tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148570922009-07-15T12:19:56.529-07:00<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.comBlogger716125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-10128103955036108852009-07-15T11:57:00.000-07:002009-07-15T11:59:10.078-07:00

For the last week or so, we've seen stories about the possibility of Attorney General Eric Holder appointing a special prosecutor to investigate torture and human rights abuses committed under the Bush administration. The reports have often conflicted on the details and scope of these possible investigations – perhaps they're trial balloons, and perhaps some of the insiders talking to the

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-26584857575772295242009-07-15T09:43:00.001-07:002009-07-15T10:01:28.431-07:00

(Reportedly not an actual photograph.)Our fellow LA-blogger and pal skippy recently celebrated his seventh - that's right, seventh - blogiversary. Like the man said: Impressive - most impressive. skippy's got some co-bloggers over there, too, and as a current California resident, I particularly appreciate the skippy and Cookie Jill posts on the state of our ailing state. Plus, there are music

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-34230066108064856702009-07-15T01:36:00.000-07:002009-07-15T12:19:56.590-07:00

Following up on "Diagrams on Conservatism," here's another set of diagrams - in another loooong post. Some of this may be familiar, but this time, I'm looking at liberals and democrats as well, and trying out three different general models (with a detour). Please feel free to skip around. All these diagrams are experiments in trying to conceptualize and dissect the competing forces in American

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-10903986964280636462009-07-13T22:10:00.000-07:002009-07-13T22:23:55.179-07:00

Blue Herald, the blog where I've cross-posted for a few years and where I posted Right-Wing Cartoon Watch, is going on hiatus. Questiongirl's posted about it here. She's got her hands pretty full caring for her mom, and while we're all relieved that Buck's brother is okay after a nasty accident, Buck will be busy helping out his family for a while. They were posting most every day, while

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-36219906946618455342009-07-10T00:41:00.000-07:002009-07-10T00:48:21.719-07:00

Fox and Friends' Brian Kilmeade has never been mistaken for a bright guy, but even for him, this is bad - on several levels:I'll be charitable and assume that Brian Kilmeade's stupidity outstrips his zeal for eugenics - but this is Fox News we're talking about.For some reason, it made me think of this scene from In Bruges (NSFW and not politically correct).Actually, apart from the two Irish guys,

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-3870950010050384732009-07-09T22:00:00.000-07:002009-07-09T22:00:01.218-07:00

Diane Birch – "Sweet River Tree"

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-79893580123220440562009-07-09T00:26:00.000-07:002009-07-09T00:53:10.765-07:00

Last week, NPR show Bookworm featured Brad Gooch, who's written a biography on Flannery O'Connor, apparently the first major work on her life. The show provided many details of her life I hadn't known. and includes audio of a witty talk she delivered before a reading. There's plenty of work by Flannery O'Connor I've yet to read (she's one of many authors on my list). However, I still remember

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-28137970267970831152009-07-04T12:18:00.001-07:002009-07-04T12:23:31.420-07:00

Happy Independence Day! We'll be doing music all weekend over at BH. Following up on chicher's post featuring the Declaration of Independence – plus James Brown – here's a round of tunes for the day.In the past, I've gone with Marvin (I listen to this version all the time in the car):And Jimi:Wonkette passes along a few great videos, including the Muppets:And Springsteen from '78:Finally,

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-39746537545197784832009-07-03T21:47:00.000-07:002009-07-03T22:07:40.917-07:00

Following up my earlier plugs, here's another reminder about the Independence Day Food Drive, or "Million Can March," organized by Revphat at Les Enragés. This post gives the details, and a follow-up is attempting a can count, but the basic idea is to donate some time, money or food to a local food bank. Blue Gal added a good post at C&L that provides some other resources, including a useful

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-28684181396953948532009-07-03T17:09:00.000-07:002009-07-15T03:00:52.050-07:00

Visualize the Insanity I never meant to say that the Conservatives are generally stupid. I meant to say that stupid people are generally Conservative. I believe that is so obviously and universally admitted a principle that I hardly think any gentleman will deny it.- John Stuart Mill, 1866Are there any national conservatives who are actually promoting policies that will remotely benefit the

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-44923108664704258912009-07-02T22:00:00.000-07:002009-07-02T22:00:30.153-07:00

Doves – "Kingdom of Rust"

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-28345834184263475982009-06-25T22:00:00.000-07:002009-06-25T22:00:09.478-07:00

Cast of Glee – "Don't Stop Believin'"Cheeseball 80s power ballad? Glorious excess? Both? It's almost impossible to go too "big" with this song. But after years of playing rhythm police, diva wrangler and coaxing shy kids out of their shells, I found that the pilot episode of Glee provoked both warm memories and cringe-inducing moments approaching PTSD. I'm hoping the series turns out well –

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-55753495490220413752009-06-20T23:57:00.000-07:002009-06-21T00:22:07.181-07:00

Ravi Shankar supposedly said that one does not learn how to play the sitar, one studies it. The Washington Post's obituary of master sarod player Ali Akbar Khan features a similar sentiment from him that I really like:If you practice for ten years, you may begin to please yourself, after 20 years you may become a performer and please the audience, after 30 years you may please even your guru,

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-26103221420581082162009-06-19T12:37:00.001-07:002009-06-20T13:48:11.112-07:00

What with subbing at Mike's Blog Roundup at Crooks and Liars and a few looming deadlines, blogging here has been even more infrequent than usual. However, I hope to return to my normal level of infrequency in July.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-74283097310855292902009-06-18T22:00:00.001-07:002009-06-18T22:00:28.862-07:00

Theresa Andersson – "Na Na Na"Here's the ridiculously talented and creative Ms. Andersson at KCRW.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-70470112110926982922009-06-16T01:34:00.000-07:002009-06-16T01:44:21.814-07:00

Arlington, Virginia has changed tremendously over the years, but if you're familiar with the area, this is pretty funny. Even if you're not, you may know one fairly similar… (Cross-posted at Blue Herald)

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-46466460512417844722009-06-16T01:32:00.000-07:002009-06-16T01:44:57.281-07:00

There's another round of teabag parties scheduled for July the 4th. Revphat at Les Enragés is organizing the "Million Can March" food drive as a conscientious alternative. The basic idea is to donate some time, money or food to a local food bank some time before Independence Day, and then blog about it. Conservative bloggers are welcome to participate as well. See the above link for

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-33826827955578920692009-06-11T22:00:00.000-07:002009-06-11T22:00:01.524-07:00

The Noisettes – "Never Forget You"

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-47007094313025065862009-06-10T01:02:00.000-07:002009-06-10T01:07:19.729-07:00

I'm glad some people can keep up with most of Cheney's lies in real time, because I just can't keep up with his prodigious rate of bullshit. Meanwhile, there's plenty of other torture and security news, especially on some new Bush era e-mails on torture (with the obligatory really crappy NYT coverage on them). I can't go into depth on these at the moment, but here's a short roundup: Dan

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-58930274643098292702009-06-09T12:14:00.000-07:002009-06-09T12:20:39.607-07:00

Not long ago, Ed Whelan was still defending outing publius. He has now apologized, to his credit, and publius has graciously accepted.I agree with most of John Cole's take, but disagree somewhat on the issue of apologies (he's expressed similar sentiments before). For example, when someone makes a widely-public racist statement, it affects more people than the direct target of that statement.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-63521367088861130602009-06-08T00:42:00.000-07:002009-06-09T12:17:06.059-07:00

Publius, one of a few excellent bloggers over at Obsidian Wings, has had his identity outed over at the National Review by Ed Whelan, former Bush administration lawyer and current president of... the Ethics and Public Policy Center. (Yes, you read that right.) You can read publius' response here (followup here).I'd really prefer not to make this sort of thing its own permanent category. As we

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-39121571980638780172009-06-05T01:53:00.000-07:002009-06-05T02:09:29.188-07:00

Let's kick things off with Helen (of Margaret and Helen) in "Summer of Love":Honestly folks. If we paid as much attention to the sexual activities of Catholic priests as we do to homosexuals wanting to marry, we probably could have saved a lot of children from years of guilt, shame, anger and pain. (Some Catholics definitely feel the same – and for a more somber treatment, here's a wrenching

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-10545085675502055452009-06-05T01:31:00.000-07:002009-06-05T01:39:55.344-07:00

Quite a run:CANBERRA (Reuters Life!) – The last remaining Australian to serve in World War One has died at the age of 110, Veterans' Affairs Minister Alan Griffin said on Wednesday.John "Jack" Ross, who was also Australia's oldest man having turned 110 in March, died in his sleep early Wednesday morning at a nursing home in Bendigo in the state of Victoria.Ross was 18 when he enlisted in the

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-16200665932350016522009-06-04T22:00:00.000-07:002009-06-04T22:00:00.896-07:00

Koko Taylor – "Ernestine (Live)"RIP. Check this one out, too.

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14857092.post-82004452719643126802009-06-03T11:55:00.000-07:002009-06-04T17:01:35.466-07:00

If conservatism at its best involves sticking with policies that have proved effective, at its worst it entails sticking with policies that have proved unsuccessful or even disastrous. It's not as if some pure, beneficent strain of conservatism is common, though, to the degree it exists at all. Movement conservatism has long consisted of policies that benefit a select few at the expense of the

Batocchiohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02193752396025012825noreply@blogger.com1