Jamesian Philosophy Refreshed

Just thinking about the sort of "introduction to journalism" course one can take at any decent four year college, or perhaps in the context of an associates' program. They generally teach that the first sentence should cover all the Ws: who, what, where, when, and why. "The chief of the Smallville fire department personally rescued a small cat from a chimney in the Soapsy neighborhood Saturday afternoon in response to a 911 call." Good lede.  [Yes, journos generally spell it 'lede' for the same reason that a certain Zeppelin is described as 'led'. The spelling 'lead' -- as an alternative to led or lede -- can be confusing.]   The italicized sentence is a good lede.  The rescue of the cat is the what.   Who rescued the cat? The chief (identified here by role not by name). Where ? a chimney in the Soapsy neighborhood. When ? Saturday afternoon. Why ?  In response to a 911 call.  Of course the rest of the story can expand on any or all of t...

  On a social media site that shall be nameless, another participant asked me what are my three favorite Christmas songs. I answered quickly, without over-thinking it, but while trying to show some range among the many different kinds of song, and eras of song-writing, in the genre. I answered: Snoopy's Christmas (1967) Have yourself a merry little Christmas (1944) I heard the bells on Christmas Day (1863/1956). "I heard the bells..." has two dates on this modest list because it began life as a poem by Longfellow.  When Johnny Marks composed the tune most of us have heard, so that Bing Crosby could sing this poem to the world, Crosby cracked wise.  "I see you've finally gotten yourself a decent lyricist, Johnny." Anyway: I have since been thinking too much about my list of three.  In the lyrics of none of them does one find any reference either to Santa or to Jesus. My list avoid both commercialism and specifics of faith.  Two out of my three choices invo...

This year as last at this time I pause a moment to remember Bram Stoker (1847-1912), the novelist and dramatist who gave to vampire lore its classically Victorian formulation.  I say "dramatist" because Stoker -- an Irishman -- was an actor at, and the manager of, a London theatre beginning in 1878. To an ambitious Irishman in the arts in the 19th century, politics notwithstanding, going to London was "making the big time." Indeed, it is still thus, as you can see from the attitude of the Dublin musicians in the recent bittersweet romantic movie "Once."  It is, I submit, worth spending the time and pixels to make that observation because Stoker gave to vampire lore the element one might expect from a man who crashed the London dramatic scene in his early thirties. Dracula is the same way. A man trying to make it in the big time.  One theme of the famous novel, I submit, is that the Count could be a frightening bigshot to the peasants of Transylvani...