I saw the movie Syriana last night. Here are four good things about it: It is a serious effort to examine the roots of the clash between the west and the Middle East. Director Stephen Gaghan did a fine job…
I’m not going. Are you? I can’t believe anyone who’s not a family member will go to this movie. I guess I understand why it’s important to them: they’re still coming to grips with a loved one’s death, maybe haven’t…
George Bush didn’t look comfortable at his press conference today. He kept getting a nervous smile, he kept making awkward jokes. Like, he told the ballsy David Gregory of NBC that he wouldn’t offer him a job at the White…
I just got a copy of Ken Pollack’s latest book on Iran, The Persian Puzzle, and was shocked on flipping to page 429, the Author’s Note at the end of the book, to read that Pollack has never been to…
For withdawing Kaavya Visnawathan’s book. The core principle here was, a theft. It’s great to see that the victim, Megan McCafferty, has prospered from the events and that Little, Brown has behaved so honorably. Its author, Visnawathan, has my sympathy….
Beautiful spring day, took my dogs up to the firetower. Here is Franklin, scoping out the Mighty Hudson.
Something else bears mentioning re the Viswanathan story. Just about everyone is an Asian-American. David Zhou, the kid from the Crimson who went on national TV after he broke the story is Asian-American. Viswanathan is of course an Asian-American. So,…
(I love saying that.) Guess Harvard kids aren’t the only ones who like the packaged lit story. The Times is now Frey-ing Viswanathan. The paper of record hops on Jon Liu’s piece this morning. But doesn’t do nearly as good…
Harvard is the most nastily competitive hive of pre-/post-/intrapubescent energy to be found anywhere this side of Pluto. Take it from me, bub. The kids who end up at Harvard have tunnel vision about success. They have been selected to…