Via Jeremy, a review Michael Pollan’s new book at Slate. Laura Shapiro defends Pollan from charges that he’s a mere “lifestyle guru” uninterested in political changes that could actually change the way we eat. That Pollan is interested in motivating political change should be clear to anyone who’s read his articles over the past year [...]
Archive for December, 2007
Real food
Posted in Books, Economy, Environment, Food, Politics on December 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Where’s the anti-war mojo on the Left?
Posted in Dennis Kucinich, Iraq, Liberalism, Politics, Ron Paul, War & Peace on December 31, 2007 | 7 Comments »
With all the hype around the Ron Paul candidacy (admittedly still a long shot), I’ve wondered why there hasn’t been a comparable anti-war insurgency on the Left. Why, for instance, hasn’t Dennis Kucinich’s campaign taken off? Is it that Democratic voters aren’t motivated primarily by the war, or is it that they regard the top [...]
Confession
Posted in Movies, Personal on December 28, 2007 | 1 Comment »
I really want to see National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to convince anyone I know to go with me. Why do all my friends have to have such good taste in movies?
The menace of Rudy
Posted in Conservatism, Leviathan, Messianic delusions, Politics on December 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Speaking of executive power-grabbing, The American Conservative has put out a special anti-Rudy issue. Glenn Greenwald writes about Rudy’s authoritarian tendencies, while Michael Desch looks at his ultra-hawkish foreign policy.
Will a Democratic president remember the lessons of the last seven years?
Posted in Conservatism, Leviathan, Liberalism, Politics on December 28, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Jack Balkin is worried that, when it comes to executive power, ostensible Democratic critics may learn to love the imperial presidency if a Dem takes the White House in 2008.
It’s worth recalling that conservatives used to complain about the imperial presidency, especially during a time of strong popular liberal presidents. And, more recently, Republicans were [...]
Faith and factuality
Posted in Theology & Faith on December 28, 2007 | 2 Comments »
The question of the Virgin Birth is just one example of a broader issue in the life of faith: how much of what the Bible describes as historical fact must be accurate for faith to have solid foundations? There are two extreme positions that can, and have been, taken here. One insists on literal factuality [...]
A further argument for the Virgin Birth: the argument from beauty
Posted in Theology & Faith on December 28, 2007 | 1 Comment »
The Annunciation is one of the most beloved images in Western history, having given rise to some of its most enduring piety, art, and music:
The Virgin Birth: does it matter?
Posted in Theology & Faith on December 28, 2007 | 5 Comments »
Via Graham, here’s an article in the (UK) Spectator that asked a variety of public figures whether or not they believe in the Virgin Birth. The answers range from the thoughtful, to the flippant, to the downright idiotic (someone named Colin Wilson declaims that “you’ll have some difficulty finding any educated person who believes in [...]
