A podcast about books, art & life — not necessarily in that order
Fallujah’s going to be a real problem:
“We could take the city,” [Mohammed Abdullah Shahwani, Iraq’s director of national intelligence] said, “but we would have to kill everyone in it.”
As Ralph Peters puts it:
“Nothing says that wars of attrition have to be fair.”
According to this article in the Washington Post, the organized homicidal faction of the Palestinians is calling for reforms of the Palestinian Authority (an end to corruption, nepotism and graft, particularly), and wants a voice in the government.
At first, I was going to make a joke about how tough it would be to vote for candidates who always wear black ski masks, but that seemed mean-spirited. Then I thought about how the article (which I read quickly) doesn’t seem to mention a need to destroy Israel. Which made me think, “Maybe this security wall is already serving its purpose.”
Something’s not kosher here.
Yeah, it’s embarrassing that the New York Post ran a front-page headline that John Kerry had chosen Dick Gephardt as his VP candidate, the morning that John Edwards got the nod.
But for the Daily News to slam them for it is kinda pissy, especially since the News ran a back page headline last winter that definitively stated Mike Fratello was to be named the Knicks’ head coach. Lenny Wilkens got the job and, Fratello expressly TOLD the idiot NBA-writer at the News BEFORE THE ARTICLE RAN that he wasn’t offered the job and hadn’t even talked to Knicks about it.
Not exactly rested and ready, but at least the big issue is wrapped, in time for my family’s visit for the next 7-10 days!
To get re-started, here’s a post by The Brooding Persian, about the 4th of July in Iran.
In the Persian calendar, today is 18 Tir, which has become a day of protest for Iranians. It marks the anniversary of the 1999 Iranian students national uprising, which was flat-out massacred by the troops of the theocracy. There are protests and demonstrations going on worldwide, a guide for which can be found here. If there was one in NYC tonight/this afternoon, I’d head out for it.
Update: Here’s a little more background on the events of 18 Tir back in 1999.
I thought I’d have some indignation regarding this story on Colin Powell’s singing disco at an Asian security meeting in Jakarta.
Instead, I marveled over the coincidence of the song & get-up he chose, and their similarity to a friend-of-a-friend’s award-winning design for a pack of condoms.
It’s been a strange little life, 33 years into it . . .
Someday, I’ll be able to tell my (brother’s) grandkids that I saw Derek Jeter play.
Unfortunately, for his two greatest plays (last night’s, and the incredible backup play he made in the 2001 playoffs against Oakland), I was in the car, and heard them on the radio.
Mickey Kaus just referred to my car (the Honda Element) as a “fake panzer” in his review of the new Scion xB. I considered buying the Scion, but discovered that it actually possesses a lawnmower engine, and thus would be impractical for the hills where I live.
Mickey also writes: Drive a Scion for a few days and you’ll see other cars the way Humbert Humbert saw college girls–as repulsively over-ripe.
Nice.
I’m probably just punchy, but I laughed over just about every entry.
I’m writing up my profile of Aventis, going over the company’s late-stage drug pipeline to see what might be a good revenue source, when I come across a drug called Sculptra. What is it meant to treat, I wonder?
“Indication: Facial lipoatrophy”
Okay. I’m a smart guy. I guess it means “fat in the face is wearing out.” But I HAVE to look it up to see what it’s all about.