New Coke

Since the evening of September 11, 2001, George W. Bush and his administration have been telling us that we are engaged in a Global War On Terrorism, a struggle so vast that it required that the American People sacrifice immensely in order to overcome our enemies. We have had to give up higher marginal tax rates, paying for our government, legislative accountability and even resource conservation, in order to defeat TERROR.

Seems recent events have changed that approach. According to this article in the New York Times, Rumsfeld and others in the Administration have begun talking of the Global Struggle Against Violent Extremism. Slate's Fred Kaplan points out that the acronym for this new bit of Newspeak is G-SAVE, making it even clearer that our Government is once again busily changing the way we speak about something rather than actually dealing with the underlying issue.

I wish I could take this seriously, and attribute it to somebody in the White House realizing you can't win a "war" against a tactic. You might as well fight a global war on amphibious landings. Even sillier was the co-opting of the emotion, Terror, and the concept that a war could be won against an emotion. Once we're done with Terror, we're going to just ANNIHILATE Boredom, you watch and see.

So yes, indeed, we are engaged in a struggle against violent extremism. More specifically, we are engaged in a struggle for the hearts and minds of a billion poor young people, who look at the western world with a toxic mixture of longing and contempt. But this administration is not capable of such nuance. No, this is just a rebadging of a bad idea. This is New Coke.

Whether it was ever wise declare a war against Terror (an emotion) or Terrorism (a tactic) is somewhat beside the point. We've spent almost four years hearing that mantra, hearing about how we were rolling back the forces of terror, and how the Global War On Terrorism was an ongoing success. Seems that channel has been changed with the bombings in London.

This strategy is, of course, nothing new in Bushland.

Got a problem convincing Americans to back your plan to sell off the timber in the national forests for pennies on the dollar to your cronies? Call it the "Healthy Forests Initiative." Not sure Americans will go for easing the tax burden on contemptible people like Paris Hilton? Call it a Death Tax and say you want to cut it. One of your Senators used the stupid phrase "going nuclear" to discuss a parliamentary procedure? Try to convince Americans that the Democrats said it first, and then cloak your anti-constitutional behavior as the "Constitutional Option."

Now, we reach the apotheosis of Newspeak with G-SAVE. Terrorists blowing up your allies? Unable to rebuild a country after bombing it? Bankrupting your country and bleeding your Special Forces dry? Global War On Terror hitting some snags? Don't change tactics. Don't examine policy. RENAME IT.

Drink up folks, we promise it actually tastes better than the old one. Really.

Hard times

Man. The sacrifices I make for my career....

Must wear this season in New York

New York Mayor Bloomberg decides if you want to walk through, ride on or be in the New York Subway System, you consent to having your personal possessions searched at "random" by the New York and Port Authority Police.

30 billion (That did seem high, so I checked the source - over 1 billion) people a year ride the New York Subway. When people in certain places accuse me and others of not being "serious" about fighing terrorism because we now believe that our government made the situation worse by starting a war in a place that had been essentially uninvolved in terrorism, is this the kind of "serious" terror-fighting they have in mind? Allocating massive police resources to search less than 1/1000th of one percent of those who might use the New York Subway?

Hey Bloomberg, how about searching this.

Ring my be-e-ell, ring my bell...

Anita Ward, this kid ain't.

Thanks to JT for the link, and the nearly as hilarious set up commentary:

Imagine this...
You just came to Texas Tech university as a freshman... You get the
opportunity to make it big time as the football teams BELL RINGER during
their games... Your whole family, all of your friends, and about 10-15
million ESPN viewers will see you on a Saturday telecast ringing the
teams bell.... But to your whole family, all of your friends, and about
10-15 million ESPN viewers you DO NOT appear to be ringing the teams
bell...watch and see..

The Bellringer.

Harry Potter and the Forgotten Discovery

Well, I did it, I read the whole book last night, conveniently forgetting to draft requests for admission. Consequently, I won't be posting much this week.

I thought the new Harry Potter book was excellent, though I could have done with less of the teenage crushes and "snogging" and more battles with Snape. But hey, I'm not the target audience, and the levity and laughter were much appreciated after Order of the Phoenix.

The ending 1/3 of the book is fantasy writing on a par with the best of Tolkein and C.S. Lewis. Struggling through Ron and Hermione's endless refusal to hook up with each other pays off when Harry and Dumbledore embark on their quest. There is some truly horrifying imagery and some well done homages to Rowling's forbears in epic storytelling.

I don't want to give away anything, but I think I agree with this take on the ending and the set up for the seventh book. Warning, full of huge spoilers. If you plan on reading the book, don't read that link.

Et tu, Roy?

While at Kansas, Roy Williams evidently authorized gifts to graduating players - a practice which is against NCAA regulations. Yahoo story here.

Le jour de gloire est arrive...

In honor of Bastille Day, a few quotes from the colossus of the Enlightenment, Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire. These were compiled from various sources on the web,including: Brainyquote, Quotes Exchange, and The Quotations Page.

It's almost as if he were alive today, watching and commenting, as anti-Enlightenment forces struggle mightily to pull us backwards. In any event, read on,and enjoy one of the great wits of history.

"I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous." And he granted it."

"All murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets."

"Doubt is not a pleasant condition . . . but certainty is an absurd one."

"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers."

"It is far better to be silent than merely to increase the quantity of bad books."

"Common sense is not so common."

"God created sex. Priests created marriage."

"I was never ruined but twice. Once when I lost a lawsuit. And once when I won one."

"It is better to risk saving a guilty person than to condemn an innocent one."

"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be."

"Stand upright, speak thy thoughts, declare the truth thou hast, that all may share; be bold, proclaim it everywhere. They only live who dare.

"He was a great patriot, a humanitarian, a loyal friend; provided,of course, he is really dead."

"The infinitely little have pride infinitely great."

"What most persons consider as virtue, after the age of 40 is simply a loss of energy."

"A witty saying proves nothing."

GAME ON!

NHL, players reach preliminary deal.

Now vote to accept it, get the players signed and lets drop the pucks.

You expect George to date models...

..and Elaine to meet a kind, considerate friend who is just like Jerry, but nice.

Yes, you're in Bizarro world.

And MyDD explains just why the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is whooping its Republican counterpart in fundraising this year. He thinks it has to do with the filibuster deal. He might be right.

Gotta work now. Have a good day.

A question for Scotland Yard

You have stated that the bombs used in the London Bombings of 7/7/05 were composed of sophisticated high explosives, and could not have been composed of homemade explosive material. Have you been able to determine whether that material is HMX or RDX, 380 tons of which went missing from outside Baghdad after the invasion of Iraq?

Bye, Karl

"Let me just say something about leaks in Washington. There are too many leaks of classified information in Washington. There's leaks at the executive branch; there's leaks in the legislative branch. There's just too many leaks. And if there is a leak out of my administration, I want to know who it is. And if the person has violated law, the person will be taken care of.

And so I welcome the investigation. I -- I'm absolutely confident that the Justice Department will do a very good job. There's a special division of career Justice Department officials who are tasked with doing this kind of work; they have done this kind of work before in Washington this year. I have told our administration, people in my administration to be fully cooperative.

I want to know the truth. If anybody has got any information inside our administration or outside our administration, it would be helpful if they came forward with the information so we can find out whether or not these allegations are true and get on about the business.

Q Yesterday we were told that Karl Rove had no role in it --

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q -- have you talked to Karl and do you have confidence in him --

THE PRESIDENT: Listen, I know of nobody -- I don't know of anybody in my administration who leaked classified information. If somebody did leak classified information, I'd like to know it, and we'll take the appropriate action. And this investigation is a good thing."

President Bush, Remarks to Reporters, September 30, 2003.

And yeah, this quote is accurate.

War of the Worlds (and the world's most ridiculous protest)

MrsFrankLives and I actually attended a current movie showing in an actual theater last night. Amazing experience - I highly recommend it. It requires that you spend about 50 bucks once you count the babysitter, the movie tickets, the popcorn and the drink, but hey, go for it.

We saw Spielberg's latest, "War of the Worlds." An intense, visceral, astoundingly grim film which has Spielberg not only at the top of his game, but obviously having a lot of fun melting people with giant rayguns. It's a good movie to see in the theater. Despite a ridiculous, typically Spielberg happy ending (beyond even the Deus ex machina that ends HG Wells' classic novel), it is a fun horror/space alien/shootemup movie that grabs you at about the tenth minute and shakes you for an hour and a half. Tim Robbins is especially good as a crazy guy with a shotgun who shelters Cruise and his daughter from the aliens.

Two things, though, stood out from last night's trip to the movies.

(1) Tom Cruise can't throw a baseball to save his life. There's a scene at the beginning of the movie which is supposed to show the enmity between Cruise's character and his teenage son, where they become progressively angrier at each other during a game of catch and try to throw it through each other's heads. Great conceit. Horrendously wrong for these actors.

The kid has a fluid, natural motion. Tom Cruise? Worse than Anthony Perkins as Jimmy Piersall in "Fear Strikes Out." He throws like the kid in "The Sandlot" at the beginning of that movie - the one who had no dad and had never played catch. All elbow, the ball never over his shoulder. Like he's swatting mosquitos and a ball happened to get in the way.

He throws one pitch to his son and says, laughably, "That's not even half what I got." And all I could think was "you'd better hope so, you complete dork. Now go hit on little Dakota Fanning before she grows up and rejects Scientology."

(2) The movie industry must be kidding. When you buy a ticket, you receive a card asking you to write the NC General Assembly and "fight the movie tax." The 40 cent per ticket tax will, in the words of the hysterical card handed to me at the Raleigh Grande, "raise the cost of a night at the movies for a family of four by $1.60."

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for keeping movie prices low, but if the idea is to provide "inexpensive family entertainment," shouldn't we maybe look at why movie popcorn is mysteriously more expensive than its fresher, more flavorful microwaved cousin? Or why M&M's cost 5 times as much at the Raleigh Grande as at the Target across the street?

They want me to write my legislator over a tax that will cost my entire family about 1/2 of what they charge for a box of Jujubees. Sheeya. Right.

Scalia

Winston points out that one should check one's sources before quoting. He's right. Sloppy and rushed, I was.

I'll leave up the mistake, since I am not Marcus Kindley.

"Mere factual innocence is no reason not to carry out a death sentence properly reached." --U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia *referring to his concurring opinion in Herrera v. Collins, 506 US 390 (1993).

Discuss.

*On edit. This quote, while found easily and universally attributed to Scalia is not, in actuality, in Scalia's written concurrence. Mea culpa.

If the quote is inaccurate, it nevertheless conveys the spirit and effect of the Court's decision in that case. And Scalia has never denied making this statement in a speech delivered shortly after the decision.

Maybe if he didn't have Marshalls seize tape recorders monitoring his speeches, he wouldn't need to worry about such supposed inaccuracy.

But Winston, you got me. The quote is not in the concurrence.

Progress?

Getting the 8 richest nations in the world to pledge an additional $25 billion in aid to Africa is progress, I guess, and Tony Blair deserves a lot of credit for pushing that agenda. But didn't we just drop another $80 billion or so on military operations in one country?

Enough to drive you nuts if you think about it too much.

I'm pretty busy today, not a lot of time to be here, but I wanted to make sure you read Molly Ivins's wonderful response to Karl Rove's ridiculous and a-historical statement that liberals saw 9-11 and quailed at the thought of military action in response. Her reaction is vintage Molly:

I am not "you liberals" or "you people on the left who always..." My name is Molly Ivins, and I can speak for myself, thank you. I don't need Rush Limbaugh or Karl Rove to tell me what I believe.

Setting up a straw man, calling it liberal and then knocking it down has become a favorite form of "argument" for those on the right. Make some ridiculous claim about what "liberals" think, and then demonstrate how silly it is. Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and many other right-wing ravers never seem to get tired of this old game. If I had a nickel for every idiotic thing I've ever heard those on the right claim "liberals" believe, I'd be richer than Bill Gates. . . .

Anyone remember what actually happened after 9-11? Unprecedented unity, support across the board, joint statements by Democratic and Republican political leaders. The whole world was with us. The most important newspaper in France headlined, "We Are All Americans Now," and all our allies sent troops and money to help. That is what George Bush has pissed away with his war in Iraq.

Yer darn tootin'.

NC Senate Stalls "Pop the Cap"

Today, the News & Record's Mark Binker reports that Sen. John Kerr (D- Goldsboro), joined by Sen. Jim Jacumin (R - Burke[corrected]) and Sen. Larry Shaw (D Cumberland) used a parliamentary maneuver to remove the Pop the Cap bill from the Senate Calendar and send it back to the Senate Finance Committee. Because Marc Basnight just suspended all committee work until a budget is passed, this is likely a death knell for the bill, unless it can be brought back to the floor.

Call these three fine public servants and ask them what the hell they were thinking.

Kerr - (919) 733-5621 Email: Johnk@ncleg.net
Jacumin - (919) 715-7823 Email: Jimja@ncleg.net
Shaw - (919) 733-9349 Email: Larrys@ncleg.net

London

In case the barbarians who blow up buses and trains believe they can sap the will of the British people, it might be best if they look to history, and realize this is one battle they have chosen quite poorly. In 1940, Britons continued going to work and living their lives in the midst of the Blitz, 57 consecutive nights of firebombing, backed by the might and terror of the German war machine.

"Into the dark shadowed spaces below us, while we watched, whole batches of incendiary bombs fell. We saw two dozen go off in two seconds. They flashed terrifically, then quickly simmered down to pin points of dazzling white, burning ferociously. These white pin points would go out one by one, as the unseen heroes of the moment smothered them with sand. But also, while we watched, other pin points would burn on, and soon a yellow flame would leap up from the white center. They had done their work - another building was on fire.

The greatest of all the fires was directly in front of us. Flames seemed to whip hundreds of feet into the air. Pinkish-white smoke ballooned upward in a great cloud, and out of this cloud there gradually took shape - so faintly at first that we weren't sure we saw correctly - the gigantic dome of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Later on I borrowed a tin hat and went out among the fires. That was exciting too; but the thing I shall always remember above all the other things in my life is the monstrous loveliness of that one single view of London on a holiday night - London stabbed with great fires, shaken by explosions, its dark regions along the Thames sparkling with the pin points of white-hot bombs, all of it roofed over with a ceiling of pink that held bursting shells, balloons, flares and the grind of vicious engines. And in yourself the excitement and anticipation and wonder in your soul that this could be happening at all.

These things all went together to make the most hateful, most beautiful single scene I have ever known."

-Ernie Pyle

As a great man once said at a much darker hour, when Britain faced forces arrayed against it that today's marauders can only dream of bringing to bear:

"I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. . . . we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender."

--Winston Churchill, June 4, 1940, Speech to the House of Commons

The thoughts and prayers of Americans and peace loving people everywhere are with our British friends today.

Blue skies from pain

If you didn't watch Live 8, you missed a great set by Pink Floyd, which included a moving tribute to original band member Syd Barrett, to whom Roger Waters dedicated "Wish You Were Here."

Speaking of pain, this weekend also saw me back in a canoe for the first time in a year.

Six years ago I went on an Outward Bound trip in which I hiked 10 - 20 miles a day, whitewater canoed for two days, then carried my canoe out of the gorge on my back and ran a 10k.

Two days ago, I took my son on a 30 minute flatwater canoe ride.

Guess which one made me more sore?

Inactivity sucks.

Finally

It's about freakin' time.

Ear Candy

The Stinging Nettle wishes our readers a safe and happy 4th. Here are a few tunes to get you through the long weekend. . .

Laura Cantrell: Too Late For Tonight (2002)
Ms. Cantrell played the Pour House in Raleigh last night and DFL and I had planned to be in attendance. Since we didn't make the show, I figured a post was in order. Cantrell is truly an interesting artist; she's got a great voice that really suits her alt-country/Americana musical style and has some interesting connections in the world of music: she was a favorite of the late, great British DJ John Peel and she's worked with the likes of Mac McCaughan, They Might Be Giants and Ballboy. She also worked as a VP of Equity Research for Bank of America and her dad was a Tennessee appellate judge. "Too Late For Tonight" is from her excellent 2002 record, When The Roses Bloom Again.

Too Late For Tonight / 128kbps MP3, 2.28MB
- Buy When The Roses Bloom Again from Amazon
- Laura Cantrell on allmusic.com

Razorlight: Vice (2004)
I don't know too much about this band, but "Vice" is a great indie track with a super-catchy chorus. I hear a bit of 70's NYC punk in these guys filtered through the Strokes and the melodies of 80's power pop. Apparently, they made a big splash at SXSW this year; their record, Up All Night is in my Amazon wish list.

Vice / 192kbps MP3, 4.45MB
- Buy Up All Night from Amazon
- Razorlight on allmusic.com

The Ike Reilly Assassination: I Don't Know What You Got (Goin' On) (2005)
The "Loser"-era Beck influence on this song couldn't be more blatant, but that's a good thing. It's rhythmic, blues-inflected and has a great chorus, all in a garage rock wrapper. Other songs on this record (Sparkle In The Finish) are are more traditional rockers, but old Ike (he's 43) has definitely got somethin' goin' on.

I Don't Know What You Got (Goin' On) / 320kbps MP3, 8.96MB
- Buy Sparkle In The Finish from Amazon
- Ike Reilly Assassination on allmusic.com

Bruce Springsteen: 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (1973)
And finally, in a dual tribute to our annual celebration of Independence and the retiring Sandy Day O'Connor, a little Boss Sauce. Of course, I don't think Bruce had the berobed Justice in mind when he penned this classic. . .

4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / 128kbps MP3, 5.14MB
- Buy The Wild, The Innocent & The E-Street Shuffle from Amazon
- Bruce Springsteen on allmusic.com

NOTE: Most of these MP3's will be removed after a week or so as it is not our intent to violate any copyrights. Our hope is to perhaps introduce our readers to some music they haven't heard before. If you like what you hear, please buy the record! We will be happy to remove any file at the request of a copyright owner.

Mr. President - Pick Allyson

Dear President Bush:

You may find it odd to receive a letter of constructive advice from a person who has dedicated a good portion of his waking hours since 1999 in opposition to you and your Administration. But rest assured, I write you as an American citizen deeply concerned about the quality and direction of American politics. I write you out of deep concern that a nearly unbridgeable political divide threatens the very fabric of our democracy. I write you with an idea for an appointment with which you can demonstrate your desire for statesmanship and responsible politics.

I humbly suggest that you nominate Fourth Circuit Judge Allyson K. Duncan to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

This advice is completely contrary to my interests as a partisan Democrat. The idea that a Republican President would nominate a competent, bright, popular, politically astute, young Republican African American woman to the Supreme Court should fill me with dread. It does not, because I know Allyson Duncan.

I know, sir, that you love this country. I also know that you will receive pressure from your most vociferous and financially lucrative supporters to crush the Democrats and secure an activist conservative court for decades to come. Judge Duncan would not be the judge you need to make a statement in support of the Dr. Dobsons and Pat Roberstons of the world.

But her nomination would be a statement that in your second term you are looking at your legacy and the legacy of the Court. Political division does the Court no favors. Judge Duncan is the kind of consensus candidate that we have too few of lately. By nominating her, you would be calling the Democrats bluff and, frankly, presenting their worst nightmare - a young conservative republican judge - in an unopposable package.

Rest assured, Mr. President, Judge Duncan is no liberal in wolf's clothing. She has been a Republican since the Reagan Administration. She worked with Clarence Thomas at the EEOC. She was appointed to the NC Court of Appeals by Republican Governor Jim Martin, and she was, before assuming her seat on the Fourth Circuit, an active and partisan Republican.

But she also was one of the most popular Presidents in the history of the North Carolina Bar Association. She is well-regarded by attorneys of all political stripes. And she would be an instant media hit as soon as you introduce her in the Rose Garden.

Go for compromise over controversy, Mr. President. Appoint the dedicated conservative activist to replace Justice Rehnquist. Save the country the battle this time and give us a Justice we can all support.

Give us Justice Allyson K. Duncan.

Extraordinary Circumstances

"Things fall apart; the center cannot hold;

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood dimm'd tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity."

"The Second Coming - W.B. Yeats"

My favorite poem comes to mind now, as Sandra Day O'Connor is announcing her retirement.

Here's a message to our friends on the right. Respect the viewpoint of the 49% of the voters who objected to you in November. Respect the will of the majority of the American public represented by Democratic Senators. Do NOT appoint an ideaologue to this seat, which is the crucial swing seat. Let's compromise and find a candidate, obviously a Republican one, who we can all get behind, like Judge Alyson K. Duncan of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

If you go for the gold, the killing blow, and push a candidate whose obvious goal is to stamp out the last vestiges of the Warren Court, that will certainly be considered extraordinary circumstances, and we will shut down the Senate.



Whatever comes out of these gates, we'll stand a better chance of survival if we work together.
More reflections on Justice O'Connor when I have a chance to think.