Anchor Rising in Glossy Print

Anchor Rising is featured in a report by Ellen Liberman in the latest edition of Rhode Island Monthly (which hasn't yet updated its Web site to reflect the new issue):

Diogenes of Sinope was one of the original Cynics, ancient Greek philosophers who shunned the status quo. Most famously, Diogenes wandered the birthplace of democracy, the marketplace of Athens, in broad daylight bearing a candle. He was searching for an honest man, someone like himself, who lived by his principles.

Strictly speaking, Justin Katz of Tiverton is not a Cynic. But as a political conservative, he's found himself in opposition to Rhode Island's liberal Democratic mainstream, and — ideologically, at least — lonely. In the modern age, however, one does not need a candle or a market to find a like-minded soul. Moveable Type software, suitable for blogging, and an inexhaustible supply of opinions and stamina will do.

Which is to say, perhaps, that technology is making it easier for those who live by their principles to carry their own candles. Not surprisingly, as bloggers never tire of pointing out, those who've gained access to spotlights frequently give the impression that they scorn candles because they distrust daylight. Says Chip Young, the Philipe of "Philipe and Jorge" in the Providence Phoenix:

"I don't rely on blogs at all... It's almost like listening to talk radio. You get all these disparate opinions from people who've had their first six-pack by noon."

According to Liberman, Young writes "a political media and current events satire column," so I understand that he might be attempting to showcase a biting wit. But to be so stupendously wrong about the purveyors of a medium of such acute interest in both his areas of focus leaves one with the impression that he is mainly guarding the cachet of his mainstream morning merlot.

At any rate, thanks to Ellen Liberman for the reminder that the wax burns (and hangovers) are not in vain.