Celluloid You Can't Refuse

Watched The Road to Perdition the other night -- one of my favorite gangster films. Every actor in it hits his mark perfectly -- Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Daniel Craig (the new James Bond!) and as Tom Hanks' son, Tyler Hoechlin. Just a great movie about an "honorable" hit man who gets involved in a double cross and has to go on the lam to protect his son. Got me thinking about my favorite mob movies of all time -- the ones I've seen, in no particular order...

A Bronx Tale -- DeNiro, Chazz Palmintieri, a father's battle with the Mob for the soul of his son...

Bugsy -- Vegas, Baby, Vegas! And Warren Beatty. And Ben Kingsley... And Annette Bening

Carlito's Way -- Al Pacino in all his bluster as a "reformed" Latin gangster who just keeps getting pulled back in

Donnie Brasco -- Johnny Depp as a federal mole who nearly joins the mob before he beats them -- and destroys Al Pacino in the process

The Freshman -- Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in just a great comedic riff on the Godfather

The Godfather -- The saga of the Corleone family begins -- Brando, Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall. A flawless movie...

The Godfather Part II -- The saga of the Corleone family is complete (forget III) -- Brando, Pacino, DeNiro, Duvall, Diane Keaton. Francis Ford Coppola makes a flawless sequel

Goodfellas -- DeNiro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta; Pesci in his career-making role. Brutal but you just can't avert your eyes.

Johnny Dangerously -- Michael Keaton pre-Batman. Hi-lar-i-ous.

Miller's Crossing -- The Cohen brothers do the Irish mob noir-style. Gabriel Byrne in his best role (Usual Suspects is a close second), Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden and John Turturro

Once Upon a Time in America -- DeNiro and James Woods in Sergio ("Spaghetti Western") Leone's last film about the rise of the New York mob.

On the Waterfront -- Brando again with Karl Malden and Rod Steiger. One of the greatest movie soliloquys of all time by Brando's Terry Malloy: "You don't understand. I could've had class. I could've been a contender. I could've been somebody instead of a bum, which is what I am..."

The Untouchables -- Sean Connery's Oscar-winning turn as cynical Chicago cop Jimmy Malone. Kevin Costner as Elliot Ness, Andy Garcia, Charles Martin Smith and DeNiro again, as Al Capone. Brian DePalma's best film.

The Road to Perdition

A Natural History of Peace

An interesting article from Foreign Affairs on whether human beings are innately peaceful or war-like. A hopeful article that acknolwedges that "[c]ontrary to what was believed just a few decades ago, humans are not "killer apes" destined for violent conflict, but can make their own history."

Hamas and the Future of Palestine

What to say about the ascendency of a terrorist organization to political power? Democracy should prevail in the Middle East, but what to make of the fact that the Palestinians have chosen -- and chose the political arm of Hamas, whose charter advocates the destruction of Israel? I think the rub here is not to look at this decision by Palestinians as a vote solely in favor of terrorism. Hamas leaders' have avoided the corruption that plagues Fatah, the organization built by Yasser Arafat. Hamas has also done a much better job in creating social services and taking care of the impoverished Palestinian population than Fatah.

At the same time, how can America support the legitimate results of democracy and encourage continued efforts at state-building in the West Bank and Gaza Strip while condemning the terrorist acts of Hamas, which remains unrepentant for its use of violence and terror and advocation of Israel's destruction, and continues to refuse to rule out the continued use of violence to achieve its aims? The key may be to be pragmatic. Recognize the value of democracy as a legitimate end in itself, even when the result is unfavorable to our interests. Refuse to accept the platform and actions of terror sponsored by Hamas and take the actions necessary to deal with (and prevent) such acts. Many observers opine that Hamas may moderate its views by becoming part of the system -- much in same way the IRA did in Northern Ireland (albeit, it remains a work in progress) when its political wing, Sinn Fein was able to join the national government. This situation remains a thorny problem that bears careful observing and the use of pragmatism.

Congressman Seuss

Just got this off of Solosez e-mail, an ABA resource for solo practitioners. don't know who wrote it, but it's great!

That Abramoff!
That Abramoff!

I do not like that Abramoff!
"Would you like to play some golf?"
I do not want to play some golf.
I do not want to, Abramoff.

"We could fly you there for free.
Off to Scotland, by the sea."
I do not want to fly for free.
I don't like Scotland by the sea.
I do not want to play some golf.
I do not want to, Abramoff.

"Would you, could you, take this bribe?
Could you, would you, for the tribe?"
I would not, could not, take this bribe.
I could not, would not, for the tribe.

"If we strong-armed corporations
Into giving you donations?
They'd be funneled to your PAC.
Would you then cut us some slack?"
I would not, could not, cut you slack.
I do not care about my PAC.
I do not want to play some golf.
I do not want to, Abramoff.

"A plane! A plane! A plane! A plane!
Would you, could you, for a plane?"
I could not, would not, for a plane.
Not for a bribe, not for the tribe.
Not for donations from corporations.
Not for my PAC, not for some slack.
Not from any schmoe named Jack.

"Would you help us buy some ships
Perfect for quick gambling trips?
Talk to people in the know
For a little quid pro quo?

Oh come now, don't be a snob.
Let us give your wife a job."
I will not help you buy some ships.
I do not wish for gambling trips.
My wife does not need a job
Even if she is a snob.

We do not like bribes, can't you see?
Why won't you just let me be?

"You do not like bribes, so you say.
Try them, try them, and you may.
Try them and you may, I say."
Jack. If you will let me be

I will try them, then you'll see.
Say.... I do like playing golf!
I like it, I do, Abramoff!
I do like Scotland by the sea.
It's such a thrilling place to be!

And I will take this bribe.
And I will help the tribe.
And I will take donations
From big corporations.

And I will help you buy some ships.
And I will take quick gambling trips.
Say, I'll give anyone the shaft
As long as it involves some graft!

I do so like playing golf!
Thank you! Thank you,
Abramoff!

Paul Tillich

A modern Christian philospoher who gets his props here:

Here's a brief biography from Wikipedia

And some memorable quotes...

Anger is a noble infirmity; the generous failing of the just; the one degree that riseth above zeal, asserting the prerogative of virtue.

Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt.

Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.

Doubt isn't the opposite of faith; it is an element of faith.

Faith consists in being vitally concerned with that ultimate reality to which I give the symbolical name of God. Whoever reflects earnestly on the meaning of life is on the verge of an act of faith.

I hope for the day when everyone can speak again of God without embarrassment.

Language... has created the word "loneliness" to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word "solitude" to express the glory of being alone.

Our language has wisely sensed the two sides of being alone. It has created the word loneliness to express the pain of being alone. And it has created the word solitude to express the glory of being alone.

Religion is the state of being grasped by an ultimate concern, a concern which qualifies all other concerns as preliminary and which itself contains the answer to the question of a meaning of our life.

The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.

The first duty of love is to listen.

There is no love which does not become help.

The Constant Gardener (Spoiler Alert)

We watched the Constant Gardener last night, a political thriller based on a John LeCarre novel, starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Wiesz. The movie is about the relationship between a career man in Britain's foreign service and his impassioned and indelicate (when it comes to behaving diplomatically) wife. The wife becomes embroiled in a dangerous game pitting her and an African doctor against big pharmaceutical companies who are testing drugs on the local population in Kenya, without regard for the side effects. The husband is unaware of this until his wife is murdered; she wanted to spare him the details to try and shelter his career from potential blowback. Instead, he tries to finish what his wife started -- exposing the pharmaceutical bean counting of African lives (treated as expendable in the pursuit of higher profit) and the British Foreign Service's complicity in it.

Great movie, and a typical sterling performance from Ralph Fiennes, who is without a doubt one of the more gifted actors performing. The only problem I had was with the ending, or rather with the ending for Ralph Fiennes. Once Fiennes has arranged for the public outing of the Foreign Service and pharmaceutical companies' roles in the deaths of its African test subjects, Fiennes goes to the scene of his wife's murder, knowing full well he'll be murdered too, without any explanation of his motives that ring true. While he clearly is affected by the loss of his wife, he doesn't seem the suicidal type, and he doesn't seem to be seeking some Rambo-esque confrontation with his wife's killers. Just didn't get it...

Playoff Picks -- The Three-quel

2-2 last week, making a 5-3 postseason record. Not surprised about the Bears, but blown away by the dominance of the Steelers -- it wasn't as close as the score, thanks to some interesting refereeing...

NFC Championship Game

Panthers at Seahawks

Panthers are clearly road warriors, and their defense is real solid. The Seahawks, however, have Shaun Alexander back, and were able to score 20 on another good defense without him. If Alexander gets 100, Seahawks win, and I'm betting he'll get there. Seahawks to go Super.


AFC Championship Game

Steelers at Broncos

Going to play the percentages this weekend. No 6th seed in the playoffs has ever gone to the Super Bowl. Bill Cowher is 1-4 in AFC Championship games. Broncos are nearly a carbon copy of the Steelers -- run, run run, QBs who manage a game, but can make plays when asked, solid O and D-lines, fast, playmaking LBs, and solid secondaries. Broncos in a close one.

What Not To Do When Offered Gum -- A Refresher Brought to You By The Onion

Your Offer Of Gum Seems Rather Disingenuous

By Roger Barney
January 17, 2006 | Issue 42•03
Your Offer Of Gum Seems Rather Disingenuous

Can you indulge me with a few moments of your time? I want to address something that happened a minute ago. We were talking, quite civilly, and then you reached into your pocket and pulled out a pack of Wrigley's Eclipse. One of their "new and improved" peppermints. You took a piece for yourself, and then—for reasons I can't quite understand—offered me a piece.

I stammered a bit, not knowing what to say, but managed to issue a polite refusal. As you will recall, I was chewing a piece of Fruit Stripe gum, something I often like to do after a large lunch.

Here's what I'm grappling with: Why did you offer me the gum? Surely, you must have known that I was already chewing a piece, as I'm not one to conceal my enjoyment of gum. Second, I have something of a reputation for my frequent offers of gum. You've requested a piece from me on numerous occasions. So you're certainly aware of the fact that I always have a stockpile of many delicious flavors, such as cinnamon, wintergreen, wild berry, and spearmint. Not to mention more unusual flavors, such as watermelon and Black Jack.

But the pieces still don't fit. Was it absentminded social politeness? Perhaps, but you're a shrewd guy. You're not the kind to invite a wine enthusiast to dinner and serve him Two-Buck Chuck. You're smarter than that, and let's be honest, you often have an angle you're playing. The question is: What's the angle?

Perhaps, because I have been so generous with my gum in the past, you felt that it was now your turn to offer a piece to me. Normally, this would be something I would appreciate, but again, we have the problem that I already had a piece of gum going. It seems to me that your strange offer was calculated to elicit a refusal, or perhaps, more sinister, a reciprocal gum offer in the future.

And as it happens, I have recently received a few packs of gum from a friend of mine studying in Iceland. If you tried them, they'd leave you reeling. They did me—no mean feat, for when it comes to gum, I'm fairly jaded.

In the future, I would suggest you come out and ask for gum directly, rather than resorting to subterfuge or mind games to try to wheedle a stick of rare Icelandic gum out of me.

There is one other possible explanation for your gum offer, and it is not a pretty one. You were betraying your low opinion of me. Why else would you offer me Eclipse, for God's sake? Improved flavor or not, I have only sampled that brand to affirm firsthand that their claims of improved taste are premature. I can only imagine that you were letting me know that you thought of me as someone who would enjoy Eclipse. If this is the case, all I can say is that I'm not someone you want as an enemy.

But perhaps I'm overreacting. I think the only way to settle this is with a face-to-face talk. We'll clear the air over a few beers and sticks. If you would just tell me why you offered me that stick of gum, it would certainly put my mind at ease.

Rainer Maria Rilke

Another of my favorite poets -- this is one of his best...

You, You Only, Exist

You, you only, exist.
We pass away, till at last,
our passing is so immense
that you arise: beautiful moment,
in all your suddenness,
arising in love, or enchanted
in the contraction of work.

To you I belong, however time may
wear me away. From you to you
I go commanded. In between
the garland is hanging in chance; but if you
take it up and up and up: look:
all becomes festival!

?!%&*#>! Bears!

I, like much of Chicago, am thoroughly disgusted with yesterday's "effort" against the Panthers. For a defense that all week was yapping like a chihuahua at the mailman, they sure couldn't back it up. A complete failure at all levels. No pressure on Jake Delhomme, single coverage (!) on WR Steve Smith all game after a huge first half, no discernable adjustments at halftime, poor tackling and horrible technique by the secondary -- so much for all the D's talk about being one of the all-time greats. I saw it coming, but couldn't stop myself from picking 'em...

Playoff Picks, Part Deux

3-1 last week, and if Edell Shepard could catch, I'd be 4-0. Of course, if your aunt had a beard, she'd be your uncle, so without further adieu, Playoff Picks, Part Deux

Redskins vs. Seahawks

Redskins have a better D, but the Seahawks' D is good enough to slow down a banged up Clinton Portis and to put enough pressure on Mark Brunell that Santana Moss shouldn't go crazy. That, plus a healthy dose of MVP Shaun Alexander pulls out the W for the 'Hawks. Seahawks to win.

Patriots vs. Broncos

My head is telling me that Tom Brady is 10-0 in the playoffs, and that the Pats are playing their best ball of the year, particularly on the D side. Still... I don't think the Jags presented much of a danger on offense, and given that the Pats' secondary is still banged up, I like Denver's chances. If the Broncos jump out to an early lead, they'll run well enough on the Pats to make it hold up. Says here that the Pats' run is over in Denver. Denver to win.

Steelers vs. Colts

If the Steelers were playing anyone else in the AFC, I'd pick 'em. However, while they'll make it a better game than their 26-7 loss in the RCA Dome earlier this season, the Colts have too much O, and just enough D to win convinvcingly. Colts.

Panthers vs. Da Bears!

The head says, it's the Bears, who haven't made any real post season noise since 1985. The heart says, it's the Bears, your hometown team. You gotta pick 'em. Heart's going to win out here. Won't surprise me if the Panthers win, they've got a better team than they showed in the Bears' 13-3 whuppin' from earlier this year, and Jake Delhomme's postseason record is spectacular so far. However, the Bears' offense is better than the first meeting, and their D has something to prove if they want to be ranked among the best in recent memory. Going with Bears here, and picking all four home teams with the bye to win.

This Just In From Onion Sports!

ESPN Courts Female Viewers With World's Emotionally Strongest Man Competition

September 29, 2005 | Onion Sports

BRISTOL, CT—Sports broadcasting giant ESPN, whose programming has long been a staple among male television viewers of all ages, made its first foray into women's sports programming with the introduction of the World's Emotionally Strongest Man Competition Monday.

The hour-long weekly show, which will run opposite ABC's Monday Night Football, features an international cast of powerfully caring, emotionally resilient, deeply sensitive men pushing themselves and each other to the limit with astounding feats of inner strength in domestic settings around the country.

During the show's premiere, a two-hour special titled "Manhattan Blowout," competitors put their bodies, minds, and spirits to the test in events ranging from the brutal grind of "Enduring Quietly As She Takes Her Hard Day At Work Out On You," to the agility-straining "Throwing A Last-Minute Surprise Party For A Despised Mother-In-Law," to the ultimate combination of strength and finesse, "Helping Her Over The Death Of The Cat That Always Hated You."

"We've always been interested in expanding our brand to involve fans of every possible stripe," said ESPN president George Bodenheimer at the gala WESMC premiere party at the ESPN Zone restaurant in Times Square Monday. "When we looked at our viewers, it was immediately apparent that—figure skating, cheerleading, and gymnastics aside—women were the largest single group we were missing. This new show was designed from the ground up to give them the kind of deep, meaningful competitive experience they don't get from normal sports-entertainment shows."

Over 13 million viewers tuned in for the premiere, which saw Manhattan photographer Barry Peters pull to a strong early lead in overall points with his artful, complaint-free performance in the "Synchronized Cooking And Consolation" event, during which Peters prepared a near-flawless zucchini-pepper ratatouille while effortlessly lifting the spirits of his partner, the challenging and highly unpredictable Christy Ericsson, by convincing her that she was in fact better off without that long-anticipated promotion.

Other strong overall performances were turned in by Martin "There, There" Richards, a graphic designer who remembered to make his wife's beloved tapioca pudding on the anniversary—not of their marriage—but of their first date; Garth "The Embrace" Josephsen, who maintained some form of reassuring but undemanding physical contact with his fiancée for nine consecutive hours; and Ben "Soulmate" Siegel, who made his girlfriend laugh despite her belief that minor weight gain and childlessness were ruining her life.

"It was perfect, honestly," said tear-prone football coach and WESMC host Dick Vermeil, who taped the show's 13 episodes earlier this summer so that he would be free to lead the Kansas City Chiefs without any heart-rending distractions. "We couldn't have asked for a better debut. Even the guys who didn't do as well as they wanted did their honest best, and we had no breakups or severely hurt feelings, despite some relatively large missteps."

According to Vermeil, one competitor, Patrick "Gusher" Johnson, overcorrected a brief moment of thoughtlessness with a hasty and inappropriate marriage proposal, straining his trust almost to the breaking point. He also noted that "Magnanimous" Ver Magnusson, the lone Icelandic entrant, may have tripped himself up with his longtime companion Marta by compensating for his terse nature with an "almost creepy" overabundance of expensive gifts.

Early reviews of the show have been overwhelmingly positive, with the target audience responding precisely as ESPN had hoped.

"WESMC is exactly the kind of thing I've always wanted in a competitive event," said viewer Emma Michaels, who posted her approval on the show's web site. "The way these talented emotional athletes can be so strong for others, bearing up under the crushing weight of sadness, shouldering the burdens of a fully mature relationship, never taking the cop-out of ‘letting a woman down easy,' and never cheating… This is the way these games are meant to be played."

Del Amitri

A great and underappreciated band in the U.S., methinks. The Scottish Matthew Sweet. All these guys have done for the past fifteen years is produce smart, sing-alongable pop/rock songs that have withstood the test of time. Here's a list of my favorites:

Always the Last to Know
Be My Downfall
Cry to Be Found
Don't Come Home Too Soon
Don't I Look Like the Guy You Used To Hate
Drowned on Dry Land
Driving With the Brakes On
Hatful of Rain
It's Never Too Late To be Alone
Kiss This Thing Goodbye
Low Friends in High Places
Move Away Jimmy Blue
Not Where It's At
Nothing Ever Happens
Roll to Me (one of Jen's favorite songs)
Some Other Sucker's Parade
Stone Cold Sober
Tell Her This
The Ones That You Love Lead You Nowhere

Penguin Swing

I happened upon this game some time ago. It's ludicrously simple. Click your mouse to drop the penguin, and then click again to let the Abominable Snowman bat him into orbit. Despite liking penguins almost as much as I like ducks (ask Jen about this), this game is incredibly addictive. It should have been an extra on the "March of the Penguins" DVD. I'll note for the record that no penguins were harmed in the making of this game...

Celebrity Look Alikes?

Bruce Sutter on the left, Larry Bird on the right.

Cubs Add One to Hall of Fame for Second Straight Year

Despite the almost Century of Futility, Cubs reliever turned Cardinals nemesis Bruce Sutter received the call from the Hall of Fame today. While Sutter is as deserving as any reliever out there, particularly for popularizing the split-finger baseball, Goose Gossage, Bert Blyleven, Jim Rice and Andre Dawson were also deserving, in my opinion, but didn't come close. For a team that's truly stunk it up for more than a half century, the Cubs seem to have a solid list of players in the Hall (17, not including managers) -- I'm only including those players with more than five of their good years with the Cubs:

Pete Alexander 1918-1926
Cap Anson 1876-1897
Ernie Banks 1953-1971
Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown 1904-1912, 1916
Frank Chance 1898-1912
Kiki Cuyler 1928-1935
Johnny Evers 1902-1913
Clark Griffith 1893-1900
Gabby Hartnett 1922-1940
Billy Herman 1931-1941
Fergie Jenkins 1966-1973, 1982-1983
King Kelly 1880-1886
Ryne Sandberg 1982-1994, 1996-1997
Bruce Sutter 1976-1980
Joe Tinker 1902-1912, 1916
Billy Williams 1959-1974
Hack Wilson 1926-1931

Later, Corey

The Cubs traded Corey Patterson to the Orioles today, ending the disappointing ride of Patterson, who was hailed by many as a franchise player when he was drafted. The Cubs obtained two minor leaguers in return, 20 year old SS Nate Spears and 23 year old P Carlos Perez. Neither prospect obtained from the Orioles appears to be a blue chipper. Here's hoping Patterson doesn't bust out away from Chicago...

1491 -- The Americas Before Columbus

Just finished 1491 by Charles Mann. The book is a survey of the current theories of archaeology and anthropology addressing what the Americas were like culturally, technologically, and so forth in the years prior to the Columbus. The current theories indicate that Native American civilizations, such as Norte Chico, Inca, Cahokia, the Haudenosaunee and others prior to Columbus was as advanced as other great civilizations in the world, and that the population of the Americas prior to the introduction of European diseases was staggering. While at times Mann seems to take great pains to be politically correct, the research he cites indicates that the Native Americans were far from the "noble savages" typically depicted in American and European history books, and that the Indians dod not simply live in harmony with the land, but in fact molded and shaped the environment to further their plans for its use. It's a fascinating book looking at some revolutionary theories.

Another Hubble Pic

NASA's astronomy picture of the day. The Tarantula Nebula. Tell me where to sign so I can send more of my tax $ to the Hubble, because these pictures are sweet!

NFL Playoff Picks -- Wildcard Weekend

Here they are -- my fearless predictions for this weekend's playoff games:

Redskins v. Bucs

Much as I want a Bears-Skins rematch in the NFC title game, I think these two teams are very similar -- caretaker QBs, good RBs, one stud WR each, and great defenses. I think home field makes the difference in what is essentially a wash, so I'm picking the Bucs.

Jaguars v. Patriots

I want to like the Jags. Alomst as much as I dislike the Pats, for the sole reason I want to see some new blood. But I don't see the Pats giving up the title at home to a team with a QB named "Garrard". Pats to win.

Panthers v. Giants

Giants are pretty banged up on D in the LB corps and the secondary. Despite the fact the Panthers can't seem to run, I like their defense better, and Jake Delhomme is more inconsistently consistent (get that?) than Eli Manning. Panthers.

Steelers v. Bengals

Bengals are a great offense, gambling (but porous defense). Teams split in the regular season. I like the Steelers' balance and experience. Going Steelers here.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Another of the "must-knows" in the pantheon of Christian thought, and another of my favorites... a philosopher's philosopher, as these quotes attest:

A man has free choice to the extent that he is rational.

Beware the man of one book.

Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire; and to know what he ought to do.

Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.

The things that we love tell us what we are.

To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.

Love takes up where knowledge leaves off.

Most men seem to live according to sense rather than reason.

The highest manifestation of life consists in this: that a being governs its own actions. A thing which is always subject to the direction of another is somewhat of a dead thing.

St. Augustine of Hippo

Not only an amazing man, but an unparalleled philosopher, as the following quotes demonstrate:

Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.

God provides the wind, but man must raise the sails.

People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.

You aspire to great things? Begin with little ones.

Miracles are not contrary to nature, but only contrary to what we know about nature.

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.

Temperance is love surrendering itself wholly to Him who is its object; courage is love bearing all things gladly for the sake of Him who is its object; justice is love serving only Him who is its object, and therefore rightly ruling; prudence is love making wise distinction between what hinders and what helps itself.

2005 Is History

Welcome to 2006! Hope the journey is a good one for all...

Into the Wild / Let Me Go

Finished two of the books in my queue, and would recommend both. Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer, is the true story of a 24 year-old from an East Coast family with a father who was a NASA scientist. After graduating college, Chris McCandless adopted the name "Alexander Supertramp" and decided to devote the next chunk of his life to wandering the United States with a minimum of material attachments. McCandless is drawn by the idea of testing his limits against nature. After a close call with a flash flood and starvation, he is drawn to the Alaskan Wilderness, where he decides to rough it on Stampede Trail, in the shadow of Denali National Park. Remarkably, McCandless lived for 113 days in the Alaskan bush, eventually dying of starvation, in part due to flooding caused by glacier melts. I found the story mesmerizing, despite the fact that the outcome was never in doubt. While a number of people have criticized McCandless' choices and Krakauer for glorifying what these critics view as a follish death, I find it a thoughtful cautionary tale for the weekend warrior types (and even more experienced survivalists), in the same vein as Krakauer's book Into Thin Air.

Let Me Go by Helga Schnieder, is the true story of an Austrian journalist coming to terms with her estranged mother, who left her family to work for the Nazi SS at Auschwitz/Birkenau during WWII. The book is harrowing, given the fact that no reconciliation is reached between mother and daughter -- the mother is unrepentant and truly believes she was performing a public service of sorts for the Third Reich by exterminating Jews. Particularly disturbing is the fact that her mother understands what she did, yet can't (or refuses) to acknowledge the criminality of her actions. It's a dark moment in the vein of the book "Hitler's Willing Executioners," which theorizes that many Germans were engaged in actions that furthered the Holocuast because they believed in it, rather than simply being "forced into it" by circumstances or fear.

Currently reading -- 1491 -- offering substantial evidence that what we taught about Indian population, history, culture, etc. in school -- is a bunch a bunk...