“As for Iraq, it’s no news that Bush has no strategy. What did come as news — and, really, a bit of a shocker — is that he doesn’t seem to know what ‘strategy’ means.” Slate‘s Fred Kaplan tears apart another dismal Dubya press conference. At this point, it’s a bit like shooting fish in a barrel, isn’t it?
Month: August 2006
Pluto Put Down.
Sorry, Virginia (and all the other kids out there who just memorized the solar system): As the dust dies down at the recent astronomer’s conference, word comes to light that Pluto has in fact been demoted to “dwarf planet,” a status it’ll hold with UB313 (Xena) and Ceres.
Lapu in the Mikini.
Aloha y’all…In keeping with recent Murphy tradition, I’ve joined the family for a late-summer jaunt to Hawaii. Unclear how this will affect the updates around here the next few weeks — on one hand, fun activities like snorkeling and pleasure-reading (note the cue at left is finally moving again) have been eating into my usual blog-hours (and the 1998-ish dial-up here doesn’t lend itself to much time spent on the Internet anyway.) But, then again, I’m already on the verge of sunburn, so I’ll have to find some way to wile away those safety hours indoors. At any rate, I’d expect the intermittent summer posting schedule to remain the norm around here for now, so, as always, mahalo for dropping by.
Gray Lady Down.
By way of a friend in the program, it’s the NYT through right-wing eyes. Well, that explains a few things.
Life of Lyndon.
“[I]n writing ‘LBJ: Architect of American Ambition,’ Woods has produced an excellent biography that fully deserves a place alongside the best of the Johnson studies yet to appear. He is more sympathetic and nuanced than Caro, more fluid and (despite the significant length of his book) more concise than Dallek — and equally scrupulous in his use of archives and existing scholarship. Even readers familiar with the many other fine books on Johnson will learn a great deal from Woods.” Columbia’s Alan Brinkley (also my advisor) takes a gander at Randall Wood’s new biography of Lyndon Johnson.
Just another day in Lower Manhattan.
As the five-year anniversary approaches, New York Magazine wonders “What if 9/11 never happened?”, putting the question to Andrew Sullivan, Thomas Friedman, Dahlia Lithwick, Frank Rich, Tom Wolfe, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Fareed Zakaria, Douglas Brinkley, and others. (By way of Lots of Co.)
Asriel. Lord Asriel.
Casting on Chris Weitz’s version of Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass continues, with new Bond Daniel Craig joining Nicole Kidman and Eva Green as Lord Asriel, Lyra’s uncle.
The Bloody Business which Informs.
Scots meet Aussies in the trailer for Geoffrey Wright’s gangsterland update of Macbeth, with Sam Worthington, Victoria Hill, and Lachy Hume.
Song for Bill.
“Seen the arrow on the doorpost saying, ‘This land is condemned, all the way from New Orleans to Jerusalem.’ I traveled through East Texas where many martyrs fell, and I know no one can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell.” Or Kind Willie Clinton, for that matter…a belated happy birthday to our ex-president, who turned 60 yesterday.