That's about Right

Digby posts about Tony Blair's testimony:

"I have learned absolutely nothing and have no regrets whatsoever about being completely wrong about everything."

I want the t-shirt. I do! I do! I do!

--ml

Is Imagination Wasted on Children?

Or only on school boards?
Literature, like enoki, should not be wasted on children. Fortunately there is no question that Magnetic Betty, another effort by Rob Hunter, is literature. For one thing, its cover does not proclaim that it's word choice is level appropriate, or class specific or meet any other double entendre friendly rubric. This means that this volume is not approved by the Global Council for Excessive Explanation of Pointless Innuendo's Dumb Down Project (GCEEPI:DDP). This relieves all serious adults of any responsibility to attend the remainder of this review.
Now, for the rest of us:  Yes! Rob Hunter has done it again! He has added a highly polished small industrial diamond to the crown wrought by Carroll, Sendak, Thurber, and a few others.  Too few others for our own good. With the omelette pan I join in giving this book a full "zoop!"
It is available from Lulu, or through Rob himself. You have your directions -- follow them!
--ml
This update is to correct a terrible omission. This tale is splendidly illustrated by Lee Suta, a superb choice to complement Rob. My apologies to Mr. Suta.

Welcome Gargantuan Tails!

John McKay of Archy, one of the eldest denizens of my blogroll, is branching out.
Going all uptown and market tuned he has a brand new blog:

Mammoth Tales will feature science journalism, science education, history of science, and maybe a little plain old history in those fields that I feel comfortable commenting on. I plan to offer links to stories that I find interesting, even if I don't have much to add to the stories. Moving away from science, I like good conspiracy theories, pseudo-science, and hidden histories. Expect an occasional deconstruction of those ideas. I also like to expose bad writing about science and history. But, there will also be mammoths.

This is excellent news! A very fine writer is extending his proboscis in a sinuous way to delight all who treasure the revelation of curious truth and deflation of pernicious myths. Keep your eye on it -- the book, Mammoth Tales, is coming soon.
(You can also follow him on twitter (archymck).
--ml

Which Shell Covers the Pea?

Kevin Drum opines:

Aside from tax cuts, George Bush spent eight years in the White House and really wasn't able to advance the conservative agenda in any major way at all.

Create Department of Homeland Security (whose primary mission is to prepare the populace for life in a police state)
Invade Afghanistan
Invade Iraq
Dismantle FEMA
Undermine Social Security by tying it to Medicare and soring healthcare costs
Increase payroll taxes
Emasculate FISA courts
Assert and maintain Executive privileges.
Claim unprecedented executive powers
Deprive Congress of its control of the purse.
Shift the federal court system far to the right.
Discredit scientific information
Loot the treasury twelve ways from Sunday
Operate an exceedingly corrupt administration without legal consequense
Abrogate international treaties on arms control and torture

No, Kevin, The Republican agenda didn't budge in the past decade. And because of the above the Democrats dither that they may have stepped too far to the left.
--ml

Ad Copy Revision

As published the headline reads:

In the past seven years
the dollar is down 40%.
Gold is up over 400%.
What's in your Pocket?

Bills, and lint.
--ml