Month: November 2003

The obligatory Catblogging Post…

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…only, I don’t have any actual cats. This was a bit of a concern, as apparently the ownership of a cat is necessary for both blogging and the writing of obscure roleplaying game material, and my lack of same was a bit problematical. I figured that either von or Katherine would have one, but they’ve … Read more

Well, It’s Official…

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…I must be a real live blogger and stuff, because I just had a dream where I blogged on the Medicare bill. Said dream came complete with a comments thread, trackbacks and a bit of drama where anonymous people were revealed to be other people; I woke up after people started to link to me … Read more

This is either the Next Big Thing

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… or it’s not. It may just be quirky enough to take off, though. Via Balloon Juice (sure, he gets to be on the map. Hey! We’re not blogrolled by him, either. Grumble grumble whine moan grumble grumble whine…*). Moe * 😉 UPDATE: Well, it’s obviously going to be the next big thing, as the … Read more

Technical Stuff

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As you might have noticed, the blogroll’s been updated in the usual across the spectrum fashion. I’ve been told here by fellow TypePad users that an alphabetizing feature is currently being pleaded for, so I know that advice for that isn’t precisely forthcoming… but is there any way that I can dump the spaces between … Read more

Well, We’ve All Certainly Chewed On The Bush Visit…

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… frankly, Right Wing Death Beast that I am, Tacitus’ post on the subject pretty much made mine redundant. So, instead, we’re going to play a fun game of Anecdotal Evidence. I admit right off of the bat that this proves nothing, but hey: it’s my our* blog and I’ll be illogical if I want to. It’s either this or sit down next to Katherine and start swearing about the recto-cranial inversion problem that Holy Mother Church seems to be suffering from these days.

*This is what I get for trying to evoke 50’s song lyrics, you know.

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Aids and the Church

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I’m several days out of date on this Kristof column but it made me so angry that I had to post anyway. Excerpts: “Here in El Salvador, church leaders in 1998 helped ban abortions even when necessary to save the life of a woman, and, much worse, helped pass a law, which took effect last … Read more

Happy Thanksgiving

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My connection is a bit flakey – visiting parents with an ill computer, so I’ll just be brief and wish all of you a happy and safe Thanksgiving. My family has a tradition of saying what we’re thankful for, so I’ll indulge myself: I am thankful for those I love, and who love me. My … Read more

Thanksgiving

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I’m in Brooklyn with my in-laws today. This is the first Thanksgiving I’ve ever spent without my mother and sisters. But it’s appropriate that it be in New York for this holiday, because while two years ago I resolved never again to take for granted my family, my friends, this country or the city I’d like to consider my hometown (I was born in Chelsea but grew up elsewhere)–for whatever reason I’m far better at keeping that resolution when it comes to New York City than anything else.

So in that spirit, and because it’s easier to write about places than people….

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There once was a man, and he couldn’t cry

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I am a secret movie weepier. Not secret in the sense that, should you and I watch Field of Dreams together, you’d somehow miss the tears rolling down my face when Kevin Costner asks ghost-dad to play catch. Secret in the sense that I’d never admit that, forty-five showings later, I’m bawling like a baby … Read more

It’s only shocking if you’re the sort to make snap assumptions.

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You know, I don’t know whether this is mere politics, or whether there’s some actual sentiment behind it… and I find that I do not much care. I am not overly fond of the woman, but I also have no real quarrel with her and I respect her political instincts, which are quite good – I approve of gestures of this nature, no matter if Senator Clinton’s* one of the ones making them. So, kudos.

And Happy Thanksgiving, folks, if I don’t get a chance to say that later.

Via Day by Day.

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skipping town

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I’m going to NYC in about 45 minutes for a job interview and Thanksgiving, and when I return I will be in finals heck until December 17 or so. So blogging will be light to non-existent (depending on how bad a procrastinator I’m being) until then–but I trust Moe and Von will keep this place … Read more

constitutions

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In a post that strongly (and convincingly) rejects the idea of breaking Iraq into three countries, Juan Cole says: The alternative is to build into the new Iraq guarantees against a tyranny of the Shiite majority. Have a bicameral legislature that over-represents the Sunnis slightly. Have a bill of rights. Have elected provincial governors and … Read more

Who Wants to Marry Dennis Kucinich?

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from the Cleveland Plain-Dealer: At a New Hampshire candidates’ forum, he was queried about first ladies,and the Cleveland Democratic congressman didn’t waste his chance to drop the proverbial handkerchief. “As a bachelor, I get a chance to fantasize about my first lady,” the twice-divorced Kucinich replied. “And you know, maybe Fox will want to sponsor … Read more

Bush and Chalabi

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From a Washington Post article on Chalabi, via Atrios : “Nobody knows how the president will finally come down on Chalabi. Right now Bush reportedly remains unconvinced that Chalabi is the one to lead Iraq into a democratic future. Jordan’s King Abdullah didn’t help matters: When he met with Bush recently, he is said to … Read more

Literary Commentary. Here, have some hip boots.

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Crooked Timber’s discussing an interesting little event that went on at the National Book Awards dinner Thursday. Short version: Stephen King got an honorary award, made a speech where he essentially informed the judges that they needed to read more genre fiction and an author named Shirley Hazzard got contrasted to King by just about everybody commenting on it.

Now, looking over the links, it would seem that the proud philistine contingent is underrepresented in this debate, so I am stepping up to the plate.

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Question About McAullife

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Hopefully, it’ll automatically publish Monday morning (yup, playing with site features). So, anyway, I was reading through this dKos post and I was struck with something: why are the Democrats keeping him around as head of the DNC? Rather than scurrilously speculate, I decided to simply ask for commentary from, like, actual Democrats and stuff: … Read more

comic relief

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if you’ve read about the horrible events in Mosul, you’ll need it. So, here you go, from Aunty Beeb: “Mr Blair, who is said to be a big fan of the show, recorded his dialogue in April for an episode in which Homer Simpson meets him in London. Actor Sir Ian McKellen and Harry Potter … Read more

MA poll on gay marriage

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According to today’s Boston Globe, “Massachusetts residents, by a solid margin, said they supported the Supreme Judicial Court’s landmark decision legalizing gay marriage, according to a Boston Globe/WBZ-TV poll. The poll of 400 people, the first survey of Bay State residents since the court’s historic ruling, indicated that 50 percent agreed with the justices’ decision, … Read more

The politics of fear

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A lot has been written about the Republican ads in Iowa in New Hampshire, which begin, “some are now attacking the President for attacking the terrorists.” I don’t really have much to add about that line; I think you all can guess what my reaction was. But this line, via Maureen Dowd’s column today, was new to me:

” ‘It would take one vial, one canister, one crate slipped into this country to bring a day of horror like none we have ever known,” Mr. Bush says, in a State of the Union clip.”

I don’t usually have much patience for Dowd, but she has it right. This is fear-mongering for no good purpose. Experts generally agree that biological and chemical weapons kill people in horrible ways but are not any better than conventional weapons at killing large numbers of people (if it’s not done right, they’re probably worse). So one vial or one canister would not be very likely to bring a worse day of horror than 9/11. Nuclear weapons are a different story, but there was no serious nuclear threat from Iraq in the short or medium term, and we knew it.

And of course, it seems increasingly clear that Iraq had no biological or chemical weapons either.

They have a history of this sort of thing.

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Finally, We have An Answer…

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… to an age-old question. And there was much rejoicing. (Via Volokh.) UPDATE: I have had the Plasma Physicist Who Lives In The Basement Of My House* look at this, and she confirms that the numbers and stuff seem to check out. She doesn’t do biophysics, though. *Of course, from her point of view my … Read more

Now, THIS Is What A Proper Protest Looks Like

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Via Balloon Juice we see that a showdown was brewing in Georgia – the one in Eurasia – over a recent election that has everybody going, “Yeah, well”. Well, oh my droogies, the showdown has come, and with a vengeance. I hereby invite every person who has ever voluntarily engaged in the more … colorful … Read more

Updating the Blogroll…

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… which will not be normally subject to such fanfare. Actually, maybe it will be; we’re all making this up as we go along. Tonight’s additions are Sacred And Inane, Matthew J Stinson, A Fistful of Euros and James Casey. Alphabetization will commence… apparently not until somebody lets us do that. Moe PS: Von, old … Read more

Because, really…

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…there’s no point to writing for a blog if you can’t do egoboo for it. Well, in this case, girlfriend egoboo: she wrote out this particular piece after watching the Real Version of The Two Towers (some people call it the Extended Version, but we all know better, right?). Fair warning: she’s as much a … Read more

actual good news!!!!!

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Thabo Mbeki seems to have finally, and dramatically, reversed his heretofore disastrous AIDS policy. South Africa is going to begin providing free anti-retrovirals. Bill Clinton apparently helped negotiate it. Funny that he’ll have done more for Africa as an ex-President than as President, but either way, I’ll take it. I wrote my college thesis on … Read more

40 years on

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It’s after midnight. So, as we know from the parade of TV specials this week, John F. Kennedy was killed forty years ago tomorrow. Obviously, I was not alive. It had a profound effect on my parents, especially my mother, the liberal Irish Catholic college freshman. My father went through a (fortunately brief)* Goldwater phase … Read more

Bring me the head of….

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I thought I’d continue the tradition of bloodthirsty late night posts, in this case combined with junior high journalism class: WHO: Tom Daschle of South Dakota WHAT: should resign as majority leader, or be voted out WHEN: at his earliest convenience WHERE: in the Capitol building WHY: 1. Because with the exception of Jeffords’ party … Read more

No Canyoneros in Canton

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China is about to impose more stringent fuel economy standards for new cars, and especially for light trucks, minivans, and SUVs, than the United States. This is good news, but the contrast makes metaphorical smoke come out of my ears. We have abdicated, so completely. The world has given up on us, and decided that … Read more

Bored Now…

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… I dunno, I was expecting something a bit more exciting so far from the English antiBush protestors. More in your face, more edgy and hip, more… well, people. However, I have been assured and reassured by those presumably in the know that Thursday’s demonstrations will be everything* that we’ve come to expect from the … Read more

9/11 Memorial Proposals

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They unveiled the eight finalists today. Lots of gardens, reflecting pools, named inscribed on walls, light effects. Here’s an AP story with a brief description of each. The NY Times has a slide show on its main page, which I can’t figure out how to link directly. And the Lower Manhattan Development Corp has more … Read more

Money and Death

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There will be light posting from me, the putative centrist of this fun bunch, until after the weekend. Work, travel for work, more work, blah, blah, blah. I promise a post on “Why I Hate Howard Dean” early in the next week, which should spice things up since I’m blogging with certified-Dean-Lover Katherine. In the … Read more