Comments on: The prodigal son

By: msg

msg — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 22:09:59 +0000

The fatted calf in spike-heeled black leather boots, licking the hand of a man in an executioner’s hood, while three dark-suited politicians with erect postures look on attentively. You can’t hear the scream from the street, and vice versa. The recursive nature of even enlightened self-interest means it only goes so far, like a rubber band, or a parable. Whereas virtue that seeks only the one-way, the selfless transitive, targets the infinite.

By: yoni

yoni — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 21:19:20 +0000

i’d switch sharon and bush, and you hve a winner.

By: Dan Simon

Dan Simon — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 21:16:41 +0000

I’d like to propose my own prodigal-son parable to apply to the trio of leaders you mentioned. The father and the prodigal son share a common fundamental worldview and approach to international affairs, while the “good” son’s approach is somewhat different. All three of them happen to share a common set of interests and goals in one particular far-off land, but for various reasons, only the good son is in a position to help the father by contributing significantly to the effort to achieve those goals. Meanwhile, in other respects, the good son’s projects (of which one of the most prominent is encouraging the prodigal son to allow his enemies to beat him into submission) go nowhere, because they are fundamentally at odds with the shared worldview of the father and the prodigal son. As a result, the good son’s domestic political position is somewhat undermined, despite—perhaps even because of—the enormous assistance he gave his father—while the less “useful” prodigal son’s is enhanced. I admit that it’s not a very elegant parable, but it does have the advantage of attempting to say something relevant and intelligent about international politics.

By: laura

laura — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 20:37:26 +0000

There is a third way, heelwise. Cursed with terminal ankle instability and therefore unable to wear a stiletto, I look for heels that are narrow front to back but extend more or less the whole width of the foot. This gives me stability with at least a certain amount of sass. (Although at the moment I am on the losing side of both propositions, being in a fabulous toe-to-mid-calf splint accessorized with some charming gray crutches.)

By: bryan

bryan — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 14:13:50 +0000

Stockholm syndrome for blair maybe, what about all the other european countries that have been doing what the U.S wants? I’m thinking beaten wives.

By: Maria

Maria — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 11:14:12 +0000

On second thoughts, if TB really believes his own spin, maybe Stockholm Syndrome is a better concept to explain his relationship with GWB.

By: Maria

Maria — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 11:06:19 +0000

Nothing new – wedge for comfort, stiletto for sassiness!

By: Danny Yee

Danny Yee — Tue, 27 Apr 2004 10:17:35 +0000

But inquiring minds want to know: what was the conclusion about the relative merits of stiletto and wedge heels?