Popular Culture

20 October 2003


John Paul II -- The First 25 Years
Pope John Paul II celebrated his silver jubilee on the throne of St. Peter last week. The spiritual leader of the world's 1+ billion Catholics is now an old man, suffering from Parkinson's disease, and yet remains firmly in control of the church's apparatus. His reign has been analyzed in detail in the last few days, but a great many pundits have been too one-sided in their assessments of him. For more, click here.

Cubs, Not Fan, Lost the Championship
One is ashamed of Chicago baseball fans. An unfortunate man, who did nothing wrong, was blamed for the loss the Cubs suffered in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins. The real lovers of the game in Windy City would do well to listen their star pitcher, Kerry Woods, who said, "I choked." Click here to read on.

South Korea's Frenotomy Follies
There is an ugly trend in South Korea that may not undo the incredible progress that society has made in the last generation, but it certainly is a sign that that nation's self-image has yet to catch up to its international standing. Some parents are having their children under go a frenotomy, which takes about half an inch off the frenulum to make the tongue more flexible. The idea behind this mutilation is to improve the child's ability to speak English. Click here to read more.