Friday, February 11, 2005
Bad News Baseball
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this top-10 list of baseball cheating. Perhaps my favorite tidbit for the day is learning that Gaylord Perry wrote a book, "Me and the Spitter."
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this top-10 list of baseball cheating. Perhaps my favorite tidbit for the day is learning that Gaylord Perry wrote a book, "Me and the Spitter."
Monday, February 07, 2005
How Clever of the Gonzo Journalist
In the opening scene of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Raoul Duke is outside of Barstow when the drugs take hold. Suge Knight was inside Barstow when the police took hold of his drugs.
In the opening scene of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas," Raoul Duke is outside of Barstow when the drugs take hold. Suge Knight was inside Barstow when the police took hold of his drugs.
Saturday, January 29, 2005
Friday, January 28, 2005
PETA and Elephants
Remember that exhibit with all the elephants and donkeys around the city? The DC Circuit just ruled on a dispute between PETA and D.C. PETA claimed a 1st Amendment violation when the city rejected a design of an elephant being mistreated.
Remember that exhibit with all the elephants and donkeys around the city? The DC Circuit just ruled on a dispute between PETA and D.C. PETA claimed a 1st Amendment violation when the city rejected a design of an elephant being mistreated.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
The ol' 5 and Dime
It's been awhile since we've featured the "who's-created-5-solid-albums-list". It escapes me now whether one of the qualifications was that the artist/s produce them consecutively. In any event, a gaping hole was that I believe no one had mentioned Bob Dylan. Bear witness to Dylan's output in the '60s alone: Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The Times They are a-Changin', Another Side of Bob Dylan, Bringing it all Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline.
Has anyone else ever maintained such a solid streak?
It's been awhile since we've featured the "who's-created-5-solid-albums-list". It escapes me now whether one of the qualifications was that the artist/s produce them consecutively. In any event, a gaping hole was that I believe no one had mentioned Bob Dylan. Bear witness to Dylan's output in the '60s alone: Bob Dylan, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, The Times They are a-Changin', Another Side of Bob Dylan, Bringing it all Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde on Blonde, John Wesley Harding, Nashville Skyline.
Has anyone else ever maintained such a solid streak?
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Just Getting Some Mix-CD Plagiarism off My Chest
I rarely waste so much time as when I compile a mix-cd, although I noted that the one I made last night took less time because in the back of my mind I knew the recipient would soon plop it into an iPod-- like so much water into the ocean. Anyway, I was pleased with the 1-2 punch of Ennio Morricone's "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" and Elvis' "Burning Love." But I also know that the consummate mix-tape guy-- to be featured in a Nick Hornby novel any day now-- also used that Elvis tune. Hence the confession. Thank you for the inspiration, sir.
I rarely waste so much time as when I compile a mix-cd, although I noted that the one I made last night took less time because in the back of my mind I knew the recipient would soon plop it into an iPod-- like so much water into the ocean. Anyway, I was pleased with the 1-2 punch of Ennio Morricone's "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly" and Elvis' "Burning Love." But I also know that the consummate mix-tape guy-- to be featured in a Nick Hornby novel any day now-- also used that Elvis tune. Hence the confession. Thank you for the inspiration, sir.
Friday, December 10, 2004
A Reply
November 27th will be remembered as the day that Brendan opined that liberals appreciate the judiciary (I believe as opposed to Congress) as a model of government because it consists of smart people who make informed decisions based upon facts. My belated thoughts on that were in part prompted by this paper, for which I've only read the abstract (very stimulating).
If there is a liberal preference for this model of government, to what extent is that preference in tension with a post-New Deal conception of government, which I think most people would say liberals also favor? If liberals approve of government playing a larger role in people's lives, Congress will definitely be legislating more and Executive agencies (e.g. EPA, FDA, etc.) will also be a major sphere of government. In the end, I don't think I can accept Brendan's broad description that liberals approve, in particular, of the judicial model of government. Quite naturally, I think they approve of it when they like the results. In some circumstances (and this is what was prompted by the paper), it may appear that judicial action is more just because it involves the resolution of a concrete "case or controversy," whereas Congressional legislation (and Executive regulations that implement legislation) is necessarily a rough fit because it typically will affect a broad swath of the population.
My other brief thought is to wonder aloud to what extent this perception of the judiciary is informed by the media. Perhaps it's better to say by the lack of media coverage. I haven't thought long and hard about this, but because I generally favor transparency, I support the idea of allowing cameras into courtrooms. Doing so would do a lot to demystify how law is interpreted. I'm not sure whether liberals would view the judiciary any differently, but it's a thought.
November 27th will be remembered as the day that Brendan opined that liberals appreciate the judiciary (I believe as opposed to Congress) as a model of government because it consists of smart people who make informed decisions based upon facts. My belated thoughts on that were in part prompted by this paper, for which I've only read the abstract (very stimulating).
If there is a liberal preference for this model of government, to what extent is that preference in tension with a post-New Deal conception of government, which I think most people would say liberals also favor? If liberals approve of government playing a larger role in people's lives, Congress will definitely be legislating more and Executive agencies (e.g. EPA, FDA, etc.) will also be a major sphere of government. In the end, I don't think I can accept Brendan's broad description that liberals approve, in particular, of the judicial model of government. Quite naturally, I think they approve of it when they like the results. In some circumstances (and this is what was prompted by the paper), it may appear that judicial action is more just because it involves the resolution of a concrete "case or controversy," whereas Congressional legislation (and Executive regulations that implement legislation) is necessarily a rough fit because it typically will affect a broad swath of the population.
My other brief thought is to wonder aloud to what extent this perception of the judiciary is informed by the media. Perhaps it's better to say by the lack of media coverage. I haven't thought long and hard about this, but because I generally favor transparency, I support the idea of allowing cameras into courtrooms. Doing so would do a lot to demystify how law is interpreted. I'm not sure whether liberals would view the judiciary any differently, but it's a thought.
