Hell of a job, Jindal

Wow. I would ask who picked Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal to deliver the Republican rebuttal to the President's speech last night. But the real questions are, who wrote the speech, and who prepped this guy?

Jindal's speaking style reminds me of nothing so much as a member of the Jeopardy Clue Crew narrating a Video Daily Double.

And this passage--unbelievable. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.

"Today in Washington, some are promising that government will rescue us from the economic storms raging all around us.

Those of us who lived through Hurricane Katrina -- we have our doubts."

R.I.P., Zippy: 1999-2009

Yes, it is true--I am now carless.

My last few moments with Zippy, my beloved 1999 Civic.

Dear Zippy,

Today I sold you to a car dealer named Moses. Because of the large amount of work required to get you into saleable shape, you weren't worth that much money. But that's ok, because you were always more valuable to money than me. You have done so many things for me--and the environmental movement. Think about it. In your ten years of loyal service, you have:

o made countless 12-hour nonstop drives between Johnson City and Princeton.
o traveled across the continental U.S.--twice--to take me to and from organizing assignments.
o scouted all the best turfs in Little Rock, Arkansas.
o driven hundreds of CMDs worth of canvassers around Little Rock, Nashville, and even DC.
o trolled across the eastern Oregon desert and, once, coasted 50 miles from Bend on a completely empty gas tank.
o carried groceries, kittens, books, IKEA furniture strapped to your roof, and all my worldly possessions to and from new and old homes.

But it wasn't all hard work. You've also:

o made a million trips to the Quaker Bridge movie theater with my college buddies.
o climbed halfway up Mt. Hood.
o swooped through the Badlands.
o made many beautiful trips around Shenandoah NP.
o cruised the East Coast, from Cape Cod to Atlanta.

It's nothing personal, Zippy. You've been broken into and harassed too many times here in Mt. Pleasant. The recent attempted hotwiring was just the last straw. I don't drive you enough to give you good exercise. You'll be better off with someone else, someone who shares a similar appreciation for your incredible turning radius and solid gas mileage, but can offer you a safe, good home.

So Zippy, Godspeed. I hope you end up in greener pastures.

Love,
Your owner,
Waage

Hate

You know, I don't believe in hell. But if I did, I'd say that these folks may be in for a bit of a surprise when they kick the bucket.

Why NYT fashion writer Guy Trebay always lights up my day

Oh, Guy Trebay, thank God for you. I'm not sure anyone else shares my appreciation for your work, or at least not in the same way. But kudos.

This passage in your Fashion Diary today is unparalleled.

Can we agree that most Twitter posts are about little beyond the fact of their own occurrence? Is it too much of a stretch to suggest that something existential is afoot? [Guy: I do not think it is!--ed.] Is the sum of human knowledge much advanced by learning, instant by instant, that Marc Jacobs is having his hair dyed black, that Marc Jacobs is eating a McDonald's burger and drinking a Diet Coke, that the beautiful Patti Smith look-alike model Jamie Bochert just got engaged, that the handsome and heavily-inked hairdresser Lorenzo Martone is not Marc Jacobs's boyfriend?

Phelps calls 3-month suspension from swimming "fair"

Was only smoking weed, hooking up with chicks anyway. (AP)

AP not learning music industry's lesson

Interesting. The Associated Press is seeking compensation from Shepard Fairey, creator of the Obama "Hope" poster, claiming the poster is based on an AP photo of Obama. Fairey is defending his work as fair use of the image. (USA Today)


You may remember that AP created another copyright kerfuffle last year by cracking down on blogs who quote AP stories. (NYT Bits blog)

Dear Mr. Daschle

Sally Jessy Rafael called.

She wants her glasses back.

Get over your imaginary culture war, David Brooks

Brooks writes in the NYT today,

Rich people used to set their own norms. For example, if one rich person wanted to use the company helicopter to aerate the ponds on his properties, and the other rich people on his board of directors thought this a sensible thing to do, then he could go ahead and do it without any serious repercussions.

But,

Now lifestyle standards for the privileged class are set by people who live in Ward Three...a section of Northwest Washington, D.C., where many Democratic staffers, regulators, journalists, lawyers, Obama aides and senior civil servants live...they [now] get to insert themselves into the intricacies of upscale life, influencing when private jets can be flown, when friends can lend each other their limousines and at what golf resorts corporate learning retreats can be held.

This blogger says, great! What's the problem?

But Brooks thinks this is an issue because the bobos of Ward Three are jealous of rich people. Since they don't really make a lot of money in comparison to their social status, and have to spend it all on housing and private school tuition.

Right.

It's not the first time he's based an entire piece of writing on a baseless caricature of some hated, liberal group or person. How does this crap keep getting published?

Ahh, NoVA.

The Post reports today that the Bristow area of Virginia's Prince William County has the longest average commute in the country. (WP)

"Number one, huh?" said homeowner Michael Kasun, 42. "I wish it was for something else, like oil in the ground."

Yeah, that'd be awesome! "Highest density of T.G.I.Friday's locations" would be pretty cool too.

Sorry; I'm not really a 'burb hater. But still.