DNC Thoughts: First Night

I came away with a mixed view. Rather than try to build up to a conclusion, I'll just spit it out: she comes across as a tone-deaf, wide-eyed zealot. She's got a compelling story, she's cute, and she obviously loves her family very much, but it comes across as blithe. It was like watching slightly shy, earnest girl who's bright...but has been told that she's brighter than she is and has bought into it. Her line about Hillary Clinton delivering 18 million cracks to a glass ceiling was a little poetic, but it prompts the question: "What was it that prevented that ceiling from breaking?" The messianic language about how Barack doesn't care where you're from and so on continues to creep me out as being cult-like.

However, CNN loved it. Of course, they should: they had a hungry, murderous look in their eyes at the dullness of the night and were almost snarling as they cut away from the uber-boring former Representative from Iowa. Jesse Jackson, jr. doesn't have the same rhetorical skill as his father and comes across as a zealot (again, complete with messianic language).

The Ted Kennedy this was interesting, but I've got the sneaking suspicion that I got had. From the build-up, it sounded as though he was almost dead and I'll confess that I half-expected him to keel over in what would instantly become the most dramatic thing to ever happen at any convention. Instead, after a stilted speech by Caroline Kennedy, we got a Ted Kennedy who seemed to be, other than a little slow, in decent shape. It's possible that this was just a truly amazing event, but I just feel as though I got suckered by lowered expectations.

What I want to know, though, is this: is the praise of Barack Obama by senior Democrats, saying that he's revived their faith and hope and given them a role model, just talk or have they really drunk the Kool-Aid?

Brilliant Idea of the Day

You know those islands off the coast of Cornwall? They probably don't have a Chinese restaurant, and if there's anything tourists love, it's Chinese food. Why not open one and call it the Ministry of Scilly Woks?

Election 2008

I have to admit that one reason I haven't been blogging much is because of how simply appalled I've been at the Obama campaign. A lot of what I'd have to say simply isn't printable in polite society.

Very short version: Obama is a lying, duplicitous, corrupt, naive spoiled brat of a promoted-above-his-competency politician who has the character and judgement of Gollum.
I've got more than a few disagreements with McCain, but his service record is sterling. I won't even repeat some of the despicable rumors out there, some of which are so outrageously offensive that I wanted to reach through my computer and punch someone on behalf of all those who've served, and even died for, our country and for other people.

I have the feeling that we're about to have a "national discussion" that's not going to be like the one Obama thinks we should have (and that he would moderate/dictate). There's a lot of simmering resentment out there that's ready to boil, and it's not at Bush.

As for me, I'm going off to England for a few weeks for a summer law program with the University of Richmond. I'm really, really, really looking forward to it. Perhaps my blood pressure will drop a little by then and I'll have had a chance to have done some pleasure reading and can make intelligent contributions again (yes, I said "again").

It's Important To Think When You're Being Mindless

Otherwise you wind up like me, steeped in the study of history that I am, walking from work to my apartment today, whistling a stirring anthem. I was like "Hey, this is catchy; I wonder what it is?" until I realized that it was the Horst Wessel Song.

Actually, it's probably more the Wolfenstein 3D and Indiana Jones movies that embedded it in my head, but still, you have to admit that it's stirring. Evil, but stirring.

Because the Pun Is Strong In This One...

...I direct your attention to Heller Kitty.

Quote Help?

I've got a partial recollection of a quote that's been in my head, but apparently I can't remember it well enough for Google to find it. I'm pretty sure it's from a movie, and was said in an accent similar to Peter O'Toole's. Essentially, it's something like "He walks like a man who carries his importance as though he were afraid of breaking it." That's only the gist, and while I'm 100% sure of the "afraid of breaking it" part, I'm only 75% sure that the subject was "his importance" and not all that sure of the rest of it.

It's possible that I read this in Lewis or Chesterton, but I'm pretty sure it's from a movie. Perhaps it was Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons? Has anyone heard this before?

NObama

Guess what sticker's going on my car?

(created by Tamara