The media likes to portray the Republicans and Obama as having an adversarial relationship. That’s all cover. Actually, there isn’t five cents worth of difference between them.
Photograph: Stephen Wise
The National Museum of Crime and Punishment in Washington D.C. has plenty of Mafia memorabilia and even some Ted Kaczynski stuff — but so far nothing from politicians, bankers or lobbyists.
In his State of the Union speech this week President Obama said the U.S. was “built to last,” and not in decline. The facts indicate otherwise. One reason is because so many Americans, especially Mr. Obama and his predecessors, have embraced the dark side — as a way of life.
Photographs: Stephen Wise
Ticket Summit, the leading conference and trade show for the live entertainment industry held their 2012 New York event last week. Attendees included pro-sports ticketing executives, venue managers, producers, promoters, marketers and ticketing agencies for the primary and secondary market. The keynotes featured Richard Krezwick, President of Devils Arena Entertainment and Seth Hurwitz, co-owner of the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C.
An intersting sidenote to come out of the show — Mr. Krezwick said the “devil” in the Jersey Devils was recently voted the best brand in sports.
Photographs: Stephen Wise
Republican presidental candidates are trying to attract Christian voters by serving up a devil’s sandwich.
One part of the sandwich says that in a democracy you have to vote. The second part says that as Christians you can only vote for a candidate that is ‘pro-life’ — narrowly defined as against abortion (because abortion is intrinsically evil). In the middle of the sandwich are candidates like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich — take your pick. It doesn’t matter that Messrs. Santorum and Gingrich have done little or nothing to reverse Roe v. Wade, or that they have strongly supported an American foreign policy that is also intrinsically evil.
Yesterday in Washington D.C., LE ran into Senator Jeff Sessions, of Alabama, who was telling students on the steps of the U.S. Capital that he is “pro-life”. We asked the Senator if he saw a contradiction in claiming to be pro-life while at the same time supporting the war-of-choice (in Iraq) that killed over 1 million women and children (according to Mohammed el-Baradei and others)? He said “no”.
Analysis: The pro-life, pro-war, got-to-vote schitzophrenia that is being pushed by secular and religious leaders is undermining religion and society. Abortion is a terrible thing, but many who oppose it have been just as terrible in their support of war and torture in recent years. As a result, the pro-life movement has become easy prey for charlatans seeking political and financial gain. The fact that it has been ineffectual in reversing “Roe” or even restricting abortions might be linked to its inconsistencies. The best hope going forward is for those who really care about ‘life’ to put into practice a coherent and consistent-life-ethic. Which means no more torture or wars of choice. Only then will society come around on abortion.
Photographs: Stephen Wise
Today is the 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion in the United States.
“Abortion is a crime.” Bernard Nathanson, M.D. (former abortion doctor)
“Modern man is profoundly religious, but his religion is no longer centered on the propitiation of heavenly or infernal powers; rather it consists in the propitiation of himself.” Germaine Greer
“In some instances, specific Kodak products mentioned in this edition of “How To Make Good Pictures” are not at present available. Kodak is very busy, these days, with the special production of urgently needed war material; hence, the manufacture of amateur photographic equipment, as such has been drastically cut. Film is available, but in limited quantities, so that the individual user is urged to be careful with it—to make every shot count.” The Eastman Kodak Company 1943
Kodak 1880-2012
Lara Logan, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent CBS News, has spent ten years covering wars around the world. She spoke at the Columbia Journalism School Jan. 20.
In her remarks, Ms. Logan blithely said “we’re headed for war with Iran—it just feels that way.”
It should be noted that her 60 Minutes segment — A Relentless Enemy, is now being used by the U.S. Army as a recruiting video.
Ms. Logan spoke strongly about the high percentage of women in Afghanistan who are uneducated, but then seemed proud of the fact that she herself has never studied journalism. “I never studied journalism. I don’t talk in soundbites.”
When asked how she stays healthy? Ms. Logan replied: “I’m not sure I am healthy.”
Photographs: Stephen Wise
The 58th Annual Winter Antiques Show held their opening night party at the Park Avenue Armory Jan. 19. Funds raised from the party support the East Side House Settlement, which offers a variety of services and educational programs to those living in the Bronx.
Photographs: Stephen Wise
Richard Engel, Chief Foreign Correspondent for NBC News, spoke at the Columbia Journalism School this evening.
Engel started by telling the students they were all smarter than he, because he had been rejected by the Columbia J-school years ago.
Mr. Engel suggested that to understand the Arab Spring, it helps to know World War I — especially the badly drawn borders in its aftermath.
Commentary: We would add to that an understanding of Bolshevism and Lenin’s enduring appeal, albeit through Facebook. For years the Soviet Union was ‘mission control’ for revolutions. Today it’s the U.S. and Israel.
Photograph: Stephen Wise
Artwork: Asya Reznikov
