NRO Weekend offers some of

NRO Weekend offers some of the best war movies of all time. Here are my picks:

• Gettysburg
  It's moving, powerful, full of great acting, outstanding music, and I always feel for the Confederates marching to their doom during Pickett's Charge.

• Saving Private Ryan
  Spielberg shows us a glimpse of the gruesomeness of war. Gritty, average Americans accomplished great things in WWII.

• Schindler's List
  Spielberg's finest movie. Although not truly a war movie, it shows us the horrors of the Holocaust.

• Tora, Tora, Tora
  This is a huge, expansive film. It may be the closest anyone could come to witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor without being there.

• Midway
  Like Tora, Tora, Tora, this film is large and epic.

  "War & Popcorn"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:11 PM | Comments (0)

  Geoffrey Norman doesn't blame the

  Geoffrey Norman doesn't blame the announcers for boring, mediocre Monday Night Football games. He blames "salary caps, free agency, and a college draft that is designed to make every team in the league above average."

  "Monday Night Fumble"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:49 PM | Comments (0)

  I'm jumping on the bandwagon

  I'm jumping on the bandwagon for Condee for VP if Cheney doesn't sign up for another run.

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:36 PM | Comments (0)

  Pete du Pont is a

  Pete du Pont is a thankful man. But let me borrow from his latest column:
  

  
  Thankful would be an understatement, for in this wondrous land I have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in matters of consequence. God, country and my family gave me this gift; Thanksgiving is the day to treasure it.
  

  
  "Thanks for Everything"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:33 PM | Comments (0)

  November 20, 2001

  It must have been a

  It must have been a slow news day over at Wired. Yesterday, they put out a two-pager on shipping boxes.

  "Shippers Wrestle With Box Issues"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 06:53 PM | Comments (0)

  November 18, 2001

  David Limbaugh loves Peggy Noonan's

  David Limbaugh loves Peggy Noonan's When Character was King. About this story of Ronald Reagan, he writes, "This book will make you feel good all over again, and grateful for this great man."

  "Noonan: When Character was King"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)

  There is incredible dedication at

  There is incredible dedication at Ground Zero. Workers are toiling away 85 hours a week, but it's now considered a construction site. It's now time to move on.

  "As Dig Goes On, Emotions Are Buried Deep"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:43 AM | Comments (0)

  November 17, 2001

  Have any physics grad for

  Have any physics grad for friends? Get a few together over some beers, and you might come up with a serious plan for making a nuclear weapon. As Carey Sublette shows, much of the information is public knowledge.

  Engineering and Design of Nuclear Weapons

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)

  November 16, 2001

  Thomas Sowell notes that the

  Thomas Sowell notes that the Academy shuns REAL diversity: diversity of thought.

  "Diversity Versus 'Diversity'"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:08 AM | Comments (0)

  November 15, 2001

  While Safire is too harsh

  While Safire is too harsh in his opposition to military tribunals, I do approve of his solution:
  

  
  The solution is to turn his cave into his crypt. When fleeing Taliban reveal his whereabouts, our bombers should promptly bid him farewell with 15,000-pound daisy-cutters and 5,000-pound rock-penetrators.
  

  
  I have no desire to see bin Laden or members of Al-Qaeda on trial. They should be destroyed before we even need to deal with that problem.

  "Seizing Dictatorial Power"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:34 PM | Comments (0)

  The "universal shout" for freedom

  The "universal shout" for freedom was heard loud and clear in Kabul. And in order to keep that love of freedom alive economic liberty must be promoted--even at the expense of political liberty.

  "'America, America!'"

  "Afghanistan After the War" [via Silicon Central]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:11 PM | Comments (0)

  Let's be clear about the

  Let's be clear about the military tribunals that could try terrorists: they would be more fair than anything our opponents would have. Remember, the Taliban are the same people who were going to put American relief workers on trial for the horrible crime of preaching Christianity. A U.S. military tribunal would be made up of people fully emersed in a culture of liberty and justice. Will they be perfect? Of course not, but John Ashcroft put it correctly that we are in a (unofficial) state of war.

  "Bush Plan for Terrorism Trials Defended"

  "War Crimes Are Different"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:58 PM | Comments (0)

  Bin Laden and his Taliban

  Bin Laden and his Taliban allies have no desire for peaceful coexistence. Mullah Omar made his feelings perfectly known when he said, "The real matter is the extinction of America, and God willing, it will fall to the ground."

  There is no more need to "understand" these people. It's clear they want to destroy us. In the case of bin Laden, he's even been working on plans to build nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Unconditional surrender and complete victory are the only things that will protect America from this threat.

  "Omar Wants 'Extinction of America'"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

  I know Strom is doing

  I know Strom is doing his best to finish out his term so the GOP doesn't lose another seat in the Senate, but it's time to retire when you have to move into a hospital. Strom, you've had a good run. It's time to say good bye.

  "Thurmond Moves Into Hospital"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:54 AM | Comments (0)

  I don't care that uber-snob

  I don't care that uber-snob Jonathan Franzen won the National Book Award for Fiction for The Corrections. Surprisingly, he didn't say anything bad about Oprah in his acceptance speech. I'm really happy that Andrew Solomon won for The Noonday Demon. It literally hurt to read it. The prose is powerful, touching, and deeply emotional. It covers genres such as memoir, straight-ahead journalism, and science writing with a strong, broad stroke. Solomon got a well-deserved award.

  "'Corrections' Is Winner of Top Prize for Fiction"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:55 AM | Comments (0)

  November 14, 2001

  Jeffery Hart has written a

  Jeffery Hart has written a new book, Smiling Through the Cultural Catastrophe: Toward the Revival of Higher Education. Carol Iannone calls it an "excellent syllabus for a one-year introduction to the Great Books." It's a brief survey of some of the ideas and thinkers that form the basis of Western Civilization.

  "Enlightenment"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:30 PM | Comments (0)

  Bernard Lewis writes: One also

  Bernard Lewis writes:
  

  
  One also sometimes gets the impression that the offense of imperialism is not -- as for Western critics -- the domination by one people over another but rather the allocation of roles in this relationship. What is truly evil and unacceptable is the domination of infidels over true believers. For true believers to rule misbelievers is proper and natural, since this provides for the maintenance of the holy law, and gives the misbelievers both the opportunity and the incentive to embrace the true faith. But for misbelievers to rule over true believers is blasphemous and unnatural, since it leads to the corruption of religion and morality in society, and to the flouting or even the abrogation of God's law. This may help us to understand the current troubles in such diverse places as Ethiopian Eritrea, Indian Kashmir, Chinese Sinkiang, and Yugoslav Kossovo, in all of which Muslim populations are ruled by non-Muslim governments. It may also explain why spokesmen for the new Muslim minorities in Western Europe demand for Islam a degree of legal protection which those countries no longer give to Christianity and have never given to Judaism. Nor, of course, did the governments of the countries of origin of these Muslim spokesmen ever accord such protection to religions other than their own. In their perception, there is no contradiction in these attitudes. The true faith, based on God's final revelation, must be protected from insult and abuse; other faiths, being either false or incomplete, have no right to any such protection.
  

  
  Muslims must rule because Islam is the true faith. There is no concept of the separation of church and state under Islam. For muslims, the political is the personal is the religious. Just as Mohammed was both religious and political leader of the first muslims, many Muslims feel the need for religious and political law to be as one. This idea is antithical to Western Political thought.

  But think of Western imperialism not as political, but as cultural. Mass communication and world trade has brought Western ideas and products to Muslim lands. Some can coexist with Muslim beliefs while others offend. Lewis makes a similar point when we writes, "More than ever before it is Western capitalism and democracy that provide an authentic and attractive alternative to traditional ways of thought and life." Muslims hate America because of our political, economic, and technological power. The source of this power is liberty. So it's not a stretch to say that America is hated because she is free.

  What is most unfortunate is that the West can do little to change the Muslim theo-political worldview. This is an internal struggle amongst Muslims themselves. The best we can do is provide a shining example of the benefits of political and economic liberty while providing an adequate defense.

  "The Roots of Muslim Rage"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)

  A divided Miami community elects

  A divided Miami community elects Manny Diaz as the city's new mayor. Prior to this, Diaz claim to fame was his work for Lazaro Gonzalez, Elian Gonzalez's uncle.

  "Cuban-American Vote Lifts Diaz to Miami Mayor's Post"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

  Chelsea Clinton was raised by

  Chelsea Clinton was raised by two very smart (although amoral) parents and was surrounded by intelligent people. With all the opportunity for intellectual development, she's so shallow as to be concerned about the consequence of President Bush's tax cut while watching the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

  I had sympathy for Chelsea growing up in the White House. I thought she could rise above the dismal level of honor, honesty, and decency in her environment. Now, I'm not too sure.

  "Chelsea Clinton Feared Bush Tax Cuts as Twin Towers Fell"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 07:14 PM | Comments (0)

  The most important scholar alive

  The most important scholar alive on Islam and the Middle East is Bernard Lewis. His books are selling (his The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 Years is patiently sitting on my bookshelf), and leaders seek his insight. Emily Yoffe profiles him for Slate and defends him against the orientalist critique of Edward "Palestinian rock thrower" Said.

  "Bernard Lewis"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 07:09 PM | Comments (0)

  November 13, 2001

  Peggy Noonan's When Character Was

  Peggy Noonan's When Character Was King just came out. She talked about the book on Hannity & Colmes.

  "How Would Reagan Have Done It?"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 04:13 PM | Comments (0)

  I'm not sure what I

  I'm not sure what I would do with an 8MB key chain, but I still want one. [via Evhead]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 03:29 PM | Comments (0)

  Michael Lind's and Ted Halstead's

  Michael Lind's and Ted Halstead's new book The Radical Center may be the most provokative political book of the year. It's reached the pages of The Washington Times, and I'm sure plenty of self-described "moderates" will go ga-ga over it. I've added it to my wish list.

  "Bold Centrism"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 03:23 PM | Comments (0)

  KABUL IS LIBERATED!! Despite gripes

  KABUL IS LIBERATED!!

  Despite gripes from pundits, progress is being made in Afghanistan. With Kabul under the control of the Northern Alliance, a peacekeeping force should be brought in to prevent the anarchy that led to the rise of the Taliban in the first place.

  "Afghan Opposition Fighters Roll into Kabul as the Taliban Abandons the Capital"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 03:12 PM | Comments (0)

  November 12, 2001

  This is pretty simple: Bush

  This is pretty simple: Bush won. The Supreme Court didn't choose the President as people like Alan Dershowitz would like you to think. The only way Gore could have eked out a victory in Florida was to have a state-wide recount (something the Gore campaign opposed).

  The NY Times's story is interesting in that they write that Bush would have won if the Supreme Court would have allowed Gore's limited recount of selected Florida counties. The story also ends by stating that if the counties would have used their individual ballot standards in a state-wide recount, Bush would still have won. But throughout the rest of the story, it explains that Gore really should have won using the consortium's arbitrary standard (the Times even admits that the consortium's examination wasn't a "real- world situation"). The Times skirts around questioning Bush's legitimacy, while seriously questioning his victory. Reading between the lines, the paper doesn't want to appear unpatriotic, but deep down, they think Gore won.

  In a related commentary, John Lott and James Glassman discovered that Florida Republicans were more likely to have a spoiled ballot than Democrats. You won't hear much about this from race-baiters like Jesse Jackson, because it won't conform to their faith that the Florida election was a deeply racist affair.

  "Study of Disputed Florida Ballots Finds Justices Did Not Cast the Deciding Vote"

  "GOP Was the Real Victim in Fla. Vote" [via Reductio]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 02:11 PM | Comments (0)

  November 10, 2001

  The Bush administration is getting

  The Bush administration is getting tougher with Arafat. Bush won't meet with him if he comes to New York for an upcoming UN General Assembly meeting. Arafat must decide if he really wants to join the West by severing ties to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah and to help protect Israel from terrorist attacks. Is the ex-terrorist capable of such a feat? I'm not hopeful. Ex-president Barak gave him almost everything he wanted for the creation of a Palestinian state, but Arafat turned him down. The latest round of violence soon began.

  "U.S. Tells Arafat to Stop Embracing Hamas, Hezbollah"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:07 AM | Comments (0)

  November 09, 2001

  Forget the daisy cutters and

  Forget the daisy cutters and bunker busters. Nukes should be ready for use at a moment's notice. The U.S. should also publicly state that we're not afraid to use them either. It doesn't matter if he has weapons of mass destruction or not (I think not). Bin Laden shouldn't think he can threaten the U.S. Part of this war is a war for prestige. The U.S. must look like the strongest, toughest SOB out there so future bin Laden will think twice about challenging us.

  "Bin Laden Claims He has Nuclear Weapons - Paper" [via Drudge]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:47 PM | Comments (0)

  Wispolitics.com has the first poll

  Wispolitics.com has the first poll numbers on the Wisconsin governor's race. Incumbent, Scott McCallum is stronger than I expected. The election is a year away, but McCallum is leading all democratic challengers including Milwaukee Congressman Tom Barrett and Attorney General Jim Doyle. Doyle is the strongest Democrat right now because he has the most name recognition, but I still think Barrett will be his party's nominee.

  WisPolitics Statewide Voter Survey - Base Results

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:41 AM | Comments (0)

  November 08, 2001

  From Ann Colter's latest mediocre

  From Ann Colter's latest mediocre column:
  

  
  Unless the airlines are going to require all passengers, pilots and crew to fly naked with no carry-on luggage, keeping weapons off planes is a pipe dream.
  

  
  Ann may have found the answer to revive airline traffic: put beautiful, naked, blond Republicans on every flight.

  "HillaryCare For The Airports"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:13 PM | Comments (7)

  What does Powell mean when

  What does Powell mean when he said, "nations such as Iraq, which have tried to pursue weapons of mass destruction, should not think that we ... will not turn our attention to them"? Is he in favor of a Desert Storm II operation? Does he regret not marching on to Baghdad after liberating Kuwait?

  Powell's statement does mean that the U.S. is serious about terrorism world-wide. Bin Laden isn't the only target so other groups and harbor nations much watch out.

  "Powell Says U.S. Will Deal with Iraq Eventually" [via Reductio]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)

  Bill Maher, faux libertarian, sees

  Bill Maher, faux libertarian, sees the end of his lame, unfunny show.

  "Maher Expects to be Axed" [via Metafilter]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:50 PM | Comments (0)

  November 07, 2001

  An eBayer's dream. I'll trade

  An eBayer's dream. I'll trade you two Colin Powells for a Condoleezza Rice. You know the hot cards will be Bush and Giuliani, but don't underestimate the collectable potential of Tony Blair.

  One hip thing to do in the sports card world is add pieces of clothing to the card. How about a portion of the radar-resistent skin with the B-2 Spirit card?

  Enduring Freedom Picture Cards

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:46 AM | Comments (0)

  Patrick Ruffini analyzes Brett Schundler's

  Patrick Ruffini analyzes Brett Schundler's defeat.

  I must point out this paragraph from this NY Times' story:
  

  
  But while Mr. Schundler was pouring forth with proposals for tax and toll cuts, a complicated overhaul of the public education system, and other ambitious measures, Mr. McGreevey said little that was specific and less that was controversial.
  

  
  In the eyes of reporter David Halbfinger, McGreevey coasted to victory with a vapid, empty campaign that relied on political inertia following the 9.11 attacks. It also didn't help that President Bush never made a trip to New Jersey and test whether his sky-high approval numbers could rub off on another Republican.

  "How Brett Could Have Won"

  "McGreevey Wins Handily in New Jersey Race"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:40 AM | Comments (0)

  American Middle East scholars were

  American Middle East scholars were as wrong about their subject as CIA analysts were about the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War.

  "Getting It Wrong in the Middle East"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 12:24 AM | Comments (0)

  November 06, 2001

  Baseball will shut down two

  Baseball will shut down two teams. One for sure is Montreal, who's fan base is so tiny as to be undeserving of a major league franchise. The other most-likely team is Minnesota. That's a team with real history. They had beloved stars like Kirby Puckett and Rod Carew, and they won two World Series. This decision does show the players union that there is real economic problems in the game. The next step is to put together real revenue sharing and a salary cap.

  "Owners Approve Contraction"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:33 PM | Comments (0)

  November 05, 2001

  Donald Rumsfeld notice the same

  Donald Rumsfeld notice the same thing in picture from Ground Zero: "Today is Nov. 1, and smoke - at this very moment - is still rising from the ruins of the World Trade Center."

  Rumsfeld puts into perspective the speed this war is being conducted. It won't be fast for speed's sake. "It is about will - the projection of will, the clear, unambiguous determination of the president and the American people to see this through to certain victory." This will take time. Liberals and conservatives, get off this administration's back!

  "'War is Not about . . . 24-Hour News Cycles'"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 02:07 AM | Comments (0)

  I feel another cliche coming

  I feel another cliche coming on: 9.11 has brought Americans closer together. I again use a cliche because it's accurate. My proof? Students and teachers in an elementary school in Southeastern Wisconsin are forever linked to their counterparts in a NYC school 15 blocks from Ground Zero.

  Let me quote my sister:
  

  
  We have an unusual opportunity to show these kids about helping one another, about showing that we have a responsibility to take care of each other.
  

  We have that "repsonsiblity to take care of each other" not just because it's right, but because it's a quality evil people like Osama bin Laden don't possess. We're better than him, and everyday we should do something to prove it.

  "Falls Class Sends Gifts, Support to N.Y."

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:49 AM | Comments (0)

  Don't buy the conventional wisdom

  Don't buy the conventional wisdom that Arab-Americans are under lots of duress because of the 9.11 attacks. Here's some material pulled from a Washington Times feature on Muslims around Detroit:
  

  
  Mr. Saad says that reports of widespread harassment of Arab-Americans following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon have been exaggerated.

  "This talk about Arab-Americans being harassed is a big misconception," he said. "I have had a great reaction. I hear all of this, and I thought, 'Well, maybe my suppliers won't work with me any more.'

  "But I have had well wishes from all of them, and all of my customers, Italian, black, white," he adds.

  Jeff Youssef, standing in the market gabbing with anyone who walks by, says the same thing.

  "The harassment has been inflated," he said. "The media has decided that is the story. But we are mostly left alone. Most people, no matter what color, get hassled at some point."

  Adds Angela Harb, a West Bloomfield woman of Palestinian descent: "These communities are very tight, and in some cases, some don't even see others."

  Growing up in Livonia, Miss Harb, 41, never went to school dances.

  "Instead, our community had its own affairs. Even when I go away, I miss seeing my culture everywhere," she said.

  Tim Attalla has three children ? Omar, Yusef and Allie. Mr. Attalla feared initially that they would be subject to the anti-Arab insults that were so widely reported by some media outlets. He lives in Northville, an affluent upscale suburb.

  "They have had no problems at all," Mr. Attalla said. "I think the media does more harm than the other kids."

  While the Arab-American media has also protested loudly about racial profiling and attacks on U.S. Muslims, most will, under direct questioning, say the incidents are isolated.

  When the Rev. George Shalhoub told media callers that he had received no threats following the September 11 attacks, the conversation was over.

  "They didn't want to talk to me at all if I wasn't being threatened," said Mr. Shalhoub, a Syrian immigrant who presides over St. Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Church in the suburb of Livonia.
  

  "Muslims in America"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:38 AM | Comments (0)

  California Republicans shouldn't be griping

  California Republicans shouldn't be griping about Richard Riordan not hiring enough Republican political hacks. After a successful run as Los Angeles mayor, he's the GOP's best shot at turning the lights out on Gov. Gray "Who turned out the lights?" Davis. Is Riordan a pure conservative? No, but California is a weird state that has a hard time electing die-hard conservatives (Ronald Reagan being an exception). When your party's highest office held is Secretary of State, electability must trump ideological purity.

  What I really think is some of Riorden's critics are miffed that their political friends aren't working on the campaign.

  "GOP Stalwarts Worry over Purity of Riordan Run"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:31 AM | Comments (0)

  Big games from Ahman Green

  Big games from Ahman Green and Allen Rossum compensate for Brett Favre's sub-par performance. It also sets up next week's game as the biggest in years between the Packers and the division-leading Chicago Bears.

  "Bursting Bucs' Bubble"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:21 AM | Comments (0)

  November 04, 2001

  The Arizona Diamondbacks pull off

  The Arizona Diamondbacks pull off a little ninth inning magic of their own to win the World Series.

  "Diamondbacks Beat Yankees to Win World Series"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:51 PM | Comments (0)

  November 03, 2001

  I'll use the cliche "politics

  I'll use the cliche "politics makes strange bedfellows," because it fits in this case over the Republican energy bill in the Senate. The bill would allow oil drilling in Alaska's ANWR. The Teamsters are pushing very hard for the bill and think they have enough votes to stop a filibuster. That means they have enough Democratic votes to stop a filibuster. Teamsters and Republicans fighting side by side to boost oil production: a pleasant surprise.

  Most of the Teamsters support comes from the belief that the energy bill will create jobs that may boost Teamsters' ranks. But you can be sure some of the support is because the Democrats have treated the Teamsters so shabbily in the past. When Bill Clinton ran the party, they backed Ron Carey over current Teamsters' President James Hoffa. Democrats even helped funnel illegal campaign contributions for Carey's re-election. There's bad blood here.

  President Bush is also practicing good politics to bring the Teamsters' and his interests more in line. Pushing for tougher steel import restrictions made him more sympathetic with organized labor. There is also the fact that war brings groups together in ways that peace can't. If Bush plays this right, he could get the fast-track trade negotiation authority he want's and should get.

  "GOP Energy Bill Close to Busting Filibuster"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:33 PM | Comments (0)

  Although we may be unprepared

  Although we may be unprepared for a contagious bio attack (think smallpox), John Pike of Globalsecurity.org remains more afraid of conventional attacks.

  "Americans Unprepared for 'Dark Winter'"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 01:17 PM | Comments (0)

  November 02, 2001

  Domestic terrorists strike (and I

  Domestic terrorists strike (and I don't mean anthrax).

  "Federal Horse Corral Firebombed" [via InstaPundit]

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 11:38 PM | Comments (0)

  In Thomas Madden's words, the

  In Thomas Madden's words, the Crusades were "in every way a defensive war." The Muslims won the Crusades and almost conquered Europe in the process. The reason the term "crusade" is such a pejorative is that they're looked at through a modern instead of a medieval prism.

  "Crusade Propaganda"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:38 PM | Comments (0)

  "The enemy won't rest during

  "The enemy won't rest during Ramadan and neither will we."

  Case closed.

  "Bush: Strikes won't stop for Ramadan"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)

  November 01, 2001

  Jonathan Franzen: literary snob. The

  Jonathan Franzen: literary snob. The man is given the opportunity to show thousands of people his art by being picked for Oprah's book club. Is Franzen grateful? No, he starts complaining that Oprah's logo on the book cover somehow takes away from his work. Franzen is just too good for Oprah and her millions of fans. Being picked for the world's most popular reading list somehow takes away from "the high-art literary tradition."

  Franzen just doesn't appreciate the gift he's been given. It would be more understandable if Oprah's selection forced him to change parts of his book, but that's not the case. As Jonathan Yardley puts it, Franzen just shows how "snotty, self-absorbed and self-righteous" some writers can be.

  "The Story of O"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 05:08 PM | Comments (0)

  Radio shock jock, Erich "Mancow"

  Radio shock jock, Erich "Mancow" Muller, wants to run for Illinois lieutenant governor. This just may be his verison of Howard Stern's NY governor run.

  Mancow is a self-described "conservative, Bible-thumping radical who curses." Obnoxious and juvenille, yes. But political material? Why not? Minnesota has a bald, populist ex-wrestler. A good thing about Mancow is that he's for limited government and isn't afraid to say so.

  "Chicago Conservative Shock-Jock Plans Political Run"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)

  Scott Cunningham makes me laugh

  Scott Cunningham makes me laugh out loud with his take on independent book stores [DISCLAIMER: I work for one of the "evil" chains.]:
  

  
  The independant bookstore is a lot like the neighborhood grocery store. It's interesting to go into, but pretty much only because we feel sorry for the guy, and because at that moment, we're feeling especially nostalgic or something.
  

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 04:41 PM | Comments (0)

  Bill Kristol wants a new

  Bill Kristol wants a new war strategy. It's only been seven weeks since the 9.11 attacks. No one said this would be a quick war. The Gulf War took months of preparation and weeks of airstrikes before ground troops moved in, yet Kristol wasn't complaining (publically) about the poor strategy President Bush I was using. With his tone, I'm pretty sure he would have been livid over FDR's "dawdling" in the months after Pearl Harbor.

  "The Wrong Strategy"

  Posted by Sean Hackbarth in at 04:21 PM | Comments (1)

  
  

  ---