If what it reports is true, then once again it looks like the Bush administration is worse than I had imagined–even though I thought I had taken account of the fact that the Bush administration is always worse than one imagines. Either Seymour Hersh is insane, or we have an administration that needs to be removed from office not later than the close of business today. The scariest part: “[Hersh] said he had seen all the Abu Ghraib pictures. He said, ‘You haven’t begun to see evil…’ then trailed off. He said, ‘horrible things done to children of women prisoners,…
-
-
Sci Fi Wire — The News Service of the Sci Fi Channel>Cartoon Network is developing an expanded version of its Star Wars: Clone Wars animated series, Variety reported. The network and Lucasfilm will create five new 12-minute Clone Wars segments, expanding on the original three-minute toons, the trade paper reported. Okay, that makes the fact that the third (actually sixth) installment of Star Wars less “meh” for me. Far less meh, in fact.
-
Richard Dean Anderson, the star and an executive producer of SCI FI Channel’s original series Stargate SG-1, told SCI FI Wire that he has reduced his shooting schedule in the upcoming eighth season, but not necessarily his appearances in the show’s episodes. Speaking in an interview on the show’s Vancouver, B.C., set, Anderson (Jack O’Neill) said that he has reduced the number of days he shoots in Canada to allow him to spend more time at his home in Southern California, where he cares for a 5-year-old daughter. Nice for him. Maintaining radio silence with difficulty on one of my…
-
The shrines, which began in a major way with the death six years ago of Diana, Princess of Wales, almost instantly became an expected part of public mourning, flourishing after the deaths of John F. Kennedy Jr. and the victims of the 9/11 attacks. This aspect of public grief reveals a paradox in our supersized culture: the outsized, media-driven theatrics of the Reagan funeral are punctuated by small personal gestures and people waiting eight hours in the sun to file past his coffin for a minute. These individual acts are attempts to break through the weeklong wall of official mourning…
-
cow orker n. [Usenet] n. fortuitous typo for co-worker, widely used in Usenet, with perhaps a hint that orking cows is illegal. This term was popularized by Scott Adams (the creator of Dilbert) but already appears in the January 1996 version of the scary devil monastery FAQ. There are plausible reports that it was in use on talk.bizarre as early as 1992. Compare hing, grilf, filk, newsfroup. There are co-workers and cow-orkers. I work with both types. Many of the latter are parents and think that everything that their child produces is interesting. I beg to differ. It’s difficult to…
-
I’ve been wanting to photograph these buildings on a gunmetal-gray day for a while now – this isn’t exactly what I was aiming for. It’s kind of hard to frame the shot when you can barely see the screen for the glare. Anyway, maybe we can call it “art.”
-
Nearly 30 years ago, a series of hard-hitting investigative pieces written by a young reporter for the University of Oregon’s Daily Emerald looked into the disturbing problem of “squirrel arrogance.” Squirrels were no longer acting like cute, frisky little nut hoarders – they were ganging up on people and demanding treats. There were dark rumors of muggings… and worse. Sure, they’re cute, but they’re rodents. And it seems that even now squirrel arrogance is again becoming a scourge in the Eugene area. I hope the young people now writing for the Emerald are up to the task of digging up…
-
CBS News | 22 New ‘Amazing Race’Travelers | June 9, 2004 10:52:31 This was announced earlier today on The Early Show, which apparently only TAR and Survivor fans watch for team updates and castoffs. AAAAAAH!!! I can’t watch the video here… someplace… due to a !&#$(!$ firewall… will have to wait until I get home. New word: “Zomp.” Apparently means “crush” or “stomp.” Will probably not replace “BOMP!” in the hearts of TAR fans – this is the blaring horn sound heard at the end of the theme music, which indicates “Here we go, hang on tight!” And yes, I’m wearing…
-
Over at Rance’s place, a recent essay assignment that didn’t make the cut: I read recently that one of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt’s sons wrote a series of murder mystery novels in which Eleanor was the protagonist and solved crimes. Pitch me a summer blockbuster movie in which Eleanor is the main character. Alternate topic: A drama in which Angelia Jolie plays the President. Contest Rules: As usual winners get 10 DVPs. You may submit only one essay (Exception: you may submit two if you are a Siamese twin). Essays must have a movie title and be no longer than…
-
Take the October Surprise! poll, and while you’re there review the history of the original October Surprise, which was orchestrated by the minions of a certain recently dead President. I still remember how angry I was that during Reagan’s inaugural, the Iranians held the aircraft holding the American hostages on the runway until after Reagan had been sworn in. I knew there was something fishy about that deal. I just didn’t know how fishy.