In 2007, the Reverend Al Sharpton and celebrated polemicist Christopher Hitchens, who died yesterday of cancer at the age of 62, met for an intellectual debate on the existence and nature of God at the New York Public Library. As the Times happily reported, despite the incendiary and polarizing nature of both men, the debate turned out to be "the public intellectual event of the evening, a bit like Bertrand Russell vs. C. S. Lewis."
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Results tagged “christopherhitchens”
Video: Hitchens Vs. Sharpton On Whether God Is Great
Video: The Best Rejoinders Of Christopher Hitchens, Dead At 62
Christopher Hitchens, arguably the most entertaining and celebrated polemicist of his time, succumbed to cancer yesterday in a Houston hospital at the age of 62. Hitchens had chronicled his grueling battle with esophageal cancer in a series of unflinching essays, the most recent one appearing in Vanity Fair days before his death. In it, he questioned whether the famous maxim "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger" was really true:
Waiters' Wine Pouring Custom Sparks Plenty of Whining
Polemicist Christopher Hitchens is calling on diners to collectively resist the “barbaric” way servers automatically refill diners’ wine glasses when they’ve got a bottle on the table. To Hitchens it’s a crisis not just because it’s clearly part of their conspiracy to inflate the bill (the faster the table kills one bottle, the sooner they order another) but also because they interrupt his anecdotes with their incessant reaching and pouring and serving.
Another Tuesday Showdown for Clinton and Obama
Today's big Texas primary, the Post has delivered a cover with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama as old West gunslingers. And since Obama's hand in on his gun, it makes sense the headline for the story is, "Barack Goes For Hill Kill." (Obama believes in gun control, though he backed a law allowing retired cops to carry concealed weapons).
Sharpton Throws Jab at Romney
There's nothing quite like religion and politics to get people worked up. In a debate Monday night at the New York Public Library, Al Sharpton seemingly combined both, saying, "As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyway, so don’t worry, that’s a temporary situation." The Mormon in question is Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney. Sharpton was debating with Christopher Hitchens, author of God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, a book that calls the Mormon faith a "ridiculous cult".
Nabbing Cigarette Bootleggers
Not only does Mayor Bloomberg want smokers not to smoke in certain public places, he wants them to give up their bootlegged cigarettes by reporting bodegas, grocery stores, and bootleggers themselves who sell cheaper cigarettes. The Mayor wants to pass a bill that would give rewards to whistleblowers; theoretically, the person could receive up to 15% of the owed taxes (the Post's example: "A bust leading to $1 million in tax collections could reap a $150,000 reward"). State officials think they are losing about $80 million in revenue a year in bootlegged cigarettes. Cigarette smokers, who now pay about $7.50 per pack ($3 in city and state taxes) have never hated Bloomberg more. And next we'll have Christopher Hitchens being a mule in the cigarette bootlegging market. Now, we can't begin to assume to guess what people might do for money, but this plan will only work from those crazy health conscious types - no self-respecting young New Yorker would risk the wrath of smoker friends are tattling on their secret cheap cigarette connection.
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Movies at Alice Tully Hall
Movies at Alice Tully Hall Alice Tully Hall is where many New York Film Festival films are screened, and for the first year, where New Directors/New Films is taking place. My fondness of Alice Tully Hall also stems from the fact that by now, I know the optimal seats for movie viewing as well as talk participation.
Michael Moore's Oscar Moment
The show is far from over, but Michael Moore's acceptance speech for Bowling for Columbine will be replayed from now to eternity. Here is a play-by-play, updated with Michael Moore's acceptance speech:
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