice President Dick Cheney has waged a secretive, and often bitter battle to expand the power of the presidency. Now in a direct confrontation with Congress, as the administration asserts executive privilege to head off investigations into domestic wiretapping and the firing of U.S. attorneys, FRONTLINE meticulously traces the behind-closed-doors battle within the administration over the power of the presidency and the rule of law.

Watch a preview here.

462 days until the end of the Bush.

Inspector Lynley Mystery Series Ends for Now and Soon for Good.

Well, Season 5 ended last night on PBS. In the Blink of an Eye featured Indira Varma as a guest star. She was so good in Rome (she played Niobe, wife of Lucius Vorenus, who threw herself over the balcony at the end of Season One) and in one of my favorite films Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love. This finale ended tragically for Lynley and all I can say is thank goodness they recast the role of Helen this season. Catherine Russell is infinitely better than Emma Fielding (such English names!).

We're about a year behind the rest of the world. (What else is new?) Viewers in Australia and Great Britain, and apparently Denmark, got to see Season 6 this past summer. So I explored online last night what happens next. And I found out that in late August the BBC announced that Season 6 would be the last and that they filmed only 2 of a planned 4, so that the series ends without any narrative tie ups. The show is getting solid ratings but is being dropped in order to "allow new work to come through." You can read more here, including the thoughts of Nathaniel Parker who plays Inspector Lynley.

Dutch station KRO has organized a petition to ask the BBC to give the series a proper ending. If you speak Dutch, you can sign the petition here. (Do I know any one who speaks Dutch?) Or you can send an email to detectives@kro.nl with "NO" in the subject line. Include your name and country in the email. They've got over 10,000 signature already. Well, 10,001!

A Ballet in Grand Central Station

This video short is pretty cool: a Grand Central Station ballet.

A Political Thiller based on Howard Dean's campaign!?!

Read to believe. George Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio involved. Called Farragut North based on play written by a Dean campaign employee. Here's hoping Obama's campaign doesn't deteriorate to a similar fate.

I hate Hillary

Oh lord. She's not even nominated, and I can hardly stand to watch her. Same repulsion I feel toward GWB. Nearly.

Dowd today highlights an incident over the weekend that to my mind didn't get nearly enough converage. Oh Hillary is so persecuted. I hate her.

The Real Stephen Colbert in Terrific 45 minute Interview

Stephen Colbert is doing the rounds to publicize his new book. I found the profile in Vanity Fair last month fascinating and revealing. This 45 minute interview likewise exposes the man behind the hilarious persona. Most appealing is his explanation to his young child of what is heaven and what is hell. That's about how I'd explain it. Thank goodness for intelligent religious voices and viewpoints. We need counterbalances to the ignorant ones.

Garry Wills, Meditating on the Church-State Divide

If you are interested in history and politics, this excellent radio interview provides historical context to the church-state divide, so seemingly precarious today. Garry Wills is an exceptional knowledgeable thinker/writer. he tell of how the English monarch encouraged tolerance while the settlers in Massachusetts were executing heretics. (in the 17th century) I knew of the latter but not the former. It's also hopeful that, in the future, as in the past, there'll be a backlash.

Enjoy. Interview link also includes book excerpt from Head and Heart: American Christianities. Important history to understand to fight Republican Evangelical ahistorical ignorant Christians.

Arabs & Jews during WW II plus related Iranian TV Drama

Two very interesting npr interviews on the Middle East and Iran. A counter point to the news. Perhaps in another 50 years, things will be different again.

From Fresh Air on October 5th - a discussion with author/historian Rober Satloff who wrote Among the Righteous. He tells stories of the Holocaust and its reach into North Africa. How Arabs saved Jews across North Africa, how Arab culture mandated protecting Jews, a particular story about Tunsia, a reference to a concentration camp in the movie Casablanca, even how Arabs saved Jews in occupied Paris. A fascinating, not often told aspect of World War II.

From All Things Considered on September 20th - State-controlled Iranian television is running a drama called Zero Degree Turn that features a love story between an Iranian Muslim man and a French Jewish woman. Iranians are hooked, learning about the Holocaust, learning how the Paris mosque saved hundreds of Jews from the Nazis and wondering if the protagonists will triumph.

Happy Columbus Day

Old, Old, Old New York

If you love history and love Manhattan, check this out. From the New Yorker - discussion and maps of natural terrain of the island. Really cool.

"Queen Hillary, Empress of Mesopotamia"

I love Andrew Sullivan's blog. During the 2004 campaign he had his own blog. He also shows up on Chris Matthew's Sunday show and on Real Time with Bill Mahrer. I used to read Sullivan as the most readable of the opposition; he seemed the most principled. But he's moved over in his thinking; he's a true conservative/libertarian.

I recall vividly in his last book he noted that churches reflected the values of the age. Hence medieval cathedrals resembles royal castles. And contemporary mega-churches resemble shopping malls. Ugh. But he's right.

So here's his current take on ugh-ful Hillary.

Dancing With the Stars Premiers!

Tonight is the premier of the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars at the start of the networks fall season. Not bad for a summer fill in. I’ve watched every season, nearly every episode, religiously. And got others hooked. Niece: “Can we watch that show where the girls throw off their clothes?” Even my older nephews were intrigued by Emmitt Smith who won season three.

Why do I love this show? First of all, I love dancing. Always have. Even in my worst comatose state, I’d watch and catch my thigh jiving to the music. The show evokes Ginger Rodgers, romantic old films. Also those interminable 70s variety shows – Sonny & Cher, Solid Gold Dancers, Donny & Marie (Friday nights at 8 pm), even the Brady Bunch had a variety show for a while. Third, the costumes are fun and the bodies of the dancers unbelievable. Fourth, it’s campy. I just love all of it.

Lots of competitors. Male models, female models, actresses, actors, a millionaire ?, a race car driver – the one married to Ashley Judd perhaps? Marie Osmond looked like she could barely descend the stairs; Cameron Matheson (eye candy soap star from All My Kids) in fact slipped coming down the stairs! Unbelievable. That doesn’t augur well. Also incredible is that Jane Seymour does not look over 30. Is this the same Jane Seymour of television miniseries fame? The Scarlet Pimpernel and Ivanhoe? Kissing Anthony Andrews (a.k.a. Sebastian Flyte) over and over again??

Fox Trot or the Cha-Cha-Cha. Only the women tonight.

First up – Jennie Garth. Kelly Taylor! 90210. She’s now married with 3 kids. Hubbie is also an actor, now on Damages (he’s the witness who has disappeared). Jennie’s paired with the brother of Julianne (woman who taught, danced Apollo Ono to the championship last year). And she’s the first up doing the Cha Cha to Uptown Girl It’s always weird to me when they do Latin dances to slow pop songs. Makes absolutely no sense and detracts from the inherent fun of the dance. She did better than I expected. She moved, she smiled, she looked great. A little cautious. You could tell she was nervous, but hey who wouldn’t be?

Hah, Len Goodman just agreed – she seemed nervous. Bruno called her the ‘yummy mommy’ – he’s the always the one with the pithy quote. Carrie also commended her; she’s always nice. She got 7s from all the judges (out of ten).

Josie Maran. Have no idea who she is. She’s a model who was in Sports Illustrated and apparently had a role in Aviator. The people on this show are “B list” and invariably they become more famous for having been on this show. Her dance partner/teacher called her “deceptively unfit” and took her out for “boot camp.” She looks good but is like Jello and very uncoordinated. But lord she is gorgeous. She was crucified by the judges. Ugh. She got 6,5,5 (Carrie being the nicest).

Sabrina is a Cheetah Girl? I don’t even know what that is. A snipe in the corner indicated it’s some Disney thing. She’s got hip hop in her background I gather and it keeps seeping into her Cha Cha. So her partner Mark decided rather than fight her to incorporate her instincts. Breathtaking performance! How cool to see women who are not model thin kick butt! Laila Ali, Mohammed’s daughter, did the same for women last season – nearly taking the title. Big strong women with body confidence giving riveting performances. Another reason I love this show. This aspect alone is a counterpoint to all the other messages in pop culture women get. Judges chided her for the hip hop aspects but she got 9,8,9 (Len ducking points for the hip hop moves). Now I have to look up the Cheetah Girls.

Marie Osmond. She’s paired with Jonathon. Many of the ladies are fans of prior seasons (Jennie admitted too). Marie knew a woman hadn’t won since the first season (General Hospital soap star Kelly Monaco) She did a fox trot to another 70s artist; recognized it couldn’t name it. “Classy yet sassy” – Bruno. She is a performer; played right to the judges. Gosh – is this the same person who wore those spandex unitards? She’s still wearing purple and still looks very 70ish, but I’ve got a fond place in my heart for her. Hers was the first music cassette I bought (an album with her brother). 7,7,7 for scores. Same as Jennie, who actually danced better. Her mannerisms are the same – quirky and strange – and I even remember them.

Mel B. a.k.a. Scary Spice. She’s paired with Maxim. Probably a winning combo. Her boobs are huge! Maybe from breastfeeding Eddie Murphy’s child. If it weren’t for that timing I’d be sure she’d had surgery, but I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Leopard print dress with strategic holes and backless. This woman has confidence (huge boobs!). She’s a performer too and she can move. Beautiful woman (except for the disproportionate huge boobs).

Tonight is the premier of the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars at the start of the networks fall season. Not bad for a summer fill in. I’ve watched every season, nearly every episode, religiously. And got others hooked. Niece: “Can we watch that show where the girls throw off their clothes?” Even my older nephews were intrigued by Emmitt Smith who won season three.

Why do I love this show? First of all, I love dancing. Always have. Even in my worst comatose state, I’d watch and catch my thigh jiving to the music. The show evokes Ginger Rodgers, romantic old films. Also those interminable 70s variety shows – Sonny & Cher, Solid Gold Dancers, Donny & Marie (Friday nights at 8 pm), even the Brady Bunch had a variety show for a while. Third, the costumes are fun and the bodies on the dancers unbelievable. Fourth, it’s campy. I just love all of it.

Lots of competitors. Male models, female models, actresses, actors, a millionaire ?, a race car driver – the one married to Ashley Judd perhaps? Mel from the Spice Girls Marie Osmond looked like she could barely descend the stairs; Cameron Matheson (eye candy soap star from All My Kids) in fact slipped coming down the stairs! Unbelievable. That doesn’t augur well. Also incredible is that Jane Seymour does not look over 30. Is this the same Jane Seymour of television miniseries fame? The Scarlet Pimpernel and Ivanhoe? Kissing Anthony Andrews (a.k.a. Sebastian Flyte) over and over again??

Fox Trot or the Cha-Cha-Cha. Only the women tonight.

First up – Jennie Garth. Kelly Taylor! 90210. She’s now married with 3 kids. Hubbie is also an actor, now on Damages (he’s the witness who has disappeared). Jennie’s paired with the brother of Julianne (woman who taught, danced Apollo Ono to the championship last year). And she’s the first up doing the Cha Cha to Uptown Girl It’s always weird to me when they do Latin dances to slow pop songs. Makes absolutely no sense and detracts from the inherent fun of the dance. She did better than I expected. She moved, she smiled, she looked great. A little cautious. You could tell she was nervous, but hey who wouldn’t be?

Hah, Len Goodman just agreed – she seemed nervous. Bruno called her the ‘yummy mommy’ – he’s the always the one with the pithy quote. Carrie also commended her; she’s always nice. She got 7s from all the judges (out of ten).

Josie Maran. Have no idea who she is. She’s a model who was in Sports Illustrated and apparently had a role in Aviator. The people on this show are “B list” and invariably they become more famous for having been on this show. Her dance partner/teacher called her “deceptively unfit” and took her out for “boot camp.” She looks good but is like Jello and very uncoordinated. But lord she is gorgeous. She was crucified by the judges. Ugh. She got 6,5,5 (Carrie being the nicest).

Sabrina is a Cheetah Girl? I don’t even know what that is. A snipe in the corner indicated it’s some Disney thing. She’s got hip hop in her background I gather and it keeps seeping into her Cha Cha. So her partner Mark decided rather than to fight her to incorporate her instincts. Breathtaking performance! How cool to see women who are not model thin kick butt! Laila Ali, Mohammed’s daughter, did the same for women last season – nearly taking the title. Big strong women with body confidence giving riveting performances. Another reason I love this show. This aspect alone is a counterpoint to all the other messages in pop culture women get. Judges chided her for the hip hop aspects but she got 9,8,9 (Len ducking points for the hip hop moves). Now I have to look up the Cheetah Girls.

Marie Osmond. She’s paired with Jonathon. Many of the ladies are fans of prior seasons (Jennie admitted too). Marie knew a woman hadn’t won since the first season (General Hospital soap star Kelly Monaco) She did a fox trot to a another 70s artist; recognized it couldn’t name it. “Classy yet sassy” – Bruno. She is a performer; played right to the judges. Gosh – is this the same person who wore those spandex unitards? She’s wearing purple and still looks very 70ish, but I’ve got a fond place in my heart for her. Hers was the first music cassette I bought (an album with her brother). 7,7,7 for scores. Same as Jennie, who actually danced better. Her mannerisms are the same – quirky and strange – and I even remember them.

Mel B. a.k.a. Scary Spice. She’s paired with Maxim. Probably a winning combo. Her boobs are huge! Maybe from breastfeeding Eddie Murphy’s child. If it weren’t for that timing I’d be sure she’d had surgery, but I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Leopard print dress with strategic holes and backless. This woman has confidence (huge boobs!). She’s a performer too and she can move. Beautiful woman (except for the disproportionate huge boobs).

Tonight is the premier of the fifth season of Dancing with the Stars at the start of the networks fall season. Not bad for a summer fill in. I’ve watched every season, nearly every episode, religiously. And got others hooked. Niece: “Can we watch that show where the girls throw off their clothes?” Even my older nephews were intrigued by Emmitt Smith who won season three.

Why do I love this show? First of all, I love dancing. Always have. Even in my worst comatose state, I’d watch and catch my thigh jiving to the music. The show evokes Ginger Rodgers, romantic old films. Also those interminable 70s variety shows – Sonny & Cher, Solid Gold Dancers, Donny & Marie (Friday nights at 8 pm), even the Brady Bunch had a variety show for a while. Third, the costumes are fun and the bodies on the dancers unbelievable. Fourth, it’s campy. I just love all of it.

Lots of competitors. Male models, female models, actresses, actors, a millionaire ?, a race car driver – the one married to Ashley Judd perhaps? Mel from the Spice Girls Marie Osmond looked like she could barely descend the stairs; Cameron Matheson (eye candy soap star from All My Kids) in fact slipped coming down the stairs! Unbelievable. That doesn’t augur well. Also incredible is that Jane Seymour does not look over 30. Is this the same Jane Seymour of television miniseries fame? The Scarlet Pimpernel and Ivanhoe? Kissing Anthony Andrews (a.k.a. Sebastian Flyte) over and over again??

Fox Trot or the Cha-Cha-Cha. Only the women tonight.

First up – Jennie Garth. Kelly Taylor! 90210. She’s now married with 3 kids. Hubbie is also an actor, now on Damages (he’s the witness who has disappeared). Jennie’s paired with the brother of Julianne (woman who taught, danced Apollo Ono to the championship last year). And she’s the first up doing the Cha Cha to Uptown Girl It’s always weird to me when they do Latin dances to slow pop songs. Makes absolutely no sense and detracts from the inherent fun of the dance. She did better than I expected. She moved, she smiled, she looked great. A little cautious. You could tell she was nervous, but hey who wouldn’t be?

Hah, Len Goodman just agreed – she seemed nervous. Bruno called her the ‘yummy mommy’ – he’s the always the one with the pithy quote. Carrie also commended her; she’s always nice. She got 7s from all the judges (out of ten).

Josie Maran. Have no idea who she is. She’s a model who was in Sports Illustrated and apparently had a role in Aviator. The people on this show are “B list” and invariably they become more famous for having been on this show. Her dance partner/teacher called her “deceptively unfit” and took her out for “boot camp.” She looks good but is like Jello and very uncoordinated. But lord she is gorgeous. She was crucified by the judges. Ugh. She got 6,5,5 (Carrie being the nicest).

Sabrina is a Cheetah Girl? I don’t even know what that is. A snipe in the corner indicated it’s some Disney thing. She’s got hip hop in her background I gather and it keeps seeping into her Cha Cha. So her partner Mark decided rather than to fight her to incorporate her instincts. Breathtaking performance! How cool to see women who are not model thin kick butt! Laila Ali, Mohammed’s daughter, did the same for women last season – nearly taking the title. Big strong women with body confidence giving riveting performances. Another reason I love this show. This aspect alone is a counterpoint to all the other messages in pop culture women get. Judges chided her for the hip hop aspects but she got 9,8,9 (Len ducking points for the hip hop moves). Now I have to look up the Cheetah Girls.

Marie Osmond. She’s paired with Jonathon. Many of the ladies are fans of prior seasons (Jennie admitted too). Marie knew a woman hadn’t won since the first season (General Hospital soap star Kelly Monaco) She did a fox trot to a another 70s artist; recognized it couldn’t name it. “Classy yet sassy” – Bruno. She is a performer; played right to the judges. Gosh – is this the same person who wore those spandex unitards? She’s wearing purple and still looks very 70ish, but I’ve got a fond place in my heart for her. Hers was the first music cassette I bought (an album with her brother). 7,7,7 for scores. Same as Jennie, who actually danced better. Her mannerisms are the same – quirky and strange – and I even remember them.

Mel B. a.k.a. Scary Spice. She’s paired with Maxim. Probably a winning combo. Her boobs are huge! Maybe from breastfeeding Eddie Murphy’s child. If it weren’t for that timing I’d be sure she’d had surgery, but I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Leopard print dress with strategic holes and backless. This woman has confidence (huge boobs!). She’s a performer too and she can move. Beautiful woman (except for the disproportionate huge boobs). See you can't stop thinking about them and I'm not even male. Precise, fun, energetic. 8,8,8.

Jane. They’re advertising her as a Bond girl. Forgot that. She was. One of the early Roger Moore’s, set in the Caribbean, something about playing cards. Also as Dr. Quinn. Couldn’t care less about that personally; golly if I was her, I’d not want to go down in history for that. She also played that evil woman in East of Eden TV movie, with Timothy Bottoms I think. I’ll have to check up on that. Okay, just did. Wow forgot she was in The Four Feathers (I was 11), Awakening Land (age 12), East of Eden (age 15), Scarlet Pimpernel (age 16), oh right War and Remembrance – she replace awful Ali McGraw as Natalie Henry! (I was then 22). She played Solitaire in Live and Let Die (1973; I was 7, saw it later). No Ivanhoe – ahh – that was Olivia Hussey in that one. She did kiss Andrews again in The Woman He Loved, but it was pursed lips – she played Wallis Simpson.

Her partner Tony is good, I know from previous seasons. Apparently she did too; she squealed she was so excited. She knew she had a good (winning) partner. At 56 she is the oldest woman to do this show. I’m rooting for her. She was lovely. If anything they might criticize her wrists. Some of the arm extensions got cut by her wrists. 8,8,8. Nope, no wrist criticism. Told her to work on her turns.

Jane Seymour – could there be a more English name? Jane? Jane Seymour – the beloved third wife of Henry VIII (one who wasn’t divorced or beheaded. “Divorced, behead, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” Jane is the one who died. Nope according to imdb.com her real name is Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg. That’s rich!

Ah, they introduce the men, who’ll be dancing tomorrow night. They are all in tuxedos. Men in tuxs – they are so riveting in those suits. So handsome and classic. You can put the most awful man in a tuxedo and he’s become attractive. I wish men wore them more often.

Sabrina (26), Mel (24), Jane (24), Jennie (21), Marie (21), Jose (16). Now the viewers vote....

Precise, fun, energetic. 8,8,8.

Jane. They’re advertising her as a Bond girl. Forgot that. She was. One of the early Roger Moore’s set in the Caribbean, something about playing cards. Also as Dr. Quinn. Couldn’t care less about that personally; golly if I were her, I’d not want to go down in history for that. She also played that evil woman in East of Eden TV movie, with Timothy Bottoms I think. I’ll have to check up on that. Okay, just did. Wow forgot she was in The Four Feathers (I was 11), Awakening Land (age 12), East of Eden (age 15), Scarlet Pimpernel (age 16), oh right War and Remembrance – she replace awful Ali McGraw as Natalie Henry! (I was then 22). She played Solitaire in Live and Let Die (1973; I was 7, saw it later). No Ivanhoe – ahh – that was Olivia Hussey in that one.

Her partner Tony is good, I know from previous seasons. Apparently she did too; she squealed she was so excited. She knew she had a good (winning) partner. At 56 she is the oldest woman to do this show. I’m rooting for her. She was lovely. If anything they might criticize her wrists. Some of the arm extensions got cut by her wrists. 8,8,8.

Jane Seymour – could there be a more English name? Jane? Jane Seymour – the beloved third wife of Henry VIII (one who wasn’t divorced or beheaded. “Divorced, behead, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” Jane is the one who died. Nope according to imdb.com her real name is Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg. That’s rich!

Ah, they introduce the men, who’ll be dancing tomorrow night. They are all in tuxedos. Men in tuxs – they are so riveting in those suits. So handsome and classic. You can put the most awful man in a tuxedo and he’s become attractive. I wish men wore them more often.

Sabrina (26), Mel (24), Jane (24), Jennie (21), Marie (21), Jose (16). Now the viewers vote....

Precise, fun, energetic. 8,8,8.

Jane. They’re advertising her as a Bond girl. Forgot that. She was. One of the early Roger Moore’s set in the Caribbean, something about playing cards. Also as Dr. Quinn. Couldn’t care less about that personally; golly if I were her, I’d not want to go down in history for that. She also played that evil woman in East of Eden TV movie, with Timothy Bottoms I think. I’ll have to check up on that. Okay, just did. Wow forgot she was in The Four Feathers (I was 11), Awakening Land (age 12), East of Eden (age 15), Scarlet Pimpernel (age 16), oh right War and Remembrance – she replace awful Ali McGraw as Natalie Henry! (I was then 22). She played Solitaire in Live and Let Die (1973; I was 7, saw it later). No Ivanhoe – ahh – that was Olivia Hussey in that one.

Her partner Tony is good, I know from previous seasons. Apparently she did too; she squealed she was so excited. She knew she had a good (winning) partner. At 56 she is the oldest woman to do this show. I’m rooting for her. She was lovely. If anything they might criticize her wrists. Some of the arm extensions got cut by her wrists. 8,8,8. Nope, no wrist criticism. Told her to work on her arms.

Jane Seymour – could there be a more English name? Jane? Jane Seymour – the beloved third wife of Henry VIII. One who wasn’t divorced or beheaded. “Divorced, behead, died, divorced, beheaded, survived” Jane is the one who died. Nope according to imdb.com her real name is Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg. That’s rich!

Ah, they introduce the men, who’ll be dancing tomorrow night. They are all in tuxedos. Men in tuxs – they are so riveting in those suits. So handsome and classic. You can put the most awful man in a tuxedo and he’s become attractive. I wish men wore them more often.

Sabrina (26), Mel (24), Jane (24), Jennie (21), Marie (21), Jose (16). Now the viewers vote....

A Must Read and a Must See

A must read - Abramhoff is unrepentant (with his tailor!) - read to believe: Abramoff's Tailor-Made (Law) Suit

A must see, apparently, is this at the Kennedy Center: A Journey Worth Taking

Fascinating debate on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit and Columbia University speech.

Canon Wars Redux

Anyone who teaches &/or loves literature or who teach other subjects, even – this essay is worth a read. (and may be of particular interest to those with whom I shared Stanley Fish’s piece on composition; Fish comments on the ‘canon wars’).

I wrote and spoke in support of some of Bloom’s ideas 20 years ago at my undergraduate school and got ripped up for it (so ended any academia utopia notions and aspirations for me), so I really enjoyed this evaluation 20 years later.

“But many young professors aren’t interested in teaching outside their narrow specialties, nor are they generally prepared to do so.” And though I don't always like Philip Roth, I often admire his writing, and boy did I agree with his character's analysis and dismay!

If you have thoughts, please be sure to share your comments.

Why Obama Must Beat Hillary

Another reason I am repelled by the prospect of Clinton's candidacy. She has three qualities in common with our current ruler (listen to John Dean discuss the difference between governing and ruling).

Hillary Clinton is

1. excessively private (secretive)
2. demanding of loyalty
3. arrogant and self-righteous

To me, though a Democrat and therefore to me she's on the right side of the issues, these qualities of hers do not bode well for me or give me any comfort to ameliorate that the stagnation will end and her 'leadership' will get us out of the slump which has slipped even lower since Hughes wrote in 1990.

Two articles on Clinton: cover article in Newsweek (nothing new, but sets forth qualities above) and an article in the New Yorker (Obama's problems with the Clintons (psychodrama of the Baby Boom generation," "the effect of the polarizing Clinton years was a stronger conservative movement that eventually 'would take over the United States government.'). If you only read one, read the New Yorker.

Frederick Buechner on Gerard Manley Hopkins

I found Hughes too depressing, so I put it down. And picked up Frederick Buechner's Speak What We Feel. When I was fifteen, my pastor introduced me to Buechner with the gift of a book by Buechner when my pastor confirmed me. In this text off my mom's shelf, Buechner discusses 4 writers who affected him - Gerard Manley Hopkins, Mark Twain, C.K. Chesterton and Shakespeare. I know my mom's favorite poet was Hopkins.

The introduction talks about the process of writing (opening the vein). Buechner:

"What brings them together here is that in at least one work apiece, it seems to me, each of them wrote in his own blood about the darkness of life as he found it and about how for better or worse he managed somehow to survive it, even to embrace it - Hopkins in the 'terrible sonnets' of his final years...It is at the very end of King Lear, in fact, that the Duke of Albany says, 'The weight of this sad time we must obey,/Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say," and that seems to me to be precisely what Shakespeare himself did in writing this greatest of all his plays and what in their own entirely different ways the other three did after him."

Now I may know be able to discern why Hopkins was my mother's favorite poet. I think I may take this book back with me to DC. I'd like to feel (not understand - that may be asking too much) how to embrace life's darkness, how to turn sadness into masterpieces of writing, even, or simply how to bear the weight as a lighter yoke.

It's Tuesday, September 11, 2007. The day is grey and full of thunder in New Jersey. A contrast in weather to the bright blue of that other Tuesday, September 11.

Robert Hughes on Cultural Decay Then and Now

Robert Hughes was a favorite writer of my mother's. She loved his mind, the series on PBS - The Shock of the New. I found his "Nothing if Not Critical - Selected Essays on Art and Artists," published in 1990 on her bookshelves. The introduction resonated with my sense of decay (cultural, societal, personal). Hughes regarding art:

"In the eighties the scale of cultural feeding became gross, and its aliment coarse; bulimia, that neurotic cycle of gorge and puke, the driven consumption and regurgitation of images and reputations, became our main cultural metaphor...The inflation of the [art] market, the victory of promotion over connoisseurship, the manufacture of art-related glamour, the poverty of art training, the embattled state of museums - these will not vanish...slumps do happen, and we are in one now." pages 6-7

Seventeen years later we're still slumping. Then this a page later:

"New York's loss of vitality as an art center runs parallel to events in the larger culter of politics, economics and mass media. It is part of a general aging of the United States: its stagnation, its willing surrender to ephemeral media images and unargued persuasion. It is connected, not causally but by analogy, to the extraordinary decay of American public life. But it has also been caused by a loss of talent to painting and sculpture, itself connected to a general decline in educational standards." page 8

Unargued persuasion - as the with Petraeus and Crocker continue about Iraq on this anniversary, civic life seems only to have decayed further. Stagnation - nothing is getting done still.

Memories and Meaning of Madeleine L'Engle

I'm still in New Jersey, not feeling strong, roaming my mother's bookcases. I'm actually looking for her copies of the Crosswicks journals, Madeleine L'Engle's essays on faith and family. L'Engle died last week. Her writing molded and cultivated me - not so much her science fiction but Meet the Austins and The Arm of the Starfish - which I read and absorbed as a teenager.

As an adult, I'd read those journals. And it was with Madeliene L'Engle that I began my adult writing endeavor - begun with a weekend with her in Connecticut in 1995. I got to spend a whole weekend with her, writing, talking about writing. I remember discussing with her different authors we felt did believable portrayals of genders not the authors' own. She started me on this path. I got in off the waiting list.

No luck finding the Crosswick's journals but I have pulled a few others off my mother's shelves.

Sister Beatrice's 40th Birthday Party

So this photo was taken on Saturday night, September 8th just as Beatrice's 40th Birthday party was getting underway. Holding my father up would be (from left) Beatrice (40 next week); Eleanor (38 in 2 weeks); Matthew (47); Olivia (35) and me (41).

The party was outside and the air was very hot and humid. Her husband John did a wonderful job and even bought his first pair of designer jeans for the affair (a shopping expedition to the Short Hills mall that included their 4 children, such was the event). No children at the party, though Bea and John's kids were allowed up past their bedtime - until 10 pm. I've no doubt they'll remember the night the rest of their lives, as I still remember my father's 40th.

I'm going to begin again this blog. The site has since been bought by Google. And my mom died in November. Her diagnosis in February 2006 is the main reason I've halted. But I aim to begin again and to do more that just blah blah blah about my life. I hope to add in reviews, political stuff as the campaign gears up, and perhaps even some tales from the online dating front.

497 days until Bush is out. (January 20, 2009)