Monthly Archives: January 2012

Silverstone, del Toro, Walken: Excess Baggage

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

I never know which movies my younger daughter will develop an attraction to. Once the attraction is there, she wants to see the same movie, and most frequently the same scenes, over and over. One movie that, as a consequence, … Continue reading →

Posted in Film | Leave a comment

Playing to a Stereotype II

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

I heard Shahla Khan Salter speak in Ottawa last night. Looks like she was also writing a fair bit, shortly before the event. Guilty Muslim men everywhere, it seems. Not fair, but no matter, when guilty not guilty; confusing path, … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal Justice Issues, Islam, Religion | Leave a comment

Playing to a Stereotype

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

Now that the murder trial is over, the apologists are out. What I know now (and had to have my own prejudices countered) is that the concept of “honour killing” is cultural, rather than religious, and is cross-cultural. That was … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal Justice Issues | Leave a comment

Convergence of Negatives

Posted on January 29, 2012 by

Don’t read too many hard copy newspapers anymore. When researching my doctoral dissertation, used to read seven or so newspapers a day. Lots of piles. Problem with electronics versions, at least to me so far, is that there isn’t that … Continue reading →

Posted in Canadian Economy | Leave a comment

Lost Books Unwritten II

Posted on January 28, 2012 by

Wrote about so many lost books, in relation to musicians. Same thing in the world of politics, particularly on the part of those viewing things from down the hall, rather than across the desk. Not that many books, at least … Continue reading →

Posted in Political Memoirs | Leave a comment

Emptiness of Autonomous Pride

Posted on January 27, 2012 by

I sent my friend, Neil Remington Abramson, some comments from someone expressing a degree of antipathy towards organized religion, from the perspective of agnosticism, verging on atheism. Neil responded as follows (reproduced with permission): If we relied on history as … Continue reading →

Posted in Religion | Leave a comment

Rights of Democracy

Posted on January 26, 2012 by

Egypt, one year later: positive possibilities. Plus, a background story. In terms of the book she refers to, which was made into a film: So many possibilities…

Posted in Egypt, Islam | Leave a comment

Paul Young: Clowns, La Di Da, Miracle

Posted on January 25, 2012 by

Better send somebody in Got to compromise, got to make them smile Send in the clowns The people in the sky ain’t gonna teach us to fly Better get a parachute They tell me the way you hang round With … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Leave a comment

Lost Books Unwritten

Posted on January 24, 2012 by

When Richard Patterson died, at the age of 66, at least two important unwritten books went with him. Actually, they had started to fade some three or so years earlier. His mind deteriorated as a consequence of early onset dementia, … Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Leave a comment

Jonah Forgiveness

Posted on January 23, 2012 by

My friend, Neil Remington Abramson, has both a personal and academic interest in punishment and forgiveness. He wrote to me on January 23, 2012 as follows (e-mail correspondence reproduced with permission): Yesterday, I attended my two usual church services. One … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Religion | Leave a comment