tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40079612011-07-14T17:26:27.566-04:00To The Point The Most Fun Bestest Commentary Anywhere EverMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comBlogger6891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1070296123368490022003-12-01T11:28:00.000-05:002003-12-01T11:29:19.810-05:00To The Point is moving
Update your bookmarks. The new site is Unplusdoublegood.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069968682033645822003-11-27T16:31:00.000-05:002003-11-27T16:32:15.810-05:00To The Point is moving
Update your bookmarks. The new site is Unplusdoublegood.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069628416289748502003-11-23T18:00:00.000-05:002003-11-23T18:00:45.436-05:00In my more psychotic moments, I find Ann Coulter hilarious.
Ann Coulter: The party of ideas
You know, it's quite possible that a substantial portion of the American power structure elite has subscribed to the values of a low level personality disorder. Coulter is cruel. At least my friends chide me for going over the line. Her friends must be like, 'Ann, your last column urging people to Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069515092285648192003-11-22T10:31:00.000-05:002003-11-22T10:31:59.686-05:00Shorter David Brooks
"When liberals argue for gay marriage, it's because they are into stupid immoral things like civil rights. When conservatives are for gay marriage, which they don't do enough, it's because they are moral and good."
Now, how does the salacious homoerotic detail mongering of the conservatives, the man-on-dog commentary, fit into this schema?
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069457476494273832003-11-21T18:31:00.000-05:002003-11-21T18:31:43.246-05:00RRick Santorum's web site sucks.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069380480918630492003-11-20T21:08:00.000-05:002003-11-20T21:08:27.106-05:00Inside the Beltway-itis Acreeping
Matthew Yglesias: PNAC On Film
This is weird.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069343679707294622003-11-20T10:54:00.000-05:002003-11-20T10:55:04.840-05:00This is damn cool.
And ya know, violence is bad, yada yada, and I hate war, and all that, and force should be used as a last resort, and but this is really neat. And useful in killing bad people.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069280952505967242003-11-19T17:29:00.000-05:002003-11-19T17:29:37.390-05:00Bosnia: Time for Europe to Step Up
We're leaving Bosnia to put more resources into Iraq. It would be great if the Europeans would take over for us, and help keep the country secure. Yeah, we did bad in Iraq, but that's no reason to sacrifice where we did good a few years ago. Bosnia. Well, I guess you could say that helping us in Bosnia would give an incentive for us to continue bad behaviorMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069221208846479362003-11-19T00:53:00.000-05:002003-11-19T00:53:52.606-05:00This is why supporting Clark is not fun anymore
This post is whiny and bitchy and I'm sorry, but I'm going to vent.
I write the Clark Tribune. I used to get interesting exciting emails from people all over the world that buttressed my belief in Clark and his movement. Here's what I get now, from people like Christopher Will, a guy who asked me to publish something and got mad because I didn'tMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1069125580303773762003-11-17T22:19:00.000-05:002003-11-17T22:20:03.450-05:00China to Adopt Fuel Standard
Commies.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1068962386474672222003-11-16T00:59:00.000-05:002003-11-16T01:00:07.233-05:00Clark ain't doing so well. I can't say this is a surprise.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1068827583041451692003-11-14T11:33:00.000-05:002003-11-14T11:33:22.653-05:00In the game of 'what'll they think of next to insult democracy' comes this entry:
Deal on 9/11 Briefings Lets White House Edit PapersMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1068827323464517872003-11-14T11:28:00.000-05:002003-11-14T11:29:03.140-05:00My New Project
The Blogging of the President: 2004Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1068788192832987332003-11-14T00:36:00.000-05:002003-11-14T00:36:52.110-05:00Hmm
Apparently, Alan Colmes can't be ignored.
"COLMES ALONE. Poor Alan Colmes -- the liberal FOX News pundit is loathed by the right and widely mocked by the left. But Colmes, whatever you think of him, can't be ignored. For better or for worse, no other liberal pundit in America today has as much exposure. At TAP Online, Ben Fritz talks to Colmes about whether his new book -- Red, White and Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1068143999430594832003-11-06T13:39:00.000-05:002003-11-06T13:39:57.306-05:00Fantasy Politics?
Check out Fantasy Nation. For a lot of reasons, this is an important symbol of grassroots development in the media universe. I'll have more shortly.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1068049501674314982003-11-05T11:25:00.000-05:002003-11-05T11:24:59.890-05:00Confederate Flag Flaps: How to do it right!
This is the right answer:
The General said: "I think it's very important we bring Southern voters to an understanding of differences between the two parties. And that the real differences are not on the sort of culture wars of litmus test issues like guns — I've got a lot of guns in my house, I've been shooting my whole life. The issue is, how do we Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1067897114714866712003-11-03T17:05:00.000-05:002003-11-03T22:27:57.936-05:00Zell Miller: Good Points from a Hypocrite
Zell Miller on Meet the Press says a lot of nasty things about the Democratic Party and the Democratic field. Miller smears Wesley Clark, and talks up the tax cut as the cause of the economic recovery. He's angry and clearly hates his own party, and he should really switch to the GOP. That said, his general point about the Democrats alternatively Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1067536498282917532003-10-30T12:54:00.000-05:002003-10-30T12:54:45.566-05:00Transforming Terrorism: The SARS Symbol
The national security issue is hurting the Democrats, because they cannot articulate the difference between the 'war on terrorism' and war in general. War in general requires systematically applied violence to depose an enemy army; terrorism is more of an international police problem that requires lots of boring and cooperative work with allies. The Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1067299300478632852003-10-27T18:48:00.000-05:002003-10-27T19:16:43.166-05:00 Selfishness in action
It's pouring with rain here, and has been all day -- enough to half flood most of the badly maintained Princeton streets. I was sitting in a café in town, eating lunch, when I observed a strange slow-motion disaster take place. The wind was strong enough to blow over a lightweight plastic construction barrier; the barrier had been standing on the sidewalk, and now it was Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1067234686966068122003-10-27T01:04:00.000-05:002003-10-27T01:04:46.646-05:00Sharpton Shows the Way
Why is it that Al Sharpton does so well in messaging, and no one else is even close? I like Sharpton a LOT. But it's a shame the rest of the party is so weak.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1066925720945190662003-10-23T12:15:00.000-04:002003-10-23T12:15:20.936-04:00Friedman's With Us or Against Us Moment
At some point, Thomas Friedman found urgency, and decided that he had to pick between Bush and Osama. He chose Bush, as any sane person would. Friedman has consistently described how well things are going in Iraq, and to his credit, that cannot be a popular sentiment at the New York Times or among the liberal circles in which he travels. Yet, I just Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1066871033013602092003-10-22T21:03:00.000-04:002003-10-22T21:03:53.086-04:00Been Posting Over at the Clark Sphere
I've got a couple of mammoth pieces at the Clark Sphere having to do with my experiences with reactionary politics.
Here's part one of the Reactionary Republicrats.
Here's part two of the Reactionary Republicrats.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1066686921969202752003-10-20T17:55:00.000-04:002003-10-20T17:55:21.380-04:00Whither Clark
There are a lot of perplexing decisions coming out of the Clark campaign right now. Skipping Iowa is only the latest one.
I'm finding it too tiring to really keep up with the Clark campaign and interest in the new politics, as I see the two of them regrettably divorcing pathways. I guess I'll have to choose soon.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1066196397339625432003-10-15T01:39:00.000-04:002003-10-15T01:39:56.953-04:00Hot Damn Kos's New Site is Cool
Switching to scoop is wicked awesome. The first political slashdot.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1066195889813177362003-10-15T01:31:00.000-04:002003-10-15T01:31:29.540-04:00God the Press is Moronic
Michael Moran writes on the loss of manufacturing jobs:
All of the Democratic candidates, including retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark and centrist, free-trade-oriented New England Sens. John Kerry and Joe Leiberman, link the Bush tax cuts with lost manufacturing jobs in much the way Bush himself has been accused of linking Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 terror attacks.
Um, Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1066165102137683472003-10-14T16:58:00.000-04:002003-10-14T16:58:56.360-04:00Meme-licious for Arnold and Bush
California is suffering from a huge budget deficit, for which Arnold has proposed tax cuts and spending increases, combined with a healthy dose of 'tough leadership'. But what is that exactly? It sounds so good, but what is it? After all, if it works, then I want some more services for less money too! Gimme toughness! Gimme gimme gimme.
But let's specify. Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065931287105320022003-10-12T00:01:00.000-04:002003-10-12T01:04:42.300-04:00The Daily Meme - October 11, 2003
Welcome to the fifth edition of the Daily Meme, a guide to what's going on online and which memes, or 'viral blog sound bites', are powerful. The interpretation here is of course subjective, but it's based on which memes gather the most responses in comment boards on popular blogs. To subscribe, email matthewnstoller@yahoo.com. Though I’m a Clark supporter, I Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065764465266411892003-10-10T01:41:00.000-04:002003-10-11T23:45:57.436-04:00What is 'gay'?
Here's a dilemma. Riding a scooter is totally gay. So is Fresca. So is a Gloria Estefan ring tone. But none of these has to do with sexual attraction between people of the same sex.
What gives?Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065624808085506962003-10-08T10:53:00.000-04:002003-10-08T10:53:27.483-04:00Bush Site
I'm continually impressed with Bush's site. It's just quality.
Damn.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065576940145842212003-10-07T21:27:00.000-04:002003-10-07T21:38:30.416-04:00 Don't stay up
Once again, another hotly contested political race with instant updates from the field, so it's time to review some basic statistics to keep yourself sane (and save yourself staying up all night.) Poisson error, the error associated with "small" numbers -- such as the number of cars that pass a certain point during the day, the number of photons hitting a telescope, the number ofSimonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065222256240840102003-10-03T18:51:00.000-04:002003-10-03T19:06:29.840-04:00 I don't see it...
Rush Limbaugh is under fire for racism after saying that a quarterback had gotten a lot of press and praise because he was black, and not because he deserved it. After we all agree that Rush is a fool and, in his heart of hearts, racist, however, why exactly is this particular statement an example of racism? Certaintly, the animus for saying such a thing might be racism -- Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065193767564805262003-10-03T11:09:00.000-04:002003-10-03T11:14:26.130-04:00Tied to the Rat's Nest: Karl Rove Countdown, Day Four
Heidi Pauken at Tapped, in one of those 'I'm going to post the most significant item of the day and it'll get buried' moments, suggests with some pretty good authority that Rove is behind the outing of Agent Plame. 'Scooter' Libby, Chief of Staff of the Vice President's office, is one of the men behind the leak of course. Meanwhile, Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065132318036549652003-10-02T18:05:00.000-04:002003-10-02T18:05:18.120-04:00Howard Dean: Clark was a Republican until 25 Days Ago
The old joke about the Democratic Party is that our party often organizes itself as a circular firing squad. Indeed, it seems as if Democrats lose out on a broader agenda too often because of internal bickering. I am dismayed, therefore, that the individual carrying the mantle of honesty and straight talk this primary season, Howard Dean, Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1065016901677080652003-10-01T10:01:00.000-04:002003-10-01T10:01:41.816-04:00Times on the Web
The New York Times web site has always loaded slower for me than the Washington Post one. Metaphor?Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064943862384372072003-09-30T13:44:00.000-04:002003-09-30T13:44:21.910-04:00The Rove Countdown: Day One
September 30, 2003, I'm beginning the Rove Countdown: How many days until Karl Rove is forced to resign?
Bob Novak, dishonest partisan hack until forced to face reality so contravening his views that he's dragged kicking and screaming into actual and vague non-hackishness, comments:
"Until now, George W. Bush always had risen to the occasion. But failure marks Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064861204770075962003-09-29T14:46:00.000-04:002003-09-29T14:46:44.230-04:00Finally, A Conservative Grownup
danieldrezner.com :: Daniel W. Drezner deserves to be commended.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064860917053074492003-09-29T14:25:00.000-04:002003-09-29T15:00:02.656-04:00 More things and people that are annoying
You know who's really annoying? Yes, that's right. People who say "I don't know why people are so surprised about media bias... I mean, of course the media's biased... what we need is unbiased media so we can really make good decisions... that's why I [do weird, probably internet-related, thing]."
Let's break that down, OK?
1. I don't know why people Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064830027602597112003-09-29T05:59:00.000-04:002003-09-29T06:07:07.636-04:00 Bill Bennett : liar or fool? You decide.
In an article about "genes and luck" and how this impacts traditional "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" conservatism:
Recalling his years as Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan, [Bill Bennett] explained, "Having visited the schools, I'm convinced that you can change people's lives and people can change their own lives. But it's hard. Those Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064539988975123802003-09-25T21:27:00.000-04:002003-09-25T21:33:49.566-04:00 Yet more...
To Beeb, vt.: deriv. Beeb vulg. for British Broadcasting Coroporation. To Beeb sth., Beebing it, &c. Of media outlets. Take an incontrovertable fact, e.g. "the US and/or the UK overplayed the geopolitical dangers of Saddam's Iraq." Now, fuck it up. Example: "the New Jersey Ledger really beebed it when their article on local sewage treatment plants only tested bottled water from Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064537996591389112003-09-25T20:47:00.000-04:002003-09-25T21:02:27.013-04:00 More for the handlist
When I was in college, a good time consisted in testing each other on items in the oddly titled handlist of rhetorical terms. Matt is correct, however, that contemporary rhetorical theory is rapidly being outpaced.
May I add "Said Saiding" [SAID SIDE-ing], with a pun on "[Edward] Said" and "siding", which occured to me today after reading the Daily Telegraph's obit of Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064514351726923262003-09-25T14:25:00.000-04:002003-09-25T14:25:51.486-04:00Tiresome Media Inevitableness
So says the Post: Democrats Picking at Nearest Targets: Each Other
Wow. Competitive men vying for a mutually exclusive slot are competing with each other for that slot. Those Democrats, always holding elections and stuff.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1064430898796856822003-09-24T15:14:00.000-04:002003-09-24T15:22:31.750-04:00I Like These Words
I may start dedicating To The Point to rhetorical holes that should be filled.
One word I like is the verb 'To Fleisch', named after former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer. Just as the eskimos have 54 ways to say snow, we need more than one way to say 'lie.' So, to fleisch means to lie with such contempt for your audience that both you know and they know that Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063922450786055322003-09-18T18:00:00.000-04:002003-09-18T18:00:50.950-04:00Lack of Blogging
Well I've been swept up into the movement to elect Clark. That is not to say that I am working for the official campaign, because I am not. But I am working with Mass for Clark, The Clark Sphere, and I do publish The Clark Tribune. It's been an amazing experience and I hope to continue promoting open source politics for at least part of my career.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063922046304136632003-09-18T17:54:00.000-04:002003-09-18T17:54:06.516-04:00Clark in the race
Well Clark's in. It remains to be seen how he'll do.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063681071640810192003-09-15T22:57:00.000-04:002003-09-15T23:05:45.933-04:00The Aggressively Trivial David Brooks
I dislike David Brooks. But I despise the New York Times' editorial decision to hire this non-thinker.
The weight of the data, it seems to me, supports the Inclusiveness side. And the chief result of polarization is that the Democrats have become detached from antipolitical independent voters. George Bush makes many liberal Democrats froth at the mouth, Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063373794704863102003-09-12T09:36:00.000-04:002003-09-12T09:36:47.303-04:00Paul Krugman Makes Three Excellent Points
1) This administration has done really bad and in some cases illegal things and used 9/11 to justify them.
2) Many people will go to jail if Bush loses in 2004.
3) These people will do ANYTHING to see that not happen.
Yet it's almost certainly wrong to think that the political exploitation of 9/11 and, more broadly, the administration's campaign to Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063315624519386462003-09-11T17:27:00.000-04:002003-09-11T17:27:38.960-04:00Holy Recall
The recall just gets weirder and weirder, and now the Supremes may get involved. This from a friend:
The Ninth Circuit this morning heard an appeal from a district judge’s denial of an attempt to stay the election. The case was filed because a settlement in a lawsuit after Bush v. Gore requires the state to ditch all of its punchcard ballot machines (read: hanging chads).
Here’Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063306012504865602003-09-11T14:38:00.000-04:002003-09-11T14:47:30.623-04:00 ACLU ad
The ACLU knows how to make a good radio ad : here is their new ad, running in New Hampshire. Surely you can find it in your heart to give to the ACLU.
Do you remember the old days? Back when we had presidents who respected the constitution? Back then, the ACLU ad would go something like "would you like to live a country without neo-Nazis?"Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063305453881576532003-09-11T14:31:00.000-04:002003-09-11T14:41:14.893-04:00 You know who kicks ass? The RIAA
OK, so maybe they made some mistakes in the past -- like suing a Princeton undergraduate because he wrote a search engine, for example. But the RIAA is totally my hero. I mean, come on everybody, we all know that copying music is illegal. You remember the little screen that shows up at the beginning of every movie, with that stuff about Interpol, right? And so Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063232640483220992003-09-10T18:24:00.000-04:002003-09-10T18:24:00.513-04:00Traipsing over to the Freepers
I do this to prep for the Daily Meme. It's fun stuff:
"Nothing anyone in government is really doing anything to protect our lives. I love Bush and he's trying, but he fails on many levels.
So as long as terrorist are going to kill us, I'm happy I'm in a place not likely targeted and I don't care if liberals in NY or LA or Seattle or San Fran or DC get the Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063230262565123032003-09-10T17:44:00.000-04:002003-09-10T17:44:22.600-04:00Poll of Iraqis
Very interesting stuff. And not all pessimistic.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063214887776255852003-09-10T13:28:00.000-04:002003-09-10T13:28:31.300-04:00 Bravo, Class warfare
How's everyone doing? Feeling in a good mood after reading about the Hydrogen bomb? Checked out the bulletin of the Atomic Scientists? The Committee for Nuclear Disarmament?
OK, so more importantly, is it not the case that Bravo's "Queer eye for the straight guy" should really be titled "Upper-middle class eye for the lower-middle and working class guy"? I mean, Jeez, Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1063176177759350892003-09-10T02:42:00.000-04:002003-09-10T13:15:06.410-04:00 Teller dead
Edward Teller, father of the H-bomb, is dead. In an era where we're more worried about dime store "dirty bombs" and rudimentary fission weapons, the H-bomb, requiring an enormous amount of technical expertise -- a "conventional" atomic bomb in a shaped explosion is used as the trigger for a much more powerful fusion explosion -- seems a bit quaint.
But I think it's important to Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062746665724331492003-09-05T03:24:00.000-04:002003-09-05T03:24:25.733-04:00Go Flood the Zone
Here.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062703188445800812003-09-04T15:19:00.000-04:002003-09-04T15:19:48.573-04:00Two Important Articles from The New York Times
The Times today came out with two articles, each of which represents the same institutional breakdown that I've been harping on for awhile, from different perspectives.
In this first one, the myth of the debt-laden overspending American is thoroughly debunked. In reality, even though per capita income has increased over the past thirty years - andMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062694405470280632003-09-04T12:53:00.000-04:002003-09-04T12:53:25.513-04:00Request for assistance from any teachers out there
On the face of it, this seems reasonable, eminently so. I have no experience here, though, and the 'bad seed' theory makes me a bit uncomfortable, not because I don't buy that child care visits would be bad (they sound very good), but because the early intervention with newborns doesn't match up with the claim about teachers. Newborns don't goMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062541264082091772003-09-02T18:21:00.000-04:002003-09-02T18:29:42.916-04:00 Request for assistance
OK, so I've posted quite a few mostly positive pieces, over the eight month span I've been on Matt's blog, about religion in public life, so it's probably time for me to admit that one thing I know nothing about is Born Again Christians. This has now become a pressing concern in my personal life[*] because I am sharing pretty close quarters with a Born Again family.[**]
Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062525445352725982003-09-02T13:57:00.000-04:002003-09-02T13:57:43.753-04:00Oh that wacky Clark
From the Clark faq:
“The U. S. commitment of resources for development is necessary, and investing in developing countries should be a part of military strategy. American businesses are an important source of investment for development. Therefore, it is important that they do not shutdown operations abroad. In addition, it is important to build institutional capacity by Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062277912663886602003-08-30T17:11:00.000-04:002003-08-30T17:11:52.743-04:00The Daily Meme - August 30, 2003 - Watch out for that ‘Recovery’
Welcome to the fourth edition of the Daily Meme, a guide to what's going on online and which memes, or 'viral blog sound bites', are powerful. The interpretation here is of course subjective, but it's based on which memes gather the most responses in comment boards on popular blogs. To subscribe, email matthewnstoller@yahoo.com. Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062197022772156892003-08-29T18:43:00.000-04:002003-08-29T18:43:42.823-04:00 Pre-Labor Day roundup
My copy of Al Franken's new book just came in. I'm not usually the kind of person who likes to read rah-rah political books, but this one is amazing. Franken is incredibly funny and incredibly charming. There's the kind of book scientists buy that they're not necessarily going to read cover to cover but that gives them the satisfaction, as it sits there on the shelf, thatSimonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062104278390144262003-08-28T16:57:00.000-04:002003-08-28T16:57:58.436-04:00Prop 13, Redux and Anti
This is a much better and more thorough treatment of the tax fight going on in Alabama. It's highly consequential specifically because of the suggestive implications of a progressive revival of Southern populism.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062102317049833892003-08-28T16:25:00.000-04:002003-08-28T16:49:55.063-04:00Self promotion, I guess
I have been blog-derelict, though Simon can attest to the newsletter work I do for the Clark campaign. Sign-up for the Clark Tribune to the left. It's just incredible. I mean, so good so good so good. Yes, that good.
Also, I was quoted in the Washington Monthly.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1062034839517219572003-08-27T21:40:00.000-04:002003-08-27T21:43:34.366-04:00 Bush & FOX polluting the air once again
The EPA is relaxing the requirement that power plants upgrade their pollution controls along with the rest of their equipment. Not a surprise coming from an administration that has eviscerated the Clinton-era pollution and waste controls in the quest for higher dividends to stockholders of Bush, Inc. Fair and balanced Fox, of course, spins this Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061944369197253452003-08-26T20:32:00.000-04:002003-08-26T20:32:49.180-04:00 Toothpaste for dinner rocks
More to the point than even us.Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061920074833278672003-08-26T13:47:00.000-04:002003-08-26T13:48:23.076-04:00 Does Martin Amis suck?
The Times reports on the catfights in the UK literary scene over Martin Amis's newest book, "Yellow Dog." Although it's not coming out until September 4th, half of England loves it and the other half compares it to catching your favourite uncle masturbating in the school playground. Did the editors use Amis's celebrity as an excuse not to edit the book?
I think a prettySimonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061917551612517072003-08-26T13:05:00.000-04:002003-08-26T13:05:51.533-04:00Clark Tribune
I've put up a sign-up for the Clark Tribune to the left. It's a daily newsletter on Clark happenings. It's *HIGHLY* worth getting. Also, I write it.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061867789574168212003-08-25T23:16:00.000-04:002003-08-26T12:47:43.113-04:00What the hell is the New York Times thinking
One of their forum questions: "The projected budget deficit is roughly 50 percent larger than the White House estimated in February. Do you think the difference is due entirely to war expenses?"
Is anyone else just, oh never mind.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061842478145586072003-08-25T16:14:00.000-04:002003-08-25T16:18:38.340-04:00 This Sunday's New York Times
Heads up, folks. If you take the regular amtrak on the Boston line, and upgrade to business class, it's the same price as the Acela, but it takes half an hour longer. But, you get a free cup of coffee and a free copy of the New York Times. Which brings me to my post.
Did anyone else think that the Sunday Times last week should have been subtitled "the madness of Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061825646599517392003-08-25T11:34:00.000-04:002003-08-25T11:34:06.786-04:00This is awesome
HoustonChronicle.com - Democratic hopefuls boldly hit Texas to stump
But not far behind are the Draft Wesley Clark organizers, who claim they have been rebuffed in trying to lease office space in Crawford. Later this week, Margulies said, supporters may visit from Washington, to ride around in a pickup truck and clear brush -- mocking a frequent pastime of the president at his Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061750998205296132003-08-24T14:49:00.000-04:002003-08-24T14:49:58.213-04:00The Era of Proposition 13 is Ending
Proposition 13, the California ballot initiative that passed in 1978 restricting the growth of taxes, was a political earthquake who's seismic tremors are still felt today. (Gosh I'm a dickhead for writing that sentence, but it is true). Basically, the moral force against taxation saw its actualization in a grassroots initiative to stop the onerous growth ofMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061595061857559572003-08-22T19:31:00.000-04:002003-08-22T19:31:01.996-04:00This Op-Ed on Arnold is amazing
My Lesson From Mr. Olympia:
After the demonstration, Mr. Schwarzenegger answered questions from the audience. I was 44, and about to enter my first bodybuilding contest: Mr. Connecticut, Over-40. I had reached a sticking point in my training and wanted to get bigger biceps. I had asked a lot of knowledgable bodybuilders how to gain bicep size and they had all Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061565196279299572003-08-22T11:13:00.000-04:002003-08-22T11:13:16.360-04:00Go and Flood The Zone
Notgeniuses has a really interesting idea involving the new Bush web site. Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061521961554158482003-08-21T23:12:00.000-04:002003-08-21T23:13:25.006-04:00 Evite parties on
Keeping with the Jewish education theme: you know Evite, and you are probably on their mailing list. In my mailbox today, "from my friends at e-vite":
Yesterday we mailed a newsletter to our subscribers with incorrect dates for three important Holidays. Please accept our sincerest apologies for these errors and note the following corrections:
Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061427456876730702003-08-20T20:57:00.000-04:002003-08-20T20:59:03.546-04:00Bible/Torah Questions
So I'm reading the Torah right now because I need to understand religion a little better. I'm not really that religious, but I do believe in God, and our rhetorical superstructures come from religion whether we like it or not. I'm reading the Garden of Eden part.
1) Ok, so Eve eats of the Tree of Knowledge and God says 'You will now feel the pain of childbirth' or Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061423093925460812003-08-20T19:44:00.000-04:002003-08-20T19:44:54.033-04:00 Cycling pages
I just finished a small website, On yer bike : a guide to cycling efficiently, safely and on the cheap, that gives a brief intro to commuting and utility bicycling. Comments welcome.Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061408538932691082003-08-20T15:42:00.000-04:002003-08-20T15:45:24.016-04:00 You heard it here first : To the Point scoops the New Yorker by eight months
Bush's push for hydrogen powered cars, to the cognoscenti, is a poorly disguised automaker subsidy (and a way to ease the righteous pressure for better fuel economy now). The New Yorker is now carrying a highly critical story about Bush's billion dollar gift to GM et al, but we at To the Point carried the same story Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061401589840656302003-08-20T13:46:00.000-04:002003-08-20T13:46:29.856-04:00Clark is running
I don't know how much clearer it could get. Donna Brazile doesn't say these things lightly.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061388673694054162003-08-20T10:11:00.000-04:002003-08-20T10:11:13.756-04:00The Daily Meme, August 19, 2003
(Cross-posted at The Clark Sphere)
Welcome to the third edition of the Daily Meme, a guide to what's going on online and which memes, or 'viral blog sound bites', are powerful. The interpretation here is of course subjective, but it's based on which memes gather the most responses in comment boards on popular blogs. The Daily Meme author has also deeply drunk of Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061360637954135862003-08-20T02:23:00.000-04:002003-08-20T02:23:57.980-04:00 What they're reading in Kuwait
Samuel Huntingdon, of course (via Amazon.com.) Weirdly (unless it's staring me in the face) Amazon doesn't display the top selling books in Saudi Arabia, perhaps at the request of the government there.Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061312372097562312003-08-19T12:59:00.000-04:002003-08-19T13:02:05.000-04:00 The Bush whitewash
Journalists are always looking for the new story and the new angle. I guess they're bored with reporting Bush's lies and mismanagement of America, and the next big angle -- particularly obtuse, I mean -- is how Bush is a leftie. This article, by Peter Berkowitz in the Boston Globe, is such a hodge of "let's ignore the obvious" and "aren't I clever for seeing through the Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061305962092224552003-08-19T11:12:00.000-04:002003-08-20T11:06:57.330-04:00A Game: Lies In Every Section (LIES)
The new George Bush reelection site is up and going. It's really well done. While it has no interaction with the blogosphere, I expect that will come in due time. The tools for grassroots activism are there and pretty compelling. You can market your event on the site if you attach it to George Bush's reelection campaign; country fairs are already signingMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061305391637396472003-08-19T11:03:00.000-04:002003-08-19T11:03:11.613-04:00Bush on the web
Bush has a slick reelection site. The people who have done it clearly understand grassroots tools.
(Thanks to Notgeniuses for the nod)Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061221040238735452003-08-18T11:37:00.000-04:002003-08-18T11:37:20.300-04:00Isn't it fun when Tom Delay is beaten with his own hypocrisy?
Yes.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061217995196248582003-08-18T10:46:00.000-04:002003-08-18T10:50:58.200-04:00 The effect of the New York City blackout on gross national nookie
Forget about economics. The real question is, how much extra nookie was produced by the blackouts in New York City? I present my order-of-magnitude, good to no better than 10%, analysis of this fascinating problem. I find, after a scientific analysis, that the blackout led to 12,000 additional sexual acts, and 30 additional loveSimonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061214584859251532003-08-18T09:49:00.000-04:002003-08-18T09:49:44.890-04:00Winning means winning Congress
Here's how.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061073388531216742003-08-16T18:36:00.000-04:002003-08-16T18:36:28.533-04:00Neoconservatives poisonous discourse
Matthew Yglesias and Kevin Drum muse on how neoconservatives want to cut taxes while pursuing very expensive foreign engagements, and that in the long-run that is highly problematic. Well, yes.
But another vile consequence of neocon reasoning is that you have to debate it. Instead of legitimate discussions of real priorities, you have to spend time Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1061014797003805532003-08-16T02:19:00.000-04:002003-08-16T02:23:11.880-04:00 Kristoff : bogus again
Well, Kristoff writes for the New York Times, so unfortunately people will take him seriously anyway. But following on the heels of puff discussed below, here's Kristoff to tell us that "Americans are three times as likely to believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus (83 percent) as in evolution (28 percent) ... Americans believe, 58 percent to 40 percent, that it is Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060987881317830412003-08-15T18:51:00.000-04:002003-08-15T18:51:18.103-04:00 Melancholy Birders
Robert Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy is a great book. But why is it the most popular, according to Amazon, with people who also purchased books by Roger Tory Peterson and David Allen Sibley? Peterson and Sibley are the authors of the canonical and hitheroto canonical field guides to North American birds. Are bird watchers especially prone to the melancholic affliction?Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060962364869956842003-08-15T11:46:00.000-04:002003-08-15T11:50:25.270-04:00Official Welcome to Bush America
I'd just like to give everyone an official welcome to Bush's America, where systems are abused for private profit and things don't work right. Values don't just represent abstract ideals. They also keep the lights on. Or off, as the case may be.
Also, thanks to the media, which consistently harped on the successful response of our government to a power gridMatthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060911320420514022003-08-14T21:35:00.000-04:002003-08-14T21:41:41.206-04:00 David Brooks : Reporter of the fraudulent puff piece
ALD links today to an article by David Brooks in the Atlantic Monthly. Mr. Brooks is fascinated by the fact that people tend to hang out with similar people and even -- gasp -- to move to neighbourhoods where they can except to find similar kinds of people. Brooks gives us a few platitudes about life ("People want to be around others who areSimonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060898998380857362003-08-14T18:09:00.000-04:002003-08-14T18:14:28.503-04:00I would just like to point out that the sky is, in fact, falling
Power outages!
PS. It sucks to have a power outage in the summer when it's really hot. You can't even bone in comfort.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060895595779906682003-08-14T17:13:00.000-04:002003-08-14T17:44:22.080-04:00 Power outage not suspicious according to Times
The outage that hit at 4.30 pm (and killed the lights in parts of Princeton here) was caused by a technical failure, and not a moral one, according to the Times (and to the BBC):
Power outages were reported today throughout the Northeast. Blackouts were reported north to Toronto, south to Maryland and west to Cleveland, Detroit and Toledo.
TheSimonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060884704130650642003-08-14T14:11:00.000-04:002003-08-16T00:57:08.236-04:00Data Point Eight Thousand Twenty Seven That Liberals Don't Believe Anymore
Amy Sullivan (correction: it's actually her coblogger Jake Rosenfeld - thanks, Haggai) writes:
A few weeks back, this young conservative pundit (hint: first name rhymes with "sucker") was overheard remarking that Bush was "totally beatable," especially since he "staked his presidency on a war that has gone south."
Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060799562836934292003-08-13T14:32:00.000-04:002003-08-13T14:37:27.986-04:00 Fox News comes clean
In celebration of Fair and Balanced day, let's remember that Fox News has finally come clean and declared itself to be a right-wing television station. This remarkable confession happened on March 27th, at the "Media Research Center DisHonors Awards," a roasting of what the conservative Media Research Center considers liberal exaggerations in the media. As reported in the Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060798465009442842003-08-13T14:14:00.000-04:002003-08-13T14:19:10.410-04:00Fair and Balanced: Intellectual Property?
Jack Balkin
comments on the Fair and Balanced controversy, where Fox News is suing Al Franken to prevent his satirical take-off on Fox's reporting style. Balkin points to the fact that the assault on freedom of speech is occurring through our veneration of of property rights. I would add to that point by mentioning that EVEN if Fox loses this suit (Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060654332120633402003-08-11T22:12:00.000-04:002003-08-11T22:12:12.133-04:00What is Clark about?
Well, a lot of things. Let's start here.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14319146755838567044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060617080517366132003-08-11T11:51:00.000-04:002003-08-11T12:13:31.870-04:00 More on Hackworth
I posted below about David Hackworth, his pull with the military "rank and file"[*] through internet newsletters that cover both the pragmatics and politics of war, and his increasing disatisfaction with the Bush leadership, who he terms "The Liar's Club."
Since Hackworth has been a conservative darling for so long, I assumed that this kind of break was a symptom more of Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060544766619728242003-08-10T15:46:00.000-04:002003-08-10T15:46:06.626-04:00 Blowing cover
More evidence that Bush's "tough on terror" stance is more gas than solid, in the Guardian:
The FBI may launch an inquiry into whether the White House revealed the identity of a covert CIA official to punish her husband for blowing the whistle on President Bush for making misleading claims about the Iraqi nuclear programme, officials in Washington said yesterday.
Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060544465996497822003-08-10T15:41:00.000-04:002003-08-10T15:43:24.166-04:00 Soldiers on the "Liar's Club"
David Hackworth, a former solider, is mad, and the White House should be worried:
As a 19-year-old soldier I saw hundreds of young men killed, maimed or captured because of bad captains, inept generals and uncaring politicians. I witnessed this massacre for almost three years in Korea and then for almost five years in Vietnam, where 58,000 men died,Simonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4007961.post-1060376267600309652003-08-08T16:57:00.000-04:002003-08-08T16:57:47.500-04:00 Things I'd like to hear from Clark
Matt (S) has come out for Clark on the blog, and I've remained undecided. The "officially non-official" Clark-on-the-issues page can be found here. Here are a scattering of comments and questions that I'd like to have answered -- along with worries about the glaring omissions.
These are not criticisms -- rather, requests for clarification from the Clark Simonnoreply@blogger.com