As you can probably deduce from Kiwi’s guest post a few days ago, the packing operations have escalated from Major to Serious. It’s now less than a week till the movers come, and all holy heck is being unleashed. Mountains of books, CDs, and various other items are indeed being dismantled and certain dodgy pieces […]

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In case you missed it, Keith Olbermann was on fire this week. His special comment was possibly the most powerful I’ve seen him deliver. And his ultimate point about the sacred dividing line between the civilian leadership and the military is one that needs to be heard more often — too many people don’t seem […]

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I’m a little behind the times with this, but I wanted to offer some belated shoutings-out and linkback lurve to my fellow participants from The Nod this past Wednesday evening.
Don Hall and Joe Janes did a great job of hosting the evening, making everyone feel welcome and creating the opportunity for the gaggle to mingle […]

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Disturbing changes are taking place in the world, and we do not know what they signify. We are afraid that something terrible is going on, some fundamental destructive process that is entirely outside of our experience. You can read this in our wide-eyed stares, our defensive crouches, our tendency to go into hiding for longer […]

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I just threw out four years worth of Harper’s and Macworld.
Major packing operations have begun …

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Eric Alterman has an outstanding column in The Nation on how the media’s mean girls (of all genders) develop the narratives they use to bring down the presidential candidates they take a dislike to. With examples of what they did to Gore in 2000, and what they’re doing to Obama and Edwards right now.
Two of […]

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This week’s smash-hit viral video is a cheery little mash-up in which a Monty Python classic gets its peanut butter in the chocolate of the modern-day healthcare crisis.

 
… and here’s the handy action link.
If William Jennings Bryan were alive today, he might say something about not crucifying mankind upon a Cross of Blue.
… while we’re […]

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This one:
I guess all I’m really saying
is how I think you’re wrong here
and some things are worth the chaos
that they come along with
— Trembling Blue Stars, “Letter Never Sent” (which has a bridge worthy of Neil Finn)
 

(First installment in a possible recurring series … feel free to share your own favorite tear-jerking lyrics in the […]

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Next Wednesday, September 19, I’m going to be participating in a way-fun event called The Nod, in which some of Chicago’s best bloggers will be reading posts from their blogs live at the Uptown Writer’s Space.
And for some reason they’ve asked me to be on the bill, as well. Possibly to make the rest of […]

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Stephen notices the Republicans’ rhetorical reliance on the word honor, and points out who else tends to use that word a lot.

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General Petraeus says that “victory” in Iraq will require 9-10 more years. I’m trying to imagine how ten more years of bloody occupation can possibly work out to a victory. More on that subject here.

A bill has been introduced in Venezuela to restrict baby names to a list of 100 approved choices. “The bill’s ambition, […]

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Via Towleroad, the trailer for the new movie Rendition, scheduled for release October 19 in the US.

 
I’m not usually one for movies that get the “thriller” label, but the political dimension to this one — and the quality of the cast — make it look like an early standout among fall releases.
There’s some interview with […]

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I just updated the News page over at The Head of Orpheus, the Russell Hoban Web site I maintain, so I figured I might as well cross-post the info here as well (with a few slight formatting tweaks).
Autumn 2007 is shaping up to be a great season for Hoban fans, with Russ’s next novel My […]

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From Debbie Harry’s forthcoming solo album Necessary Evil, which is due out October 9 in the US.
I’m not entirely sure about the video, but I really like the song.

 
You can hear another track from the album, “If I Had You,” on Ms. Harry’s official MySpace page.
 

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