Spoke briefly online with Jeremy my quasi-son-in-law last night. He is traveling in China due to his job at U.S. Asia Law Institute at NYU. He was trying to contact my daughter Elizabeth who is working in D.C. this week. I phoned my daughter’s cell phone for him. I still have an old person’s thrill at talking simultaneously to someone in China and DC from my little room in Holland Michigan. When Jeremy stopped chatting with me he said he was off to see the terracotta army.
He didn’t say where he was in China but I think these figures are in Shaanxi.
Jeremy does like China. I fully expect him and Elizabeth to move back there eventually.
Watched Obama’s speech on C Span 3 on my netbook last night. Though I have difficulty supporting any war I can see that Obama is making sane noises in a rancorous partisan political environment left to him by the previous administration. It is possible we are watching a statesman lead the U.S. for the first time in ages.
I liked the way he ended last night:
“We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes.” link to text of speech
And this:
“…we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights, and tend to the light of freedom, and justice, and opportunity, and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the moral source of America’s authority.”
If any nation can claim moral authority, this is the way to go. I know. I know. It’s good rhetoric but where’s the beef? I think that good clear thinking and words are an important part of the beef. Silly me.
On another note, I have been poking around looking for more sources for news and info online.
Recently, Nicholas Lemmens had this to say about being informed in the U.S.:
“.. a daily report from a reputable news organization is to citizenship what the proper diet is to health: a long-term, life-enriching practice for individuals, and, in the aggregate, an important element of a better-functioning society.” link to article on Chronicle.com
He goes on to say that Journalism schools themselves can pick up the ball dropped by former sources of news that are having difficulty funding themselves on the web. I am looking into this and plan to put up some links later.
Right now I have to go practice before the silly Wednesday Eucharist uses the room next to the organ.