Columnists

Self-affinity, in which we feel comfortable within our own skin, and in which we value and appreciate ourselves, can be hard to achieve. I am not entirely there yet. -more-

“They sent forth men to battle.

But no such men return;

And home, to claim their

welcome.

Comes ashes in an urn.”

Ode from “Agamemnon”, in the Greek tragedy The Oresteia by Aeschylus

Aeschylus—who had actually fought at Marathon in 490 BC, the battle that defeated the first Persian invasion of Greece—had few illusions about the consequences of war. His ode is one that the candidates for the U.S. presidency might consider, though one doubts that many of them would think to find wisdom in a 2,500 year-old Greek play.

And that, in itself, is a tragedy.

Historical blindness has been much on display in the run-up to the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries. On the Republican side candidates were going to “kick ass” in Iraq, make the “sand glow” in Syria, and face down the Russians in Europe. But while the Democratic aspirants were more measured, there is a pervasive ideology than binds together all but cranks like Ron Paul: America has the right, indeed, the duty to order the world’s affairs. -more-

It’s Super Bowl week on the Left Coast but the number one topic of conversation is not the Broncos or the Panthers, it’s Hillary versus Bernie. That’s a big change from three months ago, when we talked about the Warriors and the awfulness of Donald Trump. But now we have a real contest for the Democratic nomination. -more-

With all the hoopla surrounding Super Bowl 50, news that the late Kenny Stabler suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), shines light on the health dangers of playing American football. -more-