Being a bit of a news and political junkie, not to mention my fascination with American history and civics, in recent months I have taken to listening to assorted podcasts, history lectures, Constitutional symposiums - anything that I can get to play on my phone's podcast software. (In full disclosure, I balance such with NPR's This American Lifepodcast, as well as a number of sermons).
One of the podcasts I listen to is one presented by the Hoover Institution. Hosted by the delightful Peter Robinson (who also moonlights at Ricochet), Uncommon Knowledge is a series of one-on-one interviews with a number of interesting and smart people. Recently, Peter Robinson conducted an interview with Daniel Hannan, a British politician and member of the European Parliament. He talks about the sociopolitical state of Europe, and his belief that the world needs a strong, vibrant non-Europeanized America that avoids the mistakes of Europe's socialism and massive entitlement culture.
If you have about 35 minutes to spare, I commend to you this fascinating (and yes, conservative) perspective from across the pond. You can watch the video here at Powerline, or you can get the mp3 audio from Feedburner here.
October 29, 2010
Hogwarts Comes Calling?
In Harry Potter lore, that wonderful literary universe created by J.K. Rowling, Hogwarts is a school of magic that comes calling on prospective students upon the occasion of their 11th birthday. Granted, they appear only if said prospective student has displayed some evidentiary level of possessing the gift of magic. For such introductions, sometimes the school dispatches an eccentrically dressed wizard or witch to offer the invitation. More commonly, however, the school will send forth an owl, carrying a formal letter of invitation and a list of supplies needed for the upcoming term.
Yesterday was my oldest son's 11th birthday, but alas, no owl arrived on our doorstep, through our window, or down our chimney. Yet this morning, as we were backing out of the garage to head off to our regular old private Christian Muggle school, a large owl swooped down from the roof of the house into the poplar right at the edge of the driveway. The zoom-challenged camera on my phone was unable to capture the wary looks exchanged between us and our visitor (which the boys thought was tremendously cool), but perhaps you can see our friend on the branch below to the left of the tree's trunk:
Aside from the excitement of a rare sighting of an owl in our yard during the daylight hours, sadly, no letter of invitation to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was delivered to our residence.
At which we could only say: "Diagon-it!"
Yesterday was my oldest son's 11th birthday, but alas, no owl arrived on our doorstep, through our window, or down our chimney. Yet this morning, as we were backing out of the garage to head off to our regular old private Christian Muggle school, a large owl swooped down from the roof of the house into the poplar right at the edge of the driveway. The zoom-challenged camera on my phone was unable to capture the wary looks exchanged between us and our visitor (which the boys thought was tremendously cool), but perhaps you can see our friend on the branch below to the left of the tree's trunk:
Aside from the excitement of a rare sighting of an owl in our yard during the daylight hours, sadly, no letter of invitation to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was delivered to our residence.
At which we could only say: "Diagon-it!"
October 25, 2010
End of an Era
The news broke today, announcing the end of an era most of us thought ended years ago: Sony has discontinued the Walkman portable cassette player. Apparently, even in our advanced digital age, Sony was able to exploit the rapidly diminishing market of cassette tape users. But according to Fox News, no more:
Ah well. The Walkman was my generation's iPod, I suppose. Am I now officially "old"?
After more than 30 years, Sony has pulled the plug on its iconic Walkman, the original portable cassette-tape player, the New York Post reported Sunday.I still have my Walkman, packed away in a box somewhere. How well do I remember that beloved player, which more than once came to my aid as I pedaled my way 5 miles into a fierce 40mph Dakota headwind between the bowling alley on base and the sleepy town I called home, about which I've written previously. It was the Rocky IV soundtrack, as I recall, plus a number of other tapes I still have shoved in a closet. That Walkman also help pass the time on some long family trips. I used it up until my first year or two in college.
The electronics company made its last shipment of the tape players to the Japanese market earlier this year, and once those are sold off, there will not be any more to come, according to Japanese media reports. …
Launched in 1979, the Walkman became a global hit and a symbol of tech cool, with Sony selling roughly 220 million of the boxy devices.
Ah well. The Walkman was my generation's iPod, I suppose. Am I now officially "old"?
October 22, 2010
Remembered Verse
Posted without comment, except to point out that the former Marine in the video is actually referring to the fourth verse, although he's calls it the second verse.
(h/t): Ricochet
(h/t): Ricochet
October 21, 2010
My Conundrum
After yesterday's post, I began to reflect on an area of concern that has preoccupied me for years, one that still animates my thinking but nevertheless remains unresolved. My conundrum involves the at times awkward juxtaposition of my faith and my love of country. For an innumerable many, there is no conflict between these; indeed, they align well for many. For an innumerable number of others, the two are at the core diametrically opposed, that to choose one must mean denying the other. I'm not sure I fall cleanly in either camp, and the result is a tension that while not a monumental distraction, does however frequently leave me with some disquiet.
I love my country. It was founded on what I believe to be Godly principles, coinciding with an era of wonderful spiritual awakening that inspired many to seek and establish a refuge that allowed for the cultivation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - to include the freedom to worship the Lord God as each individual was so moved. And while we are certainly far from perfect, given our natural state as fallen beings, there is little argument that our Nation through the years has been blessed, and has been a light to others throughout the world yearning to be free. I say this not to boast, but to acknowledge the largely positive force for good America has been to the world. Again, we are fallen, and we have our national sins throughout our history. Our modern culture, for each progressive step forward, appears to be in moral retreat. Our fervor is muted, and our aspirations limited. The war of ideas of what America is and should be is being waged all around us, and I wonder if there will come a time when as a society we will cast off the virtues that brought us into being. But because I love my country, and because I cherish the blessings we have received from the Giver of gifts, I confess I spend considerable emotional and intellectual energies on the hope and desire that this Nation will survive, return to an understanding of core values and founding principles, if only because we have been given so much that it is incumbent upon us to continue to shine that light of liberty that even today gives hope to the world.
And yet, there is another truth that is plain to see. And that is this: the spiritual awakening that helped usher us in as a Nation in the 18th century, and the waves that followed, seems to have subsided. Statistics show that the Church is in decline in America, even as the Gospel flourishes in Africa and Asia. Here, in the most free and prosperous society in the world, the spiritual dynamic pales in comparison to those places in the world where there is less freedom, more tyranny and oppression, and want. And while I am absolutely certain that a people can be both prosperous and spiritually vibrant, it is hard to dismiss the correlation that is evidenced by the movement of God among the nations. God is no respecter of persons; He blesses whomever He chooses to bless. I am sure that I'm not alone in wrestling with this tension between our relative prosperity and the condition of our faith - indeed, I wonder if that in part is what undergirds much of our generous and charitable nature as a society in the face of disasters both natural and man-made.
Whenever I ponder matters such as these, I always arrive back at the same point: This world, and this Nation, is but a temporary phenomenon in the scope of time. As a Christ-follower, I am convinced that there is an end to history as it plays out here on earth. I long for my eternal home, and yet I also long for renewal and restoration of America's soul, if you will. Would that we would, as a society, recognize the wisdom of the Apostle Paul when he spoke of freedom, in understanding that while much may be permissible, not everything is beneficial. That if we could but seek to preserve and protect a societal environment that enables both individual freedom and the wisdom to exercise restraint, these are worthwhile things. But then I despair, for as a human being, how deeply am I aware of my own impulse to deny my own fallen nature, and choose my own course of action apart from wisdom! Apart from the movement of God, it is not clear to me that there are many examples - if any at all - of established societies doing anything but following the cycle of decay. And so as I ponder the future of our beloved Nation, I struggle to see how a genuine restoration of society can occur of the order required to perpetuate this American experiment. For even if we do, someone will always seek to build the next Tower of Babel, or will choose to forget the lessons of the past in favor of the pride of now. To preserve what is ultimately temporary seems a great, if not impossible, challenge.
Perhaps I am unusual for wondering such things. I realize that all I can do is to humble myself and pray, and to do the best I can to walk faithfully, knowing that for the time I am here on earth, I will have to give an account for the wonderful gifts I have received. And I can be salt and light, seeking to illuminate the Truth while I can, and season the world by quietly influencing those around me. I don't see it as wrong to desire a better America that can be preserved for my children and grandchildren. But that desire must be placed in the context of the true reality of its temporal nature. For inasmuch as I would love to see and experience an awakening and reclamation of first principles and, to put It crudely, the "growing-up" of culture - I would far rather see this fed and fired as before by a new spiritual awakening that sweeps the land. One can hope, I suppose. And pray.
I love my country. It was founded on what I believe to be Godly principles, coinciding with an era of wonderful spiritual awakening that inspired many to seek and establish a refuge that allowed for the cultivation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - to include the freedom to worship the Lord God as each individual was so moved. And while we are certainly far from perfect, given our natural state as fallen beings, there is little argument that our Nation through the years has been blessed, and has been a light to others throughout the world yearning to be free. I say this not to boast, but to acknowledge the largely positive force for good America has been to the world. Again, we are fallen, and we have our national sins throughout our history. Our modern culture, for each progressive step forward, appears to be in moral retreat. Our fervor is muted, and our aspirations limited. The war of ideas of what America is and should be is being waged all around us, and I wonder if there will come a time when as a society we will cast off the virtues that brought us into being. But because I love my country, and because I cherish the blessings we have received from the Giver of gifts, I confess I spend considerable emotional and intellectual energies on the hope and desire that this Nation will survive, return to an understanding of core values and founding principles, if only because we have been given so much that it is incumbent upon us to continue to shine that light of liberty that even today gives hope to the world.
And yet, there is another truth that is plain to see. And that is this: the spiritual awakening that helped usher us in as a Nation in the 18th century, and the waves that followed, seems to have subsided. Statistics show that the Church is in decline in America, even as the Gospel flourishes in Africa and Asia. Here, in the most free and prosperous society in the world, the spiritual dynamic pales in comparison to those places in the world where there is less freedom, more tyranny and oppression, and want. And while I am absolutely certain that a people can be both prosperous and spiritually vibrant, it is hard to dismiss the correlation that is evidenced by the movement of God among the nations. God is no respecter of persons; He blesses whomever He chooses to bless. I am sure that I'm not alone in wrestling with this tension between our relative prosperity and the condition of our faith - indeed, I wonder if that in part is what undergirds much of our generous and charitable nature as a society in the face of disasters both natural and man-made.
Whenever I ponder matters such as these, I always arrive back at the same point: This world, and this Nation, is but a temporary phenomenon in the scope of time. As a Christ-follower, I am convinced that there is an end to history as it plays out here on earth. I long for my eternal home, and yet I also long for renewal and restoration of America's soul, if you will. Would that we would, as a society, recognize the wisdom of the Apostle Paul when he spoke of freedom, in understanding that while much may be permissible, not everything is beneficial. That if we could but seek to preserve and protect a societal environment that enables both individual freedom and the wisdom to exercise restraint, these are worthwhile things. But then I despair, for as a human being, how deeply am I aware of my own impulse to deny my own fallen nature, and choose my own course of action apart from wisdom! Apart from the movement of God, it is not clear to me that there are many examples - if any at all - of established societies doing anything but following the cycle of decay. And so as I ponder the future of our beloved Nation, I struggle to see how a genuine restoration of society can occur of the order required to perpetuate this American experiment. For even if we do, someone will always seek to build the next Tower of Babel, or will choose to forget the lessons of the past in favor of the pride of now. To preserve what is ultimately temporary seems a great, if not impossible, challenge.
Perhaps I am unusual for wondering such things. I realize that all I can do is to humble myself and pray, and to do the best I can to walk faithfully, knowing that for the time I am here on earth, I will have to give an account for the wonderful gifts I have received. And I can be salt and light, seeking to illuminate the Truth while I can, and season the world by quietly influencing those around me. I don't see it as wrong to desire a better America that can be preserved for my children and grandchildren. But that desire must be placed in the context of the true reality of its temporal nature. For inasmuch as I would love to see and experience an awakening and reclamation of first principles and, to put It crudely, the "growing-up" of culture - I would far rather see this fed and fired as before by a new spiritual awakening that sweeps the land. One can hope, I suppose. And pray.
October 20, 2010
Will it last?
November is coming ever closer, and with it, Election Day 2010. I've shied away recently from writing too much about politics. Primarily, this is because of my overpopulated calendar, but it is also because I feel that there is enough news and noise out there right now that any contribution I would make to the conversation would have little value. I've already voted, marking the first time in my adult life that I've filed an absentee ballot (I'll be on business travel out of state on Election Day). So at this point, I peruse headlines, but otherwise find myself largely in spectator mode, waiting to see what happens next. I'm particularly interested to see what happens to the so-called "tea party movement" after the election.
I haven't written about the tea party movement, although I am holding in reserve dozens of links to articles and essays that attempt to define, illuminate or otherwise expound on its nature. Without a doubt, I am sympathetic to many of its aims. But before I give full-throated support for it, I want to see how it handles success (which they will likely experience in a couple of weeks). I also want to see whether it has staying power. If the tea party movement truly represents a generational awakening of the American citizenry, complete with a renewal and rediscovery of our Nation's founding principles and a desire to roll back the theft of liberty perpetrated in the name of "fairness" at the hands of a government who thinks it is more qualified to make your choices than you are, then yes, I will celebrate such a renewal of American civic life. But I do have suspicions about whether the tea party awakening can maintain its appeal once the economy improves. We shall see. I have a million other thoughts on this, and about where America stands at this point of its existence. I will save those, however, for another day.
In the meantime, allow me to summarize like this. Our elected political class likes to talk in terms of "mandates." This is ridiculous on its face, because many claim a mandate of all the people by winning 50.1 percent of the vote. If there is to be a mandate, the mandate is upon us, as the citizen class. Too often we go to the polls in November, and then go back to the sidelines and disengage until the next election cycle. If the tea party movement truly is to effect a generational shift in the direction and future survival of our Nation, our mandate should be: 1) To elect principled legislators at all levels committed to doing the hard work of preserving this Union for future generations; 2) To stay vigilant, involved, and knowledgeable about the existential issues we face; 3) To commit to serve as watchdogs over the votes our Representatives/Senators take - and to be willing to throw out anyone who kowtows to the influences of the political class at the expense of the citizen class.
But above all, we should remember that there is more to life than politics, that civil and respectful discourse remains an important virtue, and that all of this is temporary anyway.
I haven't written about the tea party movement, although I am holding in reserve dozens of links to articles and essays that attempt to define, illuminate or otherwise expound on its nature. Without a doubt, I am sympathetic to many of its aims. But before I give full-throated support for it, I want to see how it handles success (which they will likely experience in a couple of weeks). I also want to see whether it has staying power. If the tea party movement truly represents a generational awakening of the American citizenry, complete with a renewal and rediscovery of our Nation's founding principles and a desire to roll back the theft of liberty perpetrated in the name of "fairness" at the hands of a government who thinks it is more qualified to make your choices than you are, then yes, I will celebrate such a renewal of American civic life. But I do have suspicions about whether the tea party awakening can maintain its appeal once the economy improves. We shall see. I have a million other thoughts on this, and about where America stands at this point of its existence. I will save those, however, for another day.
In the meantime, allow me to summarize like this. Our elected political class likes to talk in terms of "mandates." This is ridiculous on its face, because many claim a mandate of all the people by winning 50.1 percent of the vote. If there is to be a mandate, the mandate is upon us, as the citizen class. Too often we go to the polls in November, and then go back to the sidelines and disengage until the next election cycle. If the tea party movement truly is to effect a generational shift in the direction and future survival of our Nation, our mandate should be: 1) To elect principled legislators at all levels committed to doing the hard work of preserving this Union for future generations; 2) To stay vigilant, involved, and knowledgeable about the existential issues we face; 3) To commit to serve as watchdogs over the votes our Representatives/Senators take - and to be willing to throw out anyone who kowtows to the influences of the political class at the expense of the citizen class.
But above all, we should remember that there is more to life than politics, that civil and respectful discourse remains an important virtue, and that all of this is temporary anyway.
October 14, 2010
Finally Fall?
In my house, we call it PDD. That is, Post-Disney Depression. PDD is the inevitable letdown that occurs following a joyful Disney trip, brought on by the realization that as fun as the magic can be, fairy dust in the real world is simply hard to come by. The last couple of days have found me in a typical PDD funk. It will pass, to be sure, but it just goes to show how desperately I still need a respite of peace and solitude. I'm still running on empty, it seems.
The one thing I cannot complain about is the weather. The sky is a brilliant blue, the air is actually cool with a steady fall breeze. I stepped outside my office a few moments ago to try to clear the fog from my head, and took the photo below with my phone. The picture does not do justice to the real thing, of course. But hopefully the colors will shine through. Soon, the trees in my yard will be in full display. But even they may not be as lovely as this tree.
I just wish I could keep my mind and heart as clear as this absolutely beautiful day.
The one thing I cannot complain about is the weather. The sky is a brilliant blue, the air is actually cool with a steady fall breeze. I stepped outside my office a few moments ago to try to clear the fog from my head, and took the photo below with my phone. The picture does not do justice to the real thing, of course. But hopefully the colors will shine through. Soon, the trees in my yard will be in full display. But even they may not be as lovely as this tree.
I just wish I could keep my mind and heart as clear as this absolutely beautiful day.
I THINK that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the sweet earth's flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
- Joyce Kilmer
October 12, 2010
Welcome to the Real World
Welcome back to the real world, welcome back to life. After 10 days of unplugged, unconnected detachment from the world of work and routines, from news and other online distractions, a return to reality was inevitable. A Disney family vacation can certainly be enjoyable (and it was), but one thing it is not is restful. But a good time was indeed had by all. And it was good to get away from the normal stresses of life. But now it is back to the grind. Back to incessant email traffic, and demands upon my time and schedule. Back to the early morning get-ready-for-school rush, followed by the clean-the-bucket-adventure-because-the-kid-who-rode-all-sorts-of-crazy-rides-at-Disney-without-trouble-gets-car-sick-on-the-way-to-school-his-first-day-back, and the fill-in-for-your-boss-in-a-meeting-after-being-out-of-the-loop-for-10-days demand. I've been back at work for 4 hours and I already want to go back home and take a nap/read a book.
So, yes, reality can be icky. But I'll do what I can to make the best of it, and reorient my attitude regarding the mundane. It may take a little bit to get back into a regular writing habit, but once I catch up on some work, hopefully I'll be able to post more regularly.
So, yes, reality can be icky. But I'll do what I can to make the best of it, and reorient my attitude regarding the mundane. It may take a little bit to get back into a regular writing habit, but once I catch up on some work, hopefully I'll be able to post more regularly.
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