Andrew Sullivan breaks rank with most of the Right (and much of the Left) and proclaims Hillary is the one to beat in 2008.
Senator Clinton has finally escaped one of the critical drags on her national reputation. What many people disliked about her was what they perceived as her unreconstructed liberal politics and her use of her marriage to gain and wield political power.
(Charges of nepotism doesn't seem to be a problem for most people who run for office.)
Sulli says her speechs on abortion and the war position her as a moderate Democrat which undermines the most substantial criticisms directed towards her.
3/02/2005
Korea seems to be doing a good job of making a place for themselves in the coming years. Is this something we want?
3/01/2005
How refreshing it is to live in the Age of Revolution. Though his critique of Bush the Elder and Clinton smack a little too much of a very public turf-war, Ledoon's larger points ring true.
2/24/2005
"If anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving. I am not drinking any fucking Merlot." So says wine-snob Miles in the critically acclaimed movie Sideways. And those two sentences have reverberated throughout the wine making (and drinking) world.
Many oenophiles have turned up their noses since the mid-1990s, when "a glass of Merlot" became synonymous, for casual drinkers, with a glass of red wine. But sales never stopped rising, and Merlot passed Cabernet as America's best-selling red wine in 2000, according to the Wine Institute.
Napa Valley met Hollywood and the impact is noticeable. Not only has the sales of Merlot started to show some signs of slipping, now it's more than just wine-aficionados who are turning their backs on Merlots. Miles' favorite varietal is Pinot Noir and a positive impact has been felt in the valleys as well.
Pinot noir sales reached 370,000 cases for the 12 weeks ending Jan. 15, up nearly 16 percent from the same period a year ago, according to an ACNielsen analysis released Monday.
Let's pause before we toss Merlots into the same heap as White Zin, Everclear, and the other guilty pleasures those of us whose thirst for a buzz occasionally overide our thirst for status. Let's remember this gentle, but firm, and always versatile wine. What are your favorite merlots? And for those of you who have turned your back on the "cashmere sweater" of wines (even those of you who did so before Sideways) share with us your favorite flavor of grape.
Many oenophiles have turned up their noses since the mid-1990s, when "a glass of Merlot" became synonymous, for casual drinkers, with a glass of red wine. But sales never stopped rising, and Merlot passed Cabernet as America's best-selling red wine in 2000, according to the Wine Institute.
Napa Valley met Hollywood and the impact is noticeable. Not only has the sales of Merlot started to show some signs of slipping, now it's more than just wine-aficionados who are turning their backs on Merlots. Miles' favorite varietal is Pinot Noir and a positive impact has been felt in the valleys as well.
Pinot noir sales reached 370,000 cases for the 12 weeks ending Jan. 15, up nearly 16 percent from the same period a year ago, according to an ACNielsen analysis released Monday.
Let's pause before we toss Merlots into the same heap as White Zin, Everclear, and the other guilty pleasures those of us whose thirst for a buzz occasionally overide our thirst for status. Let's remember this gentle, but firm, and always versatile wine. What are your favorite merlots? And for those of you who have turned your back on the "cashmere sweater" of wines (even those of you who did so before Sideways) share with us your favorite flavor of grape.
2/20/2005
Thank you for all the kind words. I haven't neccisarily gone the way of Andrew Sullivan, or have succumbed to the sachirine. There will be more coming here soon, thank you all for your patientce.
Speaking of bloggers navel gazing, Justin Hall is stepping down.
"What if intimacy happens in quiet moments?" he said. "I think the Web makes me not alone and I feed it my intimacies, and the Web is my constant connection to something larger than myself ... but what if something you do, something you practice like religion as a dialogue with the divine, drives people away from you?"
I'll see you all soon.
Speaking of bloggers navel gazing, Justin Hall is stepping down.
"What if intimacy happens in quiet moments?" he said. "I think the Web makes me not alone and I feed it my intimacies, and the Web is my constant connection to something larger than myself ... but what if something you do, something you practice like religion as a dialogue with the divine, drives people away from you?"
I'll see you all soon.
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro"
Hunter S. Thompson is dead. The father of Gonzo-Journalism, and best selling author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas shot and killed himself at his home just outside of Aspen.
Whether writing about the depravity that sucked away the soul of America, or the latest line on a big football game, Thompson connected to his readers in indelible ways, for better or for worse.
Hunter S. Thompson is dead. The father of Gonzo-Journalism, and best selling author of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas shot and killed himself at his home just outside of Aspen.
Whether writing about the depravity that sucked away the soul of America, or the latest line on a big football game, Thompson connected to his readers in indelible ways, for better or for worse.
1/05/2005
It had the makings of an instant classic. Undefeated and ranked #1 all season, USC played #2 and undefeated all season, Oklahoma. Two storied programs, full of Heismans, National titles, and rabid fans, it was a marquee match up. The game turned out to be less close than anticipated. Led by current Heisman trophy winner Matt Leinart, and his 5 TD's, USC destroyed last year's Heisman winner Jason White's squad.
An almost perfect game for the Trojan faithful has once again ended the season in controversy as undefeated Auburn helplessly watched. Even the horrific East Coast media bias, that screwed the Trojans two seasons ago and Cal this year (or not), couldn't find a spin that would grant Auburn a share of the national title. Still, the BCS finds itself being second-guessed yet again.
Now that the ADT trophy has been lifted, it gives us a chance to reflect on an amazing college season. Will the PAC-10 finally get the respect is deserve from the sports writers stuck in their offices in Manhattan? How long until the BCS is demolished? (And by the way, what are the best ways as fans and alumni to hasten the demise of the BCS?) Who has the biggest gripe from Bowl Season? Cal, Auburn, or Utah? And just how good is USC? Is it time to bust out the D-word?
An almost perfect game for the Trojan faithful has once again ended the season in controversy as undefeated Auburn helplessly watched. Even the horrific East Coast media bias, that screwed the Trojans two seasons ago and Cal this year (or not), couldn't find a spin that would grant Auburn a share of the national title. Still, the BCS finds itself being second-guessed yet again.
Now that the ADT trophy has been lifted, it gives us a chance to reflect on an amazing college season. Will the PAC-10 finally get the respect is deserve from the sports writers stuck in their offices in Manhattan? How long until the BCS is demolished? (And by the way, what are the best ways as fans and alumni to hasten the demise of the BCS?) Who has the biggest gripe from Bowl Season? Cal, Auburn, or Utah? And just how good is USC? Is it time to bust out the D-word?
12/21/2004
The Washington Post has bought the venerable (at least in internet years) Slate.com. Fingers crossed, hoping for the best.
12/11/2004
The #1 team in America has another Heisman. "Tailback-U" generates another QB who wins college football's most coveted individual award. Fight on! Matt Leinart.
12/07/2004
I'm mostly sitting this round of the steroid "issue" out. Most of you long-time readers know where I stand. However, I did want to point you over to Andrew Sullivan's take, which I believe overlaps well with mine. It's nice to see reason starting to reveal itself on this issue.
12/06/2004
There are conflicts of interest.
And then there's the Bowl Championship Series.
The BCS is to college football what Tony Soprano is to waste hauling in New Jersey -- a monopoly turning a tidy profit by cleaning up messes without dithering over who gets hurt along the way.
This season's victims were Auburn and California. Last season's was Southern California. In past seasons, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas State, Miami and a few other schools got the back of the BCS hand. All got sympathy notes, too, and promises the beatings would stop. But the only thing that's changed since the BCS hijacked the postseason in 1998 is the name of the victims.
The holidays are upon us and that can only mean one thing, it's time for college football fana to continue the annual rite of BCS-bashing. For the first time ever the preseason #1 and #2 teams went through the season undefeated and will meet for the national championship. But we don't have to go too far down the poll to find some hacked-off programs. Shut out is Auburn, who at 12-0 felt they deserved a chance to compete for the national title. Perhaps even more stupefying is what happened to the 10-1 Cal Bears. Ranked #4 going into this weekend's final game they were seemingly headed to the prestigious (and lucrative) Rose Bowl for the first time since 1959. Many Cal fans worried they'd have to beat Southern Mississippi by an impressive margin to hold off a charging Texas team. Cal won in a close road game (even taking a knee in the final plays rather than running up the score to impress voters) and the results were all that was feared. Cal got bumped in the polls and Texas will be going to the Rose Bowl and the Cal Bears, whose only loss came to the #1 team in America, fell out of the BCS and into the Holiday Bowl.
So folks, who got screwed the most? Cal or Auburn? Is this really another example of the horrific East Coast bias? Is a playoff system even possible, let alone feasible?
And then there's the Bowl Championship Series.
The BCS is to college football what Tony Soprano is to waste hauling in New Jersey -- a monopoly turning a tidy profit by cleaning up messes without dithering over who gets hurt along the way.
This season's victims were Auburn and California. Last season's was Southern California. In past seasons, Oregon, Colorado, Kansas State, Miami and a few other schools got the back of the BCS hand. All got sympathy notes, too, and promises the beatings would stop. But the only thing that's changed since the BCS hijacked the postseason in 1998 is the name of the victims.
The holidays are upon us and that can only mean one thing, it's time for college football fana to continue the annual rite of BCS-bashing. For the first time ever the preseason #1 and #2 teams went through the season undefeated and will meet for the national championship. But we don't have to go too far down the poll to find some hacked-off programs. Shut out is Auburn, who at 12-0 felt they deserved a chance to compete for the national title. Perhaps even more stupefying is what happened to the 10-1 Cal Bears. Ranked #4 going into this weekend's final game they were seemingly headed to the prestigious (and lucrative) Rose Bowl for the first time since 1959. Many Cal fans worried they'd have to beat Southern Mississippi by an impressive margin to hold off a charging Texas team. Cal won in a close road game (even taking a knee in the final plays rather than running up the score to impress voters) and the results were all that was feared. Cal got bumped in the polls and Texas will be going to the Rose Bowl and the Cal Bears, whose only loss came to the #1 team in America, fell out of the BCS and into the Holiday Bowl.
So folks, who got screwed the most? Cal or Auburn? Is this really another example of the horrific East Coast bias? Is a playoff system even possible, let alone feasible?
12/03/2004
11/30/2004
Dahlia Lithwick, who for my money is journalist who best covers the Supreme Court, with a dispatch about the current medical pot case. It doesn't look promising for us fans of federalism and individual autonomy.
11/27/2004
11/26/2004
11/25/2004
Iran with nukes, the war in Iraq absorbing resources, and an "Economic Armageddon" predicted by Stephen Roach, chief economist at Morgan Stanley. Definitely be thankful today, because tomorrow isn't certain.
On a lighter note, I was surprised to see Frank Chu (for those of you outside of the Bay Area, Frank is a bit of a local landmark. He walks around holding a sign talking bout 12 galaxies, rants and raves about Clinton, Lincoln, et.al and has the amazing ability to seem to be absolutely everywhere) standing outside of the meal line at the SF Unitarian Church's Thanksgiving feed. He wasn't in the line, but actually facing the diners spreading his message. The world may be going to shit, but as long as Frank is out there, we all have a chance.
On a lighter note, I was surprised to see Frank Chu (for those of you outside of the Bay Area, Frank is a bit of a local landmark. He walks around holding a sign talking bout 12 galaxies, rants and raves about Clinton, Lincoln, et.al and has the amazing ability to seem to be absolutely everywhere) standing outside of the meal line at the SF Unitarian Church's Thanksgiving feed. He wasn't in the line, but actually facing the diners spreading his message. The world may be going to shit, but as long as Frank is out there, we all have a chance.
11/22/2004
In light of the impending Thanksgiving holiday, an absolutely riveting account of the battle for Fallujah from a Marine.
11/21/2004
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