http://www.martinsandbu.net/thoughts/ en-us 2005-04-26T13:03:53-05:00 http://www.martinsandbu.net/thoughts/000022.html The last sermon cardinal Joseph Ratzinger gave before becoming pope Benedict XVI was to the Conclave of Cardinals that was to elect him to the papacy the following afternoon. For myself and the other one billion members of the Catholic Church, that sermon now stands as a manifesto for Benedict’s tenure; a manifesto in which laid out a view of the Church under siege: “Having a clear faith, based on the Creed of the Church, is often labeled today as a fundamentalism. Whereas relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and ‘swept along by every wind of teaching,’ looks like... Martin E. Sandbu 2005-04-26T13:03:53-05:00 http://www.martinsandbu.net/thoughts/000006.html Zell Miller has far more eloquence, experience, and sheer political heft than the film-star-turned-president's son. He said exactly the things the conventioners wanted to hear, exactly the things that sway American voters, and exactly the things that don't cease to just stun those with European sensibilities.]]> Martin E. Sandbu 2004-09-02T00:56:09-05:00 http://www.martinsandbu.net/thoughts/000005.html Central Park after the march. The city authorities have turned down the application by United for Peace and Justice to end the march on the Great Lawn. Oddly, no one has any objection to people heading to the Park on their own (or strictly, in groups of less than 20), so long as it is not an organised rally. Seems like any gathering is fine so long as no one takes responsibity for organising it. So Xaq and I went to the Great Lawn (in a group of 2) and mingled. Here are some of the people we met: Martin E. Sandbu 2004-08-29T20:28:52-05:00 http://www.martinsandbu.net/thoughts/000003.html Journalists, like lawyers, tend to get a bad rep. Many are unscrupulous, ready to trample on all and everyone to "get the story" even at the cost of ruining people's lives. Yet, again like lawyers, there are many who suscribe to a professional ethic. The problem is that the ideal that inspires the best of American journalism is fundamentally flawed. Martin E. Sandbu 2004-06-18T00:23:21-05:00 http://www.martinsandbu.net/thoughts/000002.html In his testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee last week, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld was asked by Senator Lindsey Graham what he would say "to those people who are calling for your resignation". Secretary Rumsfeld's reply was: "The key question for me is... whether or not I can be effective. We've got tough tasks ahead. The people in the department, military and civilian, are doing enormously important work here, in countries all over the world, and the issue is: Can I be effective in assisting them in their important tasks? Needless to say, if I felt I could... Martin E. Sandbu 2004-05-11T00:22:09-05:00