Return of the baiji?

The Yangtze River's unique, freshwater dolphin, the baiji, was declared "functionally extinct" last year, and the last confirmed sighting was in 2004. Now some guy in China has caught one on film. (Reuters via NYT) Could it be? Are we in for another ivory-billed woodpecker hunt?


Either way, the poor baiji is probably toast. :( Have a nice day!

Craig affair and the ethics of a senator

This story is not going well at all. We started with another example of hypocrisy on so-called "family values."

But Senator Craig is basically pushing the message, "I am not guilty...of being gay." Conservative Senate colleagues are pushing for an ethics review of the matter. But what happened to David Vitter, who turned up on the DC Madam's call list? Does he get a pass because he is accused of illegal heterosexual behavior? All signs point to outrage not merely at Craig's crime, but at what it might say about his sexual orientation.

Fortunately Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington is making exactly this point and pushing for an investigation into Vitter as well.

Nice opening

Did Larry Craig really just open his statement on the Great Airport Restroom Incident with,

"Thank you all very much for coming out today."

?

From the speech, it is clear that Craig, on the other hand, will be staying in.

Does Christmas come in August now?

It has been quite a month. At least three times so far this August, Santa* has delivered to our door an extra-special morning newspaper.

Rove to Leave White House Post

Embattled Gonzales Resigns

G.O.P. Senator [Larry Craig] Pleaded Guilty After Restroom Arrest [for "lewd conduct"]**

All while most Washingtonians are off dreaming of sugarplums.

*Or, to be more accurate, Ben

**Does anyone else think it's kind of crazy that this took so long to break? This happened in June?

Oops, picked upThe Onion by mistake

Headline in the Post today:

Bush Compares Iraq to Vietnam

Well, yeah...

He Says Pullout Would Be Disastrous

D'oh.

Awesome

(CuteOverload.com)

Whoa. Read this now!

For decades, a team of psychologists has been investigating the connection between fear of death and political behavior. In this article, John Judis describes how it applies to the 2004 presidential election. (TNR) Pretty interesting stuff.

Define:blog

OK, there's something I need to get off my chest. I notice that some have started referring to a single blog entry as "a blog." I heard some host do so this morning on C-SPAN radio. As in, "In a blog yesterday, Bloggy McBloggerton excoriated outgoing White House advisor Karl Rove." Or, "I wrote a blog about that topic just this morning."

That's weird. Let's clarify.

A blog is a frequently-updated online journal or newsletter.

A blog post or blog entry is a single entry within that online journal or newsletter.

So,

post/entry : blog :: article : newspaper

Thoughts? Has anyone else heard this odd usage?

More 2008 ruminations

Have you ever sat down and thought--really thought--about what it would be like if Rudy Giuliani were president of the United States? Read Fred Kaplan's nice response to Giuliani's recent essay in Foreign Affairs, and really think about it.

Romney vs. the YouTube snowman

"I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman."

Well, there are a lot of things that the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than.* But aren't we being a bit intolerant here, Mr. Romney? (WP)


*I tried to avoid ending that sentence with a preposition but it was totally beyond me how to do it.

Damn, did it again!

I like my new office

One of many Obama questions

I don't get it.

If elected president, Barack Obama could see invading Pakistan--a state that actually does have WMD, by the way--to root out terrorists.

...and Hillary Clinton is "Bush-Cheney light"?

Movies about movies

You know how in Team America: World Police, there's that awkwardly, hilariously long puppet-sex scene? Seriously, it goes on for like eight minutes. Would you believe that we can thank the bizarre requirements of the MPAA ratings board for both the inordinate length and colorful nature of that scene?

This and many other fascinating facts are explained in This Film is Not Yet Rated, an investigative documentary about the ratings system that I highly recommend.

Good ole Rocky Top

This story captures something about my hometown. I don't know exactly what. But I read about it first on Wonkette, and when Johnson City showed up in the dateline, somehow it was not completely surprising.

Minister Charged With Indecent Exposure
July 31, 2007 - 5:53pm

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) - The minister of a Baptist church has been charged with indecent exposure and driving under the influence, and police officers say he propositioned them.

Tommy Tester, 58, of Bristol, Va., was wearing a skirt when he was arrested last week after allegedly urinating in front of children at a car wash, police said.

Police also said Tester offered to perform oral sex on officers who were sent to the scene.... (WTOP)

Wonkette says an empty bottle of oxycodone and another of vodka were found at the scene.