OBAMA

"The contradictory characterizations of him as fascist or socialist only serve to confirm the truth—--he's a raging moderate. And satirists don't do well with moderates, especially thoughtful ones. In addition, Obama rarely makes gaffes and has no salient physical or temperamental features. And sinking popularity isn't a critique. Even SNL's main rap on him is his unflappability, hardly a vice in a world leader."---Garry Trudeau

CRAZY

Who but a brazen crazy person would go one-on-one with blank paper or canvas armed with nothing but ideas?

---Mark Vonnegut,Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness, Only More So: A Memoir (2010).

DEPARTURES

Tonight, I watched a beautiful Japanese movie, Departures, (2008) by Yojiro Takita. A cellist (played by Masahiro Motoki), forced to make a career change, stumbles into the profession of preparing the deceased for their cremation. It is simply a wonderful film with great, well-performed roles that speaks to dignity, forgiveness, honor, love, and regret; the Japanese way of honoring their dead is absolutely lovely and perfect. I was greatly impressed. I cried at least four times. The story is also about finding your place in the world and a profession that suits you and then taking pride in doing that job right; accepting and supporting the ones you love, and coming to grips with past wrongs; honoring the people who helped you; community; and accepting the step at the end of life that is a gateway to another existence. Ryoko Hirosue and Tsutomu Yamazaki were wonderful in their parts. Kimiko Yo, who plays the secretary, was very good too. Not only were depictions of the ceremonies portrayed beautifully, but the scenery was breathtaking as well. I really encourage people to watch this movie; I am certain you will not be disappointed.

MLK

Cowardice asks the question, "Is it safe?"
Expediency asks the question, "Is it politic?"
And Vanity comes along and asks the question, "Is it popular?"
But Conscience asks the question, "Is it right?"
And there comes a time when one must take a position
that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular,
but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right.

--Martin Luther King, Jr.

EXCITED

GAMECOCKS WIN! GAMECOCKS WIN! ALABAMA #1 goes down. First time for the garnet. Am I excited. You betcha.

FIRST TIME ON FRONT COVER

errors

M. A. Orthofer, expressed a sentiment in his blog Literary Salon about publishing houses that I have believed for a while now, when seeing too many egregious errors in books I have read over the last year or so:

Is there a production manager/ copy editor/ editor left at any of these houses ?
Is there anyone who bothers reading the books any longer ?