Month: January 2008

Sex, a time-lapse camera, and Flickr.

Warner seems to have been the tipping point – and what a tipping point.

It’s evolving – and Obama is the only pol to have noticed.

Check out the comments section after the YouTube Ebenezer speech. Who else does this?

A reader writes:

Hillary Clinton reminds me of a grizzled coworker, someone who over time has absorbed so many hits to their self-esteem that they now can only see the world through scorned eyes. They endlessly point out all of the company’s problems, throw everyone (except themselves) under the bus, and their eyes only seem to light up whenever they get a whiff of a potential water-cooler vent session.

Their former life of talent and promise has withered away, replaced by a cynical and manipulative entity that roams the halls in search of empathy.

They’re motivated by a selfish, self-righteous dream of a professional comeback, one that could then be used in-turn to stick it to all those who have previously wronged them.

All of us work with these types of individuals, and even though we sometimes feel sorry for them, most of us usually run in the opposite direction (or "take" an important phone call) to avoid them, because they are mood killers. 

I think I speak on behalf of many who don’t want to be led by a once-talented, now disgruntled Pied Piper.

(Photo: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty.)

From the State’s endorsement:

"But we also have a good idea what a Clinton presidency would look like. The restoration of the Clintons to the White House would trigger a new wave of all-out political warfare. That is not all Bill and Hillary’s fault – but it exists, whomever you blame, and cannot be ignored. Hillary Clinton doesn’t pretend that it won’t happen; she simply vows to persevere, in the hope that her side can win. Indeed, the Clintons’ joint career in public life seems oriented toward securing victory and personal vindication.

Sen. Obama’s campaign is an argument for a more unifying style of leadership. In a time of great partisanship, he is careful to talk about winning over independents and even Republicans. He is harsh on the failures of the current administration – and most of that critique well-deserved. But he doesn’t use his considerable rhetorical gifts to demonize Republicans. He’s not neglecting his core values; he defends his progressive vision with vigorous integrity. But for him, American unity – transcending party – is a core value in itself."

Another take on John Galliano’s new male fashions.

Yes, Douglas Adams got there first:

For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much – the wheel, New York, wars and so on – whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins had always believed that they were far more intelligent than man – for precisely the same reasons.

Some astute judgments:

You had back-to-back posts on NRO’s Lopez and Levin yesterday, and I wanted to comment. I like The Corner, and check it almost everyday. But I find it’s much better just to skip Lopez and Levin, read Ramesh Ponnuru, skim the others and move along.  Here’s the deal: Lopez and Levin have three basic posts: (1) "A True Conservative believes X," (2) "A True Conservative does not believe Y," and (3) "Mr. [or Gov. or Sen.] Z is not a True Conservative because he does not believe X, or he does believe Y."  Of course, this is an easy way to make a living, but not very original or thoughtful. 

Let’s try it out:  A True Conservative believes "in waterboarding."

Sen. McCain is not a True Conservative because he does not believe "in waterboarding."  (OK, I cheated.  I’ve read your blog.)  But you get the point, because there’s really so little to get.  There are no candidates who approach what Lopez and Levin want, and no President could ever govern that way (see, e.g., Reagan).  But they love the talk.  Lopez and Levin want a small-tent Republican party: no libertarians, no moderates, no compassionate conservatives, no McCain, no Huckabee, no Rudy, no ideas of recent vintage.  And no discussion!  We’re talking to you Brooks, and to you too, Kristol.  Shape up or ship out.

Note: Lopez has one other basic post, the kind you linked to today.  "President Bush completes me because today he said [or did] X."  Thus, President Bush completes me because today he "was giddy around nuns."

B.R. Gowani writes that Islam should allow the depiction of God and Muhammad:

The real losers of this intolerance are the Muslim artists who would like to try their artistic skills in portraying their God, Prophet, and other members of Mohammad’s family but cannot do it for fear of government reprisals and the wrath of the Islamic fundamentalists. Perhaps, few of them would do it in an unflattering manner but many of the Muslims, I am sure, would paint and draw pictures which could make Islam, like other religions, more understandable to its followers and outsiders.