Pufferfish

Company We Keep

  

The few, the proud, the unenlightened: Cuba, China, Egypt, Iran, Jamaica, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Uganda, United States, and Yemen.

Conservative policies have grouped us with countries the civilized world generally loathes. 

More here.

Climategate

From the front lines of the climate war:

The truth is that the e-mails, while unseemly, do little to change the overwhelming scientific consensus on the reality of man-made climate change. But they do hand a powerful political card to skeptics at the start of perhaps the most important environmental summit in history.[...]

"The content of the stolen e-mails has no impact whatsoever on our overall understanding that human activity is driving dangerous levels of global warming," wrote 25 leading U.S. scientists in a letter to Congress on Dec. 4. "The body of evidence that underlies our understanding of human-caused global warming remains robust."

What I will never understand is how deniers like Tom Coburn see liberals embracing science as actually masking an ulterior motive. Denying it is one thing but where does the conspiracy part come in? I guess it fits in with big government paranoia; they figure it's just another way for Big Brother to get in the way of freedom and tax cuts for Jesus. But there's absolutely zero political benefit in Democrats embracing dirty hippies and trying to curb pollution.

Not Seeing Is Not Believing

NPR has an interesting report on why Americans, as the Copenhagen summit opens, don't give a crap about climate change. Reason number one:

There are multiple reasons for this growing skepticism, including psychological reactions and politics. Anthony Leiserowitz of the Yale University School of Forestry puts one reason above all the rest: "First of all, it's the economy, stupid."

People can only worry about so many issues at one time, he says. So it's no surprise they worry about issues that hit closest to home.

"And the economy is still by far the No. 1 concern of Americans, which just pushes all other issues off the table."

I happen to think this is giving Americans too much credit. It doesn't come close to explaining why only half of the country accept the theory strongly endorsed by the science community that carbon dioxide building up in the atmosphere is warming our planet. This is where ugly-Americanism is at its ugliest: as a country we're generally an ignorant lot that removes itself from political debate while aggressively mobilizing in defense of our right not to be inconvenienced. Our politicians, particularly those on the right, have spent years coddling these expectations. Where Republicans have succeeded (besides successfully waging war on the institution of government) is by making global warming a political issue instead of a scientific issue. They have infused doubt into the debate while turning global warming into another victim of the culture war. Fully one-third of Americans believe the Bible is a literal translation of God's word. Which tells me there's quite a few people running around out there who think the Washington Redskins should be stoned to death for touching a pig(skin) with their bare hands but who are also ready to call bullshit over the idea that we're putting billions of tons of exhaust and smog into the atmosphere might raise the temperature a couple degrees.

Ramblings

Its been a long week and not only because I turned 30. Yeah, that's right. I'm officially an adult. (At least that's how I view it; 13 seems ridiculous and what I was doing at 18 certainly doesn't seem to qualify as mature.) Anyway, before ordering some food and falling asleep before 11 pm while watching whatever is in my Netflix, I figured I'd post an inspirational quote from the best character I've seen on television this year. Sue Sylvester. She's a militant gym teacher from Ohio who believes wheelchair ramps are lazy makers. If you haven't tried Glee she's worth the commitment alone. And with that, it's time to veg out.

''That was the most offensive thing I've seen in 20 years of teaching — and that includes an elementary school production of Hair."

More great quotes here.

If Only They Gave Mulligans

A funny thing happens when people start talking. They start talking about lots of things, freely. Suddenly the levies break (as Bush can tell you with Katrina). Or in this case, the sculpture crumbles:

The Tiger Woods that was constructed for corporate consumption was spotless and smooth, an edgeless brand easily peddled to sheikhs and shakers. The perfect marriage with the perfect kids slipped so easily into the narrative it seemed he'd been born married.

The golfing press became aware that stories about Tiger's temper, say, or about his ties to unsavory corporate grifters, would mean the end of access to the only golfer in the world who matters. There is a quick way to tell now which journalists have made this devil's bargain and which ones haven't — the ones insisting that this "accident" is somehow "not a story" are the sopranos in the chorus.

He's the Cool Hand Luke of the links who makes advertisers (and girls with bounded career ambition) curl their toes. But for a Stanford man, it would appear Tiger's not well versed in the ways of keeping sins of the flesh under wraps. Sexting? With a girl so desperate for US Weekly stardom that she went on an MTV reality show that millions of tweens haven't even heard of? Clearly Earl didn't teach Tiger about everything. But then it shouldn't be too much to ask with $1 billion sloshing around in Cayman Island bank accounts and the G-strings of random Vegas strippers, for someone in Tiger's IMG entourage to drop a little knowledge on how not to get caught cheating. Twice. In one week.

Some will shrug and say that he simply thought he was untouchable. He was bulletproof. Please. It's always less power-tripping and more bootylicious-addled stupidity. There's a lesson here that extends from Bill Clinton's Oval Office to Larry Craig's favorite stall to Tiger Woods's wild rumpusing. And that lesson is this: pay for it. Yeah, it might be easier and perhaps in better "moral" taste not to cheat at all. But who are we kidding? And so if you're a famous dude with an image that matters and are dead-set on ignoring the fine standard set by Derek Jeter—who has remained single while shagging anything that moves within the 212 area code (and getting appropriately named Sportsman of the Year for his efforts)—then it's best to make your "transgressions" a business transaction. No late night phone calls. No tabloid interviews. No girls parked outside of your house waiting to run off to Mexico or wherever the hell it was Don Draper was promising. The trailer park drama is more likely to be contained when you're dealing with professionals.

There is also a corollary provided by Jerry Springer and Eliot Spitzer. If you're going to cheat with high priced talent then don't make taxpayers finance the deal or go for the $10,000 hottie when the $5,000 girl will do (besides we all know Amber and Tiffany are one and the same).

But don't feel too bad for Tiger. Sports Illustrated is eager to write the redemption story. And there's no doubt Tiger can quickly gain back the ephemeral adulation from throngs of salon-sniffing corporate yahoos when he wins the Masters in a few months by holding off a cadre of challengers while keeping one eye on the gallery for his wife's impactful swing.

(Editor's note: Ms. Noonan, if you're reading, this is all conjecture.)

What's Your Internet Vice?

Besides this blog, Google Reader is no doubt mine, but it wasn't available:

is a vodka cranberry

Social lubricant used to enhance still developing social etiquette. You're aware of your uninhibited actions, but comforted by the built in safety net of excuses.

Wednesday Explains Thanksgiving

Picture Of The Day

Gov. Sarah Palin talks with a woman who's looks resemble that of Gov. Sarah Palin at Borders bookstore during the third "Going Rogue" book signing event Thursday, November 19, 2009, in Noblesville, IN. Photo by Shealah Craighead.

The League

I was a bit skeptical when I first heard about this show but now I'm spreading the word. Yes, the characters are immature. That's the point, as my girlfriend could tell you.

Picture Of The Day

Thousands of students jump into Ohio State's Mirror Lake Thursday night, ahead of Saturday's football game between the Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines. More here. (And go Bucks!)