69 != 96

from the Big Question Dept.

Why is this decade different from the 60's in terms of our political apathy vs. their political motivation? Certainly it is not due to any lack of unjust wars, secretive administrations, or corrupt/criminal politicians passing through the oval office. So what is it? Perhaps just intense cultural saturation? The powers that be have truly established a hegemonic control over the lazy complacent bourgeois? Where are the fucking students?

Is this question even well-formed?

Ariel Sharon as Serpico

... just in the sense that he falls into that roll of the peace-maker who gets killed. Seems like the more he tries to broker peace the more at risk he becomes.

Also like Chris Chambers in "Stand By Me". This quote from the movie always gets me:

Chris did get out. He enrolled in the college courses with me, and, although it was hard, he gutted it out like he always did. He went on to college and eventually became a lawyer. Last week he entered a fast food restaurant. Just ahead of him, two men got into an argument—one of them pulled a knife. Chris, who had always made the best peace, tried to break it up. He was stabbed in the throat. He died almost instantly.

Just seems like alot of people have alot at stake in perpetuating conflict. Like the movie "Why We Fight".

wednesday morning linkage

This is great news for dog lovers -- of which I seem to know many:
"Study Identifies Heart Patient's Best Friend" [nytimes]

In preparation for our Big Bill'burg Thanksgiving feast, NY Times has some info:
"The Pilgrims Didn't Brine" and other stories

And in the news, it is so good to hear about the Iraqis being happy and free and not tortured and gassed by Sadam Hussein anymore ... but by George Bush instead.
"Pentagon Used White Phosphorous in Iraq" [nytimes]

Also in the Times this morning, interesting story (and good news) about the Corporation for Public Broadcasting releasing a report criticizing ousted chief (and very fat man):
Report Says Ex-Chief of Public TV Violated Federal Law

... maybe I should just change the name of this blog to "NYTimes Link Collection".

so long and thanks for all the phish

Being the avid Harpers reader that I am, and apropos of my debate with Seamus recently about whether editor Lewis Lapham is a brilliant intellectual or pompous asshole (or both -- my final conclusion), I have to post the news:

"Lewis Lapham ... to relinquish editorship of the magazine" [harpers.org]

... and here is Gawker's take on the matter.

would almost be funny, if not so sad

Before heading [to Latin America], Mr. Bush had been ... threatening to cast the first veto of his presidency if Congress didn't scrap a spending bill amendment, written by John McCain and passed 90 to 9 by the Senate, banning the "cruel, inhuman or degrading" treatment of prisoners.

So when you watch the president stand there with a straight face and say, "We do not torture" - a full year and a half after the first photos from Abu Ghraib - you have to wonder how we arrived at this ludicrous moment.

'We Do Not Torture' and Other Funny Stories, by Frank Rich [nytimes]
Also mirrored here [truthout.org]

monday news brief

Did the Bush-appointed lugnuts over at the FDA reject the "Morning After Pill" on ideological, rather than scientific, grounds?
F.D.A.'s Rejection of Contraceptive Is Questioned [nytimes]
Mixing politics and science? say it ain't so.

Here's the ever-short-sighted David Brooks's take on the Paris riots, entitled "Gangsta, in French". There's really too much going wrong here to cite specific points, but suffice it so say, homey couldn't be more off the mark if he stuck his own ass playing darts with his eyes closed.
"Gangsta, in French" [nytimes select]

dregs

So I have a few other blogs that I post to:

- creation a day
- now defunct road trip blog
- shit related to art

So this one is for all the leftover crap that doesn't fit into any of those. word.

welcome

ok, I won't let myself be deterred from blogging simply because it is cheesy, hackneyed, over-wraught, and everyone with or without anything interesting to say already has one.

I dont really have much interesting to say either, but I do send out lots of crap to my friends. So this is an effort to divert my attention and keep their inboxes clean.