| The Kensington Review |
11 October 2006 |
| Latest Commentary: | Volume V, Number 121 |
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Illinois Spared Gubernatorial Debates -- Finley Peter Dunne, one of the first ever syndicated columnists, quipped from a Chicago bar-room around 100 years ago that “politics ain’t beanbag.” By that with apologies of Carl von Clausewitz, he meant that politics is war by other means – at least in Illinois, land of Abe Lincoln, Adlai Stevenson and a pair of Mayors Daley. Thanks to the inability of the Democrats and Republicans in that state to agree on a format and dates, there will not be another debate between their respective gubernatorial candidates this year. One hopes this idea spreads.
Russian Government Gangsters Kill Journalist Anna Politkovskaya -- If this journal has a guiding principle it might best be phrased “to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable,” or maybe, “If you’ve got a blacklist, put me on it.” However, from a safe desk in New York, London or wherever, that attitude isn’t all that brave. Other writers have tougher postings, and Anna Politkovskaya of Moscow was as tough as any US Marine because she had to be. She dared to tell the truth about post-communist Russia, its war in Chechnya, and the failure of democracy there. Her body was found in the elevator of her apartment building with fatal gunshot wounds over the week-end. Google Buys YouTube for $1.65 Billion -- When Google went public with its odd auction IPO, a great many believed it was merely a way to help its staff make their fortunes more liquid. Heaven knows the company didn’t need cash. Now, it has found something truly useful to buy with its billions, spending $1.65 billion on YouTube, the video website. An extremely powerful video “network” is aborning. Gore, Kennedy and Angelou Win Quills, Desai Picks up Booker Prize -- For book fans, it has been a busy day or two. In the US, the Second Annual Quill Book Awards were handed out. Across the pond, the Booker Prize winner was named. The Oscars and the Nobels they are not. The third millennium doesn’t value literacy in quite the way earlier times have. Being able to read is about extracting information quickly now, and less about reveling in a story (fiction or non-fiction) well told. Nonetheless, this public acknowledgement is better than a poke in the eye for writers. © Copyright 2006 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux. |
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