Is George Orwell’s1984 the most influential novel ever written? That’s what Geoffrey Wheatcroft says in a recent essay in the New York Times:

No other [novel] can have so enriched the language. Try a Web search for countless contemporary uses of Newspeak, the thought police or doublethink – the expressions, that is: a glance at the political pages or op-ed columns provides plenty of examples of what those brilliant coinings describe.

My, with all this “coining” and “enrichment,” Orwell is practically the Royal Mint. Maybe Orwell’s words are still in circulation but are his ideas really in good condition?

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Tags: books & writing, diatribes by Neil Verma
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There’s a two-word answer for everything wrong with politics today: Richard Shelby. The Senator from Alabama placed a hold on dozens of Obama nominees… not because he opposes them, but because he wanted to “get the White House’s attention on two issues that are critical to our national security — the Air Force’s aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the F.B.I.’s Terrorist Device Analytical Center (TEDAC).” Coincidentally, both these “critical” matters will result in large amounts of federal dollars being dumped into Alabama. So what seems like pointlessly dragging the government to a standstill — and it’s not like the government moves at breakneck speeds in the best of times — in a desperate attempt to score two extra helpings of pork is in fact his personal quest to keep the rest of us safe. On behalf of the rest of America: thanks, Richard. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government by Sean Cunningham
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Paddy Meehan is probably the most flawed heroine I’ve read in a while. By page 10 of The Dead Hour, she has already taken a bribe. She lies, she has an affair with a married man — but in her own way, she’s trying to do the right thing. Her way is just a bit roundabout. [Read more →]

Tags: books & writing, Lisa Reads by Lisa Hura
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Much pleasure and enlightenment can be had from desultory reading. I mean the sort when you don’t read a particular book from cover to cover, but just pick up first this one, then that, reading a little here and a little there. The different passages that catch your attention often fit surprisingly well together, like the bits and scraps that go to make up a collage. [Read more →]

Tags: religion & philosophy, that's what he said, by Frank Wilson by Frank Wilson
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Got hold of a new tidbit that I found interesting.  The Ozone Layer’s hole, which is closing, is now being reported as “causing global warming”.

<Insert Homer Simpson’s “D’oh!” here.>

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Tags: environment & nature, politics & government by Mike McGowan
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Recently my part of the world experienced something rare — two blizzards within a week that added up to a lot of damn snow. Lest I get mocked by those living in Minnesota or upstate New York, understand this: I live in the city, where a lot of people share a small amount of coveted space. We normally have a fair amount of tolerance for one another, having learned to peacefully coexist and respect the unwritten rules of the neighborhood. Following the snow, however, all social conventions got lost in a snowdrift. The first blizzard brought out the ugly side, and the second blizzard invoked a new level of lunacy among my neighbors. I started to ask myself “Just who are these people in my neighborhood? And do I really want to meet them each day?” [Read more →]

Tags: diatribes, ends & odd by Nancy DeGregorio
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When Falls the Coliseum is looking for bloggers to post commentaries, essays, rants, satire, and reviews about current events, politics, entertainment, culture, and many other topics from a broad range of personal and political perspectives. We appreciate both serious discussion and merciless mockery. We like humor — the funny kind. If you’re interested in being a regular contributor, visit our submissions page and tour our site (see FAQ, Welcome, and History). We don’t care if you are libertarian, liberal, conservative, other, or don’t pay attention to politics. As long as you can write posts that interest readers and you want to do so regularly, we’d like to hear from you. We’re looking to increase our coverage of movies, books, TV, video games, celebrity news, pop culture, politics, current events, social issues, online oddities.

Tags: announcements by Coliseum
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Usually, South Philadelphia gets press coverage due to mob murders, student violence at South Philly High, or, during this time of year, fights over coveted parking spaces.

So it was good to see a story in the Philadelphia Daily News about South Philadelphians celebrating Valentine’s Day.

Tags: his & hers by Paul Davis
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As we all know, the world is in a terrible state and likely to end very soon. That being the case, we should be well advised to keep an eye out not only for manifestations of Satan but also for possible messiahs who might extricate us from this unholy mess. Alas, with so many claimants to the title, how are we to know who is the real deal? According to Benjamin Creme we should all be watching our TVs very closely right now, because the ‘Maitreya’ (the coming future Buddha in Buddhist eschatology) has already appeared on our screens. [Read more →]

Tags: religion & philosophy, trusted media & news by Daniel Kalder
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I hope you were as appalled as I was by the way the Supreme Court basically said “eff you” to democracy with their decision in the “Citizens United” case. Brave Senator Chuck Schumer and brave Representative Chris Van Hollen are doing their part by proposing a new law designed to blunt the effects of said decision, but I am afraid that nothing less than an amendment to our imperfect Constitution will have any effect — the Supreme Court can always strike down a law.  That’s why I, like so many others, have taken direct action by composing a bipartisan amendment to the constitution, designed to protect our democracy (I’m calling it the “Protect Democracy Amendment,” so my intentions will be clear). I’m not exactly sure how these things work, but I think that if enough people sign this proposition it will become an actual Constitutional amendment, in which case democracy as we know it will be saved.

WHEREAS, an informed citizenry is necessary to the perpetuation of our government as it currently exists,

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Tags: on the law, politics & government by Ricky Sprague
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I am a big NASCAR fan. Much to my wife’s chagrin, the 2010 season began on Sunday with this year’s running of the Daytona 500. I am always excited for the new season, but my enthusiasm is always tempered by two things: restrictor plates and misplaced hype. [Read more →]

Tags: bad sports, good sports by Alan Spoll
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10. “I don’t know which I enjoy more, the Pomp or the Circumstance.”

9. “That’s weird: somebody’s replaced the Canadian National Flag with a picture of a leaf!”

8. “I never realized North America contained a country besides the United States.”

7. “I’m really looking forward to that new event, Cross-Country Skating!”

6. “Cripes! I’ve seen more snow on the shoulder of a Head & Shoulders user!”

5. “Rumor has it that one of the male figure skaters might be gay.”

4. “It’s so embarrassing when you just can’t get your torch up!”

3. “What’s the venue for the Freestyle Zamboni?”

2. “Rumor has it that k. d. lang might be gay.”

1. “I didn’t know Georgia was a country now! Did it secede from the Union? Again?”
 

Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.

Tags: Bob Sullivan's top ten everything, sports, television by Bob Sullivan
1 Comment »

Back in September, I reviewed The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I was really impressed by the book — it wasn’t really something I expected to like, but I was sucked in and really enjoyed it. Garth Stein has a new novel coming out in just a few weeks: Raven Stole the Moon is currently available for pre-order. I hope to have a review here for you soon!

Tags: books & writing, Lisa Reads by Lisa Hura
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10. Although this sonnet be one quatrain short,

9. It’s filled with every drop of Love of mine.

8. It’s filled with all my caring and support.

7. I Love you so, my gorgeous Valentine.

6. I Love the fire burning in your eyes,

5. That melts our flesh eternally together

4. And, like the phoenix, soon enough we rise

3. And soar off starward, one bird of a feather.

2. To see sights that no mortal man has seen,

1. Forever one with my true Love: Maureen.
 

Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears (except this week) every Monday.

Tags: Bob Sullivan's top ten everything, books & writing, living poetry by Bob Sullivan
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Saturday mornings this time of year find me working the floor of the gymnasium at our church in Midland, offering halftime devotionals during Upward Basketball games. I was inspired to prepare this week’s devotional by one of many stories coming out of Dallas this weekend as they host the NBA All-Star Game.
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Tags: religion & philosophy, sports by Jeff McDonald
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We’ve all heard the old axiom “Let the buyer beware”.  It’s always stemmed from the nature of salesmanship.  As a salesman, your job is to make the product sound so wonderful, so incredible, that the buyer can’t help but wonder how they ever made it through life without your good or service.

Let’s meet the world’s best saleswoman.

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Tags: advice by Mike McGowan
1 Comment »

“My name is Michael Westen. I’m a spy.”

So begins each episode of the TV series Burn Notice.

I read that Saturday Night Live made fun of the TV series and as I’ve lately become a huge fan of the action-comedy program, I went to the Internet to watch the comedy sketch .

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Tags: television by Paul Davis
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Last week I mused in an entirely speculative fashion on who the culprits behind the recent spate of church burnings in East Texas might be, suggesting that the Feds might want to look for Lords of Chaos- reading, Burzum-listening, Satan-loving Black Metal fans. Others, less attuned to the dark arts than myself, have somewhat drearily suggested Muslims or ‘Sarah Palin hating liberals’. [Read more →]

Tags: religion & philosophy, trusted media & news by Daniel Kalder
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Like many contributors to this site, I find that I align closest with the general co-occurrence of values known to the world as “libertarianism.” But surely many libertarians would disagree with some of the arguments I make, so I’ll just say that I agree with libertarians on many — possibly most — political issues. What follows is my best attempt at establishing a philosophical basis for my political views. This post was partially inspired by Mike McGowan‘s great series of posts entitled “one guy’s thoughts on libertarianism.” [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government, terror & war by Calvin Pollak
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I understand that children can’t be sheltered forever and that they have to learn how things work in this world… even if those things are, on some level, disturbing. But what is the appropriate way to teach a kid about those things? Is it the way Headmistress, Mrs. Charman, chose to teach her kids where meat comes from? She had her students raise a lamb from birth; taught her kids to care for it, bottle-feed it, love it, and even named it Marcus — and then sent it off to be slaughtered.

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Tags: animals, family & parenting by Amy Boshnack
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