Great Regulars: The problem for all such works that attempt to confront 9/11

directly is that, as Spielberg implied, we are still too close. Art, like history, requires a certain blurring of the facts. When blinded by a bright light, you need to half close your eyes to see what is really going on--and, as yet, we can't quite do that with the burning towers.

from Bryan Appleyard: The Sunday Times: Is Man on Wire the most poignant 9/11 film?

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These things do make our lives easier, but only by destroying the very selves that should be protesting at every distraction, demanding peace, quiet and contemplation. The distracters have product to shift, and it's shifting. On the train to Wakefield, with my new 3G iPhone, distracted from distraction by distraction, I saw the future and, to my horror, it worked.

from Bryan Appleyard: The Sunday Times: Stoooopid. . . . why the Google generation isn't as smart as it thinks

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