September 2008
57 posts
Big news from NWF: McCain finally reiterates opposition (“at this time”) to drilling in ANWR “petroleum reserve.” http://tinyurl.com/3znps8
“The risk of a total systemic meltdown is now as high as ever.” http://www.rgemonitor.com/blog/roubini/ Holy moly.
Jargon watch: “existential threat” (newfangled foreign-policy variant of the Strangelovian “existential risk” http://tinyurl.com/4hmqu6 )
Patrick O’Brian: “Stephen said, ‘I have noticed that some old men lose their sense of honour, and will cheerfully avow the strangest acts.’”
Maureen Dowd is preternaturally brilliant on many fronts, but she has a giant Obama-shaped blind spot. On him she’s weirdly bored & boring.
Harvesting a mtn. of ripe black gold from the compost bins, retrieving half-forgotten lines from Ode to Autumn, “steady thy laden head…”
Paul Newman faves: Pauline Kael quotation in the NY Times obit http://tinyurl.com/4ove5r + Color of Money’s last shot: “Hey, I’m back!”
Thinking about my Dad in the hospital.
After 3,477 updates, @hotdogsladies goes dead air on Twitter (and TWIT too). Hating political tweets as MM does, he’s well out of it.
Heading out shortly for the WildEarth Guardians Santa Fe benefit. That always entertaining political bison Bill Richardson will speak.
Oh media! I long for a return to the golden age of objective, accurate, and non-partisan political journalism that never was.
Via Just a Girl from Homer: The tragic history of aerial wolf hunting in Alaska http://tinyurl.com/42pugs
It’s shocking — or maybe not — that environmental issues are now mostly invisible in this election. Even “drill, baby, drill” has faded.
I really enjoyed the last few blissful weeks of not despising Bill Clinton for being a passive-aggressive, Joe Lieberman wannabe.
It just adds to the weirdness that Henry Paulson is a Christian Scientist.
Having trouble believing McCain isn’t gaming the crisis & intensifying everybody’s jitters in seeking a delay of the Friday debate.
Overheard on Berkeley campus: “Guess what? She’s got iPhone stuff on her Blackberry. That is so fly!”
Video of Chris Rock on Letterman, talking about Bill Clinton and Sarah Palin http://tinyurl.com/48s2q5
Economic meltdown humor: Q. What’s a liberal? A. A conservative who has been ripped off by Wall Street. http://tinyurl.com/4fs2m2
Long day: La Honda, the beach at Pescadero, Highway 1 past the Devil’s Slide Tunnel site, San Francisco (Caffe Trieste, Apple Store, etc.)
Fog pouring over the coast range above Crystal Spring reservoir, Redwood City, last day of summer.
Stirring exegesis on the mysterious biblical figure Melchizedek in the sermon at the Covenant Village of Turlock Chapel. Wild stuff!
Morning in Redwood City, heading to Turlock, garden spot of California’s Central Valley, then San Francisco. I brake for gay weddings.
The bears stalk Wall St, and apparently a mountain lion is roaming the neighborhoods of NE Santa Fe tonight. Good times.
Gettin’ schooled by my Fox-watchin’, Obama-dissin’ family.
Visiting my dad, who just took delivery on a cool, spanking new Pride Mobility Products Victory 10 indigo-blue electric 3-wheeled scooter.
Mystery link: http://tinyurl.com/5stjr5 Tags: Palin, Sarah (Gov.); 2008 Election; Hockey Moms; Élites; Lipstick; Country First; Pigs
Worst new trend word, hands down: “glamping” (for luxe camping). Sounds like a gruesome STD. http://tinyurl.com/5bqfh7
Jargon watch: “murder boards” (c.f. making an end run around actual knowledge through tag-team tutoring). http://tinyurl.com/5ajubn
Reading into the quiet late night, big moon outside, checking the furious meth headlines from Wall St. every few hours.
“They tell the truth and ensure that the full truth is known. They do not lie.” Naval Honor Code http://tinyurl.com/6oh7pz
Meanwhile, back in Alaska: dueling Palin rallies. A firsthand report herehttp://tinyurl.com/5gwqms
David Foster Wallace 1962-2008
People are rightly linking to David Foster Wallace’s heartbreaking 2005 Kenyon College speech http://tinyurl.com/9j8d3 via @willshipley
Burn After Reading a must-see for Brad Pitt’s hilarious idiot and John Malkovich’s raging misanthropy. Plus the Fugs.
http://twitpic.com/b9by - Why everyone in Alaska has foreign policy experience ( via http://tinyurl.com/3ppqnr )
Sarah Palin defends wildlife conservation research (sort of). Good for her. http://tinyurl.com/4h8rkl
70 percent decline in Alaska’s Steller Sea Lions, causes unknown. Why fund more research? http://tinyurl.com/45qgwe
Charles Gibson didn’t get the memo about how Bush looking into Putin’s eyes sorta wrecked that move for all time http://tinyurl.com/4hzy7z
The Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator is tres cool http://tinyurl.com/4e6g5k Mine woulda been: Chap Poach Palin
In defense of studying the DNA of seals http://tinyurl.com/3efe7c
Conservation biologists are my heroes, and they’re shamefully underfunded. Mocking wildlife research just makes you an asshole.
Cool overcast day, Vasques wet from the river dog walk, a full plate of to-dos shining on the Cinema Display. Life is good.
Blowing like a circle around my skull / From the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol
Trying to remember 9/11 before it became partisan pornography, and propaganda for unfreedom and war without end or limits.
New variation on the “Drill! Drill! Drill!” chant at McCain rallies: “ANWR! ANWR! ANWR!” http://tinyurl.com/6blv4o
Take a break from the mind-numbing 24-hour political news cycle and read Andrew Bacevich’s fantastic new book http://tinyurl.com/5ge2hb
Riding in the rain always reminds me of my favorite bike trip ever: Norway ‘04, the Hummervind tour….
McCain/Palin close encounter at El Pinto in Albuquerque http://tinyurl.com/5f4nuk
Sent Andrew Sullivan an e-mail today and he posted a quotation I’d included! http://tinyurl.com/5jul4z He’s been on fire all this week.