Ray Evans Harrell wrote:
>
> Arthur
> The encouragement of a lack of imagination and public sloth.
[snip]
> Change will have to come from outside. Some sort of political change which
> enables the consideration of new ways of looking the economy. Economists
> will then rush forward to justify, with models and mathematics the new
> agenda. Sad to say and sorry to say this, but seems to be the case.
The Computer Establishment is to The Roman Catholic Church, as
Economics [what is econometrics, anyway?] is to Casuistry.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -
> September 30, 2002
> The Paradox of Corrupt Yet Effective Leadership
> By ALAN EHRENHALT
>
> ASHINGTON
Obviously this is a typo, but is is *SO* apposite!
> Every so often in American politics, we come upon an ethical problem more
> delicate and more depressing than the existence of outright evil. It is the
> problem of mackerels in the moonlight.
> John Randolph, the eccentric Virginia aristocrat, invented this phrase in
> the 1820's and used it against at least two of his Congressional colleagues.
> Henry Clay, he complained, was so brilliant, so capable and yet so corrupt
> that, "like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight, he both shines and stinks."
> The phrase has lived on not only because of its cleverness, but because it
> defines a moral ambiguity most of us find very hard to understand.
[snip]
I never heard this, but I love it. Let me add a few nominees:
Winston Churchhill (a truly great leader of other people's
truly great sacrifices, but then
for a leader to sacrifice truly does
harm the people, so I guess I should
strike The First Lord of the Admiralty
from the list)
Mother Theresa (loved the poor for being poor so she could
savor connoisseurship of their poverty)
Pope John Paul II (I have always regretted I did not
copy the picture of him scurrying after
George W Bush like a toadying dog, in
pursuit of Bush's support for
the rights of foeti -- it was synoptic even
if not synodic)
Yes, now let us praise rotten mackerels in the moonlight!
But let us also remember Schubert's trout (the fish that eluded
the fisherman until the fisherman muddied the water with a stick
so the fish no longer could see where trouble was coming from)!
\brad mccormick
--
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16)
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21)
<![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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