ELECTION 08
Can I get a job with that newspaper?
Friday, November 07, 2008
Just a little weird: no, actually very strange
Barack Obama asked gay bishop Gene Robinson what it was like to be 'first' -Times Online:
But the other significant bit is the talk of the election being a "religious experience". I'll get the DVD recorder ready and waiting to see how the likes of Jon Stewart and Bill Maher now riff on how scary it is to have a President elect who seems to see religious significance in his role.
And pigs might be spotted flying over Hollywood too.
Barack Obama sought out controversial gay bishop Gene Robinson not just once but three times during his campaign to become President of the United States, The Times can reveal....
Bishop Robinson... said that Mr Obama’s campaign team had sought him last year and he had the “honour” of three private conversations with the future president of the United States last May and June.This is very strange, isn't it, to be seeking out this particular "leader"? I assume abortion wasn't high on the list of topics to discuss.
“The first words out of his mouth were: ‘Well you’re certainly causing a lot of trouble’, My response to him was: ‘Well that makes two of us'.”
He said that Mr Obama had indicated his support for equal civil rights for gay and lesbian people and described the election as a “religious experience”.
But the other significant bit is the talk of the election being a "religious experience". I'll get the DVD recorder ready and waiting to see how the likes of Jon Stewart and Bill Maher now riff on how scary it is to have a President elect who seems to see religious significance in his role.
And pigs might be spotted flying over Hollywood too.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Unimportant news
The 'Desperate Housewife' look comes to Washington - Americas, World - The Independent
Don't care what she wears: she still looks kinda intimidating to me.
Don't care what she wears: she still looks kinda intimidating to me.
Let the tears flow, Ellen
U-turn as Californians vote to ban gay marriage - World - smh.com.au
I'll be very disappointed if she doesn't cry.
UPDATE: an interesting side note to the Proposition 8 issue is that many, many Hollywood celebrities donated money to fight against it (including, sad to say, my directorial hero Mr Spielberg. It's funny how much of a gay rights supporter he is, yet off the top of my head I can't recall any of his movies featuring as much as one gay character.) But one prominent figure who did not donate was Rosie O'Donnell. This has caused some people to be less than charitable towards her (from the previous link):
I'll be very disappointed if she doesn't cry.
UPDATE: an interesting side note to the Proposition 8 issue is that many, many Hollywood celebrities donated money to fight against it (including, sad to say, my directorial hero Mr Spielberg. It's funny how much of a gay rights supporter he is, yet off the top of my head I can't recall any of his movies featuring as much as one gay character.) But one prominent figure who did not donate was Rosie O'Donnell. This has caused some people to be less than charitable towards her (from the previous link):
i've lost completel respect for rosie, not that i've really had any for her to begin with. not opening her fat hyprocritcal mouth probably helped the no on 8 cause... lol.The LA Times gives a good summary of the whole Proposition 8 story, which basically is one of gay activists never accepting the majority opinion of the electorate.
Sad
Bestselling author Michael Crichton dies
How sad. I reckon about every second book was an entertaining (and educational) read, but with an output like his, that was still a high success rate.
I certainly always looked forward to seeing what topic he was going to deal with in his next book.
How sad. I reckon about every second book was an entertaining (and educational) read, but with an output like his, that was still a high success rate.
I certainly always looked forward to seeing what topic he was going to deal with in his next book.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
This'll be interesting
Well, the great mystery of how things will pan out under President Obama begins.
It's hard to see how some of his over-the-top supporters could not end up being disappointed. (One suspects much of Europe will end up the same way.)
And does this election make it more or less likely that Israel will do something about Iran?
All will be revealed in due course...
UPDATE - miscellaneous further comments:
* Not many people have been saying it yet, but the popular vote for McCain was higher than many polls predicted, and actually not too bad given the financial crisis. Surely that alone must have shaved at least one or two percent from his popular vote.
* I've made the point elsewhere, but if I were a Democrat, I would be a little worried that such widespread success in both the legislative and the executive arms of government (and the likely liberal lean of the judiciary in future appointments) is going to make it near impossible for them to disclaim responsibility for anything that goes wrong. Truly, if anything gets broke now, they own it.
* Am I the only one who thought Obama seemed a little too dour in his victory speech ? I genuinely don't understand the accolades given to him as a orator. He's competent, but I really think you've got to be "of the left" to be overly impressed. To make a comparison, the oratory of John F Kennedy also dealt with lofty and idealist themes, and did genuinely impress; but at that time, the fate of Western democracy was by no means assured. Speaking of freedom, self sacrifice, human rights and dignity really had some significance to the entire world.
Obama-talk, on the other hand, is just internal politics - complaining about division, promising solutions to difficult and near intractable problems without any detail at all - dressed up in emotional generalities.
* Nevertheless, this post at Tigerhawk sums up well, I think, the generally magnanimous attitude that most of the right wing commentators take towards the Obama win. They do recognise the significance of the symbolism of a black man being president. It is a million miles from the bitterness, accusations and overwrought emotion the left were threatening if they didn't get their way.
* This post at Bryan Appleyard's blog makes a good comparison:
UPDATE 2: Currency Lad's post this morning about the hypocrisy of the Democrats as "unifiers" makes the point more eloquently than I can.
It's hard to see how some of his over-the-top supporters could not end up being disappointed. (One suspects much of Europe will end up the same way.)
And does this election make it more or less likely that Israel will do something about Iran?
All will be revealed in due course...
UPDATE - miscellaneous further comments:
* Not many people have been saying it yet, but the popular vote for McCain was higher than many polls predicted, and actually not too bad given the financial crisis. Surely that alone must have shaved at least one or two percent from his popular vote.
* I've made the point elsewhere, but if I were a Democrat, I would be a little worried that such widespread success in both the legislative and the executive arms of government (and the likely liberal lean of the judiciary in future appointments) is going to make it near impossible for them to disclaim responsibility for anything that goes wrong. Truly, if anything gets broke now, they own it.
* Am I the only one who thought Obama seemed a little too dour in his victory speech ? I genuinely don't understand the accolades given to him as a orator. He's competent, but I really think you've got to be "of the left" to be overly impressed. To make a comparison, the oratory of John F Kennedy also dealt with lofty and idealist themes, and did genuinely impress; but at that time, the fate of Western democracy was by no means assured. Speaking of freedom, self sacrifice, human rights and dignity really had some significance to the entire world.
Obama-talk, on the other hand, is just internal politics - complaining about division, promising solutions to difficult and near intractable problems without any detail at all - dressed up in emotional generalities.
* Nevertheless, this post at Tigerhawk sums up well, I think, the generally magnanimous attitude that most of the right wing commentators take towards the Obama win. They do recognise the significance of the symbolism of a black man being president. It is a million miles from the bitterness, accusations and overwrought emotion the left were threatening if they didn't get their way.
* This post at Bryan Appleyard's blog makes a good comparison:
Obama is a hope candidate, and like all hope candidates (Blair being our most recent), he is doomed from the start by absurd expectations and by his own limitations.* The other "glass half full" way of looking at it is that Democrats and Bush critics generally have bitched and moaned about the job being done by a US president who really has had the most extraordinary challenges to face. Now with an emphatic win, they've got the keys to the car and (one can only hope) might at least develop a bit of humility and realistic appreciation for the difficulties and imperfect nature of all governments.
UPDATE 2: Currency Lad's post this morning about the hypocrisy of the Democrats as "unifiers" makes the point more eloquently than I can.
Now she tells me
Annie Proulx no longer at home on the range - Los Angeles Times
Annie Proulx, author of Brokeback Mountain, presumably did not foresee this consequence:
Annie Proulx, author of Brokeback Mountain, presumably did not foresee this consequence:
"I wish I'd never written it," Proulx says...Elsewhere, she has given more detail:
Not because of the people of Saratoga, a town she doesn't think much of. Not even because the word "brokeback" has been misappropriated, as in, "Hey, you're not goin' brokeback on me, are you?"
It's all the manuscripts, screenplays and letters sent to her by men who rewrite or serialize her story, adding new characters, endings and even successive generations.
"These cover letters," she complains, "always begin with the sentence 'I'm not gay, but . . . ' They think that just because they are men, they understand men better than I do.
She lamented that "remedial writers" are constantly sending "ghastly manuscripts and pornish rewrites of the story to me, expecting me to reply with praise and applause for 'fixing' the story..Damn. What do I do now with my screenplay that deals with how Tim Blair and Mark Steyn accidentally meet up with Ennis and Andrew Sullivan, while all are moosehunting in the backwoods of New Hampshire, and, you know, one thing leads to another...
Interesting
BBC NEWS | Americas | US Elections 2008 | Who will win the electoral college?
This page at the BBC has a good little doo-dah on it that allows you to move a slider to see how the state electoral colleges have voted over the last 60 years.
It's pretty interesting to see how comprehensive some past election wins have been.
This page at the BBC has a good little doo-dah on it that allows you to move a slider to see how the state electoral colleges have voted over the last 60 years.
It's pretty interesting to see how comprehensive some past election wins have been.
Possible headlines for the near future
Arugula shares soar!
Canada closes border with US: "PM: Go back to your homes, celebrities"
Ellen in hospital with dehydration *
Bullwinkle breathes easier as Palin relocates
Kennedy had "Camelot" - Obama establishes commission to find hum-able tune on Broadway
Andrew Sullivan jailed for stalking Trig - Tried to get hair for DNA testing
* slightly oblique reference to the amount of tears predicted to be shed by Ellen DeGeneres if Proposition 8, banning gay marriage, gets up.
Canada closes border with US: "PM: Go back to your homes, celebrities"
Ellen in hospital with dehydration *
Bullwinkle breathes easier as Palin relocates
Kennedy had "Camelot" - Obama establishes commission to find hum-able tune on Broadway
Andrew Sullivan jailed for stalking Trig - Tried to get hair for DNA testing
* slightly oblique reference to the amount of tears predicted to be shed by Ellen DeGeneres if Proposition 8, banning gay marriage, gets up.
Bet you didn't know this...
Snake bite is a 'neglected tropical disease' - New Scientist:
Snakes kill more people than either dengue fever or skin cancer, according to a new worldwide estimate.
See an interactive map of the areas affected
Cobras, vipers, black mambas and other venomous snakes take between 20,000 and 94,000 lives each year, and bite another 421,000 to 1,841,000 people.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Memories of John Kerry
Just thought I would double check on what John Kerry was saying about the number of US troops in Iraq in 2004:
Incurably waffle-y, wasn't he?
It's a surprising twist of fate that McCain has not been able to make political mileage out of being proved right on Iraq. Still, the world is fickle, and recessions help no one in power when they arrive.
John Kerry set a three-part test for removing U.S. troops from Iraq if he is elected president, while warning that President Bush might commence a more rapid draw-down this fall to improve his re-election prospects.
The three conditions, Mr. Kerry said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, are "to measure the level of stability" in Iraq, "to measure the outlook for the stability to hold" and "to measure the ability ... of their security forces" to defend Iraq. Until each condition is satisfied, he added, "I will provide for the world's need not to have a failed state in Iraq."
Mr. Kerry's remarks, two weeks before he accepts the nomination of a Democratic Party with deep misgivings about the war, indicate the Massachusetts senator isn't preparing to spell out a timetable for rapid withdrawal of the roughly 140,000 U.S. troops now in Iraq. To the contrary, he suggested that Mr. Bush was more likely to do so, saying "I've heard [it] said by many people" that the White House might be gearing up to withdraw troops before the November election.
Incurably waffle-y, wasn't he?
It's a surprising twist of fate that McCain has not been able to make political mileage out of being proved right on Iraq. Still, the world is fickle, and recessions help no one in power when they arrive.
Yes, still more about Ross & Brand
Dominic Lawson writing in the Independent on the Jonathan Ross/Russell Brand incident, writes about a problem for one type of modern comedian:
....this is where the need of comedians to be seen to tackle taboos has been pushed beyond reason by an increasing absence of boundaries to break. When the whole idea of privacy in sexual matters is seen as hopelessly old-fashioned inhibition, how far must an "edgy" comedian think he needs to go in order to startle his young audience into gasps of incredulous laughter? The answer is: a very, very long way indeed – and yet without any restraint, where is the tension that has always tempered true comedy?I would argue that there is not an inherent need for comedy to "break boundaries", but still Lawson's point about the increasing crudity of the target youth audience seems accurate.These thoughts came to me on my return to the rail services in England, and hearing a young woman talking loudly in her mobile telephone to some lover about her recent examination for a sexually transmitted disease. The other English people in the carriage seemed unsurprised by this casually revolting monologue; but there was a French couple sitting opposite – their Parisian fastidiousness evident in appearance alone – who gazed in palpable astonishment at this unselfconscious exercise in personal debasement.
I would hazard that neither Russell Brand nor Jonathan Ross would have found this episode surprising, entrenched as they are in what is sometimes laughingly known as "youth culture"
If Sarah had said that...
Michelle Malkin notes a very recent ramble from "heartbeat away" Joe Biden, that really makes you wonder about how nervous we all might feel if ever he became president.
As one commenter says: "And to think some are worried that Palin could be #2…."
As one commenter says: "And to think some are worried that Palin could be #2…."
As bad as that?
Election Predictions: Pundits Weigh In
Out of a long list of political pundits listed above (including Karl Rove!) only one - Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard and Fox News - predicts a John McCain win. (And a pretty narrow one at that.)
What's more amusing is how in the comments that follow, quite a few Obama fans see Rove's opinion as being all part of the evil plot to convince Democrats that they don't have to bother voting.
Out of a long list of political pundits listed above (including Karl Rove!) only one - Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard and Fox News - predicts a John McCain win. (And a pretty narrow one at that.)
What's more amusing is how in the comments that follow, quite a few Obama fans see Rove's opinion as being all part of the evil plot to convince Democrats that they don't have to bother voting.
New physics?
CDF Ghost Muons | Cosmic Variance
When the Cosmic Variance physicists aren't spending their time promoting gay marriage, Obama and the death of religion (who said scientists are mostly godless liberals?) they do write interesting stuff about physics.
They are very excited about some experimental results which (if confirmed) indicate that some completely new physics has been discovered. (Well, some completely new particle, which may - or may not - solve the mystery of dark matter.) It's not so often that something so unexpected turns up at particle accelerators.
Some science magazines are reporting it too.
My somewhat cynical take on this: aren't we all glad we spent $6 billion (and counting) on the LHC while in fact there was useful stuff being discovered at old labs?
When the Cosmic Variance physicists aren't spending their time promoting gay marriage, Obama and the death of religion (who said scientists are mostly godless liberals?) they do write interesting stuff about physics.
They are very excited about some experimental results which (if confirmed) indicate that some completely new physics has been discovered. (Well, some completely new particle, which may - or may not - solve the mystery of dark matter.) It's not so often that something so unexpected turns up at particle accelerators.
Some science magazines are reporting it too.
My somewhat cynical take on this: aren't we all glad we spent $6 billion (and counting) on the LHC while in fact there was useful stuff being discovered at old labs?
Monday, November 03, 2008
We'll be hearing more about this
Sex on TV Increases Teen Pregnancy, Says Report - TIME
Perhaps that headline should only be "...is associated with increased Teen Pregnancy", but you get the drift.
It would interesting to have a list of TV shows of the last decade which have been shown to have the most irresponsible attitudes to sex. Two immediately spring to my mind:
1. Sex and the City. Was contraception ever mentioned in that show, even in passing? Did any of the women ever say over their Manhattans "Why did I do that? I hardly know the guy and didn't use a condom. Now I've got chlamydia." (Maybe it was dealt with in one episode; I was hardly a regular viewer.)
2. Ally McBeal, but mainly for one outstandingly irresponsible episode in which she had "one off" sex with a hunky stranger she had just met at a car wash. (I think it was in the car wash itself.) Yet the episode was all about what this meant from a sexual politics point of view, of the "how bad is it for women to just want anonymous sex now and then, after all most men would be happy to do that" variety. I don't recall anyone saying to her "Surely you used a condom?" (The spontaneous nature of the incident indicated that she didn't.) Of course, the follow up should have been: "Are you insane? Get off to the STD clinic immediately".
Perhaps that headline should only be "...is associated with increased Teen Pregnancy", but you get the drift.
It would interesting to have a list of TV shows of the last decade which have been shown to have the most irresponsible attitudes to sex. Two immediately spring to my mind:
1. Sex and the City. Was contraception ever mentioned in that show, even in passing? Did any of the women ever say over their Manhattans "Why did I do that? I hardly know the guy and didn't use a condom. Now I've got chlamydia." (Maybe it was dealt with in one episode; I was hardly a regular viewer.)
2. Ally McBeal, but mainly for one outstandingly irresponsible episode in which she had "one off" sex with a hunky stranger she had just met at a car wash. (I think it was in the car wash itself.) Yet the episode was all about what this meant from a sexual politics point of view, of the "how bad is it for women to just want anonymous sex now and then, after all most men would be happy to do that" variety. I don't recall anyone saying to her "Surely you used a condom?" (The spontaneous nature of the incident indicated that she didn't.) Of course, the follow up should have been: "Are you insane? Get off to the STD clinic immediately".
John McCain could make you rich!
An Australian on line bookmaker is offering 9 to 1 for a John McCain win. Now you know where to invest your dwindling retirement funds.*
*Disclaimer: Opinion Dominion is not a licensed financial adviser, nor even comfortably rich. However, a share of any winnings from this tip will be gratefully received.
*Disclaimer: Opinion Dominion is not a licensed financial adviser, nor even comfortably rich. However, a share of any winnings from this tip will be gratefully received.
The Japanese who can samba
An enclave of Brazilians is testing insular Japan - International Herald Tribune
Until I started visiting Japan, I didn't know anything about the South American connection. You can read an interesting article about Brazilian Japanese who have migrated back to Japan at the link above.
Until I started visiting Japan, I didn't know anything about the South American connection. You can read an interesting article about Brazilian Japanese who have migrated back to Japan at the link above.
Comment, comment
Comments are cordially invited (on this post) about any recent post.
It's so quiet around here sometimes...
It's so quiet around here sometimes...
Strange days in England
Pity the women who come within range of Brand and Ross | India Knight - Times Online
Readers will recall last week's post about how a couple of big time BBC radio hosts caused an uproar by leaving obscene and juvenile messages on the answering machine of a 78 year old actor, who didn't find it terribly funny.
Thousands of people complained, the PM criticised the BBC; comedian Russell Brand belatedly resigned, and Jonathan Ross, who has been around forever on British TV as well, was suspended for a few months.
Yet, over the weekend, there were a couple of articles in the British press claiming this was all massive overkill.
The strangest defence of all came from India Knight in The Times (see above). She complains that if the public likes 2 blokes of mature age carrying on like "hysterical teenagers", then the BBC ought to keep running them (provided they apologised, which they had.)
Yet by the end, she claims this:
Just all further evidence for my evolving thesis about the great moral decline of England.
Readers will recall last week's post about how a couple of big time BBC radio hosts caused an uproar by leaving obscene and juvenile messages on the answering machine of a 78 year old actor, who didn't find it terribly funny.
Thousands of people complained, the PM criticised the BBC; comedian Russell Brand belatedly resigned, and Jonathan Ross, who has been around forever on British TV as well, was suspended for a few months.
Yet, over the weekend, there were a couple of articles in the British press claiming this was all massive overkill.
The strangest defence of all came from India Knight in The Times (see above). She complains that if the public likes 2 blokes of mature age carrying on like "hysterical teenagers", then the BBC ought to keep running them (provided they apologised, which they had.)
Yet by the end, she claims this:
"...what lies at the centre of this sorry saga is misogyny. None of it would have happened if Ross and Brand displayed - or were asked to display - even an iota of respect for women. Instead, both men have made part of their living out of treating women - wives and mothers excluded - as though they were pieces of meat. This can be very funny but it sticks in the craw."She then explains how she once did a "straight" interview with Brand, and weeks later (after the interview was published):
I was ... taken aback to find myself named on air as a prelude to Brand discussing my bosoms with, surreally, Noel Gallagher from Oasis, who insistently asked: “Did you sleep with her?”, a question that caused Brand to speculate in some detail about what sleeping with me might have been like. None of this was mean or cruel, but it was out of order and reductive: woman, ergo piece of meat, fair game, punchline, nonperson.It seems pretty amazing that she defends Brand at all in light of this. He sounds about as loveable, mature and intelligent as our Kyle Sandiland, and I for one would be most upset if he scored a slot on ABC radio or television.
Just all further evidence for my evolving thesis about the great moral decline of England.
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