"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter." —Mark Twain
In the news
My personal thoughts on the arrest of Henry Louis Gates? You probably think I’m about to say I agree with President Obama that the Cambridge police acted stupidly. No, actually, I think they acted predictably. Racism is a given in situations like this. Whites know it; people of color know it . . . if […]
Pwn: internet slang term, derived from the verb “own,” meaning to appropriate or conquer, implying domination or humiliation of a rival. — Wikipedia. From the New York Times, 21 July, 2009: Driven to Distraction U.S. Withheld Data on Risks of Distracted Driving By MATT RICHTEL Published: July 21, 2009 In 2003, researchers at a federal agency […]
Or . . . stealthy and expensive mega-guns? I’ve been trying to think of something intelligent to contribute to the ongoing debate over future production of the F-22 Raptor. President Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates want to cap production at 187 aircraft, the number currently funded. Congressmen and senators from F-22 producing districts […]
“I don’t think it will be the day after day after day of ethics violation charges that are frivolous, that are ridiculous. I think on a national level your department of law there in the White House would look at this, the things we have been charged with, and automatically throw them out, not make […]
I sure get a kick out of the Tucson Weekly Police Dispatch column. This one is from the July 2, 2009 issue: A WHORIBLE SPELLER A woman freshly out of a messy divorce found alleged proof that her ex-husband is both mean and a lousy speller, a PCSD report stated. The victim said that about […]
So I thought I’d take a little hike up the Appalachian Trail. You know, just to see how far the Old Log Inn is. But when I get back I find a note from my wife: “Gone to Reno.” Shoot, now it’s just me & Rosie . . . and her five sisters. Well, gotta […]
I’m concerned about what appears to be a stolen election in Iran, and even more concerned about government violence and suppression of dissent. It’s encouraging, even exciting, that Iranians are finding ways around government censorship to get their story out to the rest of the world. In this country, conservative politicians are criticizing President Obama […]