Ernest Hemingway had a knack for getting to the heart of matters. He knew people. He knew places. He knew where the good wine and the good food were to be found.
He knew bullshit from “true intelligence” -- or the “true gen.” This page is for latter-day, like-minded seekers.
This is intended as a sort of de facto blog. If you want to comment, send an email: wilhide@skypoint.com.
My First Caucus
February 2012
I always believed that English majors should be wary of getting involved in the nitty gritty of what Political Science majors say is important. I still feel that way -- I’m more comfortable with poetry than politics. Nonetheless I was coaxed into attending by the lovely Jean. Both of us have vowed to be more politically active this year and to “try new things” (God! We really ARE retired!). This is why we found ourselves in the dark wandering around a sprawling elementary school building on a chilly Minnesota winter evening looking for the right door to enter. We started at door #3 and finally found the right one at #13. Read what happened: First Caucus.doc
Medievalists, then and now
February 2012
Adam Gopnik’s recent piece in the New Yorker (12/5/11) about how medievalism has been adapted for young (and not so young) audiences sparked memories of the odd but amusing group of medieval professors I studied with in Iowa during the mid-1970s. Rigorous line-by-line translation of Beowulf from the Anglo Saxon was offset by a rollicking, mead-fueled, end-of-term party, hosted by my thesis director who had, among other things, sung with the San Francisco City chorus, danced as a west-coast Rockette and played the ukulele. Take a look. It’s brief: Medievalists.doc
Minnesota Roots of Freedom of the Press
January 2012
The case of Near v Minnesota isn’t as widely known as some Supreme Court cases that have built the body of jurisprudence around freedom of the press, but it’s an interesting episode. And full of side lines -- racism, bigotry, slander, gangsters, attempted murder (later completed), government officials on the take and infamous “nuisance laws.” This Minnesota History Forum talk by U of M professor Jane Kittley touched on some of the key legal concepts, notably that the Founders argued for a “free” press, not a “free and responsible” press. This is one of many ways the U.S. understanding of freedom of the press differs from that in other countries. For my notes: Near v MN.doc
Chris Matthews on Kennedy, Courage and Leadership
December 2011
The host of a popular TV show gave the final 2011 Westminster Forum lecture on a cold day in downtown Minneapolis. His comments about what it takes to be a leader, and how the current crop of political candidates stack up, energized a standing room only crowd and drew a standing ovation. It was undeserved. Matthews talk was rambling and unfocussed. He seemed weirdly anchored in the past and as willing to be superficial as his political targets. He offered some cute one-liners, and some useful (if widely known) background on JFK, but his focus on military issues left a lot of other concerns unexamined. For my notes: Chris Matthews.doc
Wong Kim Ark and the Fourteenth Amendment
December 2011
Never heard of Wong Kim Ark? Join the crowd. In 1895 this 24-year old Chinese-American (born and raised in San Francisco) returned from a trip to China and was denied re-entry into the U.S. He got a lawyer and challenged the decision. The Supreme Court ruling on his case has been frequently challenged but remains the definitive confirmation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s assertion: if you’re born in the U.S., you’re a citizen of the U.S. Professor Erika Lee of the University of Minnesota discussed Wong Kim Ark’s case and the background of anti-Chinese sentiment in the late nineteenth century. She also made it abundantly clear that the issues about immigration then are very much like the issues now... and that much of what appears to be rationalization is really thinly-disguised racism. To see my notes, click here: Wong Kim Ark.doc
Eugene Debs and Free Speech
November 2011
Debs is remembered today (if at all) as a sort of antique novelty, a Socialist with a capital “S.” But Ernest Freeberg, a professor at the University of Tennessee/Knoxville, argues that his legacy goes well beyond that. Debs was convinced that the wealthy and powerful were corrupting our democratic ideals and that neither political party was capable of representing working people. He was one of the great orators of the Twentieth Century and his battles with censorship before, during and after World War I led to the development of case law that put some backbone into the First Amendment. This lecture from the Minnesota History Center’s series on the Constitution highlights Debs’ career and his character. It’s enough to make you want to stand up and shout “shame!” at all those who throw around terms like “socialist” as if they were dirty words. To see my notes, click here: Eugene Debs.doc
The People’s Constitution
October 2011
How and why did the Constitution come into being? According to Woody Holton, a professor at the University of Richmond, it didn’t happen the way most of us think. Holton gave the first in a series of lectures sponsored by the Minnesota Historical Society. He argues that the founding fathers went to Philadelphia to create a Constitution because the people “had blown it.” Given the chance to govern themselves, ordinary Americans (90% of whom were farmers) had driven the country into the ground. Property values had plummeted, the worst recession in memory was hurting everybody, speculative bubbles had burst and there were revolts against taxes and the wealthy. The founding fathers crafted a document that was anti-democratic, pro-creditor, capitalist and paternal. Horton’s book, Unruly Americans and the Origins of the Constitution, has been taken up by both the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movement. To see my notes, click here: The People's Constitution.doc
Jeffrey Sachs on American Values in a Corrupt Age
October 2011
Jeffrey Sachs, one of the world’s most widely known economists, gave an uncharacteristically passionate talk about the gap between what Americans really want and what gets done (or stopped) in Washington. He thinks the model of “human capitalism” as practiced by “high latitude” (Scandinavian) countries and championed by the Midwest progressives of a hundred years ago is being destroyed by corporate greed and financial fraud. “David Koch owns too many politicians.” We don’t lack for ideas about how to fix things, but we need to “wake up and open our eyes” to the corruption and illegality going on around us. Occupy Wall Street is just one sign of a change that needs to happen. Sachs received loud applause and approval from the normally reserved Westminster Forum audience. To see my notes, click here: Jeffrey Sachs.doc
Living Inside Your Head: The 2011 Nobel Conference
October, 2011
This year’s Nobel conference at Gustavus Augustus College in St. Peter, MN was all about the latest advances in neuroscience -- “The Brain and Being Human.” I took notes on the lectures we attended and have consolidated them. Included are:
-- Larry Young (Emory University) on the uses of oxytocin for building social bonds, trust and nurturing
-- Lallayanur Ramachandran (UC/San Diego) on synesthesia and using mirror boxes to heal phantom pain
-- Helen Mayberg (Emory University) on using neuromodulation to help control depression
-- John Donoghue (Brown) on the “Braingate,” a device that translates brain signals to control prosthetic devices
-- Paul Glmicher (NYU) on neuroeconomics and how the brain makes decisions
-- Martha Farah (Penn) on the ethical questions raised by of new applications of neuroscientific advances.
You can download notes on the lectures, the Q&A sessions that followed, as well as assorted comments here:
Norm Ornstein on Dysfunctional Government
September, 2011
Norm Ornstein is a columnist and political scientist with the American Enterprise Institute. This talk, part of the Westminster Forum series, was his view of how things stand in Washington these days as (paraphrasing Yeats) the center cannot hold because the best lack all direction while the worst are full of passionate intensity. Ornstein thinks that “structural” changes that include everything from party politics to air conditioning are at the heart of our fragmentation. He sees a clear failure on the right where “the shouters, the screamers, and the liars” are not held to account. Click here for my noes: Ornstein.doc
Does Poetry Matter?
June, 2011
The Great American Think-Off is billed as America’s premiere philosophical competition. This year’s topic was “Does Poetry Matter.” Essays were submitted from all over the U.S. and several other countries. I was one of four finalists chosen to debate the issue live in New York Mills, MN. Detailed info on this year’s event as well as those from past years can be found at the Think Off web site: http://www.think-off.org. Here’s the essay I submitted and a write-up of the experience. Think-Off.doc
Party on High Street
May, 2011
Dr. Phillip Shriver, who was President of Miami University when I was a student there, passed away this year. He was an exceptional leader and teacher ...and a friend. Here’s a recollection of an unusual evening we shared.
Old Poets, Bold Poets
April, 2011
Gary Snyder, gave a reading in Minneapolis and talked about the imperative to become involved with nature and the environment. I was less than impressed. I’d been reading John Muir, another tree-hugging sage, and found him more authentic and even a better writer. Here’s a brief commentary. Gary Snyder essay.doc
Big Break on the Big Island
April, 2011
We spent the month of March on Hawaii’s Big Island. We rented a very nice house that sits about 1000 feet up above the Kona airport and used it as a base to explore. We swam and snorkeled, hiked and climbed, kayaked and (of course) ate and dank and enjoyed sunsets over the Pacific. We hosted friends and the lovely Anduin. We drove up to the top of Mona Kea to see the observatories and the stars, hiked across the crater of a volcano and dipped down below the surface to see the reefs in Kealakekua Bay. Photos are posted in the “photo album” on the Archives page. Here’s an account of the adventure and, for those who may be considering a similar trip, abundant notes and suggestions. Hawaii 2011.doc
Yosemite for Old People
November, 2010
Yosemite is one of the world’s most beautiful places. But is it do-able for aging folks?
In November 2010 Jean and I celebrated our 40th anniversary there. It was a magical
experience (as is being married for 40 years -- though terms other than “magical” have
been used for that). There are photos in the “photo album” (lower left column) here.
A report and tips for those of a certain age thinking about going is here:
Becoming a Poet
September, 2010
As the poetry editor for the Southwest Journal I read several hundred poems every year. I’ve often thought it would be a good idea to offer some kind of advice on the difference between people who write poems and people who want to be poets. But I don’t have the time. Here’s a six-pack of ideas, however, for those interested. Advice for poets.doc
The Rise and Fall of the English Major
April, 2010
William Chace, a professor and college president, has published a great article about the recent history of English departments. He refers to “the glory years” of English and American literature studies when the combination of the GI bill, armies of baby boomers and plentiful employment allowed so many of us to pursue the Humanities. He also cites statistics and causes for the decline over the last several decades. This is my commentary on Chace’s piece: English Majors .doc
The S&P 500: A (Very) Brief History
March, 2010
Ever wonder how the S&P 500 index began? The number goes up and down, causing our portfolios to rise and fall like a balloon being inflated and deflated. Or a bubble. So was there a Mr. Standard? Was he poor? Here’s a history -- in under 2 pages. S&P background.doc
Taxes and Alligators
February, 2010
One of the most widely held urban myths is that city sewer systems contain alligators and that they just might be able to climb up into your toilet... and bite you in the butt. Another myth -- arguably of equal credibility -- seems to be that cutting taxes, especially for the rich and for corporations, will lead to economic growth. Some research and comments. taxes and alligators.doc
Kristoff on Women Around the World
October, 2009
Nicholas Kristoff is a Pulitzer-prize winning columnist and reporter. This Westminster Forum talk was about gender equity, what Kristoff calls “the key moral challenge of our time” -- as important as slavery in the 19th century and totalitarianism in the 20th. Kristoff makes a strong case for empowering women, and not just because it’s the right thing to do. Here are my notes: Women, huh.doc
David Brooks on the Age of Obama
May, 2009
Brooks is not my favorite commentator... sometimes described as “a smarmy, intellectually dishonest snake” ... but he has a big head and is occasionally interesting. This is a report on a talk he gave in May 2009, sponsored by the College of Business at the University of St. Thomas: The Age of Obama.doc
Riding the Rails
April, 2009
In March we took a trip I’ve wanted to take for decades. We flew to San Diego for a few days
of sunshine and beach time then boarded Amtrac’s Pacific Surfliner for the morning ride north
to L.A. At Union Station we transfered to the Coast Starlight and skimmed along the west coast
all the way to Seattle. After a few days visiting our son and his wife we took the Empire Builder
back to Minneapolis. A fine railroading adventure. (My first attempt using new page layout
program, this is a PDF file with photos.) Riding the Rails.pdf
Gwen Ifill: Going Beyond Obama
April, 2009
Journalist and TV host Gwen Ifill talks about the “other” black leaders who are re-shaping American politics. A Westminster Forum talk from an insightful and occasionally humorous Washington insider. The Young Folks Are Taking Over.doc
Barbara Brown Taylor on Downtime
March, 2009
Man I’m way ahead of the curve on this one! Taylor is an Episcopal priest who teaches at Columbia, Duke and other colleges and urges us to step out of our busy lives and “listen to your heartbeat.” The idea is to recover a more dynamic sense of self that will help you deal with the pressures of modern living. Among other things, she recommends taking a daily nap. A Westminster Forum talk to a sold-out audience. My notes are here: The Upside of Downtime.doc
Photo of the moment: Gramma Jean and Happy baby Noa, Christmas, December 2012.
