john maddente | midwestern clarity

A nd the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. --  T. S. Eliot About 15 years ago I discovered an exceptional documentary called,   The Fog of War:  Eleven Lessons from the Life of  Robert  S.  McNamara . Directed by Errol Morris , "The Fog of War"   walks the viewer through most of the 20th century as told by former U.S. Secretary of Defense and World Bank President,  Robert S. McNamara .  Mr. McNamara  reflects on his life's lessons and uses the Eliot quote above, at a particularly moving stage of the film.   His heartfelt and detailed ruminations, the film clips, music by   Phillip Glass  and still photos all work together to vividly and memorably capture the American experience. "The Fog of War" was an Academy Award Winner for best documentary feature in 2003  and I'll recommend the film for the rest of my days.  In the meantime, ...

This coming November, Capitalist Pig Hedge Fund manager and business media figure, Jonathan Hoenig will release  A New Textbook of Americanism: The Politics of Ayn Rand.   The book, edited by Mr. Hoenig, contains a collection of essays from notable writers in the Objectivist school, including one from Mr. Hoenig himself ("On Property Rights").   Cover page image courtesy of J. Hoenig Public Twitter Image - Jonathan Hoenig

S omehow I missed this local news article about two years ago on the 72nd anniversary of D-Day.  T he details of a D-Day jump with the 82nd Airborne Division (and subsequent trip back to Normandy 72 years later) is told  in this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article  by Meg Jones.    Yesterday, I met the gentleman who was the subject of that piece, Mr. Ralph Ticcioni of New Berlin, Wisconsin. (Disclosure: Ralph is Uncle to one of my brothers-in-law).   French Legion of Honour recipient, Ralph Ticcioni John Maddente photo As I listened to the 95 year old veteran speak about his experience, I marveled at his deep humility.   As a paratrooper that fateful day, Ralph along with thousands of his comrades were dropped behind enemy lines.  Unlike his comrades, he landed smack onto a farm rooftop in  Cherbourg, France  whereupon he had to cut himself loose from his own parachute which was entangled on a weather vane.  So...