Word: scoundrelism
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...housekeeping. "It's a messy world today," he says. "It's like being thrown back in an age when people didn't understand what was happening and just left their fate to the gods. There are no great leaders these days." Like most Europeans, Ustinov considers Saddam Hussein a scoundrel, but not worth a war that "could set the whole Middle East ablaze. If that happens, I'd suggest Ms. Rice change her name to Condolenza." But Ustinov isn't about to give into pessimism now. "I'm a strong believer in humanity and human rights - moral courage prevailing over...
...country of one's choosing? It would be cheaper than trying to get him through the means we are using now. We should also use more methods to spread the word about the reward. He is probably hiding among people who don't know what a scoundrel he is. Robert King Normal...
Patriotism", wrote Dr. Johnson in the 18th century, "is the last refuge of a scoundrel." Make that "campaigner" today, and take a look at pre-election Germany. In the aftermath of Sept. 11, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder pledged "unconditional solidarity" with the United States. Now, he is telling George W. Bush to count Germany out. "Under my leadership, this country won't participate in any adventures [against Iraq]," the Chancellor thundered. "We will go our own German way; we won't be roped in." Not even a U.N. mandate would make Berlin join...
...nationalize the deity; it's a little cheap. The Almighty likes to work on a case-by-case basis anyway. I'm all for patriotism and all for religion. But they need to be watched. Sometimes patriotism becomes the next-to-last refuge of a scoundrel. And sometimes - as Osama bin Laden and certain pederast priests should have proved to us by now - religion becomes the last refuge...
...Lithgow's J.J. is a plausible bad guy, though less potent than Lancaster's. Lithgow, his soft lankiness worlds removed from Lancaster's coiled muscularity, puts surface charm on the scoundrel. He smiles, he effuses, he sings. This J.J. enjoys his venality, his sacred-monstrosity (it's good to be the king of the night); Lancaster's J.J. is rigid, watchful, a calculating machine, a new species - the prototype post-human. Something in Lithgow's J.J. wants to be loved, whereas Lancaster's J.J. simply is what he does. (Motivation? That's for infomercial spielers.) The difference...