The Dimension of a line

Art, like morality, consists in drawing the line somewhere.

The problem of the 20th century, is the problem of the color line.

Each wave owes the beauty of its line to the withdrawal of the preceding one.

Any work that aspires however humbly, to the condition of art, should carry its justification in every line.

It is of great use to the sailor to know the length of his line though he cannot with it fathom the depths of the ocean.

Egypt's Revolution

WORLD

In U.S. Signals to Egypt, Obama Straddled a Rift

By HELENE COOPER, MARK LANDLER and DAVID E. SANGER

Published: February 12, 2011

President Obama had to navigate between the counsel of foreign policy traditionalists and a younger White House.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/world/middleeast/13diplomacy.html

This couldn't have worked out more perfectly for the Obama administration. If they had taken the old guard stance, they would have been seen as putting their interests first. They would have given fuel for anti american rhetoric in a future Egyptian government. Had they only shown support they would have undermined the independence and communal spirit that has led the protesters through this venture. Obama would have tainted their revolution by making it his own, inviting speculation about U.S. involvement.