“Despite his deeply-held ideology, Reagan was willing to talk to Gorbachev. He willing to do business with him. We should realize that engaging with adversaries is often one of our great strengths. As long as we use the engagement to stand up for the things we care about, there is no harm in talking.” ShouldLongUseCareRealizingTalkingWillingHarmDespiteIdeologyEngagementEngagingAdversariesGorbachev Author:David Hoffman
“The great thing about media now is that you have 360 degrees worth of opinions and can find whatever you want and tune out whatever you want.” WantOpinionMediaDegreesGreat ThingsTunes Author:Michael Wilbon
“In fact, the same difficulties faced by Reagan in the 1980-s are still there [in the beginning of 21 century]: how do you hit a bullet with a bullet? The technology is getting better, but it still is focused on one interceptor knocking down one missile. In war, there would be many more challenges, more chaos, more uncertainty.” StillsWarFactsWould BeChallengesTechnologyCenturyDifficultyChaosFocusedUncertaintyGet BetterBulletsMissilesKnocking Author:David Hoffman
“You live in a society that is shaped in every possible way by the Bible. The language you use, the laws you obey (and disobey), the founding principles of your nation, the disputes about abortion, homosexuality, adultery - these and so much else in your world are rooted in the Bible. You don't have to read it for its truth value. You should read it to understand how your world got the way it is, the way you would read the constitution or Shakespeare.” WorldWayShouldUseLawValuesLanguageNationsPrinciplesConstitutionAbortionRootedHomosexualityFoundingDisputesAdultery Author:David Plotz
“Nixon tried to wrap the Soviet Union into a web of agreements that would constrain its behavior. What happened is that many people lost faith in that approach, not the least because of how the Soviets handled it.” PeopleLostHappenedBehaviorApproachUnionsAgreementSovietSoviet UnionWrapsConstrainLost Faith Author:David Hoffman
“When you have spent too much time with something, you may lose sight of what's marvelous about it.” MayLosesToo MuchSightMarvelous Author:David Plotz
“The Christians think I am making a mistake by not trying the New Testament and meeting Jesus. The Jews tend to think I am making a mistake by reading without support from educated people. After all, there is 2,000 years of scholarship about the book, they say, so it's perverse of me to ignore it.” PeopleThinkingTryingYearsBookChristianReadingJesusMistakeSupportMeetingsJewEducatedMaking MistakesTestamentNew TestamentScholarship Author:David Plotz
“Chats are so new to newspapers, historically. But they're so incredibly valuable because editors/reporters/columnists get to find out what's on the minds of our readers, what you think we should be writing about, what ticks you off, what makes you happy. Sometimes it can confirm what you think readers are interested in; sometimes it can turn you around 180 degrees.” ThinkingShouldWritingMindSometimesTurnsReaderDegreesValuableNewspapersEditorsReportersMake You HappyTickColumnists Author:Michael Wilbon
“Baseball should adopt replay, plain and simple. If we can see it at home or on hand-held PDAs, the technology should be used in games.” IfsShouldHomeHandsUsedGamesSimpleTechnologyBaseballReplayPlain And SimplePda Author:Michael Wilbon
“God is erratic, sometimes vindictive, sometimes merciful. The people I was taught were heroes - Jacob or Moses or David - were ambivalent figures, or worse. But that messiness was joyful, and challenging. I loved having a Bible that I could argue with.” PeopleSometimesChallengesFiguresTaughtHeroArguingJoyfulMosesMercifulJacobVindictiveErraticAmbivalentMessiness Author:David Plotz