I took the opportunity of eight free days to tackle Ron Chernow's recent biography of one of America's most controversial founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Having read several biographies of men of the time, it is astounding to me how each man, with the possible exception of George Washington, was at times stunningly brilliant, and at others alarmingly egocentric, insecure and in some cases paranoid.
Hamilton was no different. Born in the Virgin Islands to an unmarried mother and father, orphaned with his brother at 13, and General Washington's aide de camp by 24, Hamilton's life is a stunning tale of an immigrant who had more influence on the future course of the U.S. than any other citizen who never became president. The list of Hamilton's contributions is extraordinary in both it's impact and scope. Constitutional Convention delegate, chief architect and writer of the Federalist Papers, the first Treasury Secretary, designer of the U.S. financial system, and creator of the central bank are just a few of his accomplishments. Throughout his life, Hamilton exhibited the all too rare talent of being able to not only out think other men with his ability to design systems, but then also out maneuver them with his ability to implement his programs with stunning efficiency.
As with the other founders, Hamilton was a mercurical man, who didn't know when to stop. Notoriously thin skinned when it came to questions of his personal honor, Hamilton often resorted to blistering multi-part written assaults on his political enemies. Indeed, it is this trait that led him to his demise at the hands of Aaron Burr on the dueling grounds of Weehawken NJ in the summer of 1804. Hamilton was only 49 years old, and left a wife and 6 children behind.
Chernow, clearly a Hamilton fan, presents a fair view of Hamilton's life with all its successes and foibles. At times Chernow's book becomes a bit hagiographic, requiring the reader to remember that Hamiton was clearly an irksome fellow with a penchant for creating life long enemies. His feud with Thomas Jefferson, was the catalyst for the creation of the Republican party and the dawn of America's two party system.
Chernow, I think, can be excused for his doting on Hamilton as it seems he clearly felt that Americans have failed to fully appreciate the contributions to our country of this immigrant genius. Chernow's book is an excellent reminder that most of Hamilton's contemporaries and enemies had the luxury of polishing their legacies at his expense during long retirements that lasted well into their seventies. I strongly recommend this book, for anyone who has an interest in U.S. history, the transformation of our government from a confederation into a republic, or in the attendant questions of federalism that resulted.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Is This What Dostoevsky Meant By "Crime and Punishment"
If so, I have to say I totally missed the subtext when I read his classic!
Apparently our friends the Ruskies have been enjoying a more Americanized approach to scientific research since the fall of communism. Not sure I'd pay $100 a smack though.
Via Annika's Journal
Apparently our friends the Ruskies have been enjoying a more Americanized approach to scientific research since the fall of communism. Not sure I'd pay $100 a smack though.
Via Annika's Journal
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Airport Blogging
Folks the moment of my delivery is nearly here! Escape from America's backwater into the modern world is nearly complete. As I type here in Palm Beach International (they go to Mexico!), I am literally an hour from take-off.
The Pursuit family has had a wonderful time the past week. Fun with Mrs. P's folks, and during the last two days, a visit by Sister Pursuit and her family, and the ensuing masterful game of golf whereupon I crushed all comers rounded out the week. One regret; Dear Mother-in-law remains on her no fat kick, so countless no cholesteral butter replacements and meat substitutes were consumed, which has thrown my system precariously into imbalance. Happily, I am blessed with a consitution of steel and will recover with the administration of some high quality beef or pork in the next 48 hours (repeat as necessary). No fears, I should recover soon and be prepared to blog at some point tomorrow.
Speaking of blogging, what can I say about PDS. Despite a curious turn to Homoerotic fantasizing early today (deadline pressure can exact its awful costs in all sorts of ways), he truly put in an outstanding performance during my absense. Really, our good friend surpassed all expecatations, and has my sincere gratitude for elevating the quality of discourse around here.
One note of caution to my blog pal Habitatgirl; I apparently will be passing through Dallas later this evening so if your liberal world feels a bit threatened, well its just good ole Pursuit, back on the job!
So long for now,
Pursuit
The Pursuit family has had a wonderful time the past week. Fun with Mrs. P's folks, and during the last two days, a visit by Sister Pursuit and her family, and the ensuing masterful game of golf whereupon I crushed all comers rounded out the week. One regret; Dear Mother-in-law remains on her no fat kick, so countless no cholesteral butter replacements and meat substitutes were consumed, which has thrown my system precariously into imbalance. Happily, I am blessed with a consitution of steel and will recover with the administration of some high quality beef or pork in the next 48 hours (repeat as necessary). No fears, I should recover soon and be prepared to blog at some point tomorrow.
Speaking of blogging, what can I say about PDS. Despite a curious turn to Homoerotic fantasizing early today (deadline pressure can exact its awful costs in all sorts of ways), he truly put in an outstanding performance during my absense. Really, our good friend surpassed all expecatations, and has my sincere gratitude for elevating the quality of discourse around here.
One note of caution to my blog pal Habitatgirl; I apparently will be passing through Dallas later this evening so if your liberal world feels a bit threatened, well its just good ole Pursuit, back on the job!
So long for now,
Pursuit
"Guitar Face" For Liberals (PDS)
"Guitar Face" is generally considered to be that unfortunate look that self-important rock and rollers get when they are earnestly getting down for the audience. We have all seen it: Spinal Tap made great sport of it, MTV built an audience around it, and the phenomonal Joe Queenan has taken the scalpel to it.
In one of the unheralded stories of the past 2-3 years, I can now report that liberals too have a form of Guitar Face. I call this unfortunate look the Chill Wind Blowing ("CWB") look. On the eve of the war in Iraq, Tim Robbins inadvertantly invented the CWB as he speechified to a world wide audience, at the National Press Club no less, about how his free speech rights were being trampled and eliminated. (Chill wind, my ass--the chill wind sure didn't make it up his pant leg that day). You can find an early example Brother Tim's CWB look here, and if you still are unsure of what a CWB looks like, google up the following two words: "Estrich" or "Krugman". You will find that the CWB has caught on like a wild fire.
Beware of the CWB, however, for it is a harbinger that you are about to hear something dramatic about The Patriot Act, a "stolen" election in Florida, or how the fellas in orange jumpsuits at Gitmo have been deprived of Miranda warnings. Other topics that tend to generate a CWB include hybrid cars, capital punishment, and John Ashcroft. The intensity of the CWB tends to be inversely proportional to the number of facts supporting the subsequent argument, and therein lies the secret attraction of the CWB: it is handy a substitute for facts.
If you ever are in close contact with somebody who is sporting some Guitar Face and a CWB, do take my advice: see if Mr. Springsteen would be kind enough to autograph your T-shirt.
In one of the unheralded stories of the past 2-3 years, I can now report that liberals too have a form of Guitar Face. I call this unfortunate look the Chill Wind Blowing ("CWB") look. On the eve of the war in Iraq, Tim Robbins inadvertantly invented the CWB as he speechified to a world wide audience, at the National Press Club no less, about how his free speech rights were being trampled and eliminated. (Chill wind, my ass--the chill wind sure didn't make it up his pant leg that day). You can find an early example Brother Tim's CWB look here, and if you still are unsure of what a CWB looks like, google up the following two words: "Estrich" or "Krugman". You will find that the CWB has caught on like a wild fire.
Beware of the CWB, however, for it is a harbinger that you are about to hear something dramatic about The Patriot Act, a "stolen" election in Florida, or how the fellas in orange jumpsuits at Gitmo have been deprived of Miranda warnings. Other topics that tend to generate a CWB include hybrid cars, capital punishment, and John Ashcroft. The intensity of the CWB tends to be inversely proportional to the number of facts supporting the subsequent argument, and therein lies the secret attraction of the CWB: it is handy a substitute for facts.
If you ever are in close contact with somebody who is sporting some Guitar Face and a CWB, do take my advice: see if Mr. Springsteen would be kind enough to autograph your T-shirt.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Good Will Blogging (PDS)
[Pursuit returns from Florida to find his blog in tatters, filled with posts that make no sense, blogads pulled, and his readership scattered to the four winds. The following dialogue between Pursuit and PDS ensues]:
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS (nonchalant): "Oh, I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS (smiles): "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS: "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS (dead serious): "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS: "Don't f**k with me."
Pursuit (comes around, sits in front of PDS): "It's not your fault."
PDS (tears start): "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not...."
PDS (crying hard): "I know, I know..."
[Pursuit takes PDS in his arms and holds him like a child. PDS sobs like a baby. After a moment, PDS wraps his arms around Pursuit and holds him, even tighter. Two lonely souls then begin to discuss federalism and who will get the Democratic nod in '08].
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS (nonchalant): "Oh, I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS (smiles): "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS: "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS (dead serious): "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not your fault."
PDS: "Don't f**k with me."
Pursuit (comes around, sits in front of PDS): "It's not your fault."
PDS (tears start): "I know."
Pursuit: "It's not...."
PDS (crying hard): "I know, I know..."
[Pursuit takes PDS in his arms and holds him like a child. PDS sobs like a baby. After a moment, PDS wraps his arms around Pursuit and holds him, even tighter. Two lonely souls then begin to discuss federalism and who will get the Democratic nod in '08].
Monday, March 28, 2005
Will Blog For Bottled Water (PDS)
Were you aware that the price of gas has gone up?
I had managed to forget this fact, notwithstanding the incessant "man on the street" interviews conducted by the local news crews in our fair city. These hard breaking news stories establish that there alot of people out there who "just don't know how they're gonna make it" if the price of gas keeps going up! The tenor of these stories is that rising gas prices are no less than one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. And to mix this metaphor until it is dizzy, a similar hobby horse of the media is the "crisis" of rising health care costs.
I say the news crews that continue to recycle these lame stories are nothing less than the Horsemen's Assess of the Apocalypse, and if that is not a technically correct term, well, it should be.
I was reminded of this the other day as I was standing in line to pay for some petrol at my local gas station. Ahead of me in line was yuppified lass whining to the owner about the price of gas. Little did she know that the owner is a rock ribbed conservative, with little patience for whiners or people who drive Volvo station wagons.
As she left the station, he gave me the knowing glance of someone who had just held his tongue. I knew exactly what he meant because it was difficult not to notice that our lass had bought, in addition to her petrol, a 12 ounce bottle of water for the bargain basement price of $1.25, which she could be seen nipping on as she huffed her way to her wagon.
Am I hallucinating, or did water not used to be free? I specifically recall during the 10 or so years I spent in elementary school that one could simply walk up to a water fountain and drink. I also recall a faucett in our house that distributed water, more or less on command. Even today I have seen these contraptions, at least here and there.
Why are there no breaking stories on our local news about how the price of water has gone up? I am no math whiz, so can somebody help me with how large a % increase is involved in going from $0.00 for unlimited quantities of a commodity to $1.25 for 12 ounces of that same commodity?
How did media in this country become so irony-impaired?
This last is a question for investigative journalism that not even a man on the street interview can solve.
I had managed to forget this fact, notwithstanding the incessant "man on the street" interviews conducted by the local news crews in our fair city. These hard breaking news stories establish that there alot of people out there who "just don't know how they're gonna make it" if the price of gas keeps going up! The tenor of these stories is that rising gas prices are no less than one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. And to mix this metaphor until it is dizzy, a similar hobby horse of the media is the "crisis" of rising health care costs.
I say the news crews that continue to recycle these lame stories are nothing less than the Horsemen's Assess of the Apocalypse, and if that is not a technically correct term, well, it should be.
I was reminded of this the other day as I was standing in line to pay for some petrol at my local gas station. Ahead of me in line was yuppified lass whining to the owner about the price of gas. Little did she know that the owner is a rock ribbed conservative, with little patience for whiners or people who drive Volvo station wagons.
As she left the station, he gave me the knowing glance of someone who had just held his tongue. I knew exactly what he meant because it was difficult not to notice that our lass had bought, in addition to her petrol, a 12 ounce bottle of water for the bargain basement price of $1.25, which she could be seen nipping on as she huffed her way to her wagon.
Am I hallucinating, or did water not used to be free? I specifically recall during the 10 or so years I spent in elementary school that one could simply walk up to a water fountain and drink. I also recall a faucett in our house that distributed water, more or less on command. Even today I have seen these contraptions, at least here and there.
Why are there no breaking stories on our local news about how the price of water has gone up? I am no math whiz, so can somebody help me with how large a % increase is involved in going from $0.00 for unlimited quantities of a commodity to $1.25 for 12 ounces of that same commodity?
How did media in this country become so irony-impaired?
This last is a question for investigative journalism that not even a man on the street interview can solve.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
The Heart of Darkness.......Cont'd
Ah, the rich cultural milleau that is Florida!
The Pursuit trek through America's swamp continues, and so far no teeth, limbs, or chill'in have been lost to the various beasts found locally.
We've been safe from the gators too.
Can we have a small word about two-for-one drink specials? For those of you who have not experienced Florida first hand, you might not be aware that 50%of the populace down here is 65 and above. These folks have a pretty good life style; wake at 4a.m., power walk at 5, play some golf, nap and have dinner at 3p.m. Everyone drives a big Lincoln too - even on the golf course. So next time you here AARP complain about prescription drugs, be aware that not all of our retirees are suffering.
Speaking of drugs, lets talk about two-for-one gin and tonics. The entire economy down here is one big quest to find THE DISCOUNT. One of the reasons the seniors eat at 3 in the afternoon is because this is when the early bird special starts. Ussually it's something like Chicken Cordon Bleu, with watery broccoli. Easy on the gums and dentures you know.
Last night we went to dinner at a place that was advertising two for one drinks. My immediate thought, was thank goodness, something to help numb my tastebuds from the relentless assault of bland! Turns out two-for-one is not two drinks for the price of one. No, in a subtle distinction that was soon to be revealed to me in all its horror, it seems that it's two glasses filled with ice and the alcohol of one drink.
I was crushed.
Not only is this false advertising, its down right un-American. Happily, President Bush's newly aggressive "selective Federalism" program is in place, so I will at once petition Congress to re-adjourn in an emergency session this weekend to outlaw this nefarious practice. Afterall, when watered down drinks are made illegal, only criminals will have watered down drinks, and that sounds about right to me.
Reporting semi-live from Florida, Pursuit. Over and out.
The Pursuit trek through America's swamp continues, and so far no teeth, limbs, or chill'in have been lost to the various beasts found locally.
We've been safe from the gators too.
Can we have a small word about two-for-one drink specials? For those of you who have not experienced Florida first hand, you might not be aware that 50%of the populace down here is 65 and above. These folks have a pretty good life style; wake at 4a.m., power walk at 5, play some golf, nap and have dinner at 3p.m. Everyone drives a big Lincoln too - even on the golf course. So next time you here AARP complain about prescription drugs, be aware that not all of our retirees are suffering.
Speaking of drugs, lets talk about two-for-one gin and tonics. The entire economy down here is one big quest to find THE DISCOUNT. One of the reasons the seniors eat at 3 in the afternoon is because this is when the early bird special starts. Ussually it's something like Chicken Cordon Bleu, with watery broccoli. Easy on the gums and dentures you know.
Last night we went to dinner at a place that was advertising two for one drinks. My immediate thought, was thank goodness, something to help numb my tastebuds from the relentless assault of bland! Turns out two-for-one is not two drinks for the price of one. No, in a subtle distinction that was soon to be revealed to me in all its horror, it seems that it's two glasses filled with ice and the alcohol of one drink.
I was crushed.
Not only is this false advertising, its down right un-American. Happily, President Bush's newly aggressive "selective Federalism" program is in place, so I will at once petition Congress to re-adjourn in an emergency session this weekend to outlaw this nefarious practice. Afterall, when watered down drinks are made illegal, only criminals will have watered down drinks, and that sounds about right to me.
Reporting semi-live from Florida, Pursuit. Over and out.
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