In today's column Scot Lehigh snarks mightily at the expense of Mitt Romney by way of the Globe's own puff-piece series on the Former Viceroy and his amrvelously charmed rise from the depths of the overclass.
Well some of us vaguely remember a different Scot Lehigh back in the summer of 2005, one who kept insisting that Romney was engaged and on the job and just a tip top Governor whose CEO saavy and modern republican credentials made hima shoo-in for re-election.
Anyone else remember that? Was it before or after "Hate Week"?
:)
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Kudos to Elizabeth Edwards...
for at least trying to confront Ann Coulter's nasty un-American commentary with respect to her husband and his Presidential candidacy.
However, Humble Elias has to duly fault Ms. Edward's too lawyerly belief that she can somehow shame Ann Coulter into changing her act.
The fact of the matter is, Ann Coulter is a "controvore", one whose vast capacity for dangerous and outrageous commentary is quite literary her source of income. The crazier stuff Ann sez, the more her speaking fees go up...its that simple.
She might change up her act if Time Magazine, Chris Matthews or Bill Maher would stop enabling her, but believe me, that ain't gonna happen.
Under these circumstances with the lavish free ride Ann gets from the punditariat and the Cable News world, Elizabeth Edwards could bust Coulter in the mouth with a tire iron and it would do nothing but push the famed controvore in the $50,000 per speech bracket.
Now, Ann does play an important part in the current political debate, despite her contention that she was "joking" when she expresses a fond hope that John Edwards die in a terrorist assassination.
No...jokes are an important means to import controversial topics into the mainstream debate, in Ann's case she clearly wants a rigorous public discussion on the merits of liberal genocide.
However, Humble Elias has to duly fault Ms. Edward's too lawyerly belief that she can somehow shame Ann Coulter into changing her act.
The fact of the matter is, Ann Coulter is a "controvore", one whose vast capacity for dangerous and outrageous commentary is quite literary her source of income. The crazier stuff Ann sez, the more her speaking fees go up...its that simple.
She might change up her act if Time Magazine, Chris Matthews or Bill Maher would stop enabling her, but believe me, that ain't gonna happen.
Under these circumstances with the lavish free ride Ann gets from the punditariat and the Cable News world, Elizabeth Edwards could bust Coulter in the mouth with a tire iron and it would do nothing but push the famed controvore in the $50,000 per speech bracket.
Now, Ann does play an important part in the current political debate, despite her contention that she was "joking" when she expresses a fond hope that John Edwards die in a terrorist assassination.
No...jokes are an important means to import controversial topics into the mainstream debate, in Ann's case she clearly wants a rigorous public discussion on the merits of liberal genocide.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Jury Duty
In this brave new Randian era of libertarian enlightenment, there are still a few Orwellian scenes available to the discriminating consumer.
Enpanelment being chief among them; One sits in a long ill air conditioned corridor below ground level on hard wooden benches bought seemingly in the boyhood of Calvin Coolidge from the quaint arrangement of carved grafitti. A bailiff keeps watch behind a blast hardened vault door, one is enocuraged like the "guests" in Mao Zedong's thought reform camps to read, reflect and keep quiet.
Every so often what appears to be an attorney in a blue blazer and mismatched brown slacks, knocks at the vault door, passes thru some paperwork or else ineffectually whines and pleads in a hushed tone.
Whatever it is he wants, be it a jury or a diet coke, he isn't getting it and is soon reduced to incoherent whimpers in the corner.
Eventually a bailiff, straight out of central casting with a voice like ripples in a shot of whiskey reveals we may go, our services no longer required by the Commonwealth's Judicial System.
The day's trials have ended in plea bargains, or outright flight to Vesco island, whatever happened, no one wanted to face a jury today.
Other than that, the only thing I learned is that is that Massachusetts Chief Justice Margaret Marshall sounds all the world like Elmer Fudd.
Enpanelment being chief among them; One sits in a long ill air conditioned corridor below ground level on hard wooden benches bought seemingly in the boyhood of Calvin Coolidge from the quaint arrangement of carved grafitti. A bailiff keeps watch behind a blast hardened vault door, one is enocuraged like the "guests" in Mao Zedong's thought reform camps to read, reflect and keep quiet.
Every so often what appears to be an attorney in a blue blazer and mismatched brown slacks, knocks at the vault door, passes thru some paperwork or else ineffectually whines and pleads in a hushed tone.
Whatever it is he wants, be it a jury or a diet coke, he isn't getting it and is soon reduced to incoherent whimpers in the corner.
Eventually a bailiff, straight out of central casting with a voice like ripples in a shot of whiskey reveals we may go, our services no longer required by the Commonwealth's Judicial System.
The day's trials have ended in plea bargains, or outright flight to Vesco island, whatever happened, no one wanted to face a jury today.
Other than that, the only thing I learned is that is that Massachusetts Chief Justice Margaret Marshall sounds all the world like Elmer Fudd.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Keep Spending Mitt...
The Globe reports that Former Viceroy Mitt Romney has loaned his campaign another 3 million large from his considerable personal fortune. Anything to keep those polls numbers puffed up and up and up in the summery doldrums...such are the urgent woes of an empty suit.
***
Not for nothing, but Abraham Lincoln didn't have four different positions on slavery and he didn't need 350 million dollars or a bunch of cuthroat advisors to make himself president. No all he had was a few good ideas and an exceedingly potent brand of logic.
What d'ye suppose Lincoln would've made of such a vain, frantic candidate like Mitt?
How far we've are from 1860 mah frenz.
***
Not for nothing, but Abraham Lincoln didn't have four different positions on slavery and he didn't need 350 million dollars or a bunch of cuthroat advisors to make himself president. No all he had was a few good ideas and an exceedingly potent brand of logic.
What d'ye suppose Lincoln would've made of such a vain, frantic candidate like Mitt?
How far we've are from 1860 mah frenz.
Monday, June 25, 2007
What did I learn from Steve Stark in this week's Phoenix?
Chiefly that Hillary Clinton is cold, distant, charisma-less & boring.
Which is only as much as what I could've learned if I'd read last week's Newsweek.
Ah but this is Steve Stark I'm talking about, a friend of mine once observed that Steve had the "uncanny power to predict the past". He has always passed himself off as a principled critic of the Clintons so we can expect more filler like this as the campaign unfolds.
Which is only as much as what I could've learned if I'd read last week's Newsweek.
Ah but this is Steve Stark I'm talking about, a friend of mine once observed that Steve had the "uncanny power to predict the past". He has always passed himself off as a principled critic of the Clintons so we can expect more filler like this as the campaign unfolds.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Stem Celebration...
Today Jeff Jacoby lauds the President's stem cell policy even though the columnist himself does not accord entirely with Bush's view on the matter.
Jeff compares the "principles and ethical values" that have allegedly guided the President in respect of the issue with the science-first demogoguery of his opponents.
At first glance, this is a reliable Jacoby gimmick, the hearty well meaning morality of an embattled band of conservatives as opposed to the craven opportunism of democrats and liberals....ho hum!
It is an old story to be sure, the only surprising aspect is Jeff's credulous and naive belief in the purity of the President's motives, I man you'd a thunk Jacoby would've learned someting after seven years of GWB.
But no, right on cue, Jeff puffs out hs chest and reduces the debate on a denunciation of science worshipping liberals.
Waaal that may be so, but President Bush has a sort of "religious right first" policy, hell keeping Spartanburg North Carolina laughing and scratching has been the whole of GWB's domestic policy for seven years now.
From my perspective, this is less "Principles and ethica values" and more like craven truckling, selling out pure science in the name of sectarianism is always a cheap way to pay off ravenous supporters, more than a few of whom has skirted the laws of the Republic to keep Bush II in office.
Rightly, Jeff worries about where the line of morality is drawn as the research goes forward. Well we are all worried about that...I'm worried about a politically bankrupt loser of a president drawing that line to keep the dregs of his coalition going for a few more months.
However, before we can draw any line we need to know what exactly is on offer so that we can evaluate what the trade-offs physical and ethical might be.
Defunding research is foolish grandstanding, the work goes on financed by other means and in other countries as well...science can't be stopped that way. If we don't choose to go forward, that doesn't mean that others won't.
The debate over stem cells ought to fgo forward lively and constant....and lets not assume anyone's motives are pure either.
Jeff compares the "principles and ethical values" that have allegedly guided the President in respect of the issue with the science-first demogoguery of his opponents.
At first glance, this is a reliable Jacoby gimmick, the hearty well meaning morality of an embattled band of conservatives as opposed to the craven opportunism of democrats and liberals....ho hum!
It is an old story to be sure, the only surprising aspect is Jeff's credulous and naive belief in the purity of the President's motives, I man you'd a thunk Jacoby would've learned someting after seven years of GWB.
But no, right on cue, Jeff puffs out hs chest and reduces the debate on a denunciation of science worshipping liberals.
Waaal that may be so, but President Bush has a sort of "religious right first" policy, hell keeping Spartanburg North Carolina laughing and scratching has been the whole of GWB's domestic policy for seven years now.
From my perspective, this is less "Principles and ethica values" and more like craven truckling, selling out pure science in the name of sectarianism is always a cheap way to pay off ravenous supporters, more than a few of whom has skirted the laws of the Republic to keep Bush II in office.
Rightly, Jeff worries about where the line of morality is drawn as the research goes forward. Well we are all worried about that...I'm worried about a politically bankrupt loser of a president drawing that line to keep the dregs of his coalition going for a few more months.
However, before we can draw any line we need to know what exactly is on offer so that we can evaluate what the trade-offs physical and ethical might be.
Defunding research is foolish grandstanding, the work goes on financed by other means and in other countries as well...science can't be stopped that way. If we don't choose to go forward, that doesn't mean that others won't.
The debate over stem cells ought to fgo forward lively and constant....and lets not assume anyone's motives are pure either.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Sighted the US Constitution on one of it's turn around cruises in the harbor
being escorted by a tug and few other well wishing boats...a stirring scene to be sure on such a beautiful day on the Harbor.
Maybe one of those trailer boats is from Fox25 News, they fruitlessly pester the crew of the Constitution to "run over a boat or two...c'mon we got a deadline here!"
And behind them, a boat from Newspanic Seven, also badgering the crew to shell the State House when they get turned around...or maybe have someone "walk the plank".
:)
I KID I KID!!!
It's a joke mah frenz....
Maybe one of those trailer boats is from Fox25 News, they fruitlessly pester the crew of the Constitution to "run over a boat or two...c'mon we got a deadline here!"
And behind them, a boat from Newspanic Seven, also badgering the crew to shell the State House when they get turned around...or maybe have someone "walk the plank".
:)
I KID I KID!!!
It's a joke mah frenz....
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