In my prehistoric newspaper days, the “silly season†was late summer when the real world was on vacation, and editors filled space with offbeat stuff that would otherwise never qualify as news. This week’s Washington Post has one that would be a classic in any era--about a D.C. judge who is suing his neighborhood dry cleaner for $65 million over a pair of disputed … [Read more...] about The Silly Season Is Early This Year
Joe Lieberman
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Joe Lieberman
How Not To Fight Terrorism
Stuart Taylor Jr. wrote a fascinating article for The Atlantic (over a week ago). For it, he talked to Philip Zelikow. Zelikow is, of course, a former State Department official. As Stuart points out, Zelikow has opened "a window into how the Bush administration's antiterrorism policy-making process went wrong." The years of revelations about White House pressure on the … [Read more...] about How Not To Fight Terrorism
Fred Thompson’s Rivals Prepare To Pounce
Adivsory to former Senator and TV actor Fred Thompson: get out your wallet NOW. Your "free ride" is going to be over. According to a report in The Politico, the GOP's Night Of Long Political Knives is about to soon begin on the yes-he's-running but no-he-hasn't-announced yet and he-doesn't-have-to-debate candidacy/non candidacy of Fred Thompson. Thompson has had … [Read more...] about Fred Thompson’s Rivals Prepare To Pounce
(Updated) At Last, a Task Completed
It is symptomatic of the chaos in Iraq that tasks large and small are seldom completed. But in a pungently symbolic exception to that rule, the two minarets at the revered Golden Dome in Samarra were blown up today in a repeat of the bombing there that ushered in the still-raging civil war. Initial reports stated that insurgents, possibly Al Qaeda elements that had recently … [Read more...] about (Updated) At Last, a Task Completed
Column: In Praise of Incivility
A couple of days ago I announced that I am trying to do something completely new with my blog: instead of asking people to become co-bloggers, I am trying to surround myself with great columnists. Rich Horton agreed and published his first column today: "In Praise of Incivility." The idea of having 'columnists' is that I - and I am sure some of you as well - get tired of … [Read more...] about Column: In Praise of Incivility
Diavlogging
Watch The Atlantic's Matthew Yglesias and conservative author Ramesh Ponuru diavlogging about a wide range of issues: from immigration to Barack Obama, from Barack Obama to Hillary Clinton and from Hillary Clinton to John McCain; from John McCain to Rudy Giuliani, and from Rudy Giuliani to Iraq. Oh, and they also talk about Gore and "how the right's lost its … [Read more...] about Diavlogging
The Monetary & The Mercenary
Contractors hang from bridge in Fallujah One of the more compelling back stories in the Iraq war has been the use of mercenaries, including former Army Special Forces troopers and Navy SEALS, who get paid fat salaries and out-of-this-world bennies to guard prisoners, protect convoys, stand sentry and do security overflights. The cream of this crop work for Blackwater USA, … [Read more...] about The Monetary & The Mercenary
Palestinian Civil War Continues
More news from Palestine: - Nine Palestinians killed in Hamas-Fatah gunfights in Gaza. Hamas seems to have a 'hit-list' of Fatah officials it wants to kill. "The top name on the list is PA National Security Adviser Muhammad Dahlan, who is currently in Egypt." The fighting has, reportedly, also spread to the West Bank. - Human Rights Watch says that "armed Palestinian groups … [Read more...] about Palestinian Civil War Continues
No Confidence Vote
Larry Wright, The Detroit News … [Read more...] about No Confidence Vote
Take A Peek
....at Newcritics, Tom Watson's truly superb popular culture group blog. When it says "The Best In Web Criticism," it is NOT an overstatement. You can boil down the reaction to a quick and detailed read this way: The criticism and posts on this site are to be read, savored and emulated. It's truly a place that elevates web criticism. For instance, with THIS POST on … [Read more...] about Take A Peek
The activist press: A professional dilemma
Tonight was the Society of Professional Journalists' Washington DC chapter awards ceremony, the "Datelines" (my "Journys" suggestion received no laughs), a well-meaning but overlong paean to a few journalists' lifetime of service and an exercise in category domination by a hand-and-a-half-ful of D.C. outlets that cared to submit their work. We were our usual selves - … [Read more...] about The activist press: A professional dilemma
That’s One OLD Whale!
AP: 19th-century weapon found in whale BOSTON - A 50-ton bowhead whale caught off the Alaskan coast last month had a weapon fragment embedded in its neck that showed it survived a similar hunt — more than a century ago. Embedded deep under its blubber was a 3 1/2-inch arrow-shaped projectile that has given researchers insight into the whale's age, estimated between 115 and … [Read more...] about That’s One OLD Whale!
It’s Dan Rather Versus Katie Couric And Les Moonves
Dan Rather is now a senior, retired network anchor. Otherwise, you'd have to say "Not a good career move!" when you read this: Former CBS news anchor Dan Rather escalated a feud with his former employer Tuesday, saying CBS Corp. (CBS) (CBS) Chief Executive Leslie Moonves "doesn't know about news." Moonves had said earlier Rather's remarks that the network was … [Read more...] about It’s Dan Rather Versus Katie Couric And Les Moonves
Who’s Getting Financial Aid?
Increasingly, not the folks that need it most. … [Read more...] about Who’s Getting Financial Aid?
Center of Attention
Get ready for today's Center of Attention! Chuck Butcher wrote a great post about what truly matters in life. Is it all about 'success,' or is it about doing what one believes to be right, even if there are no immediate rewards? It seems that America beats dictators in how many of its citizens it locks up. Not exactly something to be proud of. Was Bob Woolmer killed … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Honor Killing: for Fleeing Abusive Husband of Arranged Marriage, and Loving Another
This is Banaz Mahmod, who was given twenty years on earth. And no more. Ten years ago her Kurdish family immigrated to London from Iraq, to escape Saddam, they said. The father married teenaged Banaz to a man who harmed her. She ran, kept running. Four times, she pled for protection from London Police. Four times, they dismissed her. Killers raped her first, then … [Read more...] about Honor Killing: for Fleeing Abusive Husband of Arranged Marriage, and Loving Another
Phil and Fred’s Excellent Caricature
Monte Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Phil and Fred’s Excellent Caricature
Blair: Media “Feral Beast”
Three cheers for Tony Blair. In a speech today, he called the British press a "feral beast." The NYT's Alan Cowell wonders: "was it justified, as Prime Minister Tony Blair did today, to call the press a 'feral beast'?" Of course it was, mostly because it is true. The press often treated Blair in a ridiculous manner. Certain British newspapers passionately opposed the Iraq War … [Read more...] about Blair: Media “Feral Beast”
The Sum of All Fears
Arguing against the vote of no confidence for Alberto Gonzalez, Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott asked "Are we going to bring the president in here and have a question period like the prime minister has in Great Britain?" Putting aside all the other issues, would that really be that bad of an idea? It actually sounds rather appealing to me. … [Read more...] about The Sum of All Fears