On the Boondocks Letter

My letter to the News & Observer? Still unpublished. After a week I should abandon all hope, I think. Perhaps the Raleigh metropolitan area is as yet unready for my cogent insights. Their loss. For my regular readers here, though, here’s my letter to the News & Observer about a recent Boondocks comic strip: ToContinue reading “On the Boondocks Letter”

On Christopher Walken

Noted actor Christopher Walken has announced his candidacy for President of the United States. The Walken 2008 website has few details on Walken’s positions on the issues of the day, nor does it offer a party affiliation for Mr. Walken. This quote on the front page provides some insight on his views: Our great countryContinue reading “On Christopher Walken”

More on Writing My Senators

Several weeks ago I wrote to my two senators, Elizabeth Dole and Richard Burr, about the importance of the filibuster in protecting the rights of the minority as, at that time, the question of the legality of filibusters on judicial nominees was in play. The Senate, I wrote them, was in George Washington’s formulation theContinue reading “More on Writing My Senators”

On a Bulletin Board

I’m in Durham at their new mall, Streets at Southpoint. I’d driven out there to pick up a few games–Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas had come out that morning for the PC, and my store had sold out. The Southpoint store, though, had extras to spare. So, with new Coldplay in the car stereo, IContinue reading “On a Bulletin Board”

On Writing My Senators

Not that it would achieve anything, but I wrote two letters today, one to each of North Carolina’s Senators, asking them to vote against ending unlimited debate and filibuster on judicial nominees, something Republican Trent Lott dubbed “the nuclear option.” Liddy Dole and Richard Burr are, I know, firm votes in favor of scrapping twoContinue reading “On Writing My Senators”

On Political Typology

The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press have posted on their website a political typology test. The survey breaks the American polis into nine groups: Enterprisers Social Conservatives Pro-Government Conservatives Upbeats Disaffecteds Conservative Democrats Disadvantaged Democrats Liberals Bystanders Where do I stand? Liberal Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you mostContinue reading “On Political Typology”

On Doctor Who and American television

Every day I read Atrios‘s webpage for a quick survey of political trends of the day. Just today, he posted about Doctor Who. From his comments on the new Christopher Eccleston series: But, the UK version of “family friendly” is certainly at odds with what would be acceptable for us. Take the new Who, forContinue reading “On Doctor Who and American television”