Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Good News
For all their painful questioning at oral arguments, the Supreme Court has ruled the strip search of the 13-year-old was unconstitutional, 8-1 no less (Clarence Thomas of course...). Haven't read the details yet - looks like a couple of concurring-in-part, dissenting-in-part opinions as well, but there you go. Decision here (pdf). |
For all their painful questioning at oral arguments, the Supreme Court has ruled the strip search of the 13-year-old was unconstitutional, 8-1 no less (Clarence Thomas of course...). Haven't read the details yet - looks like a couple of concurring-in-part, dissenting-in-part opinions as well, but there you go. Decision here (pdf). |
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sanford
One truly messed up dude. I feel sorry for his family, and a little sorry for him - irrelevant personal dramas shouldn't have to be played out in public. Still, it's pretty stupid and inviting of scrutiny to abandon your job, with little warning, to address personal dramas. |
One truly messed up dude. I feel sorry for his family, and a little sorry for him - irrelevant personal dramas shouldn't have to be played out in public. Still, it's pretty stupid and inviting of scrutiny to abandon your job, with little warning, to address personal dramas. |
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Obama Press Conference
Read the transcript here. No time to excerpt so you have to find the good parts on your own. I'm off...er...hiking the Appalachian Trail or something. |
Read the transcript here. No time to excerpt so you have to find the good parts on your own. I'm off...er...hiking the Appalachian Trail or something. |
Monday, June 22, 2009
Funny
John Hodgman - who plays PC in the commercials for Mac computers and also author of The Areas of My Expertise - perhaps going over even better to the C-Span crowd than to the gathering of radio and TV correspondents hearing him in person. Either way, the President seemed to like his nerd humor.
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John Hodgman - who plays PC in the commercials for Mac computers and also author of The Areas of My Expertise - perhaps going over even better to the C-Span crowd than to the gathering of radio and TV correspondents hearing him in person. Either way, the President seemed to like his nerd humor.
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Sunday, June 21, 2009
Reporting From Tehran
A new piece from the NYTimes' brave Roger Cohen begins this way:
I don't know how effective these protests will be, whether they will - or even should be - continued (not anxious for another Tiananmen). But you have to be moved by the breath-taking, soul-stirring courage on display. They thought they were living under an Islamic Republic, but it has been shown to be a military dictatorship, a rule they are refusing to accept under pain of sticks and tear gas and bullets.
Here's hoping the sentiment of this commander is widespread and growing among police forces; that loyalty to conscience and to family convince them to turn their resentment away from the protesters refusing their demands, and onto those who order their beating. |
A new piece from the NYTimes' brave Roger Cohen begins this way:
The Iranian police commander, in green uniform, walked up Komak Hospital Alley with arms raised and his small unit at his side. “I swear to God,” he shouted at the protesters facing him, “I have children, I have a wife, I don’t want to beat people. Please go home.”Read the whole thing.
A man at my side threw a rock at him. The commander, unflinching, continued to plead. There were chants of “Join us! Join us!”
I don't know how effective these protests will be, whether they will - or even should be - continued (not anxious for another Tiananmen). But you have to be moved by the breath-taking, soul-stirring courage on display. They thought they were living under an Islamic Republic, but it has been shown to be a military dictatorship, a rule they are refusing to accept under pain of sticks and tear gas and bullets.
Here's hoping the sentiment of this commander is widespread and growing among police forces; that loyalty to conscience and to family convince them to turn their resentment away from the protesters refusing their demands, and onto those who order their beating. |
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Why Do I Do It?
Go see movies that I know are going to be bad, that is. Something about the summer makes me think a Hollywood action flick is just what the doctor ordered. Occasionally it works. It didn't tonight. Don't see The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. For the first hour or so there were actually a couple of interesting moments, maybe even poignant in a psychological drama kind of way, but only a couple. The last 30 minutes quickly descend - gratuitous violence, pointless car crashes, logic-defying stupidity.
And what can you say about James Gandolfini? The guy is without question an amazing actor. He made The Sopranos great, and showed sweeping emotional range in the process. I can see why he doesn't want to take parts as a mobster, but why does he keep taking these shitty one-dimensional roles? |
Go see movies that I know are going to be bad, that is. Something about the summer makes me think a Hollywood action flick is just what the doctor ordered. Occasionally it works. It didn't tonight. Don't see The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3. For the first hour or so there were actually a couple of interesting moments, maybe even poignant in a psychological drama kind of way, but only a couple. The last 30 minutes quickly descend - gratuitous violence, pointless car crashes, logic-defying stupidity.
And what can you say about James Gandolfini? The guy is without question an amazing actor. He made The Sopranos great, and showed sweeping emotional range in the process. I can see why he doesn't want to take parts as a mobster, but why does he keep taking these shitty one-dimensional roles? |
