It seemed to me that their was a very good case for appointing Tom Daschle to HHS, despite his somewhat scummy history. That argument was a simple one: Daschle, better than anybody else, knows how to move things through the Senate. And since the Senate is the biggest stumbling block to achieving Universal Health Care right now, Daschle was perfect for the job.
But if the guy couldn't even move his own confirmation through the Senate, then all of the positive arguments for him absolutely collapse.
Good to see him go.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Monday, February 02, 2009
Did you know?
Al Franken is the fourth Jew to hold his Senate seat, representing the great state of Minnesota. Less than 1% of Minnesotans are Jewish. Weird.
Also, of the four African Americans Senators since Reconstruction, three of them have occupied the same Senate seat currently held by Roland Burris.
Also, of the four African Americans Senators since Reconstruction, three of them have occupied the same Senate seat currently held by Roland Burris.
Superbowl Ads
Is it just me, or were GoDaddy's ads last night the most hateful and misogynistic things we've seen on TV since the Republican Campaign last fall? They really ought to inspire some backlash. GoDaddy's customer base can't be entirely composed of drunken frat boys, can it?
On the other hand, I really liked PETA's rejected ad.
I know people disagree with me about this, but I've always found PETA's use of sexuality to draw attention to the plight of animals to be legitimate.
On the other hand, I really liked PETA's rejected ad.
I know people disagree with me about this, but I've always found PETA's use of sexuality to draw attention to the plight of animals to be legitimate.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Fuck you, that's why.
The stimulus package passed the House, without a single Republican vote.
My favorite post of the day is Marc Ambinder making a fool out of himself. It'd be nice if the Atlantic hired a political reporter who actually understood politics.
But, of course, nobody could've predicted this.
My favorite post of the day is Marc Ambinder making a fool out of himself. It'd be nice if the Atlantic hired a political reporter who actually understood politics.
But, of course, nobody could've predicted this.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Pete Seeger
People don't believe me when I tell them, but I once sang "We Shall Overcome" with Pete Seeger. He sang and played guitar. I sang along, with a girl named Heidi.
It was about 9 years ago, down in Georgia...
Nevermind, you don't believe me either.
But that doesn't mean it isn't true.
It was about 9 years ago, down in Georgia...
Nevermind, you don't believe me either.
But that doesn't mean it isn't true.
Something nice about Bush
I rarely feel anything but venom for our 43st President, so when I feel otherwise, I should probably point it out.
The speech he gave the day after Obama won the election was heartfelt, generous, and reflective of his true feelings about race in our society.
Many people have commented that Obama wouldn't be possible without Bush's epic fail. And that's true. But he also wouldn't have been possible without Bush's consistent anti-racism. It's not merely the fact that Bush appointed two African-Americans to head his State department. It's also the fact that Bush was the first Republican since Nixon to win without appealing to racism.
(The ghost of my Father says: what about dis-enfranchising black voters? I say, of course they do that, Dad, but they did that by targeting people they knew wouldn't vote for them, not by legitimizing racism in the public sphere.)
American politics is fundamentally tribal. People don't vote based on issues. They vote based on party*. How many people over the age of 30 ever change parties? Bush used his platform as the leader of the Republican party to legitimize black leadership in the eyes of the half of the country that looked to him for cues.
When the history books are written, 50 to 100 years from now, Colin and Condi are going to be viewed like we view the protoceratops in light of the triceratops**. Bush's heart, in this one little thing, was in the right place.
P.S. Of course, the Republican party is now the "Barack the Magic Negro" party. But that wasn't Bush's party.
*What about independents? Easy: They're liars. 90% of American voters vote for the same party that they voted for in the last election. Partisan ID is decided in the first three general elections that a person votes in. But that's another story.
**I, of course, prefer Styracosaurus.
The speech he gave the day after Obama won the election was heartfelt, generous, and reflective of his true feelings about race in our society.
Many people have commented that Obama wouldn't be possible without Bush's epic fail. And that's true. But he also wouldn't have been possible without Bush's consistent anti-racism. It's not merely the fact that Bush appointed two African-Americans to head his State department. It's also the fact that Bush was the first Republican since Nixon to win without appealing to racism.
(The ghost of my Father says: what about dis-enfranchising black voters? I say, of course they do that, Dad, but they did that by targeting people they knew wouldn't vote for them, not by legitimizing racism in the public sphere.)
American politics is fundamentally tribal. People don't vote based on issues. They vote based on party*. How many people over the age of 30 ever change parties? Bush used his platform as the leader of the Republican party to legitimize black leadership in the eyes of the half of the country that looked to him for cues.
When the history books are written, 50 to 100 years from now, Colin and Condi are going to be viewed like we view the protoceratops in light of the triceratops**. Bush's heart, in this one little thing, was in the right place.
P.S. Of course, the Republican party is now the "Barack the Magic Negro" party. But that wasn't Bush's party.
*What about independents? Easy: They're liars. 90% of American voters vote for the same party that they voted for in the last election. Partisan ID is decided in the first three general elections that a person votes in. But that's another story.
**I, of course, prefer Styracosaurus.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Stuck in the Matrix
In the first Matrix, a character raises a philosophical dilemma that is seemingly unique to the Matrix environment:
I have, during this time, eaten a lot of fake meat products, mostly made with soy. They have improved greatly in quality, taste, and variety over the past half decade. As far as replicating the taste of real meat, the quality varies. Hot dogs are perfect, and one assumes that this is because they aren't very "real" in the first place. Most fake chicken products are reliably tasty, and chicken-y, the taste like I remember chicken tasting, for the most part, and different brands taste like each other, so I'm pretty sure that they're right. From here, however, it's downhill. Burger quality varies widely, and soy doesn't simulate fat very well. Sausage tastes like sausage, but doesn't have anywhere near the right texture. Tofurky is delicious, and fake bacon tastes like turkey bacon, according to my mother.
But tonight Madelyn and I are going to try something new out: Match Meats Pork.
And I have no idea how pork tastes. I haven't eaten it in over 6 years, and I was never a big fan of pig when I was an omnivore. I have no memory of it. And I have no intermittent fake pork memories either, as this is the first fake pork that I've ever seen. I have no idea what pork tastes like, and I will have no idea if this stuff is accurate at all.
I guess I'll just have to trust the computer to get it right.
Tank: Here you go, buddy. Breakfast of champions.February 1st will mark six years of vegetarianism for me, and aside from a few brief instances (most notably, 10 days in 2005 that I spent in Mexico), I've maintained a strict meatless diet for the duration.
Mouse: If you close your eyes it almost feels like you're eating runny eggs.
Apoc: Yeah, or a bowl of snot
Mouse: Do you know what it really reminds me of? Tasty Wheat. Did you ever eat Tasty Wheat?
Switch: No, but technically, neither did you.
Mouse: That's exactly my point. Exactly. Because you have to wonder now. How did the machines know what Tasty Wheat tasted like. huh?. Maybe they got it wrong. Maybe what I think Tasty Wheat tasted like actually tasted like oatmeal or tuna fish. That makes you wonder about a lot of things. You take chicken for example, maybe they couldn't figure out what to make chicken taste like, which is why chicken tastes like everything. Maybe couldn't figure out...
I have, during this time, eaten a lot of fake meat products, mostly made with soy. They have improved greatly in quality, taste, and variety over the past half decade. As far as replicating the taste of real meat, the quality varies. Hot dogs are perfect, and one assumes that this is because they aren't very "real" in the first place. Most fake chicken products are reliably tasty, and chicken-y, the taste like I remember chicken tasting, for the most part, and different brands taste like each other, so I'm pretty sure that they're right. From here, however, it's downhill. Burger quality varies widely, and soy doesn't simulate fat very well. Sausage tastes like sausage, but doesn't have anywhere near the right texture. Tofurky is delicious, and fake bacon tastes like turkey bacon, according to my mother.
But tonight Madelyn and I are going to try something new out: Match Meats Pork.
And I have no idea how pork tastes. I haven't eaten it in over 6 years, and I was never a big fan of pig when I was an omnivore. I have no memory of it. And I have no intermittent fake pork memories either, as this is the first fake pork that I've ever seen. I have no idea what pork tastes like, and I will have no idea if this stuff is accurate at all.
I guess I'll just have to trust the computer to get it right.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Obama's People
Fascinating Photo spread in the New York Times magazine. Don't miss Axelrod or Orszag.
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Coates on Michelle Obama
Everything I know about black people I learn from Ta-Nehisi Coates. His new story in the Atlantic:
When Michelle Obama told a Milwaukee campaign rally last February, "For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country," critics derided her as another Angry Black Woman. But the only truly radical proposition put forth by Obama, born and raised in Chicago's storied South Side, is the idea of a black community fully vested in the country at large, and proud of the American dream.
Filling Rahmbo's Shoes
Geoghegan would be an excellent choice. I often pretend to have read the books that he's written.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
