February 6, 2011

Finished Michael Korda's biography of T.E. Lawrence. Just re-watched the movie and now will attempt to read for the third time: The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The film is said to be filled with inaccuracies and Korda addresses it :"The object was to produce, not a faithful docudrama that would educate the audience, but a hit picture."



Hero by Michael Korda has many interesting phrases and footnotes. One of them concerned Lady Astor's famous remark to Churchill and his retort:

Lady Astor said to Churchill, "If you were my husband, I'd poison your coffee," to which he responded, "Madam, if you were my wife, I'd drink it!"

That brought to mind Michael O'Donoghue's - National Lampoon 1974(?), amusing take on it:

At an elegant dinner party, Lady Astor once leaned across the table to remark, "If you were my husband, Winston, I'd poison your coffee."
"And if you were my wife, I'd beat the shit out of you," came Churchill's unhesitating retort.

And, the exchange with George Bernard Shaw:

"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend ... if you have one."
— George Bernard Shaw, playwright (to Winston Churchill)

"Cannot possibly attend first night; will attend second, if there is one."
— Churchill's response"

O'Donoghue's take:

When the noted playwright George Bernard Shaw sent him two tickets to the opening night of his new play with a note that read: "Bring a friend, if you have one," Churchill, not to be outdone, promptly wired back: "You and your play can go fuck yourselves."



The Financial Crisis of Ireland is laid out nicely in Michael Lewis' Vanity Fair piece entitled When Irish Eyes Are Crying.



The week after next, February 14, is the big Jeopardy match between champion players and an IBM Computer named Watson.

The NYT today has an Op-Ed piece by one of my favorite writers, Richard Powers. He asks the question : What is a human being? Powers always explores Science and the impact on human emotions.

I wondered if Watson could pass the Turing Test and the answer is no.



The NYT also has a wonderful article about author Rebecca Skloot using the proceeds of her book to help surviving members of the Lacks Family.