tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148570922009-11-21T06:43:54.847-08:00<i>"Bad jokes and gay marriage are destroying this country. But torture can save it." –<a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=226621&amp;title=guess-whos-coming-to-dinner">Jon</a> <a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=215905&amp;title=Six-Days-Seven-Nights">Stewart</a><p></p>(<a href="http://vagabondfootnotes.blogspot.com/2007/10/about-vagabond-scholar.html">More</a> about this blog.)</i>Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.comBlogger808125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-66451862415191784442009-11-19T22:00:00.000-08:002009-11-19T22:00:03.322-08:00

"Sixteen," borrowing from Screamin' Jay Hawkins, is also worth checking out.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-17260352022840489892009-11-18T23:27:00.000-08:002009-11-18T23:33:18.203-08:00

Via Digby, who has a partial transcript, here's Rick Perlstein, who's always worth a listen.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-81833431468001836022009-11-17T23:38:00.000-08:002009-11-17T23:39:31.254-08:00

It's just another day in the richest country in the world:Just one day after a federal report revealed that 1 in 7 U.S. families struggled to get enough to eat last year, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged lawmakers to reauthorize school nutrition programs that help feed the nation's schoolchildren.Appearing before the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee on Tuesday, Vilsack

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-18503845631134797682009-11-15T19:08:00.000-08:002009-11-15T19:09:29.954-08:00

The SNL spoof of Fox News election night coverage (from 11/7/09) was actually pretty good:Still, no one can touch The Daily Show. They spoof pretty much every political talk show, in perpetuity, near the end of this sequence (from 11/3/09):The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cIndecision 2009 - Reindecision 2008 And Beyondwww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-61104819142694764112009-11-13T13:00:00.000-08:002009-11-13T13:00:01.625-08:00

And now for something mostly different...When I first saw the trailers for James Cameron's upcoming film Avatar, I thought, "That looks like "Call Me Joe."" It's nice to see others had the same thought. Cameron's film is much longer, and more involved, as one would expect. However, the central device and other key details appear to be the same as in Poul Anderson's novella "Call Me Joe," which

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-60621303258504503882009-11-13T00:24:00.001-08:002009-11-13T00:37:43.287-08:00

Several folks on the old blogroll and around the blogosphere also posted something for Armistice Day, or on related themes.DarkBlack: "In Memory Forever." Canada still does it right. Evil Slutopia: "Veterans Day Roundup." BagNewsNotes: One, two and three.Mahablog: "It's Armistice Day."Crooked Timber: "Armistice Day," by Australian John Quiggin. Newshoggers: "Burial at Sea" (a powerful piece) "

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-37311164563072174842009-11-12T22:11:00.000-08:002009-11-12T22:11:00.412-08:00

In the spirit of Armistice Day.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-59806945864243821802009-11-11T16:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T16:11:00.355-08:00

(This post is part of a series on war, and a smaller set of posts for Armistice Day 2009.)Nations wage unnecessary wars because their leaders lack wisdom or conscience, and the checks to force them to act wisely and conscientiously are tragically wanting. However, wars also start – and persist - because of the denial of loss. Scoundrels and fools in positions of power and influence can urge

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-31278595689266297112009-11-11T14:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T14:11:00.383-08:00

(British WWI poster.)One of the most memorable sections of Robert Graves' WWI memoir, Good-Bye to All That, is his reprinting of a newspaper letter written "By a Little Mother" and the reactions it spurred. It might help to know that "Tommy Atkins" or "Tommy" is "a term for a common soldier in the British Army." It's late in the year 1916, and a disillusioned Graves is recovering from injuries

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-72730956198199628002009-11-11T12:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T17:29:31.186-08:00

(This is a long post in three parts. It's part of a series on war, and a smaller set of posts for Armistice Day 2009.)Therefore, my Harry,Be it thy course to busy giddy mindsWith foreign quarrels, that action, hence borne out,May waste the memory of the former days.- Henry IV on his deathbed to Prince Henry, Henry IV, Part 2, 4.5, 212-215. There was nothing macho about the war at all. We were a

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-73183480646991881962009-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T22:43:52.815-08:00

(Click on the comic strip for a larger view)In 1959, Pogo creator Walt Kelly wrote:The eleventh day of the eleventh month has always seemed to me to be special. Even if the reason for it fell apart as the years went on, it was a symbol of something close to the high part of the heart. Perhaps a life that stretches through two or three wars takes its first war rather seriously, but I still think

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-49441548356922079322009-11-11T10:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T10:21:23.616-08:00

I've featured Wilfred Owen's poetry before, but his work relates to several posts this year, and it's always relevant for Armistice Day. The British (specifically English and Welsh) Owen was tragically killed in combat just a week before World War I ended. Owen is widely considered to be one of the greatest of war poets. I first read his work in college in a course on World War I, and I've

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-6783178346524455382009-11-11T08:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T09:48:43.866-08:00

(British WWI poster, from this helpful site. A few more are scattered throughout this post. Click them for a larger view.)There's an observation I've seen attributed to several different people, that in a democracy, sustaining a war effort over a long time depends on increasingly demonizing of the enemy. The basic idea is that pitching honor, glory and country might be great for initial

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-7354000947073734692009-11-11T06:11:00.000-08:002009-11-11T11:04:10.166-08:00

PRINCE HENRY Why, thou owest God a death.Exit Prince Henry.FALSTAFF 'Tis not due yet; I would be loath to pay him before his day. What need I be so forward with him that calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter; honour pricksme on. Yea, but how if honour prick me off when Icome on? How then? Can honour set to a leg? No. Oran arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound? No.Honour hath no skill in

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-70464094155609952962009-11-10T13:51:00.000-08:002009-11-10T13:51:59.321-08:00

Public Radio International's show The World has a short, fascinating piece on audio of British World War I prisoners of war in Germany. The audio was recorded by a German linguist. What's particularly valuable is that he recorded British regional dialects that in some cases don't exist anymore. The last sample is a bit moving (it's from a Scotsman, naturally).

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-20031650499459510812009-11-08T03:11:00.000-08:002009-11-08T23:19:18.297-08:00

These photos from the teabagger rally of Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) have thankfully been getting some exposure:The sign says “National Socialist Healthcare, Dachau Germany – 1945." I first saw this item via Richard Blair of All Spin Zone. Distributorcap also has a brief item on this, and notes, "This was no Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin event - this was an event sponsored and pushed by

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-10394339505358963862009-11-07T19:16:00.000-08:002009-11-07T20:34:53.667-08:00

This has been all over the blogosphere, but I'm still not tired of it, and it's an instant classic. Stewart plunges into the demagogic truthiness of Glenn Beck: The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cThe 11/3 Projectwww.thedailyshow.comDaily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorHealth Care Crisis If you're not familiar with Glenn Beck's shtick, Crooks and Liars has a good collection.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-49711060519467206102009-11-05T22:00:00.000-08:002009-11-06T01:38:31.903-08:00

The very last "bye-bye" is clipped here, and I wish the song was longer, but it's memorable.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-71331582612820119822009-11-04T22:48:00.000-08:002009-11-05T01:27:16.333-08:00

Champion of small blogs and scourge of the wicked, obtuse and humorless, the indispensable, indefatigable Blue Gal keeps the internet hamsters running. She also celebrates her fifth blogiversary today. Swing by to say hi.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-7637228559615581282009-11-03T01:34:00.000-08:002009-11-03T01:40:59.385-08:00

The GOP still doesn't have a health care plan. They never have. This has rarely seemed to bother them, or the media. It's been pointed out again, though, this time by Harry Reid. Maybe it'll get some coverage this time. This comes via John Cole, who has some thoughts on the enduring myth-making around nasty partisan and policy dunce John McCain and his magical kumbaya powers. Remember

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-55778344012588501162009-10-29T22:00:00.000-07:002009-10-29T22:00:00.743-07:00

"Music Video using educational films from the 50s and anonymous family footage. Dir: Claire Carré." In honor of the upcoming Halloween, here's a haunting song. It's from Sufjan Stevens' 2005 album Illinois, which is extremely varied and creative (and the rest isn't as dark as this song).

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-88492701739191448082009-10-26T00:56:00.001-07:002009-10-26T00:57:22.548-07:00

Chris Matthews has his moments:Far right politicians and activists are often extremely dishonest about their views and goals. I'll never forget a C&L thread where some Ron Paul groupie started by saying that Paul didn't want to outlaw abortion; he just wanted to return the decision to the states. That's a problematic position as it is - states shouldn't get to remove essential rights - but the

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-20654985394371029382009-10-25T21:58:00.000-07:002009-10-25T22:05:00.268-07:00

Maha (Barbara O'Brien), a very sharp blogger, is stuck in a tough situation and in danger of losing her home. Any help would be appreciated.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-64012613556011988972009-10-25T00:29:00.001-07:002009-10-25T00:47:36.365-07:00

I've seen this several places. Billionaires for Wealthcare got creative in raising issues at a America's Health Insurance Plan (AHIP) conference: From Sam Stein's piece on the event:Republican pollster Bill McInturff was the keynote speaker on the final day of the America's Health Insurance Plans's state issues conference on Friday morning.But his speech on how the health care reform debate was

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-48518932867135680902009-10-24T21:56:00.000-07:002009-10-24T22:01:37.565-07:00

The LA Phil has a new conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, and PBS just ran a "Great Performances" featuring the inaugural concert. I enjoyed it. Over at the PBS page for this event, you can: Watch part of Dudamel’s inaugural concert online! Here on the Great Performances Web site, watch an abridged version of the program that premiered on October 21, 2009, featuring the last movement from John Adams’

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0