"Can you hear me?" the angel says. "Of course I can," the second angel replies. But something strange is happening here. We cannot hear them. Nor can they hear each other. The actors playing these angels do not speak. They converse through American Sign Language. "Sound lies," the first angel continues. "So does silence." They turn away from one another but continue their conversation. The effect is startling, eerie. One realizes, of course, that these are actors, reciting well-rehearsed lines... Read more

Vaclav Havel was born 69 years ago today. Wikipedia provides a nice summary of his history as a playwright, political dissident, patriot and, ultimately, the president of first Czechoslovakia and then the Czech Republic. Here is his official Web site. The Velvet Revolution, which swept aside the Communist rule in Czechoslovakia in 1989, seemed like an improbable miracle, yet Havel didn't seem particularly surprised. He had always maintained that the old system was based on a lie and, therefore, could... Read more

Via Sisyphus Shrugged, here's Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers responding to questions in an Oct. 2004 "ask the White House" online session: "… On September 11, 2001, we learned that there had been gathering dangers for the United States that would materialize in terrorist attacks that would kill innocent Americans as well as people from countries around the world and dramatically impact the economy …" And here, via Atrios, is an AP photo of Harriet Miers from Aug. 6, 2001.... Read more

Today is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who died 779 years ago yesterday. Another holy fool is being honored this week in Wilmington, Del., where residents yesterday gathered to remember William Drew Asnis. Known to his neighbors as "Prayin' Bill," Asnis lived on the street, offering prayers for the city and for everyone he encountered there. Bill's sister, Christine Claire Archer, said that 15 years ago her brother, a graduate of Cornell University, left his teaching job... Read more

Mike Davis and Anthony Fontenat, writing for The Nation, offer a provocative list of "25 Questions About the Murder of New Orleans." The title of this list might seem, to some, uncharitable and a violation of Hanlon's/Heinlein's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." But the cumulative effect of these 25 questions reinforces the conclusion that any disinterested observer reached while witnessing the weeks of government bungling in response to Hurricane Katrina: A nonresponse... Read more

From the Philadelphia City Paper: Can two heady concepts meet for a successful show? Caliban Productions is going to try with Perfection Unspeakable, a play by Tom Minter about angels engaged in a heavenly chess match over free will, in a production using American Sign Language, dance and spoken dialogue. Through Oct. 23, The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 212-868-4444, www.smarttix.com. (Tickets also available at the door.) From Shakespeare in Love: Henslowe: Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre... Read more

"A society should be judged not be how it treats its outstanding citizens, but by how it treats its criminals." — Fyodor Dostoevsky "Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was … sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' " — Matthew 25:41-43 "Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor... Read more

Here, unchanged, is a post originally from Sept. 22, 2003, providing a bit of the romantic and financial history of Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who is stepping in for Tom Delay as House Majority Leader. Delay is in legal trouble, partly due to his close ties to lobbyists: In bed with Big Tobacco Altriiiiia — I just met a girl named Altria … Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., the House majority whip, is getting married next month. The wedding is planned... Read more