Monday, May 23, 2005

Getting Government Off Our Backs This "Short and Sweet" commentary from the Oregonian just came to our attention, and it's too good not to pass along: "Other than telling us how to live, think, marry, pray, vote, invest, educate our children and, now, die, I think the Republicans have done a fine job of getting government out of our personal lives." (Via Red State Rabble.) 5:47:44 PM    comment []

I Used To Be A Democrat, But... Controversial article in the San Francisco Chronicle yesterday, Leaving the left / I can no longer abide the simpering voices of self-styled progressives -- people who once championed solidarity. But look at the links on the guy's blog. Federalist Society, Claremont Institute, National Review, Pacific Legal Foundation, Powerline. Far, far right stuff. This guy is a hard-core "movement conservative." The Chronicle http://www.seeingtheforest.com/archives/2005/05/a_quick_thought.htm">got taken for a ride. (Via Seeing the Forest.) 11:06:29 AM    comment []

What Caused Those Riots, Anyway? Ron Brynaert of Why Are We Back In Iraq? :: A Deconstruction Of The 'Newsweek' Riots Ron Brynaert has undertaken the Herculean task of tracking down the real cause behind the riots that Newsweek has been forced to take credit for. While the arson and destruction of many government buildings (and, also, the Pakistani Consulate and the United Nations offices) did - indeed - occur, there doesn't seem to be one report of any injuries to government officials, security guards, UN workers or Afghani police forces. It's only the protesters who were injured or killed by government forces (according to all of the reports that I have read). Most of the mainstream media has also ignored countless observations by Afghani government officials, human rights workers, protesters, and bystanders which blamed outside agitators for turning peaceful protests into full-scale rioting. Although many important questions are still left unanswered, it is clear who benefited from the tragedy and why. (Via The Liberal Reality-Based Avenger.) 9:25:31 AM    comment []

Deadwood Last night's episode of Deadwood -- final one of this series -- was masterful, especially the long ending with the wedding and the cutting between different activities winding up the show. I really liked the way all the different elements were presented, tying everything together, and providing a true picture of the camp becoming a community. That's what the last two episodes were all about, with first the funeral and then the wedding uniting all aspects of the town. It's really too bad there weren't more episdoes. As I was listening to Bob Wills sing and watching the credits, I spotted the name Gordon Clapp. I hadn't remembered him at all in the show, so when Wills finished, I did a Tivo run through the show to see if I could spot Clapp. I did, but only in two or three shots where he's vaguely in the background or periphery of a scene. Interesting. But Tivoing through it again made me realize what a great episode it was. And here's the final tally for the season on Deadwood's expletives. Season 2 really outdid season 1. 8:32:40 AM    comment []

© Copyright 2005 Steve Michel. Last update: 6/28/2005; 9:09:50 AM.