Stake in the heart

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CNN reports that the WB has is cancelling Angel — you know, Buffy-spin off, ’bout the vampire with a soul — after five seasons. Having been a closet, then open, then BUFFY IS THE BEST SHOW ON TV AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY fan, I’ll say it: The end of an era (of good writing, wrapped up with a giant warm-to-the-nerd-soul bow).

Never was a huge fan of Angel, though; something to do with killing off my wife’s favorite character early on.* After that, I never heard the dialog — all I heard was the gal sitting next to me, fulminating (“this would be soooo much better, if only ______ was still around.”)

Consider this a commemorative open thread, to the extent one is needed.

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Another Depressing Uzbekistan Report

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This time it’s about a 62 year old mother sentenced for six years in prison for having the cheek to get justice for her son being boiled to death being a revolutionary. Now, I happen to agree with Nathan Hamm that the problem is both complex and difficult to resolve, and that we’d be in … Read more

By way of introduction…

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I was somewhere between one of my many lives (translation: travelling without web access) when Obsidian Wings was born, so I missed the first few weeks of postings here. I was snarking ferociously on Tacitus when someone cited Moe’s own blog. What? A blogchild of Tacitus? And by the incomparable Moe Lane, no less? I … Read more

Apotheosis Now.

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After consultation with Katherine (translation: I went with what she said), another guest blogger has been added: longtime Reader Edward (of both Tacitus and here). The Circle is now complete – for now – and I am now seriously outnumbered. But that’s OK: keeps me on my toes. I look forward to Edward’s posts, and … Read more

Filed my motion . . . .

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. . . . and life is goooooood Time to reflect: Seventeen things that I have learned in my thirty years and three days on the Earth . . . . 1. Those who call themselves moderates usually aren’t. (As ObWi’s self-proclaimed “moderate,” perhaps I confess too much.) 2. Money does buy love, or a … Read more

You know what’s missing from all our lives? Larry Flynt.

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And down we go . . . . First, Bush was “AWOL” from the Air National Guard. This is almost certainly incorrect (in both the legal and colloquial senses), but, hey, at least there was some weak evidence. (Kudos to Drum for maintaining objectivity, despite his partisan instincts.) Then Kerry’s a morally-suspect, limp-wristed cretin for … Read more

For the record…

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…I’m with the Mudville Gazette in shaking my head at a candidate whose criticism of a particular activity of Bush’s is so predictable that the satire of said criticism gets published first. I don’t suppose that you guys could find Kerry some better writers? Please?

Crunch time for Dean?

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AP calls him defiant, but says that the polls look bleak for him. Reuters notes the impending loss of Steve Grossman to Kerry. AFP – who, to be honest, I don’t trust to tell me if the sky is blue – has the good old anonymous sources saying that Dean’s about to drop out. And … Read more

If this ends up being Dean’s legacy…

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… well, there are worse things in life than to be the guy who showed his party how to get money off of the Internet. If Chandler wins, Dean can take some credit for it, not to mention some comfort from it. ‘Course, Chandler will still have to run around at a notable fraction of … Read more

Bayh for VP?

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The Indianapolis Star is following up on a classic, election year non-story story: Who will be the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate? Unsuprisingly, the Star is touting Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) as a top choice. Here’s the Star’s case (Take note that the Star’s case is based almost entirely on the musings of Larry Sabato, “a political analyst and professor at the University of Virginia”):

There are, Sabato said, lots of potential candidates for vice president, “but there aren’t many who can actually help.”

Bayh, Sabato said, could be dispatched to campaign in only three states — Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia, all carried by Bush in 2000.

“If (Bayh) turns those states,” Sabato said, “no way Bush can win. It’s literally over.”

. . . .

“Having Evan on the national ticket would very likely make a difference in whether Indiana voted for the Democratic nominee for president or not,” said Gov. Joe Kernan [D], who’s running in November for his first full term as governor. But Kernan added: “It’s not a gimme.”

As mentioned in these (virtual) pages, Indiana has been trending Democratic of late. Once a solid “red” state, with Bayh on the ticket it could conceivably end up Blue. But, contrary to Sabato, Bayh’s effects in Ohio and West Virginia really can’t be known. It may amaze you, but Ohio is not Indiana is not Iowa is not Kansas. And Indiana is especially not West Virginia.

There is a common demoninator, though (aside from the flat accents): Voters in each of these states tend to be moderates.* And nothing turns off a moderate voter like the perception of extremism.

A reason for Bush to soften his image, I think, and not to make a divisive “Marriage Amendment” plank #1 of his national campaign. And a pretty damn good reason for Northeasterner Kerry to choose Bayh as his VP, in my humble opinion.

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Damn Yankees.

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Alex Rodriguez, quite possibly the best all-around player in baseball today, is going to be traded to the New York Yankees.

A-Rod will move to third base to fill the hole created by Aaron “What Do You Mean, ‘My Contract Won’t Let Me Play Basketball?’ ” Boone. The Yankees get A-Rod and some money from Texas (coal to Newcastle, if you ask me), while the Rangers get Alfonso Soriano, a “player to be named later” who might be Jose Contreras and might be a minor-leaguer, and some payroll flexibility at long last. The Red Sox, and the rest of the AL East, get a bad case of heartburn.

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BTW, there’s fighting going on in Haiti.

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Forces opposed to the current Aristide government have been fighting for nine days now; about fifty people have been killed, but that number will only be going up. Those of us – most of us, probably – who need boning up on this subject can read here, here, here, here, here and here for an … Read more

It’s Nonsensical Sunday!

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Got this idea from the reactions to what I thought was a perfectly natural comment: “You’ll find that vampires are usually the reason behind why the Catholic Church does things.” – so I thought that I’d open up the floor to others. Statements must be: 1) Something said by you, or heard in your presence; … Read more

A Religion that never was.

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While we’re in geekmode… I came across this while reading up on the background of the new Thomas Harlan series*. Not quite as good as it thinks it is, and shows a faint taint of the gameworld that spawned it, but still pretty interesting. it is one of the major goals of my life to have weird stuff like this constantly folding and unfolding in my head.

Just thought that I’d mention that.

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This is Romantic. Really.

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Well, only because the phrase “Stick of Pain, Lamont! Stick of Pain!” came up once or twice in the process of negotiating our way through the unmarked minefields that surrounded the wedding we went to today. My girlfriend introduced me to this website because she knew of my weakness for all things ninja; the Editorials/Rants … Read more

I don’t know if this is true…

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… about a F/A-18A really being offered for sale on eBay, that is. If it was, it’s sold now. Dammit, I need to get an account. And several million bucks in spending money. Hmm, why not ask for a reliable FTL drive, too? Moe PS: Going to a wedding tomorrow, so don’t expect any quick … Read more

It’s somebody’s birthday…

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Von’s thirty today – by the by, yesterday was the three month anniversary of this blog – so what better way to celebrate than to sing a couple of verses of Happy Birthday?

Well, sort of: I belong to a medieval recreationist group called the SCA, you see… and we have a somewhat unique song that we use to celebrate this sort of thing.

(To the tune of “Volga Boatmen” – actually, I’m told that it’s not, but eh)

Death and gloom and black despair
People dying everywhere

Chorus:
Happy Birthday! (UHH!) Happy Birthday! (UHH!)

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That’s right, there are primaries tomorrow…

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… which, apparently, nobody seems to care too much about. What the heck: I predict that Kerry will win DC and lose NV to Edwards; both will be 2-person races. I also predict that the recent alleged Kerry scandal will not have sufficent legs to affect WS WI*, but that there’ll be a three-way split … Read more

“Who would’ve thunk the Thirteenth fell on Friday? . . .

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. . . . I say hello, and it’s goodbye again.”

I’m beyond busy at work, but I did want to comment on the Thirteenth. Consider this your unlucky open thread.

(Speaking of unluck, I turn thirty tomorrow. Big party planned: I’ll wake up at 7 a.m., sit down in front of my computer, and write legal arguments ‘tll nightfall. Livin’ la vida loca, baby.)

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Centrism’s Hue and Cry.

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The blogger’s life gets rather stark when black and white take root; You see all things as Light or Dark And make all nuance moot. But black and white, while colors, yes Do not a spectrum make; And there are days when, I confess, Binary’s hard to take. Instead of red, I’ll go with pink … Read more

This is why I don’t miss television.

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Stuff like this. (pause) Freaking server must be down. Anyway, it was the Quiznos ad. You know the one, I’m sure: the one with those weird hamster things that fascinated people in the same way that a cobra fascinates a bird. Sure, you laughed – but you laughed nervously. Well, at least I did, fuddy-duddy … Read more

Two things.

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1). I don’t really care if Kerry slept with an intern or not (consenting adults and all that), and I don’t believe Drudge until I’ve seen verification. That being said, if this is a true story I don’t really care if Kerry gets shellacked for it, either. Let Mrs. Kerry administer her free knee strike … Read more

Kansas City, Where Bad Architecture Can Stand Tall

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…well, that’s the impression I get from this post, at least. David (not Steven) is apparently especially exercised over this plan (registration required): Tom Overby is a man with a big idea. His idea is so big, in fact, that it would dwarf the skyline of his hometown — Kansas City, Kan. — edge out … Read more

Loony Homophobes–and the Presidents Who Love Them

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That get your attention? Good. I hereby retract my previous comparison of the far-right, disgustingly homophobic Family Research Council to International ANSWER. The FRC may be slightly less insane than ANSWER, but a little research confirmed what I suspected: they have thousands, and I mean thousands, of times more influence on the Republican party than … Read more

Fear and Loathing in Gusev Crater

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The rover Spirit shattered a one-day distance record on Mars, rolling nearly 70 feet across the planet’s rocky surface, NASA said Tuesday. Later in the story, mission manager Jim Erickson is quoted saying, “”Everything seemed to go fine there. Tomorrow’s plan is further driving. The day after that is driving even further[.]” I’m afraid of … Read more

Gore Jumps the Shark*.

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…unless, of course, there’s been one hell of a taking-out-of-context: Gore Says Bush Betrayed the U.S. by Using 9/11 as a Reason for War in Iraq:

NASHVILLE, Feb. 8 — In a withering critique of the Bush administration, former Vice President Al Gore on Sunday accused the president of betraying the country by using the Sept. 11 attacks as a justification for the invasion of Iraq.

“He betrayed this country!” Mr. Gore shouted into the microphone at a rally of Tennessee Democrats here in a stuffy hotel ballroom. “He played on our fears. He took America on an ill-conceived foreign adventure dangerous to our troops, an adventure preordained and planned before 9/11 ever took place.”

Now, I know that we hear stuff like this all the time on the Internet, so we’re all desensitized, but Gore didn’t say this on the Internet. He said it live, and on the record, and apparently happily ignorant of the fact that politicians who accuse sitting Presidents of the next thing to treason had better damned well have some evidence to back them up. He can’t pull a Michael Moore and claim that it was entertainment; he’ll need to give proof of his allegations… or be raw meat for the media. I’m betting on raw meat, myself.

The only question is, who wound him up and set him off? Was this one of our ops or one of theirs? – because God doesn’t love George Bush that much, false rumors of His Republicanism to the contrary…

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Yup, fiddled with layout again.

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Added a sports category, fixed up some of the names, added a link to that penguin-whacking game that everyone was raving about on Tac today*, moved the calendar… that sort of thing. Further suggestions more or less welcome. You guys have had almost three months to get used to the layout; thoughts? Moe *Finally figured … Read more

Interesting Debate over Blog Ethics

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It all started when Zachary Roth of Columbia Journalism Review’s Campaign Desk complained a bit waspishly about how the blogosphere was running exit poll numbers hours before the end of the 02/03 primaries. The phrase ‘journalistic ethics’ was used;

Then Kos sent in his own letter where he points out, fairly gently, that blogs aren’t actually bound by journalistic ethics, because they actually aren’t journalistic entities;

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KERRYPALOOZA!!!!! kerrypalooza Kerrypalooza!

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You know, I wanted to come up with a bunch of nice, balanced pro and con responses to Kerry’s conventional-wisdomed candidacy, but when you go through the Left Side of your blogroll to discover that Wonkette’s pointing out the recent activities of Kerry supporter Bob Torricelli and Matthew Yglesias is dourly hoping that since he … Read more

The Family Research Council

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I ought not to be posting this–I am dead serious about going on hiatus. But everyone in my state and especially at my school is talking about this gay marriage debate today, and I see a huge story being missed.

Of all the anti-gay marriage lobbyists who have come to Massachusetts, the Family Research Council (FRC), and its President, Tony Perkins, may be the most quoted–I’ve seen him in the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the NY Times, the Grauniad, MSNBCm all over the place. In these articles, the FRC is almost always described simply as “a conservative group” or “a conservative organization” or “the conservative Family Research Council.”

If journalists would do some background research on the FRC, they would see that this description is an insult to both gay people and conservatives.

Not all conservatives oppose gay marriage. Not all people who oppose gay marriage are homophobic. Not all homophobic people are bigots. The Family Research Council are bigots–and I do not use emotionally loaded terms like “bigot” lightly. Here are some quotations from FRC publications:

–“…one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the ‘prophets’ of a new sexual order.” “Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys,” FRC publication, July 1999.

–“”There is a strong undercurrent of pedophilia in the homosexual subculture. Homosexual activists want to promote the flouting of traditional sexual prohibitions at the earliest possible age….they want to encourage a promiscuous society – and the best place to start is with a young and credulous captive audience in the public schools.” – Robert Knight, Family Research Council

–“homosexuals are included in a list of sinners, who, if unrepentant, will not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Family Research Council press release about Matt Shepard’s funeral, on the day of the funeral, October 16, 1998

–After Matthew Shepard’s death, Frank Rich wrote an article saying that anti-gay groups like the FRC–I think he singled them out because they had a press conference about converting away from homosexuality around the time Shepard was found–saying they bore some responsibilty for what happened. “[FRC Spokesperson Heather] Farish vehemently rejects such allegations. ‘Don’t blame AA because a drunk was beat up,’ she said.” (Dallas Morning News article, “Why now? Other gays have been victims of brutal attacks, but the slaying of a Wyoming student has caused a national outcry,” by Brooks Egerton, October 17, 1998.)

–If you think the above quotations take their words out of context, you can read this 32 page “study” of “Homosexual Behavior and Pedophilia” by Robert Knight and Frank York. Learn all about homosexual activists’ “long term goal” of “gaining access to children”, despite the fact that they “publicly disassociate themselves from pedophiles as part of a public relations strategy”; learn how the American Psychiatric Association is in on it, etc.
(Knight is now with Concerned Women for America, but was with the FRC when this came out and they are still quite happy to quote him on their website. They also say he is one of the draftsmen of DOMA–I just hope to God that’s not true.)

–In case you think that was the “bad old days” but now they’ve changed–the FRC still offers talking points (their phrase, not mine) on the connection between homosexuality and pedophelia on their website.

–As I noted in this post, the Family Research Council helped convince President Bush to launch “Marriage Protection Week” last October. It just so happened to begin on the five year anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death.

–Tony Perkins, the current President of the FRC, seems more telegenic and politically savvy than his predecessors but I don’t see any evidence that he’s less homophobic. In this newsletter he states, “Nor is it “loving” to suppress evidence that homosexual behavior is a “death-style” that is sending young people to an early grave.”

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Coolest. Patches. EVER!

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Marvin The Martian and Daffy Duck (as the fearless Duck Dodgers) will be showcased on official 1st Space Launch Squadron patches for two NASA Mars Exploration Rover Missions this summer [summer 2003 — MN]. “They must be MINE!!!” I’m surprised it took this long for me to hear about them — I guess I just … Read more

“Now announcing a pinch hitter…”

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Greetings! As Moe has already mentioned, I am honored to be filling in here for a bit while Katherine is busy with her immigration law work. I’m not a huge fan of single-axis descriptions of anyone’s politics, but if forced to describe myself that way, I’d call myself generally a centrist, with a few outlying … Read more

And then there were [Number under dispute]

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… I dunno, really. Five? Four? Three? Two? One, and everybody else is deluding themselves? Depends on who you ask, I guess. The short version is, Kerry won both VA and TN today: my prediction that he wouldn’t get more delegates than Clark and Edwards combined came true only in the latter and he won … Read more