What did Gingrich bring to the Republican contest?

Generally this is considered a risible question. The first thing that Newt brought was that he gave pause to what seemed a xenophobic reaction to Mexicans without papers. Romney effectively used this before to eliminate Perry from the race. It didn't happen that way with Gingrich. As for a positive idea, his idea that kids might work was a good. I can recall trying to get a job unsuccessfully when I was 13 or 14 during the summer. The first place I went to was a construction site where I talked to someone about the possibility; his son was going to work with him he told me. Of course, I was too anxious about being able to make a living. I should have accepted that when I got my education I would find a job. That is the implicitly recommended denial for a happy adolescence. Normal, I might now be like the thousands of unemployed college kids, newly graduated.

A Mel Gibson Film Festival?

After the comments in a piece on the Atlantic blog, I'd like to be able to attend one. I missed the crucifixion movie accepting the negative publicity. Apocalypto sounds good too.

A Reply to Nichevo

The Christian identifies with Christ. A narcissistic masochism might be to say 'I am beautiful, valuable because I suffer in this.' For example, one of the changes that came with Christianity is monogamy. Rather than thinking 'if I had more money then..' the ideal is to say 'I will listen to my neighbor, my wife.' Christ was transformed into eternal life by choosing to suffer horribly and die; Jews say by their unbelief 'No he wasn't.' The Christian in various circumstances may not wish to choose suffering, may not want to find narcissism in a masochistic position and the Jew would seem to say to him 'You might be beautiful without it,' a forbidden wish.

The Gospel reading for Sunday may be the dream of Thomas. The fact that that this took place in a morning period is nicely illustrated by the first reading which conforms to our present practice of bring food to the home of the deceased for the mourning family.

I guess I got a comment lost on the SYG law in the Martin case but I'll check back.

Oh Lord! Please don't let me be misunderstood

Happy to run into the definition of "the hapless human being , the shlemihl, who has anticipated nothing*." That's kind of me the last few days though. DB at Volokh Conspiracy deleted my comment where I agreed with him and my comments at Althouse have disappeared after I took on her 'just kidding' about Jesus having a Platinum membership in Rasmussen polling and wanted some matzo ball soup. That could however have been external to Althouse. We'll see with a recent comment on the presidential detail in the Columbia prostitution scandal. It's been the season for shlemihl or 'Please don't let me be misunderstood' lately. Trayvon went out wearing a hoodie but didn't want to be seen as a hood and died for it. Women have been taking BCPs and don't want to be taken out of the polis as 'sluts' by El Rushbo and will take out the Republicans, who also might feel misunderstood.

* page 66, The New Yorker, Jan 12 2009, in an article on Hannah Arendt, 'The woman who redefined evil.'

Romney emerges.

Reflections on Good Friday

"Are you not of more value than they[birds]? "

The objection of Pam raises for me an interesting emphasis which provides a justification for a French paleontologist and Jesuit, Teilhard de Chardin, who might otherwise seem heretical in relation to Catholicism. His view was that evolution went from God to realization of God. The birds would be, yes, on a lower level.

Birds also may be a reminder of life going on without a centrality in humanity. A veteran recalled a battle in VN in which an enemy massed and attacked with their weapons and we responded with flechettes or other direct fire, and he recalled the birds simultaneously going about their usual life outside the fields of fire.