Busy Times 

Busy Times

I'm swamped (mostly grading), and in any case I may be approaching a hiatus on this blog. The most interesting ongoing thread here, for me, is "the U.S. today and ancient Sparta." I've made some progress on a draft article called "The War on Terror: A Thucydidean Perspective." So even my thoughts on Woodrow Wilson should possibly be saved for that. But then again, I may blog on it a bit.

Current events:

1. It's hard to believe Tom Delay is going down, but Republicans seem to be saying he is doing a terrible job of defending himself. Does he have more to hide? If he's going to hurt the party, they will want him gone by the end of this year.

2. The voting for Pope had gone on long enough that I was beginning to think it wouldn't be Ratzinger. He was so clearly the front-runner with the Italians, Europeans and others that if he didn't make it early, I was guessing he would have peaked, so it would be someone else. Either I was completely wrong, or he got a narrow victory before it could get away from him. At his age I guess he is kind of an "interim" Pope anyway. The Cardinals will have some time to decide what direction to take the Church in after Ratzinger is gone.

3. Canada may have a federal election soon. It's hard to see the seat count changing dramatically, except that the separatists will do extremely well in Quebec. If they take enough seats from the Liberals there, there may be a Conservative minority government---propped up by the separatists. Thanks Jean [Chretien].

Why do I not think the Tories will win big? I think the Toronto suburbs still don't trust them on social issues--and there may not be much appetitie for tax cuts or military spending either. They have ditched an anti-abortion position--but they want to campaign against gay marriage?