He knew and felt that what was being accomplished was similar to what had been accomplished a year ago in a hotel in a provincial capital, on the deathbed of his brother Nikolai. But that had been grief and this was joy. But that grief and this joy were equally outside all ordinary circumstances of life, were like holes in this ordinary life, through which something higher showed.—Anna Karenina (during Kitty’s labor) Read more

ERIC CONVEYS AN EMOTION is back online!!! Read more

SUPER-MEH. Yeah, well, I’m pretty sure the only way I would have really loved the new Superman movie is if John Cho played Superman and Kal Penn played Lex Luthor. Not the target audience, no. Read more

CELLULOID TABLETS: So I’m about to watch Krzysztof Kieslowski’s Decalogue series, ten movies keyed to the Commandments. And I got to thinking about which movies I would pick to illustrate which commandments. This is a personal and perhaps bizarre list; I’d be interested in reader comments and suggestions. My only criteria for the list were: 1. I had to at least like the movie (Any Given Sunday is on the borderline here–all the others I really think are excellent, whereas... Read more

KITCHEN ADVENTURETTE: SPINACH THING. Because I had a bunch of stuff. ingredients: spaghetti, garlic, dried herbs (basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, plus black pepper), button a.k.a. plain old mushrooms, olive oil, spinach! from a package, plum tomato, balsamic vinegar, lemon, butter, parmesan cheese. to make: Put a pot of (salted, except I’m out of salt) water on to boil. While it’s heating, chop the garlic (I think coarse chopping would actually work better than fine). Put the chopped garlic in... Read more

HAPPY FOURTH OF THE JULY FROM THE MANOLO! Read more

LINKSES. The Washington Post is doing a series on farm subsidies and some of the (many, many) reasons they suck. Here is the first installment, “Farm Program Pays $1.3 Billion to People Who Don’t Farm”; here is the second, “Growers Reap Benefits, Even in Good Years.” Here is my dormant farm-dole blog. Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack vetoes bill that would curb eminent domain. Bah! Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) said some good stuff though. Via the Club for Growth. Read more

“Well, I’m very glad,” he said, coldly looking at her, her hair, the dress he knew she had put on for him. He liked it all, but he had already liked it so many times!—Anna Karenina, tr. Pevear and Volonkhosky Read more

GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER BLOG. Some, uh, familiar names. (and yes, I’ll be back soon–have some stuff I want to post, but I’m tired now.) Read more

MORE ON “NOT FEELING SPIRITUAL.” Read more