I am extremely proud of the Indiana Senate right now.
Probably my favorite provocative article title of all time: Most of The Time The Earth Is Flat.
(Spoiler alert: It delivers.)
I’ve never before read an Ezra Klein column that so struck me that I plan to come back to it in a few months. I prefer the title under which it caught my eye to the current posted title: Can We Stop Our Digital Selves From Becoming Who We Are?.
Most of us have read similar arguments, and some of you have internalized it better than I, but since this version of the argument grabbed me, I’m sharing it anyway.
Recommendation: I’ve been listening for a few months to Old School, a book- and male-oriented podcast from the Free Press. Each one-hour release features host Shilo Brooks interviewing a man about a book that changed his life.
Very good stuff. Brooks is a classically educated (St. Johns) prof.
There’s a special Congressional election in a very red district in Tennessee today. The Democrat is a woman named Aftyn Behn, who’s running a populist campaign against GOP broken promises.
Her campaign slogan, “Vote Early. Vote Aftyn.” is my favorite since “Vote for the crook. It’s important.“
It was nice to see (even if only after the game) Zach Edey, two-time National Player of the Year, have a breakout game for the Grizzlies in the NBA: 32 points, 17 rebounds. 5 blocked shots.
(Less nice to see him tatooed now.)
We only got about 5 inches, but we’re due for another 1-3 tomorrow night. Hope it waits until I’m home safe from rehearsal.
I take back half the nice things I said about Indiana’s GOP resisting MAGA demands for a norm-busting mid-decade redistricting.
The federal Judge in the vindictive cases against James Comey and Letitia James has dismissed the charges. I’m not yet clear on whether the dismissal was on grounds that would mean Comey’s prosecution is now barred by the statute of limitation or whether there’s a 6-month window to re-file.
Demons Want To Be Needed. Don’t be a life coach for a Demon’s self-esteem issues. If you want to disturb a Demon, a Machine, or a Monster, think about making a hand-made, human-sized life. Sometimes things are simpler than we may think. Find the Angel in the Machine, not just the Demon. Be the Angel in the Machine if you can. It’s radical to be a pilgrim.
Hmmmm. I know there are design, pen, ink and paper enthusiasts ‘round these parts. I suspect that some of them would be interested in this notebook.
“People will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think,” - Aldous Huxley via Andrew Sullivan.
Today is the 62nd anniversary of three deaths:
The coincidence provided the conceit for a book I enjoyed very much.
Oh my! I counted out Wake Forest when they were down by 2 against Memphis with 1.5 seconds on the clock. But a set play put the ball in the hands of Myles Colvin, formerly of Purdue, who drained a 3 at the buzzer. The Purdue fans, assembled for the Championship game against Texas Tech, exploded.
Abandoned Thomas Sowell, A Conflict of Visions. đź“š Maybe if I was 55 years younger?
Reading Dostoyevsky, Demons. đź“š (At least for now I am.) The translation is quite readable, but the translator isn’t even identified! (It’s a Kindle version from General Press in New Delhi)
Hoosier MAGA ghouls have taken to SWATting Republican State Senators who declined to redistrict the state. Four instances and counting ….
Confession: I cannot listen to a good performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms without weeping repeatedly.
Corollary: It’s unusually hard for me to sing Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms (which I’ve done a few times and hope to do at least once more).
Ruth Graham is a very solid religionbeat journalist, and she hits few of the tripwires most journalists stumble over when reporting on religious topics: Orthodox Church Pews Are Overflowing With Converts (gift link).
(Matthew Heimbach moved to a pseudo-Orthodox group, not “another branch.”)
So far as I can tell, I’m the first to identify one of Tucker’s obsessions with the specific heresy of Marcionism. I float it here since I know that there are some smart people who’ve studied theology formally who can set me straight if I’m just off on a stupid tangent.
More reasons why James Comey is gonna walk.