John,

Yes. Both, that is. Also my efforts to understand the movie. And to understand American culture. So that’s four.

I’m not sure if you’ve seen The Big Lebowski, but rather than diverting this thread even farther off course I invite you (or anyone else who happens etc.) to read and/or join the discussion of the movie on my blog. Briefly, the question is whether the Dude’s indifference to everything but bowling constitutes an argument for American noninterventionism in foreign affairs. I think it does; others say I’m overinterpreting. I wonder how I could have overinterpreted, given that I’ve honed my exegetical skills here at OST?

 John