arts and culture

Nostalgic for the Future

Edward Curtin Despite its pedigree as a fundamental element in civilization’s greatest stories, nostalgia has come to be associated with treacly sentimentality, defeatism, and spurious spiritual inclinations. Homer, Vergil, Dante, the Biblical writers, and their ilk would demur, of course, but they have been dead for a few years, so progress’s mantra urges us to …

Frank Capra’s Defense of Humanity: Cinema as a Moral Institution

Matthew Ehret For those who find themselves with excess time this holiday season which they would prefer not to squander with idleness or Netflix binges, then I’d like to offer this serving of Frank Capra films to uplift the soul. Frank Capra (1897-1991) stands as one of the most brilliant directors/producers of the 20th Century, …

REVIEW: “Unanswered Questions: What the September 11th families asked and the 9/11 Commission ignored“

Edward curtin It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of this book.  It is a tour de force that blows away twenty years of U.S. government lies and obfuscations about the mass murders of September 11, 2001, the foundational event of recent times that claimed thousands of victims whose relatives still cry out for truth …