George Bush, lame duck: When prez-wannabe Mitt Romney dares to lob minor criticism at the mighty leader's handling of the war, you know lame-duckism is setting in. ...  ¶ 5:57 AM

'Craigslist has made it much easier': I don't know. I thought it was a good story simply executed with old-fashioned gum-shoe reporting about how craigslist makes it easier for prostitutes to ply their trade. Others disagree.. ... Of course yesterday I was calling for a little slack on enforcing laws. Others disagreed. ... Unlike we bloggers, at least the cops are consistent. They want laws on the books enforced on both counts. ... FYI: I'm a Herald business reporter.

Update -- Carpundit seems to have gotten what he craved: attention. ... So when craigslist comes out with a variation of his much hyped community journalism, we're all supposed to react, "Ha! Community journalism has already been here! Weekly papers have been around for 200 years!!!" ...  ¶ 10:58 AM

'It would be better if any future despot ...': Stumbled across two great articles in The Times of London, for those trying to sort out the mess resulting from last week's bombing of the Shiite shrine in Iraq. The first raises the prospect of a new Saddam 'strongman' emerging in Iraq -- with a still hopeful but realistic top U.S. official acknowledging the possibility. The second looks into Al-Qaeda's possible game plan in Iraq and how the fanatical Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who loathes Shiites almost as much as he does Americans, is determined to turn Iraq into another Yugoslavia. He's doing a good job of it so far, unfortunately. (FYI: Plenty of chicken-before-the-egg speculative fodder for both the pro-war and anti-war camps in the second article. The author maintains Saddam did ally his regime with Al-Qaeda -- but only after the Taliban fell and Saddam knew he was next on the Americans' hit list.) ... Of course there's this article on the fanatical Shiite clerics and militias mucking up any and all plans. ...

All of which brings me to William F. Buckley's assertion that it's time to admit defeat. Even I, as a Wobbly Warrior, am not prepared to go there. Zalmay Khalilzad, the American ambassador in Iraq, is doing a remarkable job and may yet 'pull a rabbit out of a hat,' as one U.S. official now puts it in the first link. Yet it's clearly time to start managing all the setbacks and get back-up plans in place ASAP. But that would require planning -- something history shows this administration is not very good at. ...

Update -- Khalilzad seems to have pulled a rabbit out of the hat this weekend by helping avoid an immediate outbreak of civil war. How many more rabbits does he have?  ¶ 8:59 AM

'Atrocities on Ice': It's official: "There's something very bad going on in figure skating." ...

Update -- The next Olympic sport. Why not? ...  ¶ 10:50 AM

'It is disgusting and embarrassing': One would think federal officials have better things to do than to jail a nanny. What next? A nationwide au pair round-up? ... I sympathize with the local authorities on the street. They're just doing their jobs. Perhaps in this individual case the nanny isn't so sweet and innocent. But our immigration policy certainly appears to be in a shambles, with the administration winking at illegal immigrants streaming across the border to the south while cracking down illogically in other areas. The 'colossal waste' just might be the time spent enforcing a flawed policy. ...



No American Shogun: Here's a review of L. Paul Bremer III's new book about Iraq. ... By pure coincidence, I'm reading former British MP Robert Harvey's 'American Shogun,' about the interacting lives of Emperor Hirohito and Gen. Douglas MacArthur. ... Bottom line: Bremer was no American Shogun. ... Say what you will about MacArthur (and he really was one brilliant prick), his occupation policies in post-war Japan were enlightened, sensitive, shrewd and, above all, effective. ...  ¶ 9:35 AM

'Wrong, Bill!': I can't make sense of this feud. But it involves Bill O'Reilly and Al Franken and Boston's Brian Maloney and Waltham's Alliance for Democracy and more get-a-life commentators than you can ever imagine (see first link). ... Yet another reminder of this basic truth: "The extreme right and left are merely mirror images of each other battling within their owned warped universe. ... Foretold in Season 3, Episode 15: 'Let That Be Your Last Battlefield.'" ... Don't ask me how I found the first link. I used to think I had a life. ...  ¶ 9:14 AM

'Tight-lipped policy on news': Sox fans are now clinging to every word they're not saying. ... Picture the possible headlines 57 days from now: 'Sox management still tight lipped.' And we'd still lap up every word of it. ...  ¶ 8:38 AM

'A good chicken is a free chicken': I know that the French love their fowl and that avian flu is serious. So a little obsessive behavior is quite understandable. But a 'national identity crisis'? ...  ¶ 8:22 AM

'I’ve made my share of mistakes': Violation No. 1 of my no-more-Harvard-posts pledge: Can you imagine Summers' most ardent critics on the faculty admitting 'mistakes'? I honestly can't. ... Lots of thoughtful comments and links over at LCL on the matter. Combined with conversations I've had with people in the know about Summers, I'm officially distancing myself a bit more from the views of Alan Dershowitz. Of course there was left-wing ideology at the core of the opposition to Summers. Are we to dismiss the entire Innate Differences 'crisis' as anything but ideological? Would Summers have been forced to resign this week if his comments about women -- and other third-rail PC controversies, i.e. Cornell West and affirmative action, Israel divestment etc. -- had not occurred? I think not. But that doesn't mean Summers didn't and wouldn't have caused other troubles for himself. He alienated too many other faculty members via his erratic and sometimes autocratic management style. When their support wavered, Summers' days were numbered. ... FYI: I have a hunch that Summers' 'long good-bye' tour -- if handled correctly, as it was yesterday -- might play into the Corporation's hands, assuming board members still want to make major changes at Harvard. Summers is reaching out to students and coming across as reasonable in defeat, regaining legitimacy for his vision in the process. The Corporation can use that legitimacy by hiring someone with similar views as Summers but with better management skills. They then can present the candidate to the public and basically say, 'You faculty members say this was all about management? Fine. Here's a good manager. Now what?' I'm not sure some on the Arts and Sciences faculty appreciate their support is thin among alumni, students and faculty members at other schools.

Update -- Here's a A&S faculty member who hopes the next president indeed retains aspects of Summers' goals and style. ...  ¶ 6:22 AM

'Hired to kick some Harvard butt': OK, last post for now on Harvard: James Traub, a Summers admirer, explores Larry's quirky management style and, convincingly, compares his situation to Tina Brown's takeover of the New Yorker magazine. Traub's conclusion:

"I, for one, will miss Summers, since university presidents who have something to say that is worth hearing are as rare as hen's teeth. And I worry that an emboldened faculty will push the Harvard Corporation to choose as his successor the reincarnation of Neil Rudenstine. Summers had a worthy cause; I hope he hasn't wound up discrediting it." ... We already have the resurrection of Derek Bok. A reincarnation of Neil Rudenstine may not be far behind. ...  ¶ 8:18 AM

'An academic coup d'etat': Alan Dershowitz may be a little harsh in his assessment of the Summers resignation. But he's not wrong to say that the core opposition was comprised of 100 percent pure-octane lefties living in their own self-dramatized world. ... Harvard is going back to the future: Derek Bok, Harvard’s president from 1971 to 1991, is resurrecting his role of academic pooper scooper for the '60s generation. ... The reaction of some students: “Stay, Summers, stay!” ... All of this is not to say Summers was a good manager. He had pretty lousy "people skills," as they say and as I once discovered in a minor run-in with the guy. But look at the "people skills" of some of the faculty members and you understand why the Corporation originally hired him and hoped he could make changes. He accomplished a lot. But ...

Update -- From Reader No. 1:

"Good column by Alan Dershowitz. (But is he a secret Right Wing Nut? Don't tell the Faculty of Arts and Sciences about his next book.) Dershowitz described a Harvard that is not so special, but behaves just like all liberal American institutions since 1968: it caves into extremists. Steve Bailey is right in one sense when he says no 'one person' can govern such a place. When everybody has a veto, nothing gets done.

"Actually, I can think of one person who could 'govern' Harvard, at least in the sense of keeping Peace in the Valley among the perpetually embittered, and Crimson in the Headlines. He doesn't have strong Harvard ties (other than a couple of wilderness years at the Kennedy School) but he's sure got star power. And today at Harvard, Star Power means more than leadership (see paragraph 3 as an example). For Harvard's new President, why not the best?."



'Not a Lampoon Hoax ...' Part III: Cambridge Common reported late yesterday that there would be a report about his reports of reports of reports. ... And he was right -- again. ... FYI: He's not claiming he broke the Summers story. He is claiming he broke the story about the breaking stories. ... The Matt Drudge of Cambridge! ...  ¶ 4:51 AM

'Not a Lampoon Hoax ...' Part II: Cambridge Common: "I will continue to report on reports of other people's reports." ... Bottom line: The blog's sources were accurate last night. Cambridge Common literally broke news of pending breaking news. Very impressive. ... Repeat again: It's not your father's media anymore. ...

Update -- No rumor. Just official fact: Larry resigns effective July 1. ... Reaction over at Cambridge Common.



'Not a Lampoon Hoax ...': How we get the news today: Wake up, make coffee, flick on computer, check emails, scan newspapers and blogs and see Instapundit has a post from late last night on rumors/reports of imminent resignation by Harvard's Larry Summers. Follow Instapundit's link to Cambridge Common which has lots of late-night rumors/reports about Summer's probable resignation based on sources within The Crimson who say they're doing a story on it for next morning ("apparently the Crimson is leaking like a sieve.") Go to Crimson site: Sure enough, as Cambridge Common reported, the student newspaper has a story this morning on Larry's possible resignation, based on a report in the WSJ, a story also mentioned and speculated about last night on Cambridge Common (WJR story is sub. req. but the headline is indeed posted on its front page this morning). ... It's not your father's media anymore, in case you didn't notice. ...

P.S. -- Things move so fast now that web commentators have already said what you wish you could have been the first to say, i.e. See first 10:38 p.m. comment at Cambridge Common -- that was going to be my view! ...

P.S. P.S -- The blogger slaughter continues. Cambridge Common also reports: "Some members of The Crimson are apparently livid with their leakers (which are, I assure you, numerous)." ... So now blogs are not only reporting what's going to be reported, but they're reporting how reporters are upset with reports of their upcoming reports. ... Repeat: It's not your father's media anymore. ...  ¶ 7:24 AM

'The Vice President is standing by his decision': Here's a postage-stamp video of the Daily Show's coverage of the Cheney shooting mishap (click on video-qt). Rob Corddry is simply hilarious. ... Via Geoff Arnold.  ¶ 10:21 AM

'No shame': I long ago realized that most gun-control policies are usually the last refuge of scoundrels who don't want more cops and tougher jail terms. But there is a limit -- and Carpundit points it out. The advertisement is sick.

Update -- A friend emailed to ask for a further definition of my 'limit.' The issue of gun control is not high on my passion list, but I'd respond: Like knowing porn when you see it, I think war-like weapons should be off the general market, from bazookas to AK-47s to bullets meant to rip through body armor.



'Let the Fatwahs begin!': Just when you thought the blogosphere was peaking, it outdoes itself. ... And congrats to the Rock Mountain News. ... Via Instapundit. ... FYI: My favorite was the Simpsons in Mecca.  ¶ 6:21 PM

'Could not survive contact with the reality of Chad': Or to put it another way: Chad is Lucy and the World Bank is Charlie Brown. ...  ¶ 8:41 AM

'To address physical signs of deterioration': The broken-window approach to fighting crime is not a cure-all solution. But it's a start -- and the mayor and police chief should be commended for applying it. ... Not picking on the Globe because I'm a Heraldite, but I find it odd there's no reference to the broken-window theory in its vaguely mocking article. ... Which leads to my second quibble: The point of the broken-window theory is to intervene when there are 'physical signs of deterioration' within a neighborhood. Some of the infractions the city says it's going to go after don't strike me as serious applications of the broken-window theory. A little mocking is in order if it's used to merely stamp out social annoyances in non-crime-ridden neighborhoods. But then again, Mayor Giuliani was originally mocked for going after squeegee hucksters and turnstile jumpers. So ...

Update -- Here's something that the broken-window theory can't address: 'The Meth Epidemic.' I watched the Frontline show last night and was stunned at the magnitude and severity of the problem. Next time I'll spend more time reading the links in blog posts like this to stay on top of the issue. ...  ¶ 6:29 AM

'Blute’s boozy boating': Ted Kennedy is going to crunch anyone who challenges him -- including possibly Peter Blute. But a Kennedy-Blute showdown would be a classic race to follow, knowing that at any moment a campaign aide could easily trigger a round of charges about who was the more bloated boozy womanizer in his youth. ... If there's a tabloid God in the sky, he shall will this race into being. ... FYI: The article suggests, after all these years, who might have been the mysterious tipster in the Blute booze-cruise caper. ...  ¶ 7:00 AM

Reality email show: At first I didn't think much of it: Lawyers in an email spat (via Adam via Robert via God knows who else). Then the two lawyers are interviewed and the feuding spills from cyber to print for thousands of others to read and enjoy and fill in blanks with fresh details.

... Quickie summary of spontaneous homegrown reality email show: The chip-on-the-shoulder small-firm William didn't like being rejected. Initially sympathetic Dianna stuffed him with casual bla bla bla confidence. But then Dianna admits she's a spoiled trustee brat whose confidence derives from knowing daddy's always there -- and you lose sympathy for her and wonder if William has a point. But then William opens his mouth again and sympathy swings back to Dianna, who's threatening to escalate the battle. ... I'm addicted! ... Really: Don't you wonder how William will fare with the board? What about Dianna's career? Is it over? Does she apply herself to her 'somewhat' career out of spite? I want to know. I really do. ...  ¶ 6:20 AM

'When in trouble, go to D.C.': Katrina had its Mike Brown. The Iraq rebuilding effort now has its Christian Bailey and Paige Craig. The amateurism and antics of the Lincoln Group take your breath away. ... But at least the lads have their polo matches, million-dollar Georgetown row house, Jaguar and body guards. ...  ¶ 9:14 AM

'Cheney steps up war on lawyers,' Part II: It was ducks in a row for late-night comedians. ... Weymouth's Rob Corddry had the best lines. ... Via AS.

Update -- Hold off on the jokes. ...  ¶ 7:51 AM

'Cheney steps up war on lawyers': Jay Leno is going to have a lot of fun tonight. ... A preview of what to expect. FYI: Whittington is doing fine, making jokes and puns fair game.  ¶ 7:23 AM

The snug igloo effect: One good thing about a big snow storm is that my normally banging and rattling circa 1910 windows are silent this morning. They're now held snugly in place by the gentle build up of white stuff on sills, eliminating drafts and making the apartment cozy warm. Mother Nature's snow: better than duck tape. ...

Preliminary snow-plow update and grade: Two swipes by the plow in the past hour outside chez Hub Blog. Not bad. Grade: A-. ... The day is early, I know. ...

Update -- 2.13.06 -- Morning-after snow-plow update and grade: The asphalt is visible on the street outside. A garbage truck just backed up the hill without problem. Impressive. Grade: A. ... Don't know how the rest of the city fared. But most BH neighbors I talked to yesterday were equally impressed with how plows kept up with the snow. ... Mixed reviews across town, but generally OK.  ¶ 8:37 AM

'Moroccans are watching ...': Morocco, the most open of Arab countries, may be reaching a crossroad -- with a reform-minded king picking a counterproductive free-speech battle with a woman whose free-speech stance and support of democratic ideals are suspect. Caught in the middle: nervous Moroccan moderates. ... Morocco, the only Arab country I've visited, is special in my book. Moroccans I've talked to say they see the world differently than other Arabs, being closer to Spain and Europe than to Gaza and the West Bank. Their moderates are true moderates. ...  ¶ 8:12 AM

'Automatic default to a firearm': Herald: Crime. Globe: Crime. NYT: Crime. ... I'll leave it to experts to sift through the stories and data. But three things jump out at me from these stories: 1.) Boston is not alone. San Francisco, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Kansas City and others are seeing roughly the same violent patterns. 2.) Boston's police chief frames it well: "We're not going to get discouraged." Nor should we. Crime is still down compared to past peaks. We have different levels of tolerance now. That's good. 3.) More cops. Every city has its unique problems. One can't escape the fact Boston's police staffing is down. ... There are many other things that could be done. There are no magic wands. But hiring more cops is a logical first step. ...  ¶ 6:53 AM

'First intact tomb discovered in 84 years': Something about archaeology and Egyptian tombs that bring out the child-like fascination in us. ...  ¶ 12:36 PM

'It’s a drag': Pete's Pub is closing in Haymarket. It'll be missed. It was retro without even trying. The last time I was there, I think they had those little two-gulp beer glasses that you used to see in bowling alleys. ...

Update -- 2.12.06 - An alert Hub Blog friend notes that Pete's technically doesn't have 'pony glasses' (a phrase I was looking for, BTW), though it does serve long-necks with old-fashioned small glasses. ... English pony glasses are somewhat elaborate affairs. The American version is unadorned and plain. I couldn't find one on the web. But here's a handy pony glass bar trick to impress the ladies. ...  ¶ 12:30 PM

'Our old friend hyperpartisanship,' Part II: It's back! The Katrina Ideological Blame Game has returned with Mike "Heck of a Job" Brownie now stating the obvious: the overrated Bushies blew it during Katrina. Howard "The Scream" Dean is all over it, asserting Bush is responsible for 'thousands' of deaths. ... Of course, one would think conservatives would be reeling at this point. Wrong! They always have New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to remind people how equally incompetent the locals were during Katrina. ... Bottom line: It's still an ideological battlefield stalemate. ...

Oh what the heck. Let's revisit that dramtic post-Katrina week when ideologues unleashed their first furious volleys. Remember that to understand the ideological blame game, you must follow this abbreviated argumentative points list: 1.) Act of God. 2.) Blame pols for pre-storm levee work etc. 3.) Post-storm fair-game criticism. 4.) Blame locals 5.) Blame Bush. ... Enjoy! ...

P.S. -- Does anyone care that the rebuilding of New Orleans has been totally screwed up? It has to be the top underreported story so far this year. Needless to say, the ideological blame-game battlelines are the exact same for this one too. ...  ¶ 8:10 AM

'In other words ...': The NYT headline about a new exhibit at Harvard's Fogg Museum caught my parochial attention. Unfortunately, the review's attempt to find significance in insignificance suggests emblematic superfluity of the highest presumed order: "In this case the back story may actually be more emblematic of the artist than the presumed masterpieces that followed. In other words, the show could actually leave the relatively low profile of the Black Paintings intact, suggesting the superfluity of art history and its designated landmarks to both the public and practicing artists." ... In other words ....

... After reading the review, I found myself instantly searching for a review of Steve Martin's 'Pink Panther'. ... And don't forget: 'Spamalot' is coming to Boston next month. ...

Update -- Re LCL's post: I'm indeed poking fun at the sin of 'unclear academic writing' and the author's utter failure to be as clear in her views as LCL was in a single simple blog post. ...  ¶ 8:24 AM

'This won’t be an easy race': No kidding. Kerry Healey is not, er, a formidable candidate. But neither was Paul Cellucci -- nor Mr. Mitt. Remember his dreadful early I-looked-into-her-eyes TV ads? But fear not: Republicans always have Democrats. So Healey will do better in polls as time goes by. ...  ¶ 7:38 AM

'Hate-speech laws are implemented unfairly' Part II:
Middle East governments were involved in the cartoon capers: "Sari Hanafi, an associate professor at the American University in Beirut, said that for Arab governments resentful of the Western push for democracy, the protests presented an opportunity to undercut the appeal of the West to Arab citizens." ... So the organized rioting and burnings weren't about offended sensibilities, litigious imbalances and Western racism? I'm shocked. ... Enough on the issue. I've harped on it too much.

Update -- I can't help myself. I've become addicted to the issue. But I had to point out the Danish flag flap in Stoughton, where it's apparently considered hateful to show solidarity with Danes: "There's always that chance that there will be people who are offended, and we want to guard against that," said Karon Skinner-Catrone, chairperson of Stoughton No Place for Hate Committee. ... You can't make this stuff up. ... Now back to my cold-turkey attempt to stay off the subject. ...  ¶ 7:13 AM

'Hate-speech laws are implemented unfairly': When you're behind on a story and/or exhausted all angles, there's always the tried and true let-the-experts-postulate thumb-sucker. ... Did hate-speech tabulators in Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan suddenly all notice and react to a litigious imbalance in Europe? ...

Update -- Excellent WSJ article on the genesis of the cartoon controversy. Strange. No mention of hate-speech litigation imbalances in Europe. Lots of mentions of government officials from Middle East countries, though. ... Via Instapundit.

Update II -- A brutally and admirably honest editorial from the Boston Phoenix on why it's not running the cartoons, with Reason No. 1 being: "Out of fear of retaliation from the international brotherhood of radical and bloodthirsty Islamists who seek to impose their will on those who do not believe as they do." Read the whole thing. ... No other U.S. newspaper has been so honest. Good for the Phoenix. ... I don't really care if U.S. newspapers do or don't run the cartoons. If anything, I'm a little alarmed that there are those who are now browbeating newspapers to run the cartoons to counter the anti-freespeech browbeaters. But at least I know where the anti-browbeater browbeaters are coming from: It's bothersome when some U.S. newspapers pontificate about free-speech rights for those criticizing some religions and then flipflop when it comes to other religions. The double-standard is glaring. ...

Update III -- The Times of London on the source of that double-standard: "The Danish cartoon saga has placed the US media in a fantastic pickle over the competing cherished American imperatives of free speech and politically correct self-censorship. ... The approach of the rest was captured by the New York Times in an editorial yesterday, a characteristically pompous and ponderous piece of chin-stroking sanctimony."  ¶ 8:30 AM

'Literary discovery in...Conway, NH?': John has discovered an Opus Dei blog that claims to have discovered the first draft of the 'Da Vinci Code.' ... I tip my hat to Fr. Wauck. It's a funny post. ...



'Nosedived': The latest Reilly vs. Patrick poll numbers. ... Both are doing well against Healey. ...



Tolerance of intolerance: A European journalist defends the printing of the Mohammed cartoons, despite the finger wagging from Bill Clinton and others. ... Reminds me of a quote in a post last month before the cartoon issue came to a head: "Lady Kennedy was arguing that our tolerance of our own tolerance is making us intolerant of other people's intolerance, which is intolerable." ...  ¶ 8:39 AM

Opus Dei - coming to a theater near you: They really do have pointy thigh chains. ... Am I being intolerably insensitive? ... Hub Blog thinks I was once recruited to join Opus Dei (or something like it -- it's a secret society after all). I walked into a room and there were all of these guys with JFK haircuts, stiff white shirts (no ties), blue pants and polished loafers. They were trying to look relaxed. Since I was going through my Stairway to Heaven phase at the time, I didn't fit in. A Hub Blog acquaintance was also recruited to the same outfit. His interview process ended very abruptly when he casually mentioned he was an admirer of a certain Jesuit.  ¶ 7:28 AM

'Political newcomer Deval ...': In the low-expectations game, Reilly was supposed to exceed the low expectations. He didn't. He now has a first-class primary on his hands -- something his gubernatorial campaign had tried to avert as its first order of business. ... Wonder if Bill Galvin and others now regret not getting into the race. ... Much more at Blue Mass. Group, which did an awesome job yesterday covering the caucuses. ... I admire Reilly reaching out to the center. No Dem candidate is going to win the general election without the support of Independents. Reilly gets it. The Progressive-Hack alliance doesn't. But the idea is to lock in a large percentage of the party faithful, then reach for the center. Reilly is failing at this. ... Time for thumb-sucking analysis about a possible Patrick nomination: I think he'd do better in a general election than some pundits might forecast. He's different. He's articulate. Even though he's now frolicking around in the P-H fields, he doesn't have a P-H track record per se. There's something suburban about him that tells me he knows what he needs to do and say in a general election. Whether it's enough to beat Republicans is too early to tell. ...



'Smells like it's 80 percent true': Strange book review by Walter Isaacson of James Risen's 'State of War.' Starts off with references to Nixon, Woodward and Bernstein (Hub Blog eyes roll at this early point), asserts the NYT printed its NSA articles when it did due to the book's publication (Hub Blog head nods in agreement), states NYT was probably being prudent in not publishing beforehand (huh?), and then floats the idea that the book in question might be only 80 percent true, which is better than being only 50 percent true (well, thanks!). ...



'Start repeating 'fun' like a mantra': Put down Mark as now being skeptical about the big Celts trade. ... I must say this about the Celts: They hustle. There's an intensity on the court that I admire. I was watching yesterday's game on the tube and couldn't help but notice they're giving it their all. But the problems remain: No big man, no point guard. ... They're also wound too tight. There's no encouraging free flow to their game. ...  ¶ 9:56 AM

Buy Danish! Part II: John raises an interesting point: At what point is the media merely adding fuel to the fire by reprinting the Mohammed cartoons? Reminds me of the controversy over Piss Christ (a piece of 'art' that infuriated me personally -- partly on religious grounds, partly because it was government funded, partly because it was a classic lame bourgeois attempt to shock the bourgeois, and partly because of the media's gleeful bias in favor of the lame bourgeois artist, etc). But here's why I think the Mohammed cartoons are different: Europeans are standing up for their Western culture and right to free speech at a critical time. I'm encouraged by it. Sadly, I'm also a little surprised they're doing it at all. ... Notice how the great Buy Danish! campaign has fizzled. Once the cartoons were published in France, the logic of the campaign dictated that the next course of action was to buy French. Solidarity can only be taken so far. ...

Update -- I tinkered with this post a bit after posting. I found myself wanting to be sensitive but also not wanting to self-censor myself (i.e. to link to the cartoons or not to link). Says something about the entire issue. ...

Update II -- Hmmm. Maybe the Buy Danish! campaign hasn't fizzled out. ...

Update III -- They've set fire to the Danish embassy in Syria. ... Buy Danish!

Update IV -- 2.5.06 - A look at the shifting free-speech views of a certain local newspaper. A special bonus 'Piss Christ' editorial is included. ...  ¶ 9:04 AM

'Even a Shannon O’Brien comeback': It's not going to happen. Not even Democrats are that stupid. ... Now watch it happen. ... The best thing going for Reilly at today's Dem caucuses: low expectations.  ¶ 8:36 AM

'Two-team sports town?': Bob tardily states the obvious but states it well: "The Celtics and Bruins have a month to impress us, but that's all. In 17 days it will be pitchers and catchers, and in April it's the NFL Draft and most of you won't need no stinkin' basketball or hockey." ... The Bruins and Celtics appear to be playing good cop/bad cop with us. The Bruins are now quite qood. The Celts are bad. They'll probably reverse roles soon. ... Hey, Boston used to be a three-team sports town for yours truly, in this order: Celts, Pats, Sox. I know. Odd. But that's what CYO basketball and Pop Warner football will do to a lad.  ¶ 8:14 AM

'Blowing up on the launch pad': Re l'affaire St. Fleur: It's about Reilly's judgment -- not tax liens or unpaid bills. Reilly has managed the near impossible by making John Kerry look consistent and decisive in comparison. ... I actually admire St. Fleur, who truly does have an inspiring immigrant story to tell. I do not begrudge her having -- or others having had -- financial problems. But her initial political instincts were spot on that her financial problems would become an inevitable issue in a statewide political race. She warned Reilly so. Reilly's instincts weren't spot on. He ignored the warning. The entire affair speaks volumes about his judgment. ... FYI: If I lived in St. Fleur's district, I'd probably vote for her reelection. I don't agree with most of her political views. But I respect where she's come from in life and the dignity she's shown over the past few days. ...

Update -- Carpundit tallies up all her other financial transgressions. They're more damning than I originally thought. I guess I'm lucky that I put the word 'probably' in the above FYI note. But I do have a soft spot for: a.) people who struggle in life and b.) Haitian immigrants in particular. If you've ever been to Haiti (and I have), one appreciates how remarkable St. Fleur's rise has been over the years. ... FYI II: Observations on Reilly remain unchanged.

Update II -- Wayne and Joan: It's about judgment. ... Like Joan, I'm beginning to wonder how much longer Reilly will stay in the race.  ¶ 8:27 AM

Buy Danish!: Now fanatics are issuing death threats, boycotting products and demanding that a democratic government apologize for the actions of its free press. ... I know what I'm doing.

Update -- Hey, great minds think alike. (We independently posted at the same time. I swear!... Buy Danish!) ...

Update II - 2.1.06 -- Now a French newspaper is publishing the cartoons as an expression of support for free speech. ...



'A ticket you can trust?': I can't recall the last time the local MSM and blogosphere actually seemed to agree on something, i.e. the head-scratching response to Tom Reilly's selection of Marie St. Fleur as his unofficial running mate. Some of the MSM reactions here and here. Some of the blogger reactions here and here and here (via Adam). With few saying the selection is inspired genius, should we be wary of instant CW? I'm cynically tempted. Maybe all of this will fade into insignificant campaign background. But I really don't see how St. Fleur can help Reilly -- and I don't see how Reilly's vaciliation and his angering of other Dems can help him either. I do see, however, how it all helps Deval Patrick. ...

Update -- Carpundit has more. ...



'Padding out a term paper': Hub Blog is a minor fan of Bernard-Henri Levy and not a big fan of Garrison Keillor. But when you have a book on America panned with anti-French gusto, my sympathies instinctively lean toward Keillor. ... Is the book really that bad? Or are liberals upset with Levy's somewhat conservative (for a Frenchman) view of the post-9/11 world? I'll probably never know, for I have no intention of reading the book. But some of the Levy passages cited by Keillor (and other reviewers) sure sound dumb. ... P.S.: I can recommend this book. Lots of Frenchmen, Americans, English and Indians fighting it out for control of North America. Enjoyed it immensely. ...

Update -- Reader No. 1 on Levy: "Difficult to find myself agreeing with Keillor too. I found Levy's serialization in the ATLANTIC tedious, unreadable, and not a good advertisement for renewing my subscription. I guess he means well."

Update II -- At least John Farrell's new book has won high praise. Congrats, John! ... Also see John's lengthy critique of Tom Bethell's past science writings.



'When he was with us': The Celts lost to Minnesota last night -- thanks to ex-Celtics taking it to current Celtics. ... The evidence builds for the argument that the 'blockbuster' trade was another mediocre bust. ...

Update -- And Reader No. 1 again: "It's too soon to judge the Celtic trade a bust after 3 games (remember we won the first 2 with Antoine Walker wearing #88 last February). But I agree that the gut says it's unlikely to make much difference. Adding a top 5 talent like Shaq or Duncan might make a difference, but they ain't walkin' in that door."  ¶ 7:48 AM