It’s an idea whose time has come—and not just to Instapundit, but to Chrysler. Continue reading →
Modernizing the King James Bible
[NOTE: Yesterday I wrote about literary style vs. substance. I concluded that it’s possible to have the first while lacking the second, especially in the realm of politics. Today I’m writing about a work that undoubtedly has both style and substance—the King James Version of the Bible—and the effect of changing the style.] Continue reading →
Wordsmiths for Obama: style vs. substance, poetry vs. prose
In trying to understand what about Obama appeals so powerfully to his supporters, I’ve decided that some—perhaps even much—of it is style.
He gives a good speech. He has a deep voice. He’s tall. He’s slender. He knows what a dap is. And he can turn a literary phrase. Continue reading →
Have they mentioned he’s black?
Barack Obama, the candidate who wants to end divisiveness, and who wants to run a clean and honorable campaign without negativity, said the following in a recent campaign speech at a Florida fund-raising reception:
It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy. We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid. They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?”
We have here a truly masterful attempt to flames of paranoia on the part of his followers and adopt the mantle of victimization for himself, thus raising rather than lowering the amount of divisiveness and vitriol in the campaign. Pretty good for just a couple of sentences. Continue reading →
More on clean hands and evil triumphing
Commenter “gringo” wrote in earlier thread:
Re keeping hands clean. That was one motive for my becoming a Conscientious Objector during the Vietnam War.
The genocide in Cambodia changed my mind. One has “clean hands” and stands on the sidelines while others are slaughtered.
Sorry, “clean hands” become bloodstained in such abstention, from my point of view. Continue reading →
Now, this would be a change
It would be so refreshing if only, instead of Obama’s “the dirty aggressive Republicans made me do it” announcement yesterday, he’d said something like this:
Back when I took the pledge to use public financing if my opponent did, I had no idea I’d have the astounding success I’ve had raising money. This gives me a tremendous advantage, and since I want to win, I’m changing my mind about what I said back then. Sorry, but I need to be practical here.
No sanctimonious claptrap about how highminded he’s being. No transparent distortion of his own motivations, or trashing of the opposition. Just the simple truth.
The WaPo isn’t pleased with Obama today
I commented earlier, here and here, on the reasonableness of certain recent articles and editorials in the WaPo. Looks like it’s a real trend, because today the editors have published an editorial on Obama’s campaign financing reversal that contains not a word with which I would disagree, including the following excerpt (well, maybe I’d eliminate the word “little”): Continue reading →
On campaign financing pledge, Obama throws his former self under the bus
Yesterday Obama channeled Emily Litella and said “never mind,” taking back his earlier promise to accept public financing for his campaign if his opponent would as well. In November of 2007 he not only made this pledge, but added “I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election.” He has not (see description of those negotiations here), and today he stopped even pretending that he would.
Well, so what? Promises, shmomises. Continue reading →
Intermission: a fashion interlude
Today I got mired writing one of those loooong posts that involved far more work than I’d envisioned.
And so I’m postponing it, and humbly offer instead this brief foray into frivolity: hat fashion this year at Ascot (and there are plenty more where these came from). Continue reading →
Keeping our hands clean: what the law has to say about it
I was listening to a talk show last night in the car and heard an impassioned defense of the SCOTUS decision in Boumedine (see yesterday’s post for my opinion of the merits of the case).
The caller was not only in favor of the Court’s ruling to extend habeas corpus rights to noncombat enemy aliens in Guantanamo, he was clearly very moved by what he felt this meant for the country and the world. Continue reading →
The Celtics: and the last shall be first
I used to follow the Celtics back in the heady days of the 70s and 80s, when they were the basketball franchise and their matchups against the mighty Lakers or Knicks rivaled the Red Sox/Yankees series’ for excitement.
Then there were the lean years, when I stopped watching or caring, not just about the Celtics but about basketball itself. It seemed the sport had changed and lost whatever it was that I’d enjoyed: finesse, teamwork, passing, outside shooting. Now it was all about power, fast breaks, selfishness, muscle. Some might find it just as interesting—or maybe more—than the old game, but I found it a crashing bore.
Plus, the Celtics had fallen on hard times. Continue reading →
RIP Cyd Charisse
Fausta’s tribute to the graceful Cyd Charisse—not to mention the incomparable Fred Astaire.