1. The latest news in Nadagate involves a State Department memo, Ari Fleischer, the Washington Post, the New York Times, a gaggle of (un)subpoenaed reporters and subpoenaed White House records, Bloomberg News, the scarlet letter “S”, Murray Waas—and now, former CIA analyst Mel Goodman, last seen, after signing this letter the left is using to trumpet the seriousness of Rove’s “crime” (I’m still not at all convinced any such crime—or even ethical lapse—took place) participating in Friday’s Congressional hearings, led by Cynthia McKinney, into President Bush’s complicity and cover-up in the 911 attacks.
Which means that Josh Marshall, et al, are pushing, as proof of the seriousness of Nadagate, a letter co-signed by a number of “former” CIA employees, at least one of whom—Mel Goodman—was willing to say this on the record: “Congresswoman McKinney is viewed as a contrarian […] And I hope someday her views will be considered conventional wisdom.”
Again: if it turns out Karl Rove broke the law, or was engaging in political maneuvering that is unethical by inside the Beltway standards, I’m all for calling him on it; but at this point, I think it’s probably best to wait for Fitzgerald’s report—and let the partisans on the left (and their supporters among the Black Helicopter crowd) keep putting their wild speculations on the public record (h/t Tom Maguire and John Cole).
2. Congrats to Kate on her profile by Norm Geras. And no, she’s never really seen me “drunk.” Elated thanks to a good bit of hard liquor, maybe. But not “drunk.”
3. For those of you who remember this post, you’ll be happy (unless you’re, say, Justin Raimondo or Cynthia McKinney) to hear that the anti-Israel provision has been removed in the latest draft of the Iraqi Constitution (thanks to Stephen Meyer)
4. Confederate Yankee highlights a Scotsman article outlining Operation Kratos, which provides shoot-to-kill head-shot orders for suspected suicide bombers.
Which answers all the questions about that fleeing suspect police gunned down in London yesterday.
No wonder Britain was once a mighty empire. They shoot first, and ask questions later:
“We believe we now know the identity of the man shot at Stockwell Underground station by police on Friday 22nd July 2005, although he is still subject to formal identification.
“We are now satisfied that he was not connected with the incidents of Thursday 21st July 2005.
“For somebody to lose their life in such circumstances is a tragedy and one that the Metropolitan Police Service regrets.”
The statement confirmed the man had been followed by police from a house in Tulse Hill that was under surveillance.
His death is being investigated by officers from the MPS Directorate of Professional Standards, and will be referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
John O’Connor, former commander of the Met Police, told the BBC the consequences of the shooting were likely to be “quite horrendous”.
Ya think?
5. Via Mark in Mexico and the Corner, the Donald blasts the UN.
Place obligatory “Kofi, you’re fired” joke here.
6. Tom Elia notes that the House has approved NASA missions to Mars and the Moon—the first important step toward returning the US Space Program to its former glory.
7. Over on the left, the new Queen Bee of strident leftist cant, Amanda Marcotte of Pandagon, continues her roll of bashing Christians, masculinity, conservative jurists, and—her latest — Southern Rock, which she calls “long-haired, white boy, hippies-cum-rednecks music” that “could have never existed and I would be a happier woman for it.”
Continues Marcotte, who’s never met a stereotype she wouldn’t strap to a bed and fuck viciously with her blunt ideological strap-on [MISOGYNIST! HOMOPHOBE!], “Lynyrd Skynyrd had a couple good songs but it’s just not worth the stain that has spread all over the South of ugly white people who would otherwise be humble, normal rednecks but want to be ‘cool’ somehow so purchase leather goods, grow their hair long, and ride motorcycles.”
Seriously, people, this chick is like a South Park parody of Janeane Garofalo. You’ll feel dumber for having even read her.
8. Overrated: Hawks’ Bringing up Baby; underrated: Romero’s Day of the Dead. Discuss.
9. Had to add this as an update.
As a writer, I weep for the cynical emptiness that is Hollywood.
10. And finally, thanks to Bill for Ramez Naam’s More Than Human: Embracing the Promise of Biological Enhancement . I don’t generally read foreigners, but if I don’t have to pay for it…well, we’ll see…
The Eagles… CCR… ah, why bother. Not worth the time to type out an argument as to how asinine her anti-Southern Rock jag is.
Marshall Tucker Band, the Bellamy Brothers… Yeah. Just skip it and admit you’re just like that banjo-playing kid from Deliverance. He probably voted for Bush and hates women, too…
Related: SonadraK has a post with a news article saying that one of the London bombers was motivated by the [false] reports of abuse at Gitmo. This should be getting HUGE blogsposure. Helloooo, Durbin? Kennedy?
The only reason your reference could be uncalled for is I didn’t think of it myself.
Sorry: http://www.sondrak.com/index.php/weblog/cognitive_dissonance/
Thanks. I’ll post about it.
Wow. That Marcotte woman is stone crazy. Then again I bookmarked her site so maybe she’s on to something trafficwise.
Miss Amanda Panda came pooping around my place a bit back and swore she would never back down….I’ve been wondering where she’s been….
Be careful, Jeff….they’re psycho-er than Ollie, but some of my best trolls have come from her yonder.
Agreed on Bringing Up Baby. Saw it in college, didn’t find it especially memorable—except for the scene where Cary Grant’s fossil gets buried in the backyard, which my film professor interpreted as a visual pun on the character’s emasculation. They buried his “bone,” see. Get it?
Get it?
Disagreed on Day of the Dead. It’s a great plot, but the acting is unbearably shitty. To the point of distraction, even. Like trying to read a novel written in crayon. Someone should have told the guy who played Captain Rhodes that just because his character is a megalomaniac doesn’t mean he has to scream in every. fucking. scene. he’s in.
Still, though, light years better than Land of the Dead. What a bucket of agitprop shit that was.
I just rewatched Day of the Dead the other day for the first time in years. Yes, the soldiers (as they are in just about every Romero movie) are cartoons—but the atmosphere is great, the effects superb, and the story strong.
Reminds me a lot of another low budget gem, Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13, with it’s claustraphobic feel and use of dark and shadow.
The soldiers (SWAT guys, actually) were anything but cartoons in Dawn of the Dead. And I think ultimately that’s my big problem with Day, JG—it pales by comparison to Dawn<i> and <i>Night. Granted, it’s unfair to expect a masterpiece every time out, but I expected Romero to be a little closer to the bullseye in Day than he ended up being.
As for Land, he missed the target entirely. Seen it yet?
Haven’t seen it yet, but was really looking forward to it? Did he lard it down with heavyhanded cultural criticism? Because that worked well in both Night and Dawn, but it missed entirely in The Crazies—which is what I was thinking of when I thought of his portrayal of soldiers in other movies.
Speaking of Romero, ever see Knightriders?
Haven’t seen Knightriders but I know Romero was disappointed about how badly it did at the box office. He and his team were very high on it. I should check it out.
I meant to write a review of Land but failed, partly due to my blog malaise and partly to the fact that I was so outraged by the movie’s politics that I thought I’d come off sounding like Michael Medved. I did post some comments at Ace’s site, though; see here, but note that there are (mild) spoilers mixed in. It’s not that big a deal since you know exactly where the plot’s heading after about five minutes, but I want to warn you anyway.
Spoilers don’t bother me in this case. What’s disappointing is, I was going to wait and purchase the DVD sight unseen, because I’d heard Romero filmed a lot of gore that didn’t make the theatrical cut because he was holding back for the director’s cut DVD.
That’s impressive, if true; the theatrical cut does not want for viscera. One of the more memorable moments involves a zombie shoving his arm down a corpse’s throat and pulling … something out. Not sure what.
It looked tasty, though.
I really can’t agree with Amanda’s post on Sothern Rock; I happen to like quite a few of the major bands.
It just seems so ironic that Amanda is being lampooned for using a stereotype, when in fact, some of those same stereotypes (ie long hair) have been used before, and not against the target Amanda is thinking of.
/male, christian
//therefore “should” be offended by Amanda
///but isn’t
More H’wood remakes – The Hills Have Eyes.