Miscellaneous Musings:

Briefly on two different subject threads...

Romney Wins Wyoming Caucus

It was a three candidate race with Mitt Romney winning 67% for first, Fred Thompson, winning 25% for second place, and Rep. Duncan Hunter winning 8% for third. For Romney this gives him traction, for Thompson, this shows that he has built on his third place showing at Iowa from Thursday. In Hunter's case, it puts him on the radar screen even if only at the periphery. Your host would like to see Hunter get more exposure and hopefully his getting a delegate from this caucus will help a bit.

Seahawks Convincingly Defeat Redskins Despite Playing Subpar on Offense Most of the Games And Poorly On Defense For Three Minutes of the Fourth Quarter

Those who wrote me predicting the Hawks would lose, my Hawks post-season prediction still holds.

A Wednesday Night Analysis of Possible Iowa Caucus Results:
(With Kevin Tierney)

It may seem strange to blog this thread since significant missteps were made in prognosticating both on my part as well as Kevin's. However, some undercurrents of what we discussed are still viable so it seems appropriate to note its contents at this time with a possible follow-up tomorrow or on Monday based on the aftermath of Iowa's results prior to the New Hampshire primary. Without further ado...

me: at least Dean waited until after Iowa to fall apart Huck may not even make it through tomorrow at this rate this stuff coming out at the last minute of a must-win (for him) primary is ominous in its tones of finality for his campaign

Kevin: I think social conservatives need to think long and hard about this. If they go with Huck to the death, they may be heading back into exile politically which will be a tragedy

me: Hucksterbee would be another 1964 except] with no upside whatsoever

Kevin: because who is gonna win a war between the religious right and everyone else in the conservative movement?

me: unlike Goldwater's martyrdom which spawned a movement the same crowd that defeated Bush on immigration and Miers will win (of course)

Kevin: if Huck becomes the nominee, we may be looking to his candidacy which destroyed the GOP coalition

me: I cannot see Huck winning it however I also predict that with every loss he gets in primaries and caucuses and the reason Huck could pull off Iowa no matter what (and someone like Paul could do better there than other places) is the structure of a caucus as opposed to a primary. I have been involved in caucuses they favour candidates with rabid followings over those whose support is a mile wide and an inch deep because they take longer to resolve

Kevin: the damage has already been done, there's a lot of fractures amongst the base now thanks to huckabee's identity politics

me: and time is on the side of those with passionate followings in those things. Ultimately, if Huck loses Iowa and Paul does not crack the top three then that is about as good as I would want in the realm of the feasible. Paul is doomed if he cannot make a splash in a caucus state...I want to see him finished off early along with Huck heck compared to them, I would eagerly support McCain and be willing to deal with Guiliani and I do not want either of them to win as you probably know...

Kevin: The Dems are already set to make gains in the house and senate in 08, i think its logical the presidency will go with it. It's not a foregone conclusion, but a strong chance.

me: just cause they won in 06 does not mean they will in 08 congressionally the war's success is not in their favour nor overall is the economy granted we are a year out and anything can happen a year as I have said for years is an eternity politically. I remind you a year out, Bush 41 looked invincible literally bulletproof [and] we know what happened there. In this election there is also the possible Bloomberg factor which could affect Dems the way Perot did Repubs in 92 and to a lesser extent 96. This current congress is so unpopular that they make Bush 43's 25% approval rating look good granted we are a year out.

Kevin: we shall see...if our predictions about Iowa are correct tomorrow

me: but I am not pessimistic on the R's chances in 08 at all -presidentially or congressionally
what are yours again?

Kevin: Romney, Huck, Fred, then McCain then Iowa is Obama, Edwards Hillary pretty close to Novak's

me: heck, that is my Repub picks 1-3 my Dem pick is yours for 3 but reverse 1 and 2.

As readers will note, Kevin and I both were wrong on Iowa for the Republicans insofar as who would win and place (we both predicted Thompson to show and McCain to place fourth). However Kevin got the Iowa picks for the Democrats correct for win, place, and show whereas I only got the part about Hillary showing correct.

But it is still early and we both have time to improve our prognosticating on these matters.

Points to Ponder:

[W]e are concerned here with actualities -- not with appearances; we are interested in facts, not opinions. [Arthur Jones (circa 1970)]

We at Rerum Novarum hope that readers will offer prayers (in the next day or so) for the eternal repose of the soul of one of the greatest generals in American history who died 103 years ago today; namely, General James Longstreet. (May he rest in peace.)

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind ?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and auld lang syne ?

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup !
And surely I’ll buy mine !
And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have run about the slopes,
and picked the daisies fine ;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,
since auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We two have paddled in the stream,
from morning sun till dine† ;
But seas between us broad have roared
since auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend !
And give us a hand o’ thine !
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.

For an understanding of the lyrics to this song verse by verse and the reason why we traditionally post it at the start of every year, see this thread for details.

On "Auld Lang Syne", Its Meaning, and the Reasons For Our Annual Lyrical Posting Thereof:
(Musings of your humble servant at Rerum Novarum)

A tradition was started on this weblog on January 1, 2004 basically on a whim with a posting of the lyrics to auld lang syne in the traditional Olde English. However, as with so much of what we have undertaken here at Rerum Novarum, deeper meanings are later found in even simple seeming matters such as these.

The meaning of this gesture is deeper than merely a casual song that people sing when they are tipsy ringing in the new year. But as I had previously posted the lyrics in the old Scottish version, the full meaning of the song was for that reason to some extent obscured. The intention of this posting is to explain before we post the traditional first thread of the new year, its meaning and why I make reference to it with the ringing in of a new year as will be done at some point tomorrow or the next day (depending on when I am in the mood to blog again).

Traditionally the song auld lang syne is sung to ring out the old and ring in the new year but often it is done without thought to what is being sung -to the extent that those singing it of course even know what they are singing and are not merely mumbling the parts they do not know and singing the familiar chorus. The latter part of the song is simple enough as it involves raising a pint for "auld lang syne" or "olden times." The verses between it are a bit more complex in their simplicity of meaning.

The core of the song itself contains a recollection of "olden times" and notes that they should not be forgotten. This is the meaning of the first verse in a nutshell, the one that people remember if they remember anything but the chorus. The rest of the verses unpack this a bit and we will explain each verse in sequence so that the meaning is clearer to those who will sing it tonight who happen to read this tomorrow so they know what it is they were singing as the passing of 2007 into the night unfolds.

The second verse of auld lang syne explains the means of remembrance -basically that each will toast one another to "olden times" and outlines the manner of toasting: basically that each will buy their own "pint cup." So far so good but to what are they toasting exactly??? That is what the rest of the song unfolds in subsequent verses.

The third verse echoes in it both the good and bad times between the parties involved -symbolized in the "picking of daisies" and "running about the slopes" for the good times and the "wander[ing] many a weary foot" to symbolize times of conflict which it is drawn out a bit in the fourth verse of the song.

Verse four refers to the two parties who "have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine" where the day is a metaphor basically with "morning sun" being earlier and "dine" being a reference to dinner or later in the evening -with the metaphor being of life itself and its varied stages. During that span of time, "seas between us broad have roared" makes reference to personal slights, quarrels, and discontents which affect all friendships to some extent not infrequently putting parties once on good terms at estrangement with one another.

The fifth verse is the final verse other than a final run through of the chorus. It is the explicit verse of reconciliation in the song -each party taking hand of the other and drinking a good will toast to "olden times" meaning not to the bad blood that has occurred between them at sundry times and diverse manners but instead to the times before the bad blood occurred.

There is an eminently Christian undertone to this song: one of recognition of problems and a seeking of resolution if not to the problems than at least to the people involved. I probably did not have a fully conscious reflecting on the matters so noted when I started singing those words at the dawn of every year. However, they have been part and parcel to my annual outlook explicitly ever since the departure from my life of many who were close to me either personally or by family relation in rapid succession.{1}

The more one has those close to them take leave of this mortal coil -or who has those close to them who are close to that point in various ways- it has a way of sharpening the discerning mind to the quarrels that we can have which are minute in the grand scheme of things. The song itself is an explicit call to reflect upon "olden times", the times of solidarity and strife, and to toast in remembrance of the better times in "olden days."

I have at the end of each year consciously closed the book on that year's toils and strifes and done so for a number of years now. However, I would be less than truthful if I did not humbly admit that I have allowed myself to be baited back into old quarrels on occasion in subsequent years -and rarer still but of required mentioning perhaps presumed to have seen bait where it was possibly not being so intentionally dangled.{2} Nonetheless, as the direction this weblog to a good extent will be changing for the indefinite future,{3} it seems appropriate at this time to note the customary "closing of the book" on the past explicitly.

For my part, I will "raise a pint" tonight to all my departed loved ones and friends who have passed on and also another "pint" to those still alive -be they in explicit good stead with me as of this writing or not. Disputes will always subsist whenever you have a passionate advocation of ideals but they should nonetheless always be based on issues without the parties themselves being drawn into it personally.{4} We do not always succeed but that does not mean we should abandon the effort of walking anew with reaffirmed purpose or what in Christian thought could be called "putting off the old man and putting on the new."

In closing the postings for the year of 2007, hopefully what is noted above explains the proper understanding of the song that we all will hopefully sing as the old year leaves and the new year begins. 2008 much as any new year about to dawn is a new year with new opportunities to write fresh pages in the varied scripts of our interactions with others. And (of course) the reasons I have discerned over the years{5} for its usage and the appropriateness of confirming for a fifth straight year, the tradition of ringing in the new year with auld lang syne in text form on this weblog with the first posting of the year whenever that happens to be.

A most blessed, happy, and prosperous new year to you all!!!

Notes:

{1} A process that started in 2000 and for the most part was concluded by 2006 -though there were some notable losses in early 2004 and late 2005 which I do not want to omit noting at least in brief. (And three additional losses this year though all of the parties involved were expected to pass at some point which makes it a bit easier.)

{2} This is not a naive ignoring of actual slights mind you, only a note signifying that I consider them set aside unless and until the parties in question explicitly manifest beyond a reasonable doubt the intention of continuing them. (In which case, I will strive to only do so to the extent that I discern in what they have said compromise in ethics and principles and nothing more -however personal the attacks may be perceived.)

{3} For reasons many of which will be made known soon.

{4} As so often is the case and to which admittedly I have not always avoided doing.

{5} At first in a more subconscious reflection and then with greater fullness upon further consideration as the years went passing by.

Points to Ponder:

We always make our opponents out to be more radical than they are, so that we can position ourselves as part of the mainstream. But in times of great social tension this polarizing game can become an extremely dangerous form of self-fulfilling prophecy. We use the alleged radicalism of our opponents as an excuse to become radical ourselves, and thus prompt our opponents to follow suit, turning them into the monsters we thought they were all along (and so justifying further extremism on our part). [Edwin Tait]

I would be remiss if I did not finally acknowledge that the 12-4 part of the predictions I made for the Seahawks this season record-wise did not pan. This should not surprise those aware that my sports prognosticating average is as wrong on average as my geopolitical predictions are right. Nonetheless, we cannot point out when we are right and not when we are also wrong so it is only appropriate to make this notation prior to the playoffs.

For wrapping up 2007, we recommend the animation of those astute commentators at JibJab.