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The Wizard of Oz: Parable on Populism
by Henry M. Littlefield
A promotional poster for the stage production of The Wizard of Oz, which ran in Chicago from 1902-1907 starring Fred Stone and Dave Montgomery. Paul Tietjens wrote the score for the stage production.
On the deserts of North Africa in 1941 two tough Australian brigades went into battle singing:
Have you heard of the wonderful wizard,
The wonderful Wizard of Oz,
And he is a wonderful wizard,
If ever a wizard there was.
It was a song they had brought with them from Australia and would soon spread to England. Forever afterward it reminded Winston Churchill of those "buoyant days."[1] Churchill's nostalgia is only one symptom of the world-wide delight found in an American fairy tale about a little girl and her odyssey in the strange land of Oz. The song he reflects upon came from a classic 1939 Hollywood production of the story, which introduced millions of people not only to the land of Oz, but to a talented young lady named Judy Garland as well.
Ever since its publication in 1900 Lyman Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has been immensely popular, providing the basis for a profitable musical comedy, three movies, and a number of plays. It is an indigenous creation, curiously warm and touching, although no one really knows why. For despite wholehearted acceptance by generations of readers, Baum's tale has been accorded neither critical acclaim, nor extended critical examination. Interested scholars, such as Russel B. Nye and Martin Gardiner, look upon The Wizard of Oz as the first in a long and delightful series of Oz stories, and understandably base their appreciation of Baum's talent on the totality of his works[2].
The Wizard of Oz is an entity unto itself, however, and was not originally written with a sequel in mind. Baum informed his readers in 1904 that he has produced The Marvelous Land of Oz reluctantly and only in answer to well over a thousand letters demanding that he creation another Oz tale[3]. His original effort remains unique and to some degree separate from the books which follow. But its uniqueness does not rest alone on its peculiar and transcendent popularity.
Professor Nye finds a "strain of moralism" in the Oz books, as well as "a well-developed sense of satire," and Baum stories often include searching parodies on the contradiction in human nature. The second book in the series, The Marvelous Land of Oz, is a blatant satire on feminism and the suffragette movement[4]. In it Baum attempted to duplicate the format used so successfully in The Wizard, yet no one has noted a similar play on contemporary movements in the latter work. Nevertheless, one does exist, and it reflects to an astonishing degree the world of political reality which surrounded Baum in 1900. In order to understand the relationship of The Wizard to turn-of-the-century America, it is necessary first to know something of Baum's background.
Poster for Fred R. Hamlin's Musical Extravaganza, The Wizard of Oz. Cincinnati and New York: U.S. Lithograph Company, Russell Morgan Print, 1903.
Born near Syracuse in 1856, Baum was brought up in a wealthy home and early became interested in the theater. He wrote some plays which enjoyed brief success and then, with his wife and two sons, journeyed to Aberdeen, South Dakota, in 1887. Aberdeen was a little prairie town and there Baum edited the local weekly until it failed in 1891[5].
For many years Western farmers had been in a state of loud, though unsuccessful, revolt. While Baum was living in South Dakota not only was the frontier a thing of the past, but the Romantic view of benign nature had disappeared we well. The stark reality of the dry, open plains and the acceptance of man's Darwinian subservience to his environment served to crush Romantic idealism[6].
Hamlin Garland's visit to Iowa and South Dakota coincided with Baum's arrival. Henry Nash Smith observes,
"Garland's success as a portrayer of hardship and suffering on Northwestern farms was due in part to the fact that his personal experience happened to parallel the shock which the entire West received in the later 1880's from the combined effects of low prices, ... grasshoppers, drought, the terrible blizzards of the winter of 1886-1887, and the juggling of freight rates..."[7]
As we shall see, Baum's prairie experience was no less deeply etched, although he did not employ naturalism to express it.
Baum's stay in South Dakota also covered the period of the formation of the Populist party, which Professor Nye likens to a fanatic "crusade". Western farmers had for a long time sought governmental aid in the form of economic panaceas, but to no avail. The Populist movement symbolized a desperate attempt to use the power of the ballot[8]. In 1891 Baum moved to Chicago where he was surrounded by those dynamic elements of reform which made the city so notable during the 1890's[9].
In Chicago Baum certainly saw the results of the frightful depression which had closed down up on the nation in 1893. Moreover, he took part in the pivotal election of 1896, marching in "torch-light parades for William Jennings Bryan". Martin Gardiner notes besides, that he "consistently voted as a democrat...and his sympathies seem always to have been on the side of the laboring classes." No one who marched in even a few such parades could have been unaffected by Bryan's campaign. Putting all the farmers' hopes in a basket labeled "free coinage of silver," Bryan's platform rested mainly on the issue of adding silver to the nation's gold standard. Though he lost, he did at least bring the plight of the little man into national focus[11].
Between 1896 and 1900, while Baum worked and wrote in Chicago, the great depression faded away and the war with Spain thrust the United States into world prominence. Bryan maintained Midwestern control over the Democratic party, and often spoke out against American policies toward Cuba and the Philippines. By 1900 it was evident that Bryan would run again, although now imperialism and not silver seemed the issue of primary concern. In order to promote greater enthusiasm, however, Bryan felt compelled once more to sound the silver lietmotif in his campaign[12]. Bryan's second futile attempt at the presidency culminated in November 1900. The previous winter Baum had attempted unsuccessfully to sell a rather original volume of children's fantasy, but that April, George M. Hill, a small Chicago publisher, finally agreed to print The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Baum's allegiance to the cause of Democratic Populism must be balanced against the fact that he was not a political activist. Martin Gardiner finds all through all of his writings "a theme of tolerance, with many episodes that poke fun at narrow nationalism and ethnocentrism." Nevertheless, Professor Nye quotes Baum as having a desire to write stories that would "bear the stamp of our times and depict the progressive fairies of today."[13]
The Wizard of Oz has neither the mature religious appeal of a Pilgrim's Progress, nor the philosophic depth of a Candide. Baum's most thoughtful devotees see in it only a warm, cleverly written fairy tale. Yet the original Oz book conceals an unsuspected depth, and it is the purpose of this study to demonstrate that Baum's immortal American fantasy encompasses more than heretofore believed. For Baum created a children's story with a symbolic allegory implicit within its story line and characterizations. The allegory always remains in a minor key, subordinated to the major theme and readily abandoned whenever it threatens to distort the appeal of the fantasy. But through it, in the form of a subtle parable, Baum delineated a Midwesterner's vibrant and ironic portrait of this country as it entered the twentieth century.
We are introduced to both Dorothy and Kansas at the same time:
"Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies, with Uncle Henry, who was a farmer, and Aunt Em, who was the farmer's wife. Their house was small, for the lumber to build it had to be carried by wagon many miles. There was four walls, a floor and a roof, which made one room; and this room contained a rusty-looking cooking stove, a cupboard for the dishes, a table, three or four chairs, and the beds.
When Dorothy stood in the doorway and looked around, she could see nothing but the great gray prairie on every side. Not a tree nor a house broke the broad sweep of flat country that reached to the edge of the sky in all directions. The sun had baked the plowed land into a gray mass, with little cracks running through it. Even the grass was not green, for the sun had burned the tops of the long blades until they were the same gray color to be seen everywhere. Once the house had been painted, but the sun blistered the paint and the rains washed it away, and now the house was as dull and gray as everything else.
When Aunt Em came there to live she was a young pretty wife. The sun and wind had changed her too. They had taken the sparkle from her eyes and left them a sober gray; they had taken the red from her cheeks and lips, and they were gray also. She was thin and gaunt, and never smiled now. When Dorothy, who was an orphan, first came to her, Aunt Em had been so startled by the child's laughter that she would scream and press her hand upon her heart whenever Dorothy's merry voice reached her ears; and she still looked at the little girl with wonder that she could find anything to laugh at.
Uncle Henry never laughed. He worked hard from morning till night and did not know what joy was. He was gray also, from his long beard to his rough boots, and he looked stern and solemn, and rarely spoke.
It was Toto that made Dorothy laugh, and saved her from growing as gray as her other surroundings. Toto was not gray; he was a little black dog, with long silky hair and small black eyes that twinkled merrily on either side of his funny, wee nose. Toto played all day long, and Dorothy played with him, and loved him dearly.[14]
Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur would not have recognized Uncle Henry's farm; it us straight out of Hamlin Garland.[15] On it a deadly environment dominated everyone and everything except Dorothy and her pet. The setting is Old Testament and nature seems grayly impersonal and even angry. Yet it is a fearsome cyclone that lifts Dorothy and Toto in their house and deposits them "very gently — for a cyclone — in the midst of a country of marvelous beauty." We immediately sense the contrast between Oz and Kansas. Here there are "stately trees bearing rich and luscious fruits... gorgeous flowers... and birds with ... brilliant plumage" sing in the trees. In Oz "a small brook rushing and sparkling along" murmurs "in a voice very grateful to a little girl who had lived so long on the dry, gray prairie."(p. 20)
Trouble intrudes. Dorothy's house has come down on the Wicked Witch of the East, killing her. Nature, by sheer accident, can provide benefits, for indirectly the cyclone has disposed of one of the two truly bad influences in the land of Oz. Notice that evil ruled in both the East and the West; after Dorothy's coming it rules only in the West.
The Wicked Witch of the East had kept the little Munchkin people "in bondage for many years, making them slave for her night and day." (pp. 22-23). Just what this slavery entailed is not immediately clear, but Baum later gives us a specific example. The Tin Woodman, whom Dorothy meets on her way to the Emerald City, had been put under a spell by the Witch of the East. Once an independent and hard working human being, the Woodman found that each time he swung his axe it chopped off a different part of his body. Knowing no other trade he "worked harder than ever," for luckily in Oz tinsmiths can repair such things. Soon the Woodman was all tin (p. 59). In this way Eastern witchcraft dehumanized a simple laborer so that the faster and better he worked the more quickly he became a kind of machine. Here is a Populist view of evil Eastern influences on honest labor which could hardly be more pointed.[16]
There is one thing seriously wrong with being made of tin; when it rains rust sets in. Tin Woodman had been standing in the same position for a year without moving before Dorothy came along and oiled his joints. The Tin Woodman's situation has an obvious parallel in the condition of many Eastern workers after the depression of 1893.[17] While Tin Woodman is standing still, rusted solid, he deludes himself into thinking he is no longer capable of that most human of sentiments, love. Hate does not fill the void, a constant lesson in the Oz books, and Tin Woodman feels that only a heart will make him sensitive again. So he accompanies Dorothy to see if the Wizard will give him one.
Oz itself is a magic oasis surrounded by impassable deserts, and the country is divided in a very orderly fashion. In the North and South the people are ruled by good witches, who are not quite as powerful as the wicked ones of the East and West. In the center of the land is the magnificent Emerald City ruled by the Wizard of Oz, a successful humbug whom even the witches mistakenly feel "is more powerful than all the rest of us together" (p.24). Despite these forces, the mark of goodness, placed on Dorothy's forehead by the Witch of the North, serves as protection for Dorothy throughout her travels. Goodness and innocence prevail even over the powers of evil and delusion in Oz. Perhaps it is this basic and beautiful optimism that makes Baum's tale so characteristically American — and Midwestern.
Dorothy is Baum's Miss Everyman. She is one of us, levelheaded and human, and she has a real problem. Young readers can understand her quandary as readily as can adults. She is good, not precious, and she thinks quite naturally about others. For all the attractions of Oz, Dorothy desires only to return to the gray plains and Aunt Em and Uncle Henry. She is directed toward the Emerald City by the good Witch of the North, since the Wizard will surely be able to solve the problem of the impassable deserts. Dorothy sets out on the Yellow Brick Road wearing the Witch of the East's magic Silver Shoes. Silver shoes walking on a golden road; henceforth Dorothy becomes the innocent agent of Baum's ironic view of the Silver issue. Remember, neither Dorothy, nor the good Witch of the North, nor the Munchkins understand the power of these shoes. The allegory is abundantly clear. On the next to last page of the book Baum has Glinda, Witch of the South, tell Dorothy, "Your Silver Shoes will carry you over the desert.....If you had known their power you could have gone back to your Aunt Em the very first day you came to this country.". Glinda explains, "All you have to do is knock the heels together three times and command the shoes to carry you wherever you wish to go." (p.257). William Jennings Bryan never outlined the advantages of the silver standard any more effectively.
Not understanding the magic of the Silver Shoes, Dorothy walks the mundane — and dangerous — Yellow Brick Road. The first person she meets is a Scarecrow. After escaping from his wooden perch, the Scarecrow displays a terrible sense of inferiority and self doubt, for he has determined that he needs real brains to replace the common straw in his head. William Allen White wrote an article in 1896 entitled "What's the Matter With Kansas?". In it he accused Kansas farmers of ignorance, irrationality and general muddle-headedness. What's wrong with Kansas are the people, said Mr. White.[18] Baum's character seems to have read White's angry characterization. But Baum never takes White seriously and so the Scarecrow soon emerges as innately a very shrewd and very capable individual.
The Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman accompany Dorothy along the Yellow Brick Road, one seeking brains, the other a heart. They meet next the Cowardly Lion. As King of Beasts he explains, "I learned that if I roared very loudly every living thing was frightened and got out of my way." Born a coward, he sobs, "Whenever there is danger my heart begins to beat fast." "Perhaps you have heart disease," suggests Tin Woodman, who always worries about hearts. But the Lion desires only courage and so he joins the party to ask help from the Wizard (pp.65-72)
The Lion represents Bryan himself. In the election of 1896 Bryan lost the vote of Eastern Labor, though he tried hard to gain their support. In Baum's story the Lion meeting the little group, "struck at the Tin Woodman with his sharp claws." But, to his surprise, "he could make no impression on the tin, although the Woodman fell over in the road and lay still." Baum here refers to the fact that in 1896 workers were often pressured into voting for McKinley and gold by their employers.[19] Amazed, the Lion says, "he nearly blunted my claws," and he adds even more appropriately, "When they scratched against the tine it made a cold shiver run down my back" (pp. 67-68). The King of Beasts is not after all very cowardly, and Bryan, although a pacifist and an anti-imperialist in a time of national expansion, is not either.[20] The magic Silver Shoes belong to Dorothy, however. Silver's potent charm, which had come to mean so much to so many in the Midwest, could not be entrusted to a political symbol. Baum delivers Dorothy from the world of adventure and fantasy to the real world of heartbreak and desolution through the power of Silver. It represents a real force in a land of illusion, and neither the Cowardly Lion nor Bryan truly needs or understands its use.
All together now the small party moves toward the Emerald City. Coxey's Army of tramps and indigents, marching to ask President Cleveland for work in 1894, appears no more naively innocent than this group of four characters going to see a humbug Wizard, to request favors that only the little girl among them deserves.
Those who enter the Emerald City must wear green glasses. Dorothy later discovers that the greeness of dresses and ribbons disappears on leaving, and everything becomes a bland white. Perhaps the magic of any city is thus self imposed. But the Wizard dwells here and so the Emerald City represents the national Capitol. The Wizard, a little bumbling old man, hiding behind a facade of paper mache and noise, might be any president from Grant to McKinley. He comes straight from the fairgrounds on Omaha, Nebraska, and he symbolizes the American criterion for leadership — he is able to be everything to everybody.
As each of our heroes enters the throne room to ask a favor the Wizard assumes different shapes, representing different views toward national leadership. To Dorothy he appears as an enormous head, "bigger than the head of the biggest giant." An apt image for a naive and innocent little citizen. To the Scarecrow he appears to be a lovely, gossamer fairy, a most appropriate form for an idealistic Kansas farmer. The Woodman sees a horrible beast, as would any exploited Eastern laborer after the trouble of the 1890's. But the Cowardly Lion, like W. J. Bryan, sees a "Ball of Fire, so fierce and glowing he could scarcely bear to gaze upon it." Baum then provides an additional analogy, for when the Lion "tried to go nearer he singed his whiskers and he crept back tremblingly to a spot nearer the door." (p. 134)
The Wizard has asked them all to kill the Witch of the West. The golden road does not go in that direction and so they must follow the sun, as have many pioneers in the past. The land they now pass through is "rougher and hillier, for there were no farms nor houses in the country of the West and the ground was untilled" (p.140). The Witch of the West uses natural forces to achieve her ends; she is Baum's version of sentient and malign nature.
Finding Dorothy and her friends in the West, the Witch sends forty wolves against them, then forty vicious crows and finally a great swarm of black bees. But it is through the power of a magic golden cap that she summons the flying monkeys. They capture the little girl and dispose of her companions. Baum makes these Winged Monkeys into an Oz substitute for the plains Indians. Their leader says, "Once we were a free people, living happily in the great forest, flying from tree to tree, eating nuts and fruit, and doing just as we pleased without calling anybody master." "This," he explains, "was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land" (p. 172). But like many Indian tribes Baum's monkeys are not inherently bad; their actions depend wholly upon the bidding of others. Under the control of an evil influence, they do evil. Under the control of goodness and innocence, as personified by Dorothy, the monkeys are helpful and kind, although unable to take her to Kansas. Says the Monkey King, "We belong to this country alone, and cannot leave it" (p. 213). The same could be said with equal truth of the first Americans.
Dorothy presents a special problem to the Witch. Seeing the mark on Dorothy's forehead and the Silver Shoes on her feet, the Witch begins "to tremble with fear, for she knew what a powerful charm belonged to them." Then "she happened to look into the child's eyes and saw how simple the soul behind them was, and that the little girl did now know of the wonderful power the Silver shoes gave her" (p. 150). Here Baum again uses the Silver allegory to state the blunt homily that while goodness affords a people ultimate protection against evil, ignorance of their capabilities allows evil to impose itself upon them. The Witch assumes that proportions of a kind of western Mark Hanna or Banker Boss, who, through natural malevolence, manipulates the people and holds them prisoner by cynically taking advantage of their innate innocence.
Enslaved in the West "Dorothy went to work meekly, with her mind made up to work as hard as she could; for she was glad the Wicked Witch had decided not to kill her" (p. 150). Many Western farmers have held these same grim thoughts in less mystical terms. If the Witch of the West is a diabolical force of Darwinian or Spencerian nature, then another contravening force may be counted upon the dispose of her. Dorothy destroys the evil Witch by angrily dousing her with a bucket of water. Water, that precious commodity which the drought-ridden farmers on the great plains needed so badly, and which if correctly used could create an agricultural paradise, or at least dissolve a wicked witch. Plain water brings an end to malign nature in the West.
When Dorothy and her companions return to the Emerald City they soon discover that the Wizard is really nothing more than "a little man, with a bald head and a wrinkled face." Can this be the ruler of the land? Our friends looked at him in surprise and dismay.
"I thought Oz was a great Head," said Dorothy...."And I thought Oz was a terrible Beast," said the Tin Woodman. "And I thought Oz was a Ball of Fire," exclaimed the Lion. "No; you are all wrong," said the little man meekly. "I have been making believe."
Dorothy asks if he is truly a great Wizard. He confides, "Not a bit of it, my Dear; I'm just a common man." Scarecrow adds, "You're more than that...you're a humbug" (p. 184).
L. Frank Baum's hand drawn map of OZ
The Wizard's deception is of long standing in Oz and even the Witches were taken in. How was it accomplished? "It was a great mistake my ever letting you into the Throne Room," the Wizard complains. "Usually I will not see even my subjects, and so they believe I am something terrible" (p. 185). What a wonderful lesson for youngsters of the decade when Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland and William McKinley were hiding in the White House. Formerly the Wizard was a mimic, a ventriloquist and a circus balloonist. The latter trade involved going "up in a balloon on circus day, so as to draw a crowd of people together and get them to pay to see the circus" (p. 186-187). Such skills are as admirable adapted to success in late-nineteenth-century politics as they are to the humbug wizardry of Baum's story. A pointed comment on Midwestern political ideals is the fact that our little Wizard comes from Omaha, Nebraska, a center of Populist agitation. "Why, that isn't very far from Kansas," cries Dorothy. Nor, indeed, are any of the characters in the wonderful land of Oz.
The Wizard, of course, can provide the objects of self-delusion desired by Tin Woodman, Scarecrow and Lion. But Dorothy's hope of going home fades when the Wizard's balloon leaves too soon. Understand this: Dorothy wishes to leave a green and fabulous land, from which all evil has disappeared, to go back to the gray desolation of the Kansas prairies. Dorothy is an orphan, Aunt Em and Uncle Henry are her only family. Reality is never far from Dorothy's consciousness and in the most heartrending terms she explains her reasoning to the good Witch Glinda,
Aunt Em will surely think something dreadful has happened to me, and that will make her put on mourning; and unless the crops are better this year than there were last I am sure Uncle Henry cannot afford it. (p. 254)
The Silver Shoes furnish Dorothy with a magic means of travel. But when she arrives back in Kansas she finds, "The Silver Shoes had fallen off in her flight through the air, and were lost forever in the desert" (p.259). Were the "her" to refer to America in 1900, Baum's statement could hardly be contradicted.
Current historiography tends to criticize the Populist movement for its "delusions, myths and foibles," Professor C. Vann Woodward observed recently.[22] Yet The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has provided unknowing generations with a gentle and friendly Midwestern critique of the Populist rationale on these very same grounds. Led by naive innocence and protected by good will, the farmer, the laborer and the politician approach the mystic holder of national power to ask for personal fulfillment. Their desires, as well as the Wizard's cleverness in answering them, are all self-delusion. Each of these characters carries within him the solution to his own problem, were he only to view himself objectively. The fearsome Wizard turns out to be nothing more than a common man, capable of shrewd but mundane answers to these self-induced needs. Like any good politician he gives the people what they want. Throughout the story Baum poses a central thought; the American desire for symbols of fulfillment is illusory. Real needs lie elsewhere.
Thus the Wizard cannot help Dorothy, for of all the characters only she has a wish that is selfless, and only she has a direct connection to honest, hopeless human beings. Dorothy supplies real fulfillment when she returns to her aunt and uncle, using the Silver Shoes, and cures some of their misery and heartache. In this way Baum tells us that the Silver crusade at least brought back Dorothy's lovely spirit to the disconsolate plains farmer. Her laughter, love and good will are no small addition to that gray land, although the magic of Silver has been lost forever as a result.
Noteworthy too is Baum's prophetic placement of leadership of Oz after Dorothy's departure. The Scarecrow reigns over the Emerald City, the Tin Woodman rules in the West and the Lion protects smaller beast in "a grand old forest." Thereby farm interests achieve national importance, industrialism moves West and Bryan commands only a forest full of lesser politicians.
Baum's Fantasy succeeds in bridging the gap between what children want and what they should have. It is an admirable example of the way in which an imaginative writer can teach goodness and morality without producing the almost inevitable side effect of nausea. Today's children's books are either saccharine and empty, or boring and pedantic. Baum's first Oz tale — and those which succeed it — are immortal not so much because the "heart-aches and nightmares are left out" as that "the wonderment and joy" are retained (p. 1).
Baum declares "The story of 'the Wonderful Wizard of Oz' was written solely to pleasure children of today" (p. 1). In 1963 there are very few children who have never heard of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman or the Cowardly Lion, and whether they know W. W. Denslow's original illustrations of Dorothy, or Judy Garland's whimsical characterization, is immaterial. The Wizard has become a genuine piece of America folklore because, knowing his audience, Baum never allowed the consistency of the allegory to take precedence over the theme of youthful entertainment. Yet once discovered, the author's allergorical intent seems clear, and it gives depth and lasting interest even to children who only sense something else beneath the surface of the story. Consider the fun in picturing turn-of-the-century America, a difficult era at best, using these ready-made symbols provided by Baum. The relationship and analogies outlined above are admittedly theoretical, but they are far too consistent to be coincidental, and they furnish a teaching mechanism which is guaranteed to reach any level of student.
The Wizard of Oz says so much about so many things that it is hard not to imagine a satisfied and mischievous gleam in Lyman Frank Baum's eye as he had Dorothy say, "And oh, Aunt Em! I'm so glad to be at home again!"
Footnotes 1. Winston S. Churchill, Their Finest Hour (Cambridge, 1949). pp. 615-16.
2. Martin Gardiner and Russel B. Nye, The Wizard of Oz and Who He Was (East Lansing, Mich., 1957), pp. 7 ff, 14-16, 19. Professor Nye's "Appreciation" and Martin Gardiner's "The Royal Historian of Oz" totaling some fourth-five pages, present as definitive an analysis of Baum and his works as is available today.
3. L Frank Bum, The Marvelous Land of Oz (Chicago, 1904), p 3 (Author's Note).
4. Gardiner and Nye, Wizard, pp. 5-7,23.
5. Ibid., pp. 20-22.
6. See Calton F. Culmsee, Malign Nature and the Frontier (Logan, Utah, 1959), VII, 5, 11, 14. The classic work in the field of symbolism in Western literature is Henry Nash Smith, Virgin Lane (New York, 1961), pp. 225-26, 261, 284-90.
7. Ibid., p. 287.
8. Russel B. Nye, Midwestern Progressive Politics (East Lansing, Mich., 1959). pp. 63, 56-58, 75, 105. See also John D. Hicks, The Populist Revolt (Minneapolish, 1931), pp. 82, 93-95, 264-68.
9. See Ray Ginger, Altgeld's America (New York, 1958).
10. GArdiner and Nye, Wizard, p. 29
11. See Williams Jennings Bryan, The First Battle (Lincoln, Neb., 1897), pp. 612-29. Two recent studies are notable: Harold U. Faulkner, Politics, REform and Expansion (New York, 1959), pp. 187-211 and Nye, Politics, pp. 105-20.
12. See Richard Hofstadter's shattering essay on Bryan in The American Political Tradition (New York, 1960), pp 186-205. Nye, Politics, pp. 121-22; Faulkner Reform, pp. 272-75.
13.Gardiner and Nye, Wizard, pp. 1, 30.
14. L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, pp. 11-13. All quotations cited in the text are from the inexpensive but accurate Dover paperback edition (New York, 1960).
15. Henry Nash Smith says of Garland's works in the 1890's, "It has at last become possible to deal with the Western farmer in literature as a human being instead of seeing him through a veil of literary convention, class prejudice or social theory." Virgin Land, p. 290.
16. Hicks declares that from the start "The Alliance and Populist platforms championed boldly the cause of labor...." Revolt p. 324. See also Bryan's Labor Day speech, Battle, pp. 375-83.
17. Faulkner, Reform, pp. 142-43.
18. Richard Hofstadter (ed.), Great Issues in American History (New York, 1960), II, 147-53.
19. Bryan, Battle, pp 617-618, "During the campaign I ran across various evidences of coercion, direct and indirect." See Hicks, Revolt, p. 325, who notes that "For some reason labor remained singularly unimpressed" by Bryan. Faulkner finds overt pressure as well, Reform, pp. 208-9.
20. Faulkner, Reform, pp. 257-58.
21. Professor Nye observes that during 1890 (while Baum was editing his Aberdeen weekly) the Nebraska Farmer's Alliance "launched the wildest campaign in Nebraska history." Politics, p. 64-65. Bryan was a Senator from Nebraska and it was in Omaha that the Populist party ratified its platform on July 4, 1892. Seen Henry Steele Comager (ed.), Documents of American History (New York, 1958). II, 143-46.
22. C. Vann Woodward, "Our Past Isn't What It Used To Be," The New York Times Book Review (July 28, 1963), p. 1; Hofstadter, Tradition
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The biggest city in Scotland and the third biggest in the UK, Glasgow really is a vibrant metropolis (despite what their biggest rivals – Edinburgh residents – may say). Once the centre of the UK's industrial revolution, Glasgow is now brimming with world class museums, art galleries, and architecture both old and new. It's also got a booming music scene, and you shouldn't leave without checking out at least one live venue.
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Known as the 'Gateway to the Isles', Oban is a seaside town on Scotland's western coast. Regarded as the seafood capital of the country, it's a true foodie heaven (and not bad for whisky fans either). Use the town as a base to explore the isles by boat, or check out some of the local attractions; McCaig's Tower offers stunning views, and there are a handful of other historical castles and museums in the area too.
Stay at Oban Bay Hotel or Similar:
The largest of the Hebrides, the Isle of Skye is awe-inspiring and enchanting. Spend lazy afternoons wandering through quaint seaside villages like Broadford, Kyleakin, or the island's capital Portree. Get in touch with nature on some exhilarating hill walks – look out for the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang, rock formations straight from the pages of a fantasy novel. Neist Point lighthouse, the Fairy Glen, and MacLeod's Maidens (the highest cliffs in the UK), are also well worth checking out.
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Marketed as the 'Gateway to the Highlands', Inverness is a picturesque town on the banks of the river Ness. There are many walks to take along the leafy river bank, leading up to the magnificent Inverness castle and beyond to the Ness islands or the Calendonian Canal towpath. Golfing, cycling, and watersports are popular activities, and this town is also home to the biggest myth of all; the Loch Ness Monster. Go searching if you dare!
Stay at Culloden House or Similar:

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News releases concerning Tulane Law School, its faculty, staff, students, and programs are posted here. For more information, please send an email to email@example.com.
August 26, 2013
Tulane Law School graduate Karoline Mehalchick (L '01) began serving as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in July.
Mehalchick was a partner with the Pennsylvania firm of Oliver, Price & Rhodes, where she had general civil and commercial litigation practiced since 2002. After law school, she clerked for Judge Trish Corbett of the Court of Common Pleas in Lackawanna County.
Mehalchick, who lives in Scranton, sits in Wilkes-Barre.
Federal Magistrate Judges are selected by the District Judges in the region and serve eight-year terms. Tulane graduate Yvette Kane (L '76) is Chief Judge of Pennsylvania's Middle District.
Tulane Lawyer Magazine


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Saturday, January 8, 2011
Is this the new Ferrari? Your guess is as good as mine but it looks pretty insane! Click on it for a closer look.
RAF BY RAF SIMONS Long Sleeve Shirt in Navy/White/Green Plaid
This an interesting piece from Raf Simons that I also found on thecorner.com for $134. I like the subtle navy silk details. I guess they just sold out of this shirt because when I just went to link it the shirt was nowhere to be found. Boo! I hate when that happens.
BAND OF OUTSIDERS Long Sleeve Shirt in Blue/Green
This Blue/Green Plaid Shirt from Band of Outsiders Fall/Winter 2010 Collection is a great-looking shirt and I found it @ thecorner.com for $315.
TOD'S Lacetto My Colors Gommini Leather Loafers
Here are a pair of TOD's classic Gommini Driver Shoes in all white leather! I need these for my collection. Available now @ Saks5thAve.com for $425.
J. CREW Starry Night Cardigan
This tulle overlay is embroidered with black sequins and is perfect for a night out! Available now @ JCrew.com for $128.
STELLA McCARTNEY Sequin-Embellished Cotton-Blend Sweater in Grey
Add some flare to your wardrobe with this beautiful grey Sequin-Embellished Sweater from Stella McCartney with cutaway back panels! Available now @ NET-A-PORTER.com for $1045.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Bibi 140 Leather Pumps
There is nothing that screams luxury more than nude leather anything! These Louboutin Pumps with their classic signature red bottoms just really stick out to me. Available now @ NET-A-PORTER.com for $795.
Friday, January 7, 2011
LOUIS VUITTON Utah Tattoo Néo Greenwich
This isn't your average workbag from LV's new S/S 2011 Collection designed in collaboration with NYC artist/tattoo artist Scott Campbell in rich Utah leather. Scott designed the beautiful artwork that portrays a kind of a paisley floral tattoo print. It measures at 19.7"x11" and it is going to retail for $7150.
POLO RALPH LAUREN Classic-Fit Plaid Poplin in Blue/Green and Red/Blue
Here are two new sportshirts from PRL in two bright spring-like colors to brighten up your wardrobe with in blue/green and red/blue. I'm getting both of them as soon as I'm done posting! Available now @ RalphLauren.com for $85.
TOM FORD Spring/Summer 2011 Lookbook
Here are my favorite picks from Tom Ford's (Did I mention before that this man is a genius? I believe so!) Spring/Summer 2011 Lookbook. I know you are probably thinking purple and pink suit? I actually like the pink suit not that I would wear it but it brightens up the post. The suede jackets are my favorite pieces from the collection.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Pik Boat Men's Flat in Beige
These are the first pair of the studded Louboutin's that I'm actually considering purchasing. You have to get on the waiting list to get them and they aren't going to be in stock until 2/1/11. They retail for $795. Hopefully (fingers crossed!) I get the call that they have them for me. Check them out here.
FREE PEOPLE January 2011 Catalog
Urban Outfitter's brand Free People newest January 2011 Catalog was shot so well that I had to post it. I love the way these images came out!
LOUIS VUITTON Art Nouveau Minaudiere
This new Minaudiere from LV's new Spring/Summer 2011 Galuchat Collection called the Art Nouveau. It is made of stingray and ostrich with Swarowski Crystals beautifully placed throughout the bag's flower decor. It is going to retail for a whopping $11,000.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN Lady Peep 150mm in Jade Croc
Feast your eyes on these ladies, jade crocodile skin leather Peep Toes! In order to get these you have to get on a waiting list and then come up with $5295. They aren't going to be in stock until 2/1/11. Check them out here!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
MICHAEL BASTIAN Cotton Striped Shirt S/S 2011
This Striped Shirt from Michael Bastian has a cool design with the stripes going in different directions. Simple yet pleasing to the eyes! Available now @ Colette.fr for $436.03.
MICHAEL BASTIAN Cotton Bicolored Short Sleeve Polo S/S 2011
Check out this new Michael Bastian Cotton Bicolored Short Sleeve Polo Shirt in a great design. It looks vintage 80's and I like it a lot. Available now @ Colette.fr for $335.53.
ADIDAS Originals Samba in White/Navy
This adidas Originals Samba Leather Sneaker is the coolest sneaker right now to me in white with navy stripes. Classic and simple! I'm getting these ASAP! Available now @ Zappos.com for $60.
LOUIS VUITTON Damier Adventure Practical
This new duffle from the LV Men's Spring 2011 Collection in Céleste (electric blue) is a real standout piece. The Galaxie (black) one isn't bad either.
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Article Options
Molecular fingerprints
The search for individualized medicine
One of those methods, called "molecular fingerprinting," attempts to identify patterns of proteins in the blood and tissues that can be used to detect diseases like cancer much earlier and monitor therapy much better than is now possible. This is the story of some of the research—and the essential involvement of a patient—that are helping to make that hope a reality.
Proteomics (pronounced "pro-tee-ohm-ics") represents a growing understanding of the power of proteins to determine health and disease. These are not the proteins found in steak or peanut butter. They're already in your body, making up the walls of your cells and tissues, transmitting electrical signals in your brain, and carrying out a host of other genetic instructions that are essential for life.
When they go wrong—perhaps because they're mutated by a genetic error or overproduced—proteins can cause a wide range of problems, from heart attacks to Alzheimer's disease.
Thanks to the technological revolutions of the past quarter century that enabled scientists to sequence the human genome and put vast amounts of computing power on a chip, the previously unseen world of proteins is being revealed. That knowledge is fanning the flames of a new revolution—one in which diseases may be diagnosed earlier, treated much more effectively and ultimately stopped in their tracks.
One of the first clinical applications of proteomics is the early diagnosis of cancer.
Scientists around the world are trying to define "molecular fingerprints" of various cancers—unique patterns of proteins that may signal the presence of tiny tumors not yet detectable by X-rays. The information could help doctors make an earlier diagnosis and determine in advance which treatment will be most effective. It also may lead to the development of new drugs that can—like precision bombs—knock out various steps in the cascade of events leading to malignancy, and without harming normal tissue.
Researchers don't yet know the identity of all of the proteins. Nor do they understand what the spectrum of proteins suggests. But they're learning, thanks to tissue donated by cancer patients. At Vanderbilt University Medical Center, for example, David Carbone, M.D., Ph.D., is leading a "molecular fingerprinting" study of lung tumors.
"We're trying to determine if we can identify patterns at the time of diagnosis that can predict how a tumor's going to behave," says Carbone, Harold L. Moses Professor of Cancer Research. "If you knew this tumor was going to respond to chemotherapy, then you might consider giving adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery."
Similar studies of cancerous breast, prostate and rectal tissue are being conducted at Vanderbilt. They join dozens of studies underway around the world. There is some early evidence that such studies can have powerful predictive value.
A complex world
Just what is this new science of proteins? How did we get here, and how far and how fast can we go?
The importance of proteins as the basic building blocks of life has been appreciated for more than 150 years (see "The Power of Proteins"), but until recently, the characterization of these fascinating molecules was a slow and arduous process. A scientist could spend a career trying to isolate, identify and understand a single protein—out of the hundreds of thousands that make up the human "proteome."
Then came the fruits of the genomic and computer revolutions—methods for cloning genetic material (the "DNA") and mass producing large quantities of it; automation and miniaturization; and the ability to create and sift through huge "libraries" of data on genes and proteins.
The recent sequencing of the 35,000 or so genes that make up the human genome has created a vast pool of information from which scientists hope to fish out ways to prevent dementia, cure cancer, and perhaps even eliminate ancient afflictions of the developing world.
For example:
- At the University of Virginia, Donald Hunt, Ph.D., and colleagues have identified peptides—fragments of proteins—that trigger the body's immune system to kill melanoma (skin cancer) cells. This could lead to the development of an effective vaccine against the disease.
- Researchers at Stanford University have created a microarray or glass slide containing thousands of molecules that can bind to antibodies in the blood. It's being tested as a way to improve the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, in which the body's immune system attacks its own tissues.
- Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have developed a new blood test for malaria using mass spectrometry, a way of measuring and identifying proteins. The method could lead to improvements in early diagnosis and treatment of the disease, which kills more than a million people in equatorial countries every year.
- An "electronic taste chip" has been developed at the University of Texas at Austin that mimics the ability of the human taste bud to rapidly detect proteins and other chemicals in environmental samples. One possible application: detection of biological or chemical weapons.
As tantalizing as these examples are, few scientists predict that the discovery and understanding of important proteins will be as straightforward as the decade-long effort it took to read our genetic script. That's because the DNA is more like a guidebook than a blueprint.
- John Roberts, M.D., left, chief of general thoracic surgery, removes a lung tumor with the help of surgery resident John Stewart, M.D.
- The tumor, removed from the left lung, is about an inch long.
- Adriana Gonzalez, M.D., examines a lung tumor in the surgical pathology lab.
- Slices of a tumor are prepared for a mass spectrometry study.
- Kiyoshi Yanagisawa, M.D., Ph.D., reads the mass spectrum of proteins in a tumor.
The diversity and complexity of proteins is absolutely mind-boggling.
Insulin, which carries sugar into the cells for fuel, is made up of two polypeptide chains, one with 30 amino acids and the other with 21. Hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells, is a complex three-dimensional molecule with four chains, each more than 140 amino acids long. The epidermal growth factor receptor, a target for some of the new cancer drugs, is a single-chain protein with nearly 1,200 amino acids (see "One Protein's Story").
Proteins also have many different jobs. They form the elastic and resilient framework of muscles, nerves and other body tissues. They carry signals within and between cells, and -- in the case of antibodies -- sound the alarm when a germ invades. Many of them are enzymes, catalyzing chemical reactions. Still others help "read" the genetic code so it can be "translated" into more proteins.
Scientists used to think that for every gene there was only one protein. They now know that while genes determine the sequence of amino acids that make up the protein backbone, the genetic instructions can be translated and implemented in more than one way.
Once produced, proteins can be modified—by the addition of a phosphate or sugar molecule, for example—in ways that change their shape and function. And while our double-helical string of genes is relatively static and unchanging, proteins are constantly in motion. Some proteins come on the scene just long enough to do their jobs, and then -- in a blink of an eye -- they're gone.
Different parts of the body have different populations of proteins. They change, too, in response to environmental influences, like the digestion of a piece of cherry pie—or even the time of day. "Your proteins won't be the same tonight as they are now," says Richard Caprioli, Ph.D., director of the Mass Spectrometry Research Center at Vanderbilt.
Proteins aren't lone wolves, either. They act and react as part of intricate networks and pathways that transmit signals to and from the DNA, across the cell membrane and through the blood to distant parts of the body. Thus, proteins have been called "molecular machines," at work in cellular "factories."
Just as proteins carry out many of the functions necessary for life, they also are at the root of many diseases. A form of diabetes, for example, results from an inadequate supply of insulin.
A change in a single amino acid in the oxygen-transporting hemoglobin molecule alters the protein's three-dimensional shape, and results in sickle-cell anemia. Red blood cells with the abnormal protein are misshapen (sickle-shaped), break apart and block small blood vessels, causing pain and low blood count (anemia).
Too much protein also can be a problem. Elevated levels of the receptor for epidermal growth factor, for example, has been linked to a variety of cancers.
Molecular fingerprints
This connection between proteins and cancer, in particular, is driving a new growth industry in proteomics. Much of the effort is aimed at developing new drugs targeting specific proteins. But the search for new diagnostics is equally intense. That's because some diseases, including some forms of cancer, typically escape notice until they are in an advanced, hard-to-treat stage.
Currently cancer is diagnosed through a variety of techniques, both non-invasive (ultrasound, X-rays, CAT scans, etc.) and invasive (primarily surgery). There are a few blood tests for cancer, which detect cancer-related antigens (proteins that bind with antibodies), but these are far from definitive.
For example, prostate cancer is associated with increased levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), but PSA levels also rise in response to exercise, infection and certain medications. Levels of cancer antigen 125, a screening tool for ovarian cancer, are abnormally high only about half the time in early disease.
Several years ago, researchers at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and National Cancer Institute joined forces in an attempt to improve early detection of cancer, determine in advance which treatments are likely to be most successful in individual patients and, ultimately, to develop new "targeted" therapies that effectively stop cancer growth without harming normal tissue.
"Certainly cancer is underpinned by genomic disorders but functionally it's a proteomic disease," says Emanuel Petricoin, Ph.D., the project's lead FDA researcher. "Effectively it's the rewiring and miswiring of the protein circuits, the signal pathways, that cause cells to grow and not die."
© 2001 Nature Publishing Group.
Extraneous material was washed away, and the slides were put into a mass spectrometer. As a first step, the slide was zapped with a laser, giving the proteins an electrical charge and spinning them off into a vacuum chamber toward an oppositely charged electrode. Their molecular weight was determined by the time it took them to get there.
The mass spectrometer then spit out a spectrum showing the molecular weights of all of the proteins and protein fragments. Dozens of experiments revealed that different cancer cells had unique spectra, or patterns of proteins, and thus potentially could be identified by their "molecular fingerprints."
Using these techniques, the researchers are analyzing biopsies of cancerous tissue removed from patients before and after treatment to see if they can predict, from the protein patterns, which patients are likely to respond to specific drugs. The hope is that doctors one day will be able to "tailor" treatments to individual patients, while avoiding—in advance -- therapies that won't work.
The researchers also began testing the serum, the clear liquid part of the blood from cancer patients, to see if they could detect the characteristic protein patterns without actually removing any cancerous tissue.
In February 2002, they reported their first success. With the help of pattern-recognition computer software developed by scientists at Correlogic Systems in Bethesda, Md., the government researchers found unique patterns of five proteins in serum that could detect ovarian cancer with near-100 percent accuracy.
"Ovarian cancer is ripe for using this technique because it is usually diagnosed too late, when it's almost untreatable, whereas if you catch it early enough, surgery alone can cure this disease most of the time," Petricoin says.
Using a similar technique, researchers at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk have identified a pattern of nine serum proteins that accurately distinguish between prostate cancer, benign prostate hyperplasia (non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland), and healthy tissue.
The technique was considerably more specific than the PSA test, which has a high rate of false positive results, the researchers reported in 2002. If validated by further study, "this approach would have immediate and substantial benefit in reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies," they concluded.
Caprioli and his colleagues have developed another mass spectrometry technique, called "imaging mass spectrometry," that can actually "look" inside the tumor itself.
Using a laser and high-speed electronics and computers, they modified standard spectrometers so they could generate digital pictures, showing the distribution of individual proteins in cells and tissues. In April 2001 the researchers reported finding high levels of thymosin beta-4, a protein that may be a harbinger of malignant growth, in the outermost, proliferating edge of a human brain tumor that had been implanted in a mouse.
These "molecular photographs" may help improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. By pinpointing the precise location in the tissue where high levels of a protein are spurring cancerous growth, the technique could improve the accuracy of cancer surgery.
Repeat studies also can help determine how quickly tumors are growing, and whether they are responding to drug treatment, Caprioli says. This is "molecular insight that can be directly applied to patient care," he says.
Petricoin acknowledges criticism that he and his colleagues have not identified the proteins they're picking up in the blood. That will be crucial, other scientists say, for understanding the role the proteins may play in cancer growth, and how to develop new drugs to stop them. That's true, agrees Petricoin, but patients need this technology now.
"We're failing in the war against cancer," he told a group of researchers at Vanderbilt in 2002. "For patients who have ovarian cancer … who have seen their mothers die of cancer, they don't care what the underlying identity (of the protein) is. We have to test this hypothesis in the clinic. (But) we could use that pattern as a diagnostic today."
Discovery science
"I don't think they (the 'omic' strategies) will provide the answers to all of life's mysteries," responds Walter Chazin, Ph.D., Chancellor's Professor of Biochemistry and Physics and director of the Center for Structural Biology at Vanderbilt. "Nothing significant has been achieved yet … from using proteomics. It's really in the technical development stage. The more we learn, the more complex it becomes.
The new technologies, in fact, are opening up a new way to conduct research (see "Discovery Science.")
The traditional approach, exemplified by Stanley Cohen's Nobel Prize-winning work at Vanderbilt four decades ago, is to begin with a biological observation. For example, Cohen noticed that an extract of mouse salivary glands causes newborn mice to open up their eyes earlier than normal.
That observation led to the discovery of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and, later, to the identification of the receptor through which it acts. Hypotheses were formulated to explain the phenomena that were observed, and experiments were designed to test them.
Meanwhile, certain cancers were found to have abnormally high levels of the EGF receptor. Technological advances enabled scientists to determine the three-dimensional structure of the protein, and to synthesize molecules that can block its activity. Cohen's body of work, beginning with an incidental observation, helped lead to a new field of cancer research and drug development.
The tried-and-true hypothesis approach hasn't been abandoned. But increasingly, scientists are first mining the genome and now the proteome for all the data they can. Rather than studying a car by kicking the tires, they're taking the entire vehicle apart—including the engine—then fiddling with each part to see what it does.
"It's like Magellan," says Andrew Link, Ph.D., associate professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Biochemistry at Vanderbilt who has developed a new method for studying complex mixtures of proteins. "You send your boat out. You don't know what you're going to find."
Pie in the sky
In August 2002, the pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca reported that adding Iressa, a drug that blocks the EGF receptor, to a standard cancer drug did not significantly improve survival in a large-scale study of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, the most common form of the disease.
The two drugs may have antagonized each other's effects, however. When given as a single agent, the response of tumors to Iressa "is still felt to be remarkable," says Carbone, who directs a federally funded Specialized Program of Research Excellence in lung cancer at Vanderbilt. The drug, which has been given to more than 18,000 people worldwide, is at least two to three times better in treating recurrences of lung cancer "than anything else out there, as well as being convenient and safe to take," he adds.
Simply blocking the EGF receptor may not be enough to stop the cascade of events that leads to cancer, however. "You give 100 patients Iressa, 15 percent will respond, and there's no way for you to know right now which one," Carbone says. "My belief is that cancer is more complicated than that … It might well be 50 genes that you're going to have to look at simultaneously."
The ultimate treatment may come in the form of "cocktails" of several drugs that target different genes and protein pathways, depending on the unique characteristics of the patient's cancer.
"Different patients may respond to different cocktails, so the more you know about the biology of cancer, the more likely you are to be able to develop intelligent therapies," Carbone says.
That's why Carbone is carefully analyzing and cataloging the patterns of proteins found in the lung tumors removed from patients.
The patients will be followed and, over time, the researchers will see if there are unique patterns that correlate with specific outcomes, such as a recurrence of the cancer in the brain, response to chemotherapy, or poor survival. Eventually, they hope to be able to predict the course of a patient's disease shortly after they remove his or her tumor, and plan treatment accordingly.
"If we know this tumor will have a propensity to go to the brain, we can give prophylactic cranial irradiation," Carbone says. "If you knew this tumor was going to respond to chemotherapy, then you might consider giving adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery."
Pierre Massion, M.D., assistant professor of Medicine and Cancer Biology at Vanderbilt, is working with Carbone on a related study—testing tissues removed from the lungs of smokers who do not have cancer, to see if they can predict which smokers are likely to develop cancer in the future.
"The whole paradigm has shifted," says Carbone. "Ten years ago, we had a couple of drugs, they weren't very effective and most people weren't receiving them. Now we have a huge number of … interesting, molecularly targeted therapeutics out, and some of them are showing real clinical responses.
"I think a new era in lung cancer has started."
View Related Article:
Challenges ahead


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Yet, alas, there seems to be almost an imperialism about the Catholic tradition that allows for little variance from their church's dogma.
Given the concerns Pope Benedict has about the secularism and godlessness of Europe (and so out into all the world), it seems that some kind of common front under the charmanship of the Bishop of Rome would be of great benefit to the churches. This, of course, would require a measure of acceptance of the differing emphases of other Christians by Catholics, especially those of us who are rooted and grounded in the historic creeds and statements of faith of the church. However, it is sad that Rome is not able to stretch that far.
The whole recent flap around the Pope's overtures to dissident Anglicans is an example of this. I understand very well that there are fellow-Anglicans who have lost confidence in the Anglican tradition, and if their own faith is more happily accommodated in the Roman setting, then so be it. But as we mull over the small print it seems to be more hard line than the gentle invitation of concerned fellow-Christians.
A genuine, fraternal invitation, for example, would at the very least turn the expectation of re-confirmation and re-ordination into conditional rites, but Rome seems unwilling to reconsider the 1896 declaration that Anglican orders are, in effect, no orders at all. This un-churching of Anglicans has a tang of dishonesty about it because on the ground in most settings Anglican and Catholic clergy work alongside one another, mutually accept one another's status as ministers of word and sacraments.
The Apostolic Constitution makes it quite clear that the Catechism of the Catholic Church is definitive theologically and doctrinally for all those who move along the path Rome is offering, which, in effect, obliterates theology that is distinctively Anglican and nullifies the richness of the Anglican tradition. You can come in, we are being told, but you have to leave what we perceive to be Protestant baggage at the door.
As I read the small print of the Apostolic Constitution Anglicanorum Coetibus, it is phrased in such a way as to suggest that only certain Anglican liturgical texts will be acceptable for use by those who want to make this transition, which would suggest that anything that does not dot the 'i's and cross the 't's of Roman Catholic eucharistic theology, etc., will be unacceptable. This would then probably declare out of court much of the historic Prayer Book tradition which has been the foundation of Anglican life for nearly half a millennium.
While I don't really wish to nitpick to death this document that codifies an invitation that some are likely to take up, the more I look at it the more I suspect the spirit in which this invitation has been made. It comes from a mindset that because it believes it is the one true expression of the Christian faith, it possesses the trump cards, and can demand rather than entering into conversation accepting the graces and charisms of another tradition.
Last week I cooperated with the most gracious Roman Catholic priest in the funeral Mass and burial of my nominally Roman Catholic brother-in-law. The priest was a prince among men, godly and caring, and the manner in which he presided over the Eucharist was both sensitive and genuinely moving. He was genuinely embarrassed that he could not invite to the Lord's table those Christians of other traditions, so there I sat behind the altar, with my faithful Anglican extended family sitting in the pews (together with a few family Baptists), while the handful of Catholics present took participated in the sacrament.
This to me was an acted parable of the situation in which we find ourselves as two Communions that maybe respect one another, but nevertheless talk past each other. By excluding Anglicans from their sacramental life they are treating us as non-Christians, while at the same time in the day-to-day elements of church life in local communities considering one another to be believers. The are plenty places in the world where Anglicans and Catholics even share the same buildings. If the Catholic priest had not thought me a Christian, would he have allowed me to preach in his church, and would he have accepted that committal by me according to the Book of Common Prayer was appropriate in any shape or form?
In the Apostolic Constitution the Roman Catholic Church is saying, "Well, if you jump through the hoops we think necessary then we will accept you," while all the time jumping through those hoops is a negating of what are already our convictions -- in which they may see inadequacies, but little fundamental heresy.
The challenge facing us is missional, and it gets more pressing as each day passes. While accepting that each church has its own ordering that should be respected and taken seriously, it would seem that the time has come for Rome to be willing to enter a conversation with the same generosity as is expected of Anglican Christians.


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This is a required training for all Child Care Home Providers and Centers-Revised version. Emergency Preparedness and Readiness in Child Care is a training approved by the division on creating an Emergency Preparedness and Readiness Plan and practicing, responding to, and recovering from emergencies in child care facilities.


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In the United States, you cannot participate in elections if you are not a registered voter. Most states make it very easy for citizens to register to vote, since they want to encourage all eligible voters to take part in the democratic process. The procedure is essentially the same in all states, although there may be some small differences. It usually involves simply filling out a registration form.
Before you register to vote, determine whether or not you are eligible to vote. You must be an American citizen to vote in the United States, and you must also be 18 years of age or older at the time of the election. In some states, you cannot be a convicted felon. You must also be a resident of the county in which you are registering to vote. In some cases, you must register 15 days before an election, although this requirement varies widely, from 10 to 30 days, depending on the location.
After you have determined that you are eligible to vote, pick up a voter registration form. These forms are available in many places, including libraries, post offices, and the department of motor vehicles. For non-English speakers, voter registration forms in other languages are provided. Many states also offer voter registration materials online, through the office of the Secretary of State. In addition, voter outreach organizations provide voter registration forms, if you are having difficulty finding one.
Fill out all of the information on the voter registration form. The form asks for your address and date of birth, and some request your party affiliation. It will also ask for proof of identity, such as a Social Security Number or driver's license number, and it will have a space for a signature. Mail the voter registration or take it to your local voter registration office, and look for a registration card in two to four weeks. If you do not receive such a card, contact your county clerk or registrar of voters to make sure that you are listed on the rolls.
You will need to re-register if you change your name, political affiliation, or address. In some cases, you can change this information by calling the county clerk, although you may find it easier to fill out a new voter registration form.
Some states allow people to register to vote at the polling place. In this instance, bring proof of your residence, along with a valid identification. You will receive a provisional ballot, and you can check back with the registrar of voters or the county clerk later to make sure that your registration was accepted.
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, also called the Motor Voter Act, made it possible for individuals in most states to register to vote when they applied for social services or when they applied for or renewed their drivers licenses. This is often the easiest way to register in the US.
Post 6
I used to always carry my voter registration card with me, but now just keep it in a safe place at home. We live in a small rural community and when we go to vote we don't even have to show our card.
All of the names of the registered voters are printed out and as you come to vote, so all you do is check your name off. This kind of surprises me as I would think there would be more required and that you would at least have to show your card.
For those of you who live in larger cities do you have to show your voter registration card when you vote or is it done the same way everywhere?
Post 5
We recently moved to a new community and I saw voter registration cards at the library. I just happened to seem them available as I was checking out some books.
There are so many things you need to change and update when you move and this wasn't even on my list. I had completely forgotten about letting them know we had a new address. Seeing the forms at the library was an easy reminder of one other change of address I had to take care of.
Post 4
I must say there are all kinds of places a person can get a register to vote form. There really shouldn't be any excuse for a citizen of the United States not to be registered to vote if they qualify.
I have voted in every election since I was 18 and think it is very important. Recently there has been a trend towards a lot of people voting with an absentee ballot. I know in many circumstances this is the only way they could vote, but I enjoy going to the polling place and casting my vote that way.
Post 3
@anon19282-- I agree with your point. I also know people who don't consider themselves a member of either party and don't know how they would be able to specify a particular party. I think all states should give the person the option to decline or just leave it blank. As long as you filled out the required information so you could prove who you were, they should be able to register your name so you cold vote.
Post 2
Why does a person have to declare their political affiliation at all. Surely this violates the idea of a secret ballot and lends opportunity for corruption to administrators when processing applications.
Post 1
You can also download the voter registration form online. A simple "register to vote" search online should get you to what you're looking for.
Also, you don't necessarily have to state a party affiliation. California, for example, allows you to "decline to state." But if you want to vote in primary elections in some states, you may have to register with a political party. Check your individual state rules before you decide whether and which party to register as.
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Tom Cruise just can't handle not being number 1. Whether it's a Napoleon complex or Scientology he just doesn't know when to quit. This time he has gone too far by trying to copy the thunder of the one and only Thomas Magnum. For a side by side comparison see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CquMO3vJvo
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blog archive: 04 2012
The Friction, the Mixing, the Weaving: An Interview with Collaborators Mendi + Keith Obadike
submitted by Guest Blogger
By Laura Wetherington
Laura Wetherington: Could you outline how "The Earth Will Hear (for Audre Lorde and Marlon Riggs)" was conceived, composed, and produced?
Mendi + Keith Obadike: We had been planning a series of praise songs for sometime, and these two artists were at the top of our list. We were approached by an arts organization in upstate New York named Denniston Hill (founded by writer Lawrence Chua, painter Julie Merehetu, video…continue reading
A great poem today in the New Republic by One Pause poet, Mark Wunderlich. http://t.co/dRLXLjbTqY
One Pause Poetry is developing an "Emerging Poets" annual reading with our partner, White Lotus Farms. Who are... http://t.co/gb5JbNlOaW