Author Archives: stephenkmacksd

Political Observer comments. The doubtful Reader should consult The Economist, here: Headline: Three stories of collusion during the second world war Sub-headline: Ian Buruma examines the motive s and results of betrayal in “The Collaborators” https://www.economist.com/culture/2023/03/02/three-stories-of-collusion-during-the-second-world-war The Reader confronts this … Continue reading →

Old Socialist attempts a reading of the 4,401 word polemic … Here is the introduction, by Martin Ivens , to this January 20, 2023 edition of the TLS -the opening sentences tells The Reader that ’Anti­semitism is still virulent in … Continue reading →

Queer Atheist comments. The very thought of reading one more of Ross Douthat’s meditations, conjured in a mind packed with exhausted Aquinian Theology, tinctured in AI, unidentified flying objects, hallucinogens … The first paragraphs of his latest essay: Mr. Douthat … Continue reading →

Political Observer on two possible strategies of analysis. There are two possible approaces to Mr. Stephens’ propaganda: one is to engage in a reductivism, that uses the Topic Sentences as the beginning of a critique: Stephens is enamored short sentences, that frame … Continue reading →

Almost Marx offers a reductive selection, of a kind… Israel today is a boiler with way, way too much steam building up inside, and the bolts are about to fly off in all directions.  Israel has never experienced a Palestinian … Continue reading →

Political Observer notes that the scolding of Olaf Schultz, is about his failure to genuflect to the American National Securest State’s imperatives. Editor @zannymb agrees. ‘In the quick forge and working-house of thought’ Kudos h.hackett@ucl.ac.uk Let me begin with the … Continue reading →

Political Cynic comments on this once valued publication. Not much here, but the news that Mailer was buried in his boxing gear. I recall reading a paperback of Mailer’s ‘An American Dream’ that I purchased at a liquor store on … Continue reading →

Political Observer comments. Headline: Isolated, out of touch, but clinging on: how Russians see Putin Sub-headline: A year on from the disastrous invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin could be just one crisis away from collapse https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-perceptions-putin-evolved-one-year-russia-ukraine-war-b79xh0xgr The reader might wonder … Continue reading →

Political Observer checks Mr. Brooks’ sources Mr. Brookes begins here: “The coronavirus caused by far the biggest disruption in the history of American education,” Meira Levinson and Daniel Markovits wrote in The Atlantic last year. Things have not reverted back to normal … Continue reading →

Political Observer comments, and quotes from McGeorge Bundy’s 1952 review of ‘God and Man at Yale’. Some ‘highlights’ from the utterly unimpressive @RichLowry essay, on the equally unimpressive Nikki Haley: Headline: Opinion | The Real Reason Nikki Haley May Struggle … Continue reading →