There’s a good deal of talk today, by people who imagine themselves to be serious thinkers, about doing away with the U.S. Constitution in favor of establishing a more “just” government. What would such a utopian polity look like? In the imaginations of radicals, it all sounds great, though history’s track record of human flourishing…
Rewind, Review, and Re-Rate: ‘People Will Talk’: Focus on a Healthy Spirit as Well as a Healthy Body
G | 1 h 50 min | Romantic Comedy | 1951 Screenwriter-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s tongue-in-cheek film has a hard time taking itself seriously, opening as it does with the comically self-conscious line, “This will be part of the story of Noah Praetorius, M.D. That is not his real name, of course…” The winsome, if…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘A Tree Grows in Brooklyn’: Imagining Abundance
PG | 2 h 8 min | Drama | 1945 Betty Smith’s partially autobiographical novel inspired Elia Kazan’s coming-of-age film that won three nominations and was awarded two Oscars. Like many of Frank Capra’s films, Kazan’s directorial debut about the needy Nolan family, in 1912 downtown Brooklyn, prioritizes the heart over the head. Playful singer-daydreamer…
5 Movies About Recurring Lifetimes
The U.S.A. has always been a racial and cultural melting pot. Due to the internet, social media, and the spread of yoga throughout Western culture, Eastern concepts have been taking root in the West for some time now. Back in 1969, when John Lennon wrote “Instant Karma,” nobody knew what he was talking about. Now,…
Researchers Scrutinise Cellphone Use in US Churches
With the increased use of smartphones in churches, unknown a decade ago, researchers from Baylor University have developed a model to predict why people use their phones in religious settings and help church ministers manage their use during worship services. The study continues Assoc. Prof. Meredith David’s and Prof. James Roberts’ robust body of research…
Time, Nature, and Nostalgia in E.B. White’s ‘Once More to the Lake’
Most everyone has experienced nostalgia at some point in their lives, whether it be a longing for friends, family, or some fleeting moment in time that sparks positive reflection and emotion. The reflection and emotions associated with nostalgia, most often positive, shade the details of events into a soft, ruddy glow. This idea is central…
Visby Cathedral: Gotland Island’s Merchant Church
Once a strategic point for European merchants due to its proximity to the Baltic Sea, the old medieval town of Visby is filled with beautiful architecture. On the Swedish island of Gotland, one building in particular stands out: the Visby Cathedral. Originally built as a church dedicated to St. Mary in the 12th century, it…
The Coming of Spring: Leighton’s ‘The Return of Persephone’
The arrival of spring, especially after a hard winter, makes us all happy and hopeful for new life. The ancients believed the gods were in charge of everything on earth and explained how they gave us the seasons. The Greeks explained the coming of spring and the changing seasons with the myth of Demeter, goddess…
Tragedy and Triumph: The Roebling Family and the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge
After many long years of planning and building, along with numerous setbacks, the Brooklyn Bridge opened to traffic on May 24, 1883. The first vehicle to cross the bridge was Emily Roebling’s horse-drawn carriage. Emily carried with her a rooster in a cage symbolic of the victory realized that day. The victory was wrought from…
Sarasate’s ‘Carmen Fantasy’: A Brilliant Display of Virtuosity
Everything in the “Carmen Fantasy” (1882) shouts virtuosity. From its fascinating origins to its entrancing score, all elements combine to form the ultimate violin showpiece. Sarasate, The Virtuoso Virtuosity was the key factor in the 19th-century world of Western music. Ease of travel, abundance of new repertoire, technologically advanced instruments, and Romantic ideals created the…
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