The Quest for Cosmic Justice

In the Quest for Cosmic Justice, Thomas Sowell talks of cosmic justice vs. traditional justice.  Under traditional justice, certain rules were set and all parties were expected to meet them.  Whether those rules were for college acceptance or conviction for a crime, there was just one set of rules.  However, this was unfair to some.  Student A went to a good school while Student B went to an inner-city school.  That Student A is more likely to be accepted to a good college is a forgone conclusion.  However, it is no credit to A that he was raised in better circumstances.  Nor is it the fault of B that he didn't have the same benefits.  Those seeking cosmic justice seek to balance the scales where nature and/or society does not offer the same opportunities.  This sounds like a fine goal.  However, where traditional justice is easily administered, cosmic justice requires more information.  Rather than just looking at the text of laws, judges must now weigh the various attributes of people (e.g., race, ethnicity, religion, gender, gender identity, circumstances of upbringing, etc.) to determine the just outcome.  This sort of thinking is why Justice Sotomayor said that a wise Latina woman would reach a better conclusion.  Cosmic justice is impossible and its administration is capricious.  Justice is pursued in the laws that legislatures pass, not in the rulings of judges.  Lady Justice wears a blindfold for a reason, but modern justice - social justice - has removed the blindfold.  If you are this race, you get a bump in your score for college admissions.  If you are that religion, you are above criticism, if you have that condition, your employer must make reasonable accommodations for you, etc.  Sowell prefers traditional justice.

There are additional topics to discuss.  The book is really a collection of 4 essays that play upon one another.  After the Quest for Cosmic Justice, he delves into the idea of equality, namely that it is a mirage and, like Cosmic Justice, unachievable.  Not only do different cultures hold different values, there are different levels of effort and different degrees of talent.  If two children raised in the same household by the same parents could have drastically different outcomes, what hope is there to have equality on a mass scale.  Yet another impossibility.

Next he talks of the Tyranny of Visions.  Here he digs into the peace movements that followed the First World War and how that inevitably allowed Hitler to build a military machine that plunged the world into yet another devastating war.  The signs were all there but an adherence to a pacifist vision led the leaders of the free world to stand by as the Axis Powers grew more dangerous.

Lastly, he covers The Quiet Repeal of the American Revolution.  Where private property was once private, the state can now take it not for public use but to transfer it to another private owner who will pay more taxes.  Where it used to be that the burden of proof was placed on the prosecution, in many cases it is now up to the defense to prove innocence.  This is particularly true in discrimination cases where guilt is presumed if the makeup of employees is not the same as the makeup of the local population.  Worse still, the government has taken to purchasing citizens' freedom with citizens' taxes.  For example, the government offers a subsidy to School A on the condition that it follow several rules, then that will give School A an advantage over all schools that don't accept the subsidy.  In this way, the government imposes rules that it has no authority to impose.

Though a short book, it is packed with provocative ideas and strong arguments for a return to the rule of law.  Highly recommended.

The Saint (Series 5)

Simon Templar (Roger Moore) returns in color!  Yes, after 4 series in black and white, the show upgraded to color.  Another change was the opening.  Where Templar had always broken the fourth wall to offer background to his surroundings or the people on the scene, now it is offered as narration while he wanders the set.  Beyond that, the show remains the same.  Templar has an uncanny knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time or perhaps the right place at the right time.  He exposes blackmailers, foils thieves, and captures murderers.  One noteworthy thing in the series is that being Simon's friend ususually proves fatal.  He often has to solve the murder of friends.  Among some of the more interesting guest stars are Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny from the early 60s to the mid 80s), Patrick Troughton (the 2nd Doctor Who), Jean Marsh, Edward Woodward (the original Equalizer), and Burt Kwouk (Kato from Pink Panther movies).

Good popcorn fun.

Zachary Taylor: Soldier, Planter, Statesman of the Old Southwest

Born in 1784 and the son of a Revolutionary War officer, Zachary Taylor grew up in Kentucky.  Louisville was a backwater when he was a child but boomtown as he reached adulthood.  In the wake of the 1807 attack by the British on an American frigate (Chesapeake-Leopard Affair), President Jefferson called for an increase in the military.  Thus began Zachary Taylor's army career.  Based in the far west during the War of 1812, he saw little action.  Soon, he was commanding forts along the Mississippi to protect settlers from the various Indian tribes.  He slowly gained rank and was Colonel of the 1st Infantry Regiment during the Black Hawk War (1832).  He came to national attention by 'winning' the Battle of Lake Okeechobee (1837) in the Seminole War (1835-1842).  It was a technical win as his forces took the battlefield, but the cost was 26 killed and 112 wounded.  The Seminole forces lost 11 killed and 14 wounded.  He did not care for Florida and was glad to be sent back to the western forts.  In 1845, Texas was annexed, and General Taylor was sent to Corpus Christi to command the Army of Occupation.  In March of 1846, he led his forces to the Rio Grande and built Fort Texas.  In late April, Mexican cavalry attacked US Dragoons on the northside of the Rio Grande.  On May 8th, 2,300 American soldiers met 3,700 Mexican soldiers at Palo Alto.  The American officer corps, composed of West Point graduates, proved their worth.  The following day saw the last battle in Texas at Resaca de la Palma, another victory for Taylor.  If Okeechobee made him known to the nation, these two battles made him a hero.  In September, he captured the city of Monterey and there was talk of running him for president in 1848.  No one knew if he was a Democrat or a Whig, so both parties courted him.  When it was clear that he leaned more Whig, President Polk - a Democrat - sought to sideline him and sent General Winfield Scott to take over.  Despite having the majority of his veterans reallocated to General Scott, Taylor won the Battle of Buena Vista in February 1847 and cemented his national fame.   Though he wanted to be a non-partisan president, he accepted the Whig nomination.  He was elected by a plurality (47.3%) of the vote, the Democrats having split between former President Van Buren (10.1%) and Lewis Cass (42.5%). During the contentious debates about admitting new states - especially California - from among the territory captured in the recent war, Taylor sided with the North.  Despite growing up as a Southerner and being a slave owner, he sided against the South during his presidency.  He was an American first and a Southerner second.  His political naivete was just fading away and he was starting to assert himself in the political games of Washington when he died of cholera in July 1850.  The Whigs had only won the presidency twice.  First with William Henry Harrison and then with Zachary Taylor.  Harrison died 1 month into office, Taylor lasted 16 months.

K Jack Bauer has written an interesting and informative biography.  It paints a picture of an incurious but persistent man.  Taylor was diligent in building a fortune during his lifetime.  He was one to hold a grudge.  He was beloved by his troops who gave him the name of Old Rough and Ready.  Indeed, Taylor was more likely to be mistaken as a farmer than a general, as he typically wore plain clothes and a straw hat.  After reading this, I had a lower opinion of his abilities as a general but a higher opinion of him as a president.

Recommended.

The Big Sleep (1946)

Phillip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) arrives at the Sternwood Estate and is met by Camilla Sternwood.  She thinks he's cute but short.  She hits on him.  Though amused, he declines and meets with General Sternwood.  It happens that Sternwood has received a large bill attributed to Camilla.  He'd like Marlowe to deal with it.  Marlowe agrees.  On the way out the door, he is summoned to meet Sternwood's other daughter, Vivian Rutledge (Lauren Bacall).  She grills him to find out what her father wants him to do and proposes that he is meant to find Sean Regan.  While digging into Camilla's troubles - which becomes littered with corpses - Marlowe continual gets questions about Sean Regan.  The rumor is that he ran away with a casino owner's wife.  Why do all roads lead to Sean Regan?

Though the plot is generally inscrutable, the repartee is awesome.  The banter between Bogart and basically everyone is a joy to watch.  That every woman he meets is immediately in love with him is hilarious.  Again, the dialogue is terrific and his sharp replies and keen observations show real talent from the screenwriter.  As with To Have and Have Not, this was directed by Howard Hawks and had William Faulkner among the screenwriters.

Of the three versions of Marlowe I have watched, this is by far the best.  Robert Mitchum was too old and the setting wrong in the 1978 version of The Big Sleep.  Of course, that one was more willing to expose the dark features of the story that are left to the imagination here.  Elliot Gould was horrendous in the astonishingly bad The Long Goodbye.  Liam Neeson will take on the role later this year in Marlowe; I doubt he can match Bogart, but I'll be interested to see.

Highly recommended.

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Harry Morgan (Humphrey Bogart) arrives at the harbor in Martinique to take Mr. Johnson on a fishing trip.  That Martinique is now controlled by Vichy France creates some bureaucratic hassles for an expat American like Morgan.  He has a perpetually drunken mate, Eddy (Walter Brennan), who talks incessantly.  During the trip, Mr. Johnson fails to catch a marlin and even loses the rod and reel.  Worse, he skips out on paying Morgan, leaving him in the lurch.  Though he had declined an offer to smuggle French Resistance onto Martinique, he now must in order to survive.  The Vichy French Gestapo are soon sniffing for fugitives, paying particular attention to Morgan.  On top of this, a woman has arrived in Martinique, Marie Browning (Lauren Bacall).  Sparks fly from the first meeting of Harry and Marie, though they never use those names.  She calls him 'Steve' and he calls her 'Slim.'  Their flirty banter is far more interesting than the Casablanca knock-off storyline.

"You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve?  Just put your lips together and... blow."

Though based on a novel by Ernest Hemingway, it was reworked to have a happy ending and a laudable hero.  William Faulkner wrote the screen play.  Howard Hawks directed.  This movie was where Bogart - then 44 - and Bacall - only 18 - met.  Within three weeks, they were having an affair.  By the following year, Bogart had divorced his third wife and married Bacall.  They remained married until his death at 57.

Here is a bland story that has some terrific acting and some lively dialogue.  It even includes Hoagy Carmichael who, strangely enough, is how Ian Fleming pictured James Bond.  Unexpected.

Good popcorn fun!

The Last White House Slaves

Zachary Taylor was the 12th president and the last slave owner to be elected.  Born in Virginia in 1784 and raised in Kentucky, Taylor joined the military in 1808.  One feature of the US Army in the era was that officers could apply for additional pay to hire a servant; this was to give officers the appearance of gentlemen with valets, cooks, etc.  Slave owning officers could keep the pay for themselves.  Yeah, that's not going to be abused.  Taylor first applied for the additional pay in 1817 when he was a major posted in Green Bay, Illinois Territory (yes, Illinois, not Wisconsin).  Of course, in 1817, slavery was illegal in the territories.  Nonetheless, despite spending decades stationed at forts in the western territories, Taylor took his slaves with him.   When Taylor moved from Baton Rouge, LA, to Washington DC, he brought at least one - and probably several - slaves with him.  His chief slave, Charles Porter, whom he inherited from his father, died at the White House in July 1849.  The presence of other slaves is unclear but highly likely.  

The book is most concerned with the life of Jane, who is first documented as Taylor's slave in 1820. Jane - a mulatto slave - was listed on his reimbursement form while he was posted in Louisiana.  She was last listed on his reimbursement form in 1849.  Depending on rank, officers had a limit to how many "servants" they could claim for reimbursement; for reasons of propriety, female slaves were often omitted.  When Jane is listed, she is usually the last name on the form.  It was an open secret that female slaves were often concubines for their male owners.  Considering that, it is of note that Jane had two children, a son named William and a daughter named Caroline.  Each of them - also listed as mulattos, appear on Taylor's or his son-in-law's reimbursement forms.  In 1862, Lincoln proposed reimbursing slave owners rather than outright emancipation.  The plan was instituted in Washington DC.  Among those for whom freedom was purchased by the government were Jane and her daughter, Caroline; Taylor's daughter was still living in DC and had inherited the two in 1852.  Jane's son, William, had relocated to Canada in advance of Taylor's inauguration as president.  Bachman posits that William looked so much like Old Zach that it would be highly embarrassing to have him around.  In the final chapter, Bachman details the account of Bill Taylor (1944-2013) who stated that his ancestor, William Taylor, had been Zachary Taylor's son and slave.

The book is short but provides insight into the antebellum military in general and the Taylor family in particular.  Recommended.

My New Latest Book

 

The next book in my Musings series is out!  Same stuff, different years!  Just the thing for your Kindle collection or maybe even a paperback for your shelf.

Not All There

“American soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division scaled that 1,800-foot cliff at night, caught the Germans by surprise, captured key positions, and broke through the German defense line at a pivotal point in the war.  Just imagine — I mean it sincerely — I say this as a father of a man who won the Bronze Star, the Conspicuous Service Medal, and lost his life in Iraq. Imagine the courage, the daring, and the genuine sacrifice — genuine sacrifice they all made.”

President Joe Biden

October 13, 2022

Beau Biden, Joe Biden's son, did indeed win a Bronze Star and Conspicuous Service Medal, but he did not die in Iraq.  He returned from a tour of Iraq in 2009.  Six years later, he died from brain cancer in Bethesda, Maryland.  President Biden does not remember where his son died.

Last month, Joe Biden asked where Jackie Walorski was during a speech.  Of course, she had died in August.  On the day she died, he released a statement that started thus:

Jill and I are shocked and saddened by the death of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski of Indiana along with two members of her staff in a car accident today in Indiana.

President Joe Biden

August 3, 2022

Clearly, President Biden isn't all there, but no talk of the 25th Amendment.  In fact, Democrats are trying to get another politician who is not all there to join Joe in Washington.  Jon Fetterman, Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania, is recovering from a stroke and needed a machine to translate for him because he has trouble understanding English at the moment.  Yeah, sounds like someone totally qualified to join the Senate.

The Thin Man (1934)

Clyde Wynant (Edward Ellis) is visited by his daughter Dorothy (Maureen O'Sullivan) and her fiancé.  She wants her father to come to the wedding.  Though he is leaving town that night, he promises to be back in time for the wedding.  After his daughter leaves, he decides to set aside some bonds as a wedding present.  They are missing from the safe!  Instantly he suspects his mistress, Julia (Natalie Moorhead).  He finds her with another man, who promptly leaves when Wynant arrives.  She admits taking the bonds, claiming that she earned it.  He suspects she was not alone in taking the bonds and storms away to confront this mysterious person.

Three months later in the middle of the Christmas season, Nick Charles (William Powell) is drinking martinis at a bar when Dorothy approaches him.  Nick is a former private detective who gave up the profession when he married Nora (Myrna Loy).  However, Nick had worked for Clyde Wynant years ago and is glad to see Dorothy.  She explains how her father has vanished and asks Nick to investigate.  He declines.  Even so, his reputation soon has reporters and police demanding to know what he has uncovered.  Nora is eager for him to investigate, wanting to join in solving the mystery.

Based on Dashiell Hammett's final novel, this is a classic mystery with a winning cast.  William Powell is terrific as the brilliant detective who is more often interested in his next drink than the next clue.  Typically, such detectives are bachelors with a dark demeanor and a hard-boiled personality, but Nick is a happily married fellow with a sunny disposition.  Very different.  Myrna Loy is a smart aleck wife who urges Nick into the thick of things only to have him leave her behind.  Their wisecracking toward one another is great fun and shows a truly satisfied couple.

Though I had seen this movie before, I had no idea who the murderer was when Nick invited all the suspects to a dinner party where he reveals all.  Impressive.  The movie was such a success that it spawned 5 sequels.

Highly recommended and great popcorn fun!

Blame the Republican

In 2005, when Hurricane Katrina smashed into Louisiana and left a path of devastation, the media piled on President Bush - a Republican - for his failure to respond in a timely fashion.  His poor leadership made a bad situation worse.  Governor Blanco - a Democrat - was hardly mentioned.  Mayor Ray Nagin - a Democrat - did receive some criticism for not evacuating New Orleans, but that was overshadowed by Spike Lee's claims that the levees were intentionally destroyed to flood black neighborhoods.

In 2022, when Hurricane Ian smashed into Florida, the media press Governor DeSantis - a Republican - regarding deaths and short-notice evacuations orders.  President Biden - a Democrat - is hardly mentioned in relation to the hurricane.

Regardless of the situation, somehow it is always the Republican's fault.  Threat of a government shutdown when the president is a Republican and the congress is Democratic?  The president is to blame.  Threat of shutdown when president is a Democrat, and the congress is Republican?  The congress is to blame.  Gridlock in congress when the house is Democrat, and the senate is Republican?  Senate at fault.  Gridlock when house is Republican, and senate is Democrat?  Clearly, the house is in error.  When a Republican does something wrong, the story is how the Republican did something wrong.  When a Democrat does something wrong, the story is how Republicans are making political hay over Democrat missteps.

A Democrat calls a Republican a Nazi or a fascist, he's speaking truth to power.  A Republican says anything negative toward a Democrat and he is accused of being uncivil and perhaps even encouraging violence.

It's a one-way street in most of the media.  Republicans bad, Democrats good.  It's a miracle Republicans ever win an election with the non-stop negative press.

The Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

Pilot Frank Towns (James Stewart) and Navigator Lew Moran (Richard Attenborough) are bound for Benghazi with 13 passengers from a remote Libyan oil site.  Their plane is an old WWII cargo carrier that is held together by elbow grease and wishful thinking.  On this trip, the radio is out.  Though the weather report was favorable, they instead fly into a sandstorm.  Efforts to climb above it fail and soon the engines are dying.  Towns lands among the sand dunes of the Sahara and the cargo tumbles through the passenger cabin, killing 2 and seriously injuring 1.  A survey of the damage confirms that the plane will not be taking off again.  A hundred miles from the nearest water, they can only hope that a search party discovers them.  Of course, they are well off course, which means the search will likely be in the wrong place.

After several days, the survivors realize that they are not going to be found.  Heinrich Dorfmann (Hardy Kruger) proposes using the intact parts of the plane to construct a new plane.  Frank thinks this is madness but Lew is interested.  Dr. Renaud suggests that, even if the new plane won't fly, it's better to have hope than to sit around and watch one another die.

The story of Sgt. Watson (Ronald Fraser) is peculiar.  When Captain Harris (Peter Finch) is determined to march through the desert to the nearest water, Watson 'injures' his leg.  As such, another volunteers to go with Harris; that volunteer dies somewhere in the desert.  Harris managed to stumble back to the plane.  Not long after, Harris proposes to meet with a mysterious band of Arabs beyond a sand dune.  Watson flatly refuses to accompany the captain, threatening to use a revolver.  Harris marches off with someone else, resulting in more deaths.  Watson's repeated insubordination resulted in his surviving, while those who went with Captain Harris all died.  Here is a man who repeatedly shirked his duty, which proved the wise course.

It is a well-told story with excellent performances from a great cast, but it isn't all that entertaining.  It's okay.  I can definitely see why it was a box office failure, especially since it was released in the same month as Battle of the Bulge, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Doctor Zhivago, and Thunderball.

Looker (1981)

Lisa Convey (Terri Welles) consults Dr. Larry Roberts (Albert Finney), a highly-regarded plastic surgeon, about having work done.  Her specifications are to the millimeter and will be unnoticeable to most observers.  She is not the first model to request such surgery and his partner thinks it's a fad.  Roberts performs the surgery.  Soon after she has fully recovered, Terri plunges to her death from her apartment balcony.  In fact, 3 of Dr. Roberts' 4 patients have died and Lt. Masters (Dorian Harewood) is investigating them as potential murders.  Roberts decides that he is going to keep a close eye on the last remaining model, Cindy (Susan Dey) while he tries to determine what happened to the others.  He quickly finds that Reston Industries, run by John Reston (James Coburn), has links to both the models and the production of the television commercials in which they appeared.

Residing on the edge of a sci-fi movie, there is a light-gun that puts targets into a hypnotic state, a digital imaging system that allows for computer-generated commercials staring imaged actors, and even a roving robotic custodian that services a high-tech facility.  Crichton has inserted commentary about the power of television and posits potential dangers.  Is television a tool for brainwashing to which the viewer voluntarily submits?  Not a new idea - the subliminal message was old hat by 1981 - but a different angle.  Here is a Crichton movie that does not have an associated book.

The movie starts strong but begins to crumble in the 3rd act.  The car chase picks up mid-chase with no setup.  Roberts' infiltration for the climax is both implausible and too convenient.  Though frequently funny, the climax spends entirely too much time having the principals creep around empty stages.  There is also a comical trope of scantily clad women throughout the movie.  Sure, they are models, but the one who takes off her robe to answer her apartment door was laughable.  Then there was the model who feared for her life and was leaving town immediately, but not until she changes clothes at her apartment.  Sigh.

Good popcorn fun!