Andy at Rummaging writes the ‘Blog post about Eurovision that I would have written had the bastard not beaten me to it by cunningly publishing it in advance of the grand final.
Read More19May05 — 2
America
19May05 — 2
Democrats Go PoMo
This’ll keep the media studies types busy: “Reid: Bush, GOP Seek to Reinvent Reality“
Read More19May05 — 5
Best Answer Of The Week Difficult To Explain To Americans
Yesterday evening I asked a friend of mine why her brother had moved to New York—her reply: “Because he was bored of Norwich.” When a man is tired of Norwich, he is tired of life.
Read More18May05 — 3
A Case For Dylan
This morning (whilst looking for something else of course) I stumbled upon this post entitled “Even Dylan Hates Hippies” from the ‘Blog the zoo last year. I thought I should share an extract with you (and not even the bit containing the phrase “Rasta wannabe”): Earlier this week Bob Dylan released his memoirs, and in […]
Read More17May05 — 4
Ethnic Aesthetics
“Any random group of thirty Vietnamese women will contain a dozen who make Julia Roberts look like Lyle Lovett.” P. J. O’Rourke (1994), All The Trouble In The World: The Lighter Side of Overpopulation, Famine, Ecological Disaster, Ethnic Hatred, Plague, and Poverty I’ve written here before that I believe humans are naturally disposed to discriminate […]
Read More11May05 — 1
Hero Of The Revolution
I’m surprised that The Independent didn’t suggest one hundred thousand cheering Georgians had mistaken George Bush for George Galloway: “Addressing a 100,000-strong crowd in Freedom Square in Tbilisi yesterday, Mr Bush said the November 2003 uprising that toppled the country’s former leader Eduard Shevardnadze had been an example for Ukraine, Iraq, Lebanon and other countries […]
Read More11May05 — 1
Democracy, Whiskey, Busty
You can thank Judith for this shocking example of US cultural insensitivity: “the almost unthinkable personification of everything the people we’re fighting hate: hot blond Christian white girls, not too smart and seductively dressed, ready to dispense justice and the American spirit while leading a sexy attack, thus confusing the enemy into masturbating instead of […]
Read More27Mar05 — 1
My Fellow African-Americans
One evening during my recent week off ‘Blogging I was working with the radio on and heard an advertisement for 1 Xtra, a (relatively) new digital radio station extending the celebrity-/booze-/shagging-obsessed tabloid youf franchise of Radio 1 to Britain’s blacks. The ad’s female voiceover trailed a “documentary” about Condoleezza Rice with the words, “She has […]
Read More24Mar05 — 0
There’s The Rub
Backword Dave points to a reason why I might not want to have my photo taken with the Leader of the Free World.
Read More14Mar05 — 1
And Your Point Would Be?
First the BBC turns against you, then Ted Kennedy snubs you: Kennedy spokeswoman Melissa Wagoner said: “Senator Kennedy has decided to decline to meet with Gerry Adams, given the IRA’s ongoing criminal activity and contempt for the rule of law.” She said the events surrounding the death of Mr McCartney underscored the need for IRA […]
Read More07Mar05 — 16
The Last Outpost Of Traditional Rule
The ever-temperate front page of The Independent screams, “IS LEBANON WALKING INTO ANOTHER NIGHTMARE?” Without a copy to hand, I think you can imagine the name and the roseate visage that make up the byline beneath the headline. Because the Indie charges for access to the online version of its output I can only quote […]
Read More05Mar05 — 0
Catching
Scientific American writes about EpiSims, a program that simulates the spread of an infectious disease throughout a population, taking into account the social interactions of the people within it. [via Slashdot] This is a good time to point out that I conflated a couple of different issues when I rambled about the spread of HIV […]
Read More01Mar05 — 1
Star Trek: The Next Imperialist Neocon Zionist Conspiracy
“TrekUnited” is an organisation that claims to be dedicated to stopping the cancellation of the TV series Star Trek: Enterprise. It is holding rallies in New York, Los Angeles, Tel Aviv, and London. Need I say any more?
Read More28Feb05 — 0
All This And Self-Mockery Too
As if anyone needed another reason to fancy Halle Berry, she turns out to have a GSOH as well: Halle Berry thanked the makers of Catwoman for “putting me in a God-awful movie” when she turned up to collect her worst actress Razzie award. The actress, whose surprise appearance got her a standing ovation from […]
Read More27Feb05 — 0
Decked Out
As Saddam’s half-brother is handed over by the nervous Syrians, it’s an appropriate moment to catch up with some old friends. For those of us whose outrage at the continued immunity of various collections of state-sponsored goons around the World has been curdling for years this is a heartwarming sight.
Read More21Feb05 — 1
Hidden Depths
Jimmy Carter’s wife, Rosalynn, sponsors the naming of a big, black underwater vessel full of seamen after her husband. Yes, I’ve been reading spam all weekend.
Read More18Feb05 — 0
Via Slashdot
Those Americans, eh?: “The UK is known for many things, great food, a wonderful climate and beautiful women. However, according to a story on The Guardian, a new study puts the UK ahead in one more category: it leads the world in TV piracy, accounting for 38.4% of the world’s TV downloads, with Australia coming […]
Read More14Feb05 — 4
Don’t Panic
I think the quote at the end of this piece is probably accurate. It undercuts the rest by saying that fears of a new, aggressive strain of HIV are “a storm in a teacup” [© Benjamin Mackie 2004]. But ten years ago I was sitting in a common room when one of the most senior […]
Read More12Feb05 — 1
Golden Farewell
Look at the photograph accompanying this article about the removal of HP’s former CEO Carly Fiorina. Try to keep your mind free of these words: “You are the weakest link. Goodbye.”
Read More02Feb05 — 3
Another Fast Show Reference
“Me, former President of the The United States, Bill “Slick Willie” Clinton? In south Asia? Surrounded by orphaned destitute girls? Working for the UN? With my reputation? What were they thinking?” [Yanks The deficit-challenged should go here for an explanation.]
Read More01Feb05 — 1
The Gurgitator’s “Belt Of Fat” Theory Confirmed
Courtesy of the Anonymous Economist and friends I now know more than I want to about competitive eating. The one fact I already knew—that many of the best eaters are thin—has been further explained by this statement from the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE). Yes, they exist; their monthly journal is called The Gurgitator. […]
Read More20Jan05 — 3
Watch Out For Those Feeble-Minded Tavern Girls
Following on from my James D. Watson link, yesterday a colleague of mine lobbed me a review copy of DNA and the Criminal Justice System by David Lazer. Click the smaller image below to see an interesting diagram it reproduces from a textbook in use in the early half of the twentieth century (unfortunately it’s […]
Read More19Jan05 — 12
“It’s Full Of Rocks…”
How we mocked Dr Who for its low budget conviction that most of the planets and moons in the Universe (firm enough for humanoids to be chased across by stuntmen in monster suits) resembled abandoned gravel pits. Who’s laughing now?
Read More18Jan05 — 7
Operation Overload
Kennedy says Iraq is ‘Bush’s Vietnam’. But, if Bush=Hitler, surely it’s his Eastern Front? That can’t be, of course, because Kabul was supposed to be America’s Stalingrad—as was, er, Baghdad. At least we can be sure that Abu Ghraib is Iraq’s My Lai—as long as it’s not true that September 11 2001 was the new […]
Read More12Jan05 — 3
Godwinning
Claire sent me this one. I’m not going to tell you what to think. If you find something familar about the text, you do; if you don’t, you don’t. Either way, it’s chilling history.
Read More05Jan05 — 16
Marconi Plays The Mamba
Socialism In An Age Of Waiting links to a story about the legend of “Midgetville” today. It opens by saying that the likeliest candidate is a place called Jefferson Township. I couldn’t concentrate on the rest because all I could think of was a bunch superannuated hippies singing: “Don’t you remem-ber? We built this city, […]
Read More04Jan05 — 1
Who’d Have ‘Em?
Happy Birthday, dad, and God help us all.
Read More04Jan05 — 0
“I Used To Be The Next President, You Know”
Feeling smug after a compliment someone paid my prose yesterday, I have one more piece of advice for Kerry: if you’re going to run again, John, speak plain English.
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