The Boston Globe clearly needs to bookmark ObWi…

…because its editorial staff looks fairly stupid right now. The short version: the Globe covered a presentation by Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner that purported to show American soldiers raping Iraqi women (Councilor takes up Iraq issue Turner releasespurported images of rape by soldiers). Now, the article itself is reasonably objective, as far as it … Read more

Sorry, it’s too nice a day out to blog.

Especially on Mother’s Day (my good wishes to everybody who is one, which would include Constant Reader Harley’s wife – it’s her first one, I believe). If you need something to talk about, talk about what really good new musicians I should be listening to. I favor musical aptitude, lyrics that can be understood and … Read more

Convention coverage.

Some of you may remember my Tacitus post about the DNC’s plans to offer press credentials to bloggers this campaign season (which is, of course, a very good idea of theirs). There’s a possibility that the RNC might follow suit… which, if they do, becomes very, very tempting. My folks live on the Jersey Shore, … Read more

Two scenarios.

I am not yet at the point where I reliably dream of blogging – it has happened, terrifyingly enough, but not on a regular basis – but the shower is turning into a useful place to think of possible posts. Of course, I’m more of a linker than a thinker, so I mostly let them pass because I’m off to work later, but weekends are a different story. So, two questions on Iran.

1). Someone taps you on the shoulder and informs you that the United States of America is prepared to change its policy on Iran in any one way, based on your input. What would you change right now*, and why?

Yes, yes, you would first immediately either expel or guarantee the re-election of the current administration, thank you, that has to wait for November either way and the question was about what to change right now.

2). Let us postulate that you will wake up tomorrow to find that you are the President of the United States (no, you don’t have to be George W Bush), and that reports are coming in that a popular uprising has begun against the current theocracy in Iran. The rebels are secular, pro-democracy, have broad support from the populace but not much in the way of heavy weapons and are at least neutral towards the United States; indeed, there is already a widespread belief that the CIA was behind it all (in this case, you know that it was not). The consensus at the UN is rapidly hardening in favor of the existing regime, particularly as said regime is suddenly ready to sign all sorts of nonproliferation agreements in exchange for public support.
Do you support the rebellion, or not?

Moe

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A new category.

Pretty much designed for those times when I know that I’m being a big meanie about something, but I can’t make myself care. Example: this little bit about PETA vs. Michael Moore. Michael Moore is making headlines with his controversial documentary, but one group is targeting the filmmaker for his waistline. People for the Ethical … Read more

Grace Note.

I liked this comment so much from Constant Reader asdf – in an odd way, I needed this comment, or one like it – that I’m giving it its own thread. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but at least the questions are still being asked, not screamed.

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It must be Annoyed Moe Friday…

There was an angry post here at first, which I deleted. Let us simply say that if Kevin Drum wishes to complain about some conservatives then he should not use language that implies inappropriate reactions exhibited by all conservatives – and that if he indeed feels that the reactions in that post are universal of … Read more

Different perspective.

Bill of INDC took a break from his usual rounds of righteous pictoral mockery of the Giant Puppet People to survey the recent pro-choice march in Washington. Bill is trying to articulate his own pro-choice attitudes – something I can relate to; my own opinions aren’t that easy to map* – so the series (Part … Read more

Spoonful of sugar.

This funny IMAO link (A Frank Guide to a Cordial Political Discussion) showed up in comments; it’s got some really good advice about debates in it and the bloodthirsty nature of the What Not To Do examples seemed to have had an oddly calming effect on the debate there. I wonder if it can be … Read more

Two for two.

I noted this somewhat troubling head’s-up about tensions in Georgia (the Eurasian one) from the Command Post; as usual, the Argus was on top of the situation (and its peaceful conclusion) by the time I could get around to blogging about it. Nathan: blogging about Central Asia so that I don’t have to embarrass myself … Read more

Putting together a band.

A band of bloggers, that is. Steven Taylor of Poliblog thinks that it’d be neat to bring together himself, Jeff Goldstein of Protein Wisdom, James Joyner of Outside the Beltway and Robert Tagorda of Priorities & Friviolities and go be the blogging team for The Weekly Standard. Personally, I think that it’s a dandy idea; … Read more

Creature of the Night? Pshaw.

I can barely keep my eyes open. I’m telling you, this nosferatu thing is strictly for the younger generations. I remember when staying up all night was an achievement… these days, it’s a disaster. And let’s not even think about going out and baying at the moon; howling is many things, but beautiful music ain’t … Read more

Bloganalysis.

I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for metagaming this entire blogging thing. The mechanisms by which blogs develop readership, grow, shrink, influence, live, die… I find it all really, really fascinating, which is why I always enjoy it when the Politboro Diktat does a post on the subject. Which is why I’m linking to Dean … Read more

Cynical title deleted by author.

Oberon’s talking about USA Patriot over at North Georgia Dogma. He’s got the makings for a good, nonpartisan discussion about what needs to go and what needs to stay; it’s a pity that I’m in precisely the wrong mood to contribute meaningfully. Check it out anyway.

I expected more axe-grinding.

Via Instapundit we see that Fleshbot reporting that AVN has come across this WorldNetDaily article claiming that two Middle Eastern websites (Albasrah.net and Comité de Défonce de Saddam Hussein En Tunisie) combined actual photos from the Abu Ghirab outrages with shots from American and Hungarian porn. Amazingly, Fleshbot and AVN managed to avoid sneering at … Read more

Reason #45632A Why I Love My Girlfriend

Because she not only points out to me [edited by author for clarity] things like this; she can recite it with the proper accent*. Just a taste:

Ike was a sturdy Skraeling hare
Disporteth through the Greene
Ik scoopen-up the fielden mice
And smacken ’em on the heede
And wo’ – oh wo’ the tragedye
That I ha’ comen to,
For I was caught by the Fayerye Queene
And now I am a goon.

Take it from me: this is a serious envy-generator for your average SCA bard, of which I modestly aspire to be, on my good days. Check it out…

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Will he or won’t he?

Former President Clinton’s book is supposed to be coming out this summer, as I’m sure most of you know; amusingly, the New York Post apparently couldn’t decide to go with the “Damn, is this ever going to mess up Kerry!” angle or the “He’ll never finish it in time! Never never never!” – so they … Read more

No, not ‘fair’.

Tac’s making a fairly powerful suggestion for one punishment (among others) for the outrages at Abu Ghraib: The third and final act that is within the Army’s power is to disband the 372nd Military Police Company. Dissolve it entirely; never resurrect the unit designation; strip it of its citations; bury the guidon in disgrace in … Read more

He’s just getting into his stride.

Not so incredibly, Dennis Kuchinich is still campaigning. I say not so incredibly because, really, being a Presidential candidate beats working for a living all hollow. Plus there’s the added benefit of being able to party with the college crowd without looking like an old fart in the process; I figure that Dennis will ride … Read more

A lesson to be learned.

That there is no Other. No matter where we start from – or where we end up – we’re all human beings on the same spaceship (to evoke a conceit of Timothy Leary). The same dreams, hopes, fears, emotions, you name it – it’s all the same, from mind to mind (some would say heart; others, soul). And, most importantly, no man or woman really is an island; there are connections everywhere, and you’d be surprised how quickly you can trace the path from person to person, woman to man.

A pity that the man in this case is Micah Wright: frankly, it was demeaning to have this insight in relation to the lying SOB*. On the bright side, I now know that newspaper machines (in [some] AZ [college campuses], at least) typically have combination locks. I have no idea what I could actually (and ethically) do with that information, but at least I know – and knowing is half the battle.

Hey, I wonder if that tagline was how Wright got the idea in the first place…

Moe

UPDATE: Reader jon demonstrates that I apparently didn’t know quite as much as I thought that I did. Like that was a shock, or anything.

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Rall-Free Zone.

If you’re so POed about the twerp that you need to vent some more, I suggest that you click either click through to Max Sawicky’s site (even though he doesn’t link us, the so-and-so) or Citizen Smash’s (who does link us); they both seem equally annoyed about it. As for their dispute… much as I hate not getting the back of my ideological compatriot*, Indymedia ain’t the antiwar movement, thank God. Generally speaking, they shouldn’t be let within a square mile of the antiwar movement (on tactical grounds alone), but that’s another issue entirely.

Moe

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Gimme some of that funky fundagelical link-action, baby.

What, you’ve never heard of fundagelical? Or fundagelism? It’s the latest word, oh my droogies: all the cool bloggers are using it. You can’t click a link without seeing all the hipsters attacking or defending the concept: why, it’s bigger than trackbacking! (pause) At least, that’d be the impression that you’d get from this Guardian … Read more

Retraction Monday, Revisited.

Upon reflection, I’m going to have to say that I was a bit brusque in my earlier comments re Edward’s Fajullah post: expecting the assumption of goodwill from those who disagree with you is a two-way street, after all, and at any rate it would have been more appropriate to quietly handle the matter via … Read more

Anecdotal Evidence Update.

My mother called my house this morning to inquire about how one sets up an internet grassroots movement to draft John McCain for the Presidency. This seriously shifts polling results in the crucial Immediate Lane Family demographic, leaving Bush, McCain and Kerry tied for first place (20% each), with 40% of the respondents not yet … Read more

Like polls do any better.

Professor Bainbridge brings to our attention this LA Times article (registration required, alas, and ‘laexaminer’ doesn’t seem to work) that claims that every single time that the Washington Redskins loses or ties their last game before a Presidential election, the sitting President loses the election as well. This streak has apparently been unbroken for 72 … Read more

Other Weekend Thread

Apropos of nothing… Jeebus, but am I getting sick of getting into a car and driving for multiple hours. I think that it’s time that family members started visiting us for a change. (pause) Right. I’m collecting Laws of the Blogosphere. So far I’ve got Gary Farber’s* “Sometimes blogging response is inverse to blogging effort.” … Read more

Modest Proposal (Oh, I slay me)

I have a set of related suggestions for changing the complexion of the national legislature. I am not wedded to any of them, but I think that they’d be interesting to discuss, so here goes: 1). Increase the number of Representatives in the House to 2,000. As someone’s pointed out in comments around here, our … Read more

OK, this is not funny.

The author of this doesn’t know me, or those like me. He or she has no idea what we go through, what it takes for us to get through the day. I’m not pushing it on anybody else; it’s nobody’s business but my own and my loved ones what I do or spend money on, … Read more

Hey, I forgot that I had this hobbyhorse…

I was reading this post over at OTB

(pause)

What? Oh. I just went to bed at a decent hour for a change. Sleep: it’s an amazing notion. I applaud whoever came up with it.

Anyhoo, James commented on (and later linked to, although I haven’t read it yet: it could be frothing) to this speech by outgoing Senator Zell Miller about the 17th Amendment – direct election of Senators – and why it should be repealed. This being something that I could reliably become exercised about in the past, I’d thought that I’d share.

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It’s way late…

… so I shall leave you with a reminder that the President and Vice President are meeting with the 9/11 panel tomorrow (as new Guest Blogger for Tacitus Harley rather – man, I’m really sorry to have to use this adjective – waggishly reminds us*). I’m sure that with enough effort one or two of … Read more