Comments on the book "Supreme Conflict - The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court" by Jan Crawford Greenburg
Jan Crawford Greenburg's book on the politics and recent history of the United States Supreme Court is, naturally, supremely interesting and informative. It is especially so from about the time of 1981, the year Sandra Day O'Conner was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, to about 2006.
This book is also more specifically informative and interesting about the court appointments and careers of Justices William Rehnquist, Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, and David Souter, as well as the more recent appointments of Justices John Roberts and Sam Alito.
The author also describes in very informative detail the concepts of the "New Federalism", first heard during the presidency of Richard Nixon, and "judicial restraint". Both concepts are associated with Republican Party efforts to transform, overrule, or "roll back" some of the earlier liberal court rulings. The author writes that these efforts failed several times, but eventually succeeded.
Jan Crawford Greenburg also describes very interestingly the Supreme Court's involvement and rulings in the stalled election of the year 2000, between George W. Bush and Al Gore.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Experimental Blog #28
Comments on 2 books
"A Is for American" - Letters and Other Characters in the Newly United States by Jill Lepore
This original American historian demonstrates how much can be investigated and written about language, and its several cognitive aspects, and how important it all is to individual and national identity.
Jill Lepore's narritives of seven people include prominent known Americans, as well as an American Indian named George Guess, but better known as Sequoyah; and an African named Abd al-Rahman Ibrahima, who was brought to America to be a slave when he was about 26 years of age, but obtained his freedom about 40 years later, and went back to Africa of his own accord.
All of these people left their mark in the world as thoughtful, mentally active, and productive individuals.
"Conspirator" - Lenin in Exile by Helen Rappaport
It seems that Vladimir Ulyanov was a consistent, lifelong, and conscientious student and scholar; but before he was 20 years old he was already getting into trouble with the Okhrana, the Department for the Protection of Order and Public Security.
Vladimir, and his wife Nadya, would spend their entire adult lives repeatedly moving to avoid arrest, or in exile in Siberia{about 3 years}, or in many places in Europe{England, Switzerland, Finland, France, Poland, Germany}from about 30 years of age{for Vladimir}, in 1900 to 47 years of age, in 1917.
This book describes in remarkable detail the many events and people of those years, and in the process describes and uncovers a more believable and human story.
The amount of Lenin's collected works, at least 45 volumes, is truly extraordinary.
"A Is for American" - Letters and Other Characters in the Newly United States by Jill Lepore
This original American historian demonstrates how much can be investigated and written about language, and its several cognitive aspects, and how important it all is to individual and national identity.
Jill Lepore's narritives of seven people include prominent known Americans, as well as an American Indian named George Guess, but better known as Sequoyah; and an African named Abd al-Rahman Ibrahima, who was brought to America to be a slave when he was about 26 years of age, but obtained his freedom about 40 years later, and went back to Africa of his own accord.
All of these people left their mark in the world as thoughtful, mentally active, and productive individuals.
"Conspirator" - Lenin in Exile by Helen Rappaport
It seems that Vladimir Ulyanov was a consistent, lifelong, and conscientious student and scholar; but before he was 20 years old he was already getting into trouble with the Okhrana, the Department for the Protection of Order and Public Security.
Vladimir, and his wife Nadya, would spend their entire adult lives repeatedly moving to avoid arrest, or in exile in Siberia{about 3 years}, or in many places in Europe{England, Switzerland, Finland, France, Poland, Germany}from about 30 years of age{for Vladimir}, in 1900 to 47 years of age, in 1917.
This book describes in remarkable detail the many events and people of those years, and in the process describes and uncovers a more believable and human story.
The amount of Lenin's collected works, at least 45 volumes, is truly extraordinary.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Experimental Blog #27
Comments on "The Fossil Hunter" - Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World by Shelley Emling and "The Sisters of Sinai" - How Two Lady Adventurers Discovered the Hidden Gospels by Janet Soskice
The somewhat peculiarly written book by Shelley Emling is about the life and work of the English amateur/professional fossil hunter named Mary Anning. However, the book is also very much about the beginning modern sciences of geology, biology, and paleontology; mostly in early 19th century England, as well as France and Switzerland. Although all the scientists and searchers in these activities were religious, that is, they believed in the Bible and religion to a greater or lesser degree, and not infrequently to a very great degree; in the longer run they all contributed to establishing and accumulating scientific truth; that is, all the facts of the natural world concerning matter, space, and time. And, although it is absurd to believe that some, or all, of this scientific truth could ever be contradicted or "overthrown", the scientific understanding of things is continuously altering and expanding.
The second book above, by Janet Soskice, describes the meticulous search and deciphering of the most ancient palimpsests in order to obtain the, presumably, least distorted or adulterated versions of the books of the Bible. This search and study was in large part stimulated by the earlier scientific efforts of the people written about in Shelley Emling's book, and, of course, many others; whose scientific discoveries were undermining the authority of the Bible and religion in general.
However the results of the work of the biblical scholars supported them in the belief that they were in possession, as close as humanly possible, of the "Divine Revelation" attributed to Jesus Christ, that is, a divine revelation of supernatural, eternal, absolute and unchanging factual and moral truth, instruction, and guidance for all human life.
The somewhat peculiarly written book by Shelley Emling is about the life and work of the English amateur/professional fossil hunter named Mary Anning. However, the book is also very much about the beginning modern sciences of geology, biology, and paleontology; mostly in early 19th century England, as well as France and Switzerland. Although all the scientists and searchers in these activities were religious, that is, they believed in the Bible and religion to a greater or lesser degree, and not infrequently to a very great degree; in the longer run they all contributed to establishing and accumulating scientific truth; that is, all the facts of the natural world concerning matter, space, and time. And, although it is absurd to believe that some, or all, of this scientific truth could ever be contradicted or "overthrown", the scientific understanding of things is continuously altering and expanding.
The second book above, by Janet Soskice, describes the meticulous search and deciphering of the most ancient palimpsests in order to obtain the, presumably, least distorted or adulterated versions of the books of the Bible. This search and study was in large part stimulated by the earlier scientific efforts of the people written about in Shelley Emling's book, and, of course, many others; whose scientific discoveries were undermining the authority of the Bible and religion in general.
However the results of the work of the biblical scholars supported them in the belief that they were in possession, as close as humanly possible, of the "Divine Revelation" attributed to Jesus Christ, that is, a divine revelation of supernatural, eternal, absolute and unchanging factual and moral truth, instruction, and guidance for all human life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)