August 2004 Archives
Michael Moore Joins the Press -- And Gets Some (washingtonpost.com)
When Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called him "a disingenuous filmmaker" during his speech, Moore said, "Thank you, John McCain."No offense taken. Only dollar signs.
"Hey, the film's doing $120 million right now," Moore said. "When McCain mentions it, I have a chance to do $150 million. It just creates more interest, more excitement."
ABCNEWS.com : Michael Moore Draws Boos at Convention
Moore seemed to relish the attention, thrusting his arms over his head, laughing and saying, "Two more months."Asked about McCain's remarks, Moore said, "I can't believe they're dumb enough to bring up the film and help its box office."
The Big Backslide (washingtonpost.com)
Call it diet fatigue, burnout or simply boredom.
Losing the weight is only half the battle. Keeping it off is the really hard part. In my personal battle, I'm down to 167.4 pounds.
And while Kerry may be worried about veterans' support in America, Sinh said he would vote any day for his former enemy over President Bush. In the veteran's opinion, Kerry's experience along these rivers fighting Viet Cong might keep him from sending other young Americans to invade countries.
A more mature perspective in the White House on sending young Americans to die in Quixotic foreign military ventures would be a welcome change. The article does not mention one of the other lessons of Vietnam, namely that a war based on lies to the American public will not retain the public's long term support.
Democratic Senator Zell Miller of Georgia has proven himself to be a Republican in Democrat's clothing with his anticipated keynote address at the Republican Convention. Let him know what you think of his turning his coat at zellout.com
RPO -- Andrew Marvell : To his Coy Mistress
21 But at my back I always hear
22 Time's winged chariot hurrying near;
23 And yonder all before us lie
24 Deserts of vast eternity.
The Chal Roberts Story (washingtonpost.com)
Chal's article of Saturday illustrated a 93-year-old mind that works as well as anyone's, at any age. Those who know him, and the thousands of older Post readers who read his work so often, could only wish for many more decades of Chal. But the same friends and readers can only admire the qualities he brought to his decision, the same toughness and lack of sentimentality that have served us all so uniquely and so well.
For better or worse, toughness and lack of sentimentality are what we prize in our reporters. To be fair, the Post also lauds Roberts' "fairness, intelligence, and nuanced judgment."
DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so, For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow, Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee, 5 Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee doe goe, Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie. Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell, 10 And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well, And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then; One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.
Roberts, however, faces his death with no hope of an afterlife, believing that the time he has in this life is all he will have.
The Decision of a Lifetime (washingtonpost.com)
I could be dead when you read this. But I thought it might be worthwhile to put down my thoughts about how I decided to skip a lifesaving heart operation.
Chalmers Roberts lived life on his own terms. Now, by refusing a potentially life-saving operation, he is preparing to die on his own terms. Few of us could ask for better.
Unsafe From Any Screed (washingtonpost.com)
The following phone conversation between me and Ralph Nader is true. I couldn't have made it up if I tried.
I'm still proud to be counted an admirer of Ralph Nader.
Protesters Pour Into Manhattan Streets (washingtonpost.com)
NEW YORK -- Bearing flag-draped boxes resembling coffins and fly-swatters with President Bush's image, more than 100,000 protesters peacefully swarmed Manhattan's streets on the eve of the Republican National Convention to demand that President Bush be turned out of office.
Guest blogger Jim Hanas captures the wickedly funny tone of the late lamented Action in a biting comment on the mass production of writing:
[I]t still reminds me of a line from the doomed yet brilliant Fox series Action. At one point, a screenwriter who's been put through the wringer checks into the hospital for exhaustion. "Exhaustion?" scoffs soulless producer Peter Dragon. "You're just sitting there. Writing is the cure for exhaustion."
Jane Austen: A Love Story (washingtonpost.com) [BookSlut]
The Washington Post describes the latest Jane Austen fad. At least I was ahead of the curve.
In the latest chapter in the decline and fall of Washinton'sMetro subway system, the red line was running trains in both directions on a single track in order to perform maintenance on the line. The ride home was three times as long as usual, in hot, overcrowded subway car. Fortunately, I was in good company. I played over a chess game with Irving Chernev, and I let Ibn Batuta regale me with stories of his adventures in the courts of the 14th century Indian Moguls. (Some of which, such as accounts of Mongol conquest, dynastic murders, and wife burning, were admittedly rather grim.)
As we enjoyed dinner at a very fine Spanish restaurant in Washington, one of my companions brought up my (remote) Scottish ancestry, and the discussion quickly turned to Braveheart. I have always thought it amusing that outside the visitors center at the Wallace Monument in Stirling there is a statue of William Wallace, rendered to look exactly like Mel Gibson. The explanation I was given was that since no one knows what Wallace really looked like, why not make him look like Mel Gibson? (We do know, from the Wallace sword, that Wallace must have been taller than Gibson).
As for Mr. Gibson's more recent career, I do not really hold it against him. However, I find it hard to understand how a religious person like Gibson reconciles the imitation of Christ with a career based on extreme movie violence. I do not consider myself a very religious person, but I have never thought that the main point of Christ's life and teachings was the brutality of his death.
The New York Times > Sports > Olympics > Track and Field: Guerrouj Gets His One Missing Honor
Aug. 24 - Hicham el-Guerrouj dropped to his knees and kissed the track, snapping the spell of two straight Olympic failures for himself and for Morocco.With a defiant, redemptive kick, Guerrouj outlasted Bernard Lagat of Kenya in the final thrilling 50 meters of the men's 1,500-meter race on Tuesday and then edged him at the line by 12-hundredths of a second, a blink that became the achievement of a lifetime.
The television is more evil than the computer (Jeremy Zawodny's blog)
In our family debates, I generally espouse the point of view expressed by Jeremy Zawodny, but there is clearly another side to the argument that TV is simply evil.
I have enjoyed watching the Olympics on the television; I don't think that I would enjoy gymnastics as much on the computer. While I watched the Olympics, I could cuddle up with my wife and daughter on the couch. This does not work well at the keyboard; in fact, taking the baby to the computer is an invitation to a tantrum. Once we have finished watching a program together, it is often the subject of a discussion. This happens less frequently with the computer, which caters to our divergent more than our common interests.
Finally, as Zawodny's practice of turning on the iTunes at the keyboard suggests, one tends to tune out in front of the CRT, minimizing interaction with other people. Anyone who uses a computer is clearly aware that it can become obsessive. I have never been accused of ignoring someone because I was watching television, but occasionally people have suggested that I should pay more attention to them and less to the computer.
For myself, I would cheerfully dispense with a television, but not at the expense of social relationships with my family.
The New York Times > Reuters > News > Japan Issues Order to Deport Ex - Chess Champ Fischer
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan on Tuesday ordered the deportation of former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, wanted at home in the United States for breaking sanctions, rejecting his demand for protection as a political refugee.
I did not know until today that the Poetry Foundation is one of the world's largest literary foundations, thanks to a bequest of more than $100 million. I have been a subscriber to Poetry magazine for a bit more than a year now, and I received a letter from the president about the Foundation's plans with the latest issue.
What's With That Weird New Vault? - Goodbye, horse. Hello, tongue! By Brendan I. Koerner
Slate explains that the new "horse" used for vaults at the Olympics is the result of safety concerns after several accidents in Sydney. In addition to reducing injury, the new "tongue" shape also encourages more elaborate acrobatics.
The New York Times > Dining & Wine > Recalling Julia Child, Oyster-Loving Idealist
Everyone knows about Julia Child the great epicure, but how many people knew she was also a liberal activist? It's refreshing to be reminded that good taste and social justice can go together.
The Washington Post gives a very favorable review to Dennis Ross's new book,
Paul Hamm apparently earned his all-around gold medal in gymnastics as a result of a scoring error. The medal is likely to stand because the South Koreans, who should have won, did not issue a timely protest. Sometimes a storybook ending is too good to be true.
Weighed in at 174.8. Goal: 145 by Christmas. Program:
I am working on improving my chess game. I have tentatively begun a program outlined by Dan Heisman at ChessCafe.com. I am almost through Heisman's book,
Rachel and I made a couple of trips to the bookstore today. She loves the bookstore, and kept asking what the elevator is called. (Remember, she's only 15 months old). She was equally fascinated by the conveyor at the cleaner's; it is always a plus for her when I am picking clothes up rather than just dropping them off.
I am making Norwegian whole wheat bread tonight, and it is going to keep me up. The dough is quite stiff, so it needs extra time to rise. I kneaded to Beethoven on WGMS, and my father did a nice tribute to Olympian Paul Hamm later in the evening.
Swift Boat Accounts Incomplete (washingtonpost.com)
An investigation by The Washington Post into what happened that day suggests that both sides have withheld information from the public record and provided an incomplete, and sometimes inaccurate, picture of what took place. But although Kerry's accusers have succeeding in raising doubts about his war record, they have failed to come up with sufficient evidence to prove him a liar.
It may be comforting that the Post has not been able to prove Kerry a liar, but the results of the newspapers investigation have a disconcertingly tentative and ininconclusive tone. What seems clear, however, is that the disgruntled veterans who are attacking Kerry are far more upset by what he did after the war than by anything he did during the war.
Svetlana the Great - Russia's gymnastics queen preens at the all-around finals. By Meghan O'Rourke
What is appealing about Khorkina is that she grasps the magnitude of every moment. In a pre-Olympics interview, she told NBC that she loved being called a diva. "A diva is magical; you can't catch her," she smiled.
What is really disturbing about Khorkina is that she looks anorexic.
Harvard, Princeton Tied in News Rankings (washingtonpost.com)
Perhaps a playoff is in order. For the second straight year, Harvard and Princeton share the top spot in the controversial U.S. News & World Report rankings of "America's Best Colleges."
Yale is number 3, and the University of Pennsylvania is number 4. Harvard had nothing to say for itself (but is no doubt secretly chagrined over having to share the glory with the pumpkinheads.)
Records Counter a Critic of Kerry (washingtonpost.com)
In newspaper interviews and a best-selling book, Larry Thurlow, who commanded a Navy Swift boat alongside Kerry in Vietnam, has strongly disputed Kerry's claim that the Massachusetts Democrat's boat came under fire during a mission in Viet Cong-controlled territory on March 13, 1969. Kerry won a Bronze Star for his actions that day.But Thurlow's military records, portions of which were released yesterday to The Washington Post under the Freedom of Information Act, contain several references to "enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire" directed at "all units" of the five-boat flotilla. Thurlow won his own Bronze Star that day, and the citation praises him for providing assistance to a damaged Swift boat "despite enemy bullets flying about him."
Unfriendly Fire - Liar vs. coward in the Vietnam ad war. By William Saletan and Jacob Weisberg
Jacob Weisberg shreds the credibility of the "Swift Boat Vets," even before the revelations that Larry Thurow's own citation contradicts his allegations against Kerry.
If one were looking for inspiration to try to get into better shape, watching the men's gymnastics competition would not be a bad start. It's no wonder that the Greeks, with their admiration for the human form, were the orginators of gymnastics.
Congratulations to gold medal winner Paul Hamm, the comeback kid.
We took Rachel to the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair for the first time this past weekend. She liked the cows, loved the rabbits and chickens (particularly the roosters), was ambivalent about the pigs (but liked the piglets), and was frightened by the sheep. To which I can only say, Ba!
The New York Times > AP > Sports > U.S. Wins First Fencing Medals Since '84
Bronze medal winner Sada Jacobson, ranked first in the world in women's saber, is a Yale undergraduate.
MoorishGirl: August 2004 Archives: Literature as Tourist Attraction
Edinburgh, riding the coattails of Burns, Scott, and Stevenson, (and J.K. Rowling) is bidding to be considered a "World City of Literature." Unfortunately, the city falls somewhat short of the sobriquet.
Blog Interrupted (washingtonpost.com)
When Jessica Cutler put her dirty secrets on the Web, she lost her job, signed a book deal, posed for Playboy -- and raised a ton of questions about where America is headed.
Cutler apparently first started her blog so that her girlfriends could keep her sexploits with six "boyfriends" straight. She described her affairs to her friends for laughs.
In addition to an unashamed promiscuity, Cutler, according to the Post, has also casually experimented with a wide range of illegal substances, is chronically unable to keep a job, and was "inaccurate" on her resume about such details as whether she had actually graduated from college.
The Post's interest in the story — apart from its obviously titilallating details about sex in corridors of power — seems to be based on the question: "Is this the new norm for young women today?" The Post suggests, citing Naomi Wolf, that sexual liberation and the push for equal rights have led to a commoditization of sex among young women that apes the worst of men's traditional attittudes.
The story also has a moral: don't write anything on your blog that you would not want your boss, your significant other, or your parents to read.
Wired News: Copyright Crusaders Hit Schools
"We want to teach children to be thinking human beings," said Melinda Anderson, a spokeswoman for the NEA. "Not a parrot for some corporate agenda."
Darth Vader and the RIAA have attempted to brainwash the nation's schoolchildren about the evils of copyright infringement. The rebel alliance, a.k.a. American Library Association, has mounted a counterattack against the Death Star.
Salon.com Books | Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz dies at 93
"It's not possible to be sated with the world. I'm still insatiable," he said. "At my age, I'm still looking for a form, for a language to express the world."
Link from BookSlut.
Interesting discussion of the fallacies underlying Michelle Malkin's new book justifying the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
STLtoday - Business - Technology
What you write on a Web log can get back to your employer, but blogs also are the hottest way to keep up with new information.
We hired our neighbor, who is a landscaping genius, to make over the beds around our house, and the result is remarkable. My small contribution (apart from a sizeable financial investment) was to festoon the yard with soaker hoses to water the new plants.
I also received a long awaited copy of the third volume in Michael Holroyd's biography of George Bernard Shaw. I couldn't resist skimming the pages, which only confirmed how thoroughly crazy Shaw became in his later years.
Chatological Humor* (washingtonpost.com)
Apparently, we haven't quite got our stuff together yet. I hope you all saw the stories today that these alerts were based on pre-9/11 information. I believe it is currently a federal offense to make fun of our government, so I won't. I am staunchly behind our Secretary of Homeland Security and his aides, Cocky Locky, Goosy Poosey, and Henny Penny.
Thanks to Gayle for the pointer.
Security Alert (washingtonpost.com)
It is important that prominent Democrats such as former governor Howard Dean refrain from observing, as Mr. Dean did, that "every time something happens that's not good for President Bush, he plays this trump card, which is terrorism," because that would imply that no terrorist threats, however serious, should be taken as such.
The Post stops short of saying that Howard Dean is incorrect in his assessment. Rather, it seems the Post editorial board does not think that telling the truth is prudent in this instance — a novel position for a newspaper.
Top reads at the moment: Caterina.net, Halley's Comment, and MoorishGirl.
Beowulf is a poem that is doubly poignant. It is a poem of a lost people (Anglo-Saxons) in a lost language (Old English), about a doomed hero (Beowulf) of another lost people (the Geats). In that sense, the poem should appeal with double force to any Romantic.
Beowulf, son of Ecgtheow, spoke: "Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning. For every one of us, living in this world means waiting for our end. Let whoever can win glory before death. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark."Beowulf, ll. 1383-1389, trans. Seamus Heaney.
A. Dan. points out that the church in question below is actually far more recent than the Vikings, and in fact dates from about 1870, although many Icelandic churches are far older. The site nevertheless remains powerfully evocative.
This is the baptismal font in þingvallakirkja, the church at þingvellir which is the place where the parliament was held in Iceland around the year 1000. The picture was taken on Good Friday 2004.
I was struck by this picture, which I found quite by accident, because it so neatly captures the moment when the Vikings embraced Christianity and acquired literacy — the moment when their most enduring monuments, the sagas, were recorded.
This is a test post from 
, a fancy photo sharing thing.
Heaney makes a fascinating point in the introduction. As an Irishman, he had always felt some resistance to translating an Anglo-Saxon poem into modern English; he did not feel that it sat well with his Celtic heritage. Heaney describes his epiphany regarding the interconnectedness of language as follows:
The place on the language map where the Usk and the uisce and the whiskey coincided was definitely a place where the spirit might find a loophole, an escape route from what John Montague has called "the partitioned intellect," away into some unpartitioned linguistic country, a region where one's language would not be a simple badge of ethnicity or a matter of cultural preference or official imposition, but an entry into further language. And I eventually came upon one of these loopholes in Beowulf itself.
For me the excitement of Heaney's translation is not just his acclaimed verse, but the continued interweaving of the strands of Irish myth and Norse folklore that I have been reading. One of the remarkable features of the Icelandic sagas is the amount of interaction that the Icelanders had with the British Isles, where they raided, traded, and pledged fealty to various English (and Irish) kings. Here, now, is an English poem recounting, in part, the adventures of the Geats, from England, and the Danes. The inspiration for this literary detour, and the point to which I mean ultimately to return, is the poetry of William Butler Yeats, so it fitting that I continue the journey under the guidance of another Irish poet.
It was a bad weekend for computers. I managed to fry both my processor and my floppy drive. The computer was shutting down intermittently for no apparent reason, so I suspected that the processor was overheating. (I had had problems previously with the heat sink that came with my AMD Athlon 2000.) I upgraded the heat sink, but I managed to install the it incorrectly (it was asymmetrical) and fried the chip. Arrrrrrrgh! Fortunately, I was able to buy a relatively inexpensive AMD Athlon 2400 as a replacement without having to upgrade the motherboard. I got everything hooked up, and it appeared to be working fine. Fine, that is, until smoke started pouring out of my floppy drive and the power cables began to melt. I cut the power before any more damage was done. The computer (minus floppy drive) is working fine for the moment. (Otherwise you would probably not be reading this. I guess I should look on the bright side; at least it was cheaper to repair than my car, I was able to do it myself, and everyone survived.
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