I despair of our idiot government ever understanding the real world. Under the new system, citizens will have two options. They can present one document that proves both identity and citizenship, such as a passport; U.S. military identification; or a government-issued Trusted Traveler Card such as the SENTRI pass. Alternatively, they can present a driver’s …
Continue reading ‘Don’t save me from terrorists this way, please’ »
I admit it. “Lost” begins tonight, and I have both anticipation and dread. Anticipation because it’s a very well-done program with the things I like in books: mystery and a tinge of the unknown. Dread because I’ve never been good at “appointment” television and it bothers me to know by watching tonight I’m committing to …
Speaking of signing statements, the Boston Globe’s Charlie Savage (who first wrote about them and won a Pulitzer for his work last year) surveyed the Presidential candidates back in December to determine where they each stood on executive power. Half the field has dropped out since then, but Clinton, Obama, McCain and Romney all responded …
If the New York Times editorial board thinks Bush’s signing statement on the Defense Authorization Bill is so damned important, why is it that its news pages didn’t mention it? What does that signing statement say? Among other things, that four sections of the bill unconstitutionally infringe on his powers, and so the executive branch …
The Super Bowl, in the eyes of real sports fans, is for the tourists. It?s not just that you must sift through the clutter of all the off-field hype for an interminable two weeks, or that it?s the one sporting event covered by morning talk-show hosts who otherwise have no apparent connection to the world …
In a semi-serious article asking “Where Did All Those Gorgeous Russians Come From?” brought on by watching the Australian (tennis) Open, Anne Applebaum reminds me of a somewhat-related question I asked about fifteen years ago: “How much training was required for American television sportscasters before they could pronounce names like Kournikova, Linetskaya and Poutchkova, and …
Heard at the top of the 12:00pm HST NPR newscast, “President Bush will make his final State of the Union speech this evening.” I’m tempted to quote the old spiritual: Free at last, free at last, Thank God Almighty I’m free at last Except we still have 357 days until it’s really true.
With John Edwards continually running third in primaries and caucuses, there’s been speculation that he might become a “kingmaker” at the convention. Maybe, maybe not. But my question is, in these health-conscious times we’re in, “What replaces smoke-filled rooms?”
I’m not sure what the venue was, but it looks to be Kristofferson and some other good ol’ boys just sitting around shooting the breeze. Check out Kris’s aside after he sings the line “I smoked so much the night before my mouth felt like an ashtray I’d been licking…”
Senator Inouye, I am a constituent of yours, living in XXXX. I’m writing to express my dismay at your vote today on S.2248, tabling the Judiciary Committee’s version of the FISA bill. The Judiciary Committee’s amendment expressly denies blanket immunity to telecommunications companies which freely went along with the Bush Administration’s blatant violation of the …