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American Analog Set: Set Free I keep getting this band’s name mixed up with that of The Monochrome Set, whom I’ve never heard but whose name seems a good fit for this music. American Analog Set’s approach is in some ways the opposite of Calexico’s (reviewed last week): instead of variety and eclecticism they have…
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The New Criterion's blog passes on these remarks from historian Paul Johnson which serve very well for my views on the state of contemporary fiction: The other week I found myself sitting at supper next to someone called Zadie Smith. I thought her rather snooty, to be honest, but gave a novel of hers a…
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On most of our complaints, which are mostly such small potatoes compared to: Regina Doman's tragic loss. I hope anyone reading this who believes in prayer will pray for this family. And the stories of the Dust Bowl, as briefly recounted in Amy Welborn's review of a book about it. Pre-TypePad http://js-kit.com/for/lightondarkwater.com/comments.js
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Calexico: Feast of Wire I have a serious fascination for the Southwest, partly as a result of a sojourn in Tucson when I was about four: certain images fixed themselves permanently not just in my memory but in my emotions. And maybe the fascination is also partly a result of the Western movies that were…
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Rod Dreher memorably berates the C of E clergy who would like to get rid of St. George for fear of offending Muslims. George is of course questionable on historic grounds, but this is a terrible reason for dumping him. Pre-TypePad http://js-kit.com/for/lightondarkwater.com/comments.js
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Here's a guy who's trying to reach 100mph on a lawn mower. So far he's barely cracked eighty. He says "I don't cut grass, I just go fast." But what I want to know is whether the machine will cut grass if you go slowly. Seems to me that it isn't really a lawn mower…
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Joni Mitchell: Blue This is a great album. So why don't I like it better? Let's get that question out of the way first. The fundamental problem is that the personality that emerges from Joni Mitchell's recordings is somewhat off-putting to me. She comes across as the sort of sensitive romantic who's very conscious of…
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I think I finally have comments configured the way I want them. No more confusion between Blogger and HaloScan comments. I moved all the Blogger comments to HaloScan and turned off Blogger comments, so this should be consistent and stable now–no need to worry if your comments are actually going to make it or not,…
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I finally had a chance to read the article by Vigen Guroian, who teaches at Loyola Baltimore, which Chris Ryland mentioned in a comment on my last Sunday Night Journal. It's terrific. He says everything that needs to be said. Read it here. What will it take to turn this around? First and foremost, a…
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Annie Lamott Takes Poison She's a sad case–an engaging writer when she isn't screaming at conservatives and especially pro-lifers, a self-professed Christian of eccentric stripe, but there seems to be something essential about the faith that she just somehow doesn't get. I say "sad," but after this story sinks in for a few minutes it's…
Light On Dark Water 