Friday, June 2, 2006

Recommended Reading

The other day, I linked to this article by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that makes the case that the 2004 presidential election was stolen by Bush, especially by rigging the voting in Ohio. Over on Salon, this article by Farjad Manjoo rebuts Kennedy's article. I want to read them both over again — and maybe see what others will toss into the discussion — before I decide which one (if either) to believe.

I think reading a piece in Salon still requires one to subscribe, purchase a day pass or watch a mess of advertising. I subscribe and would like to suggest you consider doing so. The online magazine has been attacked in some quarters for its Liberal stance and the contents probably do lean that way most of the time. On the other hand, they occasionally publish articles like this one that tell (or try to tell) their target demographic something those readers would rather not hear. When you look at all the media that has any sort of political attitude — websites, magazines, radio programs, cable news outlets, etc. — you don't find very many that will ever risk trampling on those precious Urban Legends that their audience wants to believe. Would that more of them were, like Salon, willing to do that.

• Posted at 11:52 PM · LINK

In Today's News

We are pleased to see that Wen Ho Lee has won a cash amount — and therefore, a court declaration of having been wronged — in his lawsuit against the government and five major news organizations that accused him informally (meaning, the government never charged him) of espionage. I'm all for reporters protecting their sources but in this case, the reporters allowed themselves to be planted with phony information and they printed it. It was largely a plot to pressure Lee into confessing guilt to a crime for which he should never have been arrested in the first place. The New York Times, which was one of the organizations that got suckered into bolstering the phony charges, printed a major mea culpa but everyone who spread the story owes the man an apology.

• Posted at 5:27 PM · LINK

Mark's Health Report

Seven days ago at this very moment, I was lying on an operating table at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. I'd been "out" for maybe fifteen minutes and I'm guessing someone had just shaved my stomach in preparation for the surgeon who was about to perform a roux en y Gastric Bypass. About fifty hours later, I was home, feeling much better than I'd expected...and right now, I feel pretty much as I did before the surgery, only lighter.

How much lighter, I'm not sure since my scale doesn't work. But last Wednesday, I had a follow-up exam and the scale in my surgeon's office had me down eleven pounds. That's in five days. I'm guessing I'm down fourteen by now. Yesterday, a dancer friend of mine came by and she asked me how much I'm expected to lose. I told her and she remarked, "That's more than I weigh."

Frightening in a sense. And yet, exciting.

I'm already feeling better in many ways, mostly my legs and feet. I can tell circulation is improving.

I'm not going to dwell much on this, here or in future posts. Other folks' medical info can be very boring. But I wanted to tell all my friends I couldn't be happier with how it's gone and how it's going. Thanks again to all for the many well wishes.

• Posted at 1:48 PM · LINK

Memories of Spud

For no visible reason, I'm going to tell a story from my past. It's about the above candy bar (and I'm using the noun "candy bar" very loosely) and the article can be read here.

• Posted at 10:37 AM · LINK

All You Need Is $150 A Seat

Las Vegas will soon have more Cirque du Soleil shows than it does cheap shrimp cocktails. Opening today in previews at the Mirage, is Love, a dance/acrobatic experience based around the music of The Beatles. I have no idea how it'll be but as you can see from the video preview called "B Roll" on this page, it settles the old question of whether "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" is a reference to LSD or to a child's drawing. Apparently, it's neither. Apparently, Lucy is a trapeze artist.

• Posted at 1:48 AM · LINK

Recommended Blog

I've been enjoying my several-times-a-week drop-bys at Craig Yoe's arflovers, a weblog for lovers of both good and odd comics. If you are one, go visit. Craig is a clever writer/designer/artist who does some pretty good (and odd) comic stuff himself...but he also collects and appreciates work by others. And best of all, he shares.

• Posted at 12:56 AM · LINK

Today's Video Link

Here's a minute and a half of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Nothing better. Except, of course, for longer segments of Laurel and Hardy.

• Posted at 12:07 AM · LINK

Today's Political Thought

Quite a few members of Congress of both parties are howling about the F.B.I. raid of the office of Congressman William Jefferson on May 20. I don't know if I agree with their position or not. Haven't made my mind up on that one.

However, I have to note that many of these Congressfolks have been defending the wiretapping of American citizens and insisting, "If you're not doing anything illegal, you shouldn't have a problem with the government checking on you." Wouldn't that be a good argument in favor of letting the F.B.I. search their offices?

• Posted at 12:04 AM · LINK