The root word of civilization is civitis – cities. We are, in a physiological sense, animals. But in a psychological sense, we understand ourselves (however arrogantly) as much more. If we had to isolate the threshold over which we crossed that led us from animal to human, it would have to be the development of the city.

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Posted at 31 March 08 at 18.03 in Books

Science and innovation is what fuels our country’s forward movement. Once, pursuing science was a patriotic act. Today, it is for nerds. Admittedly, most scientists are nerdy, and that has always been and will always be a powerful deterrent for people who are not. But it is not insurmountable.

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Posted at 29 March 08 at 10.03 in Books

Today, we are again at a crossroads. We again have a country that needs to be healed. And we have again in our politics a leader who is firmly dedicated to party and principle while simultaneously determined to work with all Americans to heal our nation’s wounds.

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Posted at 26 March 08 at 10.03 in Obama 08, Books

Russia: People and Empire, a horridly boring but nonetheless insightful book by Geoffrey Hosking, argues that the Russian people are the ones who suffer most when the rulers of the Russian nation (which does not really exist) seek to expand the Russian empire (which, whether truly imperial, Soviet, or capitalist in nature, has always existed).

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Posted at 24 March 08 at 18.03 in Books

Though John Adams cannot be credited with sticking around for Jefferson’s inaugural, at the time it did not seem impossible that he might have chosen to join with his supporters in violent revolution against Jefferson’s leadership. The fact that he did not ensured that the idea that is America – the seed of our nation – would be given the opportunity to grow and succeed.

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Posted at 20 March 08 at 20.03 in Obama 08, Books

What is so appealing about the candidacy of Senator Barack Obama is that he transcends this absurd divide. His rhetoric — that we must stand for change, that we are the change we seek — looks beyond government for solutions. He does not offer prescriptions as to how he will fix our problems as President. He instead invites us to do it ourselves. His is more than a campaign — it is a movement.

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Posted at 02 March 08 at 16.03 in Politics, Obama 08