The inimitable Mr. Cranky is firing on all cylinders right now in his review of Iraq war coverage. (Via High Industrial.) Regarding Fox News, I’m surprised Dick Cheney doesn’t call to tell them to tone it down a bit…it must drive the audio technicians nuts to keep having to pod down all that goose-stepping in the background. Mr. Cranky’s been hit-or-miss as the years have gone by, but this piece is Onion-esque to the extreme.
Month: March 2003
Movin’ on Up.
Columbia announced today that my advisor (and probable dissertation mentor) Alan Brinkley has been appointed Provost of the University. (Fortunately, this won’t seem to affect my plan of study.) Congrats to him, and to Columbia on the choice.
Buy! Buy! No, wait…Sell! Sell!
Found in the referrer logs today: Blogshares, a Hollywood Stock Exchange-like site for blog investments. Unfortunately, at the moment I appear to be worth nothing, although I think that’s mainly due to a URL discrepancy. So, hey, I’ve got growth potential.
Games Without Frontiers.
Verrry aggressive…you’re a new man, and won’t be pushed around. A Boston Globe editorial surveys the long and sordid history of poker and war. (Via Dangerous Meta.)
Wasted!
Dave Chappelle previews Grand Theft Auto 4, and the graphics are definitely a step up.
GOP Uprising?
It appears the halved tax cut is only the beginning of Dubya’s domestic woes. As the war rages in Iraq, the Bushies’ homeland agenda comes under increasing scrutiny from GOP moderates, who are unwilling to buy the argument that American troops desperately need estate tax relief. Hmmm…I wonder if Ari and the gang will go so far as to paint members of their own party as unAmerican. Can’t say it’s beyond the realm of possibility.
Now We live in Infamy.
Historian Arthur Schlesinger mourns America’s fall from innocence under Dubya. (Via Medley.)
Delusions of Grandeur.
Mickey Kaus often gets on my nerves, but I have to admit he’s probably dead-on with his assessment of General Rummy’s Iraq strategy. This is the only reading of his behavior I can think of that doesn’t paint Rumsfeld as criminally inept, and while Rumsfeld is many things, I don’t think he’s stupid. Nevertheless, if it turns out the Secretary put his dreams of neocon hawk domination above the lives of America’s fighting men and women, neither stupidity or anything else will save him from the opprobrium of the nation.
Return of the Kong.
Having grappled with the ring of power, PJ’s lifelong dream now comes true: Universal announces that Peter Jackson will direct King Kong after finishing up LOTR: Return of the King. I kinda wish they’d announced this a bit later so that Jackson could devote himself fully to closing out Tolkien‘s trilogy in grand style, but I’m sure he’ll do that anyway. Congrats to PJ, Fran, and WETA on their big score. Update: Fay Wray approves.
The Not-So-Subtle Knife.
In less happy movie news, Brett Ratner – recently kicked off of WB’s Superman – is now threatening to screw up Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials. Pullman’s work aside, a Tom Stoppard screenplay deserves a better director. Can’t you just make Rush Hour 3 or something?