The Anonymous Economist sends me Paul Krugman's opinion piece in the New York Times today. Krugman meets expectations: he makes some valid points about American incompetence and corruption in Iraq's reconstruction; then he blows it with his conclusion: “Let's say the obvious. By making Iraq a playground for right-wing economic theorists, an employment agency for […]
Read MoreA friend of mine reckons Ashcroft is “one of the worst Republicans alive” and often posts evidence to my inbox in support of her case. Here's today's submission. [Requires New York Times registration. Do not apply to irritated skin.]
Read MoreThis isn't looking good for Rumsfeld. I certainly hope so anyway. [New York Times link—requires registration and small buccal sample; honestly, it won't hurt at all.]
Read MoreBy way of apology to Backword Dave, maybe there is some empirical evidence of Bush's economic failure. It just doesn't affect the numbers—or, indeed, the people—anyone cares about.
Read MoreDave Diamond is an American voiceover artiste. He has a Website showcasing his talents. He is obviously very good at what he does. To sneery, snobby, ironic, English ears like mine, however, what he does is hilarious. There is no way I could keep a straight face long enough to deliver the script to the […]
Read MoreIf this New York Times piece is right— “John Kerry is doing exactly what he should be doing right now. He is in a post-primary molting season. He’s emerging from the shadow of Howard Dean and becoming more like the policy twin of Joe Lieberman: a pro-trade, fiscally conservative centrist Democrat who is willing to […]
Read MoreI missed this story [Washington Post free registration, yadda yadda] about a Saudi student on trial in the US from earlier in the month entirely, but Philip Greenspun didn’t and makes some excellent points about the difference between the way the USA treats its enemies within and without its borders.
Read MoreYesterday Amber sent me a New York Times article about the latest development in a shocking story from Texas that she’s been following for quite some time: 46 people, almost all of them black, were arrested on fabricated drug charges in Tulia, Tex., their ordeal will draw to a close today with the announcement of […]
Read MoreLeading Right-wing pro-war daily The Guardian exposes the shocking truth: He spent a typical day watching movies, going to class and playing football. He was fascinated to learn about the solar system, and now enjoys reciting the names of the planets, starting with Earth. Less diverting were the twice-monthly interrogations about his knowledge of al-Qaida […]
Read MoreClaire joins in Judith in the Democrat-bashing by pointing me at this Christopher Hitchens piece in Opinion Journal about Howard Dean. From the quotes and reports I’ve read so far I have to admit I don’t feel any wish to defend the faltering ex-frontrunner in the race for the Democratic nomination.
Read MoreIt goes a bit like this: Americans are fat people with hunting rifles in enormous cars. They are led by a rich idiot cowboy who would rather drive his gas-guzzling cavalcade over the supine bodies of his country’s underclass than sign binding agreements with other peace-loving nations. They make vulgar films, which they force upon […]
Read MoreI try to avoid ‘Blogging ‘Blogs, but Claire will love this one. Perhaps in an attempt to avoid future accusations of a lack of foresight, the CIA has a kids’ Website. (I picked this up via Mike Daisey’s ‘Blog.)
Read MoreI am not a fan of Ronald Reagan, the man who accidentally saved the World from communism, while contributing to the deaths of thousands in Nicaragua and to a hugely unpleasant recession in the United States. The unpleasantness of the latter was magnified by our having to listen to British rock critics wank on about […]
Read MoreI usually defend the USA against hackneyed attacks on its culture of consumption, I know, but if you had two SUVs lined up outside a fast food joint called “FATBURGER”, would you have been able to resist taking this photo? (Yes, I waited for the SUVs to pull up—but not for very long.) Update: Here’s […]
Read MoreHow can you flee in terror from a natural disaster called “Claudette“?
Read MoreAmber, our Boston correspondent (in the other Cambridge), witnessed the Fourth of July fireworks over the Charles River from an amazing vantage point at MIT. She recommends this Yahoo! slideshow featuring that event, and others around the States. It’s an epic collection of images, with over 100 frames; she didn’t bother after number 60.
Read MoreSome of my holiday snaps are back from the lab. I’ll spare you the party and baby photos, but you might want to smile wryly at the Americana. I saw this blunt window sticker on the freeway to the Norton Simon Museum at Pasadena. General admiration of Britain even extended to the bumper (I mean […]
Read MoreIt’s the Sunday afternoon “Support Our Troops” demonstration on the corner, near the Warner shopping park in Canoga Park, Californ-I-A. As usual I have my camera and I am hoping for some pics of the demonstrators. On the opposite side of the junction (five lanes away, of course) there are two anti-war protestors, a man […]
Read MoreThe numbing predictability of it. Unfortunately I can't link to this, but the main political cartoon in today's Guardian has Bush with a missile-shaped "inhumane dog controller" in his hands and Blair as a lap-dog looking up at him with a missile-shaped bone in his mouth. Sharon is a fat hound wallowing in blood behind […]
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