drat fink

doublethink piece

"Orwell's army is one of the most ideologically mixed up ever to assemble. John Rodden, whose "George Orwell: The Politics of Literary Reputation" was published in 1989 and recently reprinted, with a new introduction (Transaction; $30), has catalogued it exhaustively. It has included, over the years, ex-Communists, Socialists, left-wing anarchists, right-wing libertarians, liberals, conservatives, doves, hawks, the Partisan Review editorial board, and the John Birch Society: every group in a different uniform, but with the same button pinned to the lapel—Orwell Was Right. Irving Howe claimed Orwell, and so did Norman Podhoretz. Almost the only thing Orwell's posthumous admirers have in common, besides the button, is anti-Communism. But they all somehow found support for their particular bouquet of moral and political values in Orwell's writings, which have been universally praised as "honest," "decent," and "clear." In what sense, though, can writings that have been taken to mean so many incompatible things be called "clear"? And what, exactly, was Orwell right about?"

illinoise

im not a fan over her show but i bet oprah would make a formidable senator.

much ruminating on the left about the efficacy and leadership of the recent anti-war protests. i tend to think they are generally a positive endeavor as those who are powerless are given the opportunity to at least feel they are doing something to effect change. for those that think ANSWER is not the answer the next anti-war rally in new york and elsewhere will be sponsored by united for peace. maybe their speakers will stay on message and focus on this struggle and leave the grabbag of tangenial leftist complaints for the appropriate venues. for me, it wasnt about the speakers anyway. it was about showing up and registering my dismay and taking away an impression. sheer numbers spoke louder than words.

here are a few rival perspectives --

high clearing
maxspeak
nathan newman
daily kos


also downplaying the numbers v. how best to make estimates at rallies

rosebud

"On Tuesday, Mr. Rosenthal goes on trial in federal court in San Francisco on charges of marijuana cultivation and conspiracy. The charges stem from a business he ran growing marijuana to be sold for medicinal uses under the auspices of the City of Oakland's medical marijuana ordinance, one of many such municipal statutes in California."

"If convicted on all counts, Mr. Rosenthal, who is 58, faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison; the conspiracy charge carries a possible life sentence."

"The trial has riled his many fans in the marijuana community, but its implications are far broader. At its core, Mr. Rosenthal's prosecution exposes a deepening rift between the State of California and the Bush administration over the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, with no middle ground for compromise in sight."

allied front

"France's opposition to a war, emphatically delivered here by Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, is a major blow for the Bush administration, which has begun pouring tens of thousands of troops into the Persian Gulf in preparation for a military conflict this spring. The administration had hoped to mark the final phase in its confrontation with Iraq when U.N. weapons inspectors deliver a progress report Monday."

garden party

i dont ever trust drudges sources but this smoking ban is almost enough to make me start smoking again.

ahoy hoy

just had the old jewish landlord up to adjust my leaking radiator for the umpteenth time. i had some music playing on the computer and he looked at it quizzically. and then he said, "the computer, it sings?" now i have to light some incense. like old habits, smells linger.

theres a light that never goes out

"I'm anticipating a tough week. But rather than shutting down entirely, I'm just going to change format. This week, all week, I'm posting nothing but original politically-themed "How many 'x' does it take to change a lightbulb?" jokes. Stay tuned."

law schooled

"Does the DMCA “alter the traditional contours of copyright protection”? Yes, it does, in two respects. First, it creates a new property right that allows copyright owners to do an end run around fair use, effectively shrinking the public domain. Second, it extends that property right to prohibit the use and dissemination of technologies that would protect fair use and vindicate fair use rights. Congress has exceeded the traditional boundaries of copyright protection, superimposing a new form of intellectual property protection that undermines the “built-in free speech safeguards” crucial to the holding in Eldred. Hence, under the logic of Eldred, the DMCA is constitutionally suspect."

mousekatears

"When the Court ruled against Eldred, the Disney Corporation issued a collective sigh of relief. Before the Bono Act passed, Mickey Mouse was set to enter the public domain in 2004, with his best-known animated pals following shortly afterward. One reason Disney put its weight behind the 1998 legislation was to keep Mickey and the gang on the plantation; Eldred's backers subsequently adopted Free the Mouse as an unofficial slogan."

"Mickey's own reaction to the decision was less enthusiastic. Telling his keepers that he was going on an "ice run for the boss," the mouse made his way to a dive bar a few miles outside Disneyland, where he gave reason an exclusive interview."