Sunday, February 27, 2005

Chris Rock cracks on Hollywood at the Oscars: "They made six Police Academies and didn't want to make The Passion of the Christ." Sorry, Drudge, he's good. UPDATE: OK, but it's still the Oscars, and therefore sucky. Goodnight, Chris. 8:49:08 PM    comment []

Wendy Shalit writes with the zeal of a convert. Alana Newhouse is among those unimpressed with her arguments: "The implicit directive in Wendy Shalit's essay is that when it comes to portrayals of Orthodox Judaism in fiction, readers should lower their artistic standards in favor of a more palatable 'message.' That should disquiet all who ascribe even the faintest value to art." 4:51:04 PM    comment []

News & Record: "Planners say 53,000 acres along the I-40 corridor...are the next hot spot for economic development. "Think Research Triangle Park, or something like it. Think high-skilled, high-paying jobs that beget more high-skilled jobs. Think a bold, new way for the region to brand and promote itself. "The key is getting six distinct governments in the region...to work together on a master plan. "That would require foresight and regional cooperation on a scale that has been unheard of in this part of the state. Until maybe now." Earlier, Allen Johnson identified Robbie Perkins as a major advocate for the project. 3:40:30 PM    comment []

Adam Penenberg looks at the Wall Street Journal's online nonstrategy and says the mighty paper "is in danger of becoming irrelevant." (found at Sue's place). 3:31:59 PM    comment []

Chewie: "(E)very one of my friends who has become a mother has given up who she was before, and has begun living her life for her children. No one had to tell them to do this, and there was no complaint nor debate about it." A nice essay, but I gotta ask: no complaint? 3:19:36 PM    comment []

David Kirkpatrick in the NYT: "But academic historians, including some conservative and evangelical scholars, give the Christian conservative veneration of this history about a B-minus. They say that Mr. Barton is more or less right, as far as it goes, that the founders never guessed that courts would construe the First Amendment to forbid public displays of religion like prayer in the schools. But the 18th-century religious views of the founders hardly fit into contemporary categories like evangelical Protestant or secular humanist. Nor, historians say, do the great leaders' public expressions of faith necessarily tell us much about how their notion of an ideal relationship between religion and government." 1:02:18 PM    comment []

Missed opportunity: the NYT passes on the obvious headline: "Edward Patten, Pip." 12:55:04 PM    comment []

ACC Hoops says that despite yesterday's victory over St. John's, it's been a "long, tough week for Duke." 12:02:32 PM    comment []

The "Jeff Gannon" network, still playing at a county GOP website near you...Just $15.95 per month gets you all the propaganda you need, without the MSM even knowing about it. GOPUSA, parent of the late Talon News (home of the non-prostitutional activities of "Jeff Gannon"), partners with a web-services comany called GOPweb that markets hosting and content to Republican organizations, including party sites in counties across the country, several in North Carolina. Thus was Jim Guckert's take on the news ported through institutional infrastructure to readers in states including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, NC, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin. And even with Guckert and Talon out of the White House, the news from GOPUSA keeps coming. GOPweb is a division of Wisconsin-based Wood Interactive. NC GOP sites using the service include Wayne, Warren, Transylvania, Lincoln, Johnston, Duplin, and Burke. Forsyth's site links to GOPUSA news but isn't hosted by the service. NC Rumors says county parties may rethink the relationship in light of Guckert's disgrace. Here's "Gannon's" entirely credulous coverage of Vernon Robinson's 10 Commandments publicity stunt. And here's one I don't think the folks in charge authorized. 11:56:30 AM    comment []

One of the best local alt-media hubs, Philly Future, continues to evolve. Karl Martino says "it finally feels right," and it looks great, too, but you just know he ain't done yet... 10:53:42 AM    comment []

Ross Myers is blogging. 10:42:02 AM    comment []

In defense of Google's new toolbar (thanks for the tip, Lance). Dave Winer responds: "We're not having a serious discussion." 10:12:32 AM    comment []

No column this morning. Day job deadlines overwhelmed me. 10:08:42 AM    comment []