Archive for the ‘All’ Category
On Top
BuzzFlash interviewed Stephen J. Ducat, author of The Wimp Factor; this as the excerpt that caught my eye: Stephen J. Ducat: Absolutely. In the world they [Republicans] live in, you’re either a top or a bottom. Mutuality, democracy, equality–that makes no sense to them. BuzzFlash: Well, as Jon Stewart said recently in the context of […]
Rational Orgasm
Continuing with what seems to be today's look at Big-Brotherism and conservative sex-obsession, herewith an excerpt from "Toying with Your Freedom", by Dimitri Vassilaros, in the Tribune-Review [Pittsburgh, PA]: Alabama had outlawed the sale of what some call "marital aids." The U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to review the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Raised Eyebrows Dept.
When Are We Ever Ready?
An editorial excerpt from the Yankton [SD] Press & Dakotan: No matter the outcome of this particular issue at this time, there is a gnawing little feeling about how future generations will look back on this matter. A century from now, will people look back on this issue the same way people now look on, […]
The Big-Brother Thing
Reuters (in a story by Jeremy Pelofsky) reports on the latest efforts of Republicans to "protect" something from something else: WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Two top U.S. Republican lawmakers on Tuesday said they want to apply broadcast decency standards to cable television and satellite television and radio to protect children from explicit content. This reminds me […]
Comrade FDR
I usually avoid mentioning this pseudo-commentator by name, but this item from the top of the Editor and Publisher story "Campus Group Tweaks Coulter with Book Titles", by Dave Astor, gave me a good chuckle: NEW YORK The liberal Campus Progress group held a contest to name columnist Ann Coulter's next liberal-bashing book. The winning […]
In: All, Raised Eyebrows Dept.
Everyday Homophobia
Big acts of homophobia, like the President's call — half-heartred though it is — for a Constitutional ban on marriage equality, are certainly awful. They are visible and they incite large numbers of people simultaneously to look for ways to renew their thoughtless hatred. I take them personally, and I get tired of endless "debates" […]
In: All, Raised Eyebrows Dept., Splenetics
Number Phase-Out
I was pondering the deservedly lackluster success of the current administration's attempts to sell its privatization/"personalizing" scheme for Social Security. My train was running smoothly along these tracks, thinking that perhaps an approach that used annuities, perhaps initially delivered with the baby, might meet with more success and might even be sensible. Then, in a […]
Society Evolves
I heard today, via radio headlines, about the very interesting decision from the US Supreme Court striking down the use of the death penalty for those under 18 years old (previously, it had protected only those under 16 years old). I realize that the report was necessarily sketchy; nevertheless, there was a surprise. Apparently, Justive […]
In: All, Splenetics, The Art of Conversation
"Science Day" Lesson
Today is Tuesday, and Tuesday is "Science Day." Last Tuesday we learned how Charles Darwin spent the early part of his life sailing around to different places in the world, killing small children and stealing their Bibles. And that's not the half of it. In his later years, the bloodthirsty madman developed a diabolical plan […]
Imagine That
Imagine the kind of nation America would be if the people who love fought as hard for their beliefs as those who hate. Allow yourself to dream of how much good would be accomplished if the rational citizens were as adamant as the superstitious ones, and how much bad would be avoided. Imagine if living […]
Identity Theft
The problem of identity theft, a topic newly current after revelations about ChoicePoint and a "breach of security", was the subject of dueling opinion pieces today in USA Today. First, a few excerpts from the editorial piece that sets the context and says something that I think is a little more complicated than the editors […]
In: All, It's Only Rocket Science, Quartos
The Blog People!
It wasn't my fault. Somebody's blog made me read Balloon Juice (a conservative blog, which wasn't all that icky, actually), and there was this entry about a "…wretched mess of turgid prose written by Michael Gorman, the President[-Elect] of the American Library Association, then before you know it there I was reading this bit in […]
In: All, Raised Eyebrows Dept., Splenetics
The Fifth Estate II
Pamela Troy, in her essay "When Ordinary is Not Enough" (as seen at Democratic Underground), talks about her incredulity at the Fourth Estate's unwillingness or inability to see anything at all wrong with the state of the union and its current administration, those over whom they claim an almost inalienable right to be the exclusive […]
The Anglican Closet
News on the radio suggests that the Anglican conference has made the wrong decision. Apparently, the "naughty" members of the Anglican communion (i.e., those who ordain gay bishops and don't feel at all bad about it), will be allowed to leave the group for three years, during which time they should sit contritely in a […]
Priests: New & Used
Okay, so I was reading some story ["Church war on gays" by Cristina Odone, at Times Online]. Sure enough, there were the ubiquitous "Ads by Google", but I was a little startled by the one that read: Priests Great deals on new and used items. Search for priests now! -aff www.eBay.com Priests available on e-bay! […]
In: All, Raised Eyebrows Dept.
Is Anglican Schism Worth It?
The BBC News, in a story " Gay priest row 'threatens Bible' " about a meeting of 35 of the world's 38 Anglican primates in Newry, County Down, reports: However, Dr Jensen [Archbishop of Sydney] said those who opposed homosexual practices in the Church were prepared to split over the issue. "The idea that we […]
Personal Yen Accounts
In a New York Times Op/Ed column, "Honey, I Shunk the Dollar", Thomas L. Friedman describes how The dollar is falling! The dollar is falling! But the Bush team has basically told the world that unless the markets make the falling dollar into a full-blown New York Stock Exchange crisis and trade war, it is […]
Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell: At a Loss
My friend John Cox wrote in an e-mail: [Read "Move To End 'Don't Ask' As GAO Reveals Gay Ban Cost $200 Million"] and see how much money the Don't Ask, Don't Tell military ban on gays and lesbians has cost us American taxpayers. Incredible! What has always perplexed me is the coalition in Iraq: Americans […]
In: All, Common-Place Book
Sandra Dee, RIP
Sandra Dee really is dead, and no fire-and-brimstone speeches by James Dobson are going to bring her back. [Frank Rich, talking about the Right's self-righteous decency crusade, from "Hollywood Bets on Chris Rock's 'Indecency' ", in the New York Times.]
In: All, Common-Place Book
Republicans Love Gay Hookers
This BuzzFlash editorial frames the Gannon Affair its own way: But the real issue here is that the White House Republican noise machine has now come out in defense of prostitution — and gay prostitution in particular — as a private issue, which Republicans are entitled to practice without being exposed by mean bloggers. Maybe […]
In: All, Common-Place Book, Splenetics