Obsidian Wings

Military Musings

by G'Kar

Inspired by some recent reading, both here and elsewhere, I wanted to address some matters military. Since this post is somewhat meandering and since I'm just a guest here, I'll put the post below the fold so readers can skip past to the more important stuff.

Miles Deep, Inches Wide

by G'Kar

I just wanted to express a quick note regarding my location (occupied Narn) and how it affects my assessment of the situation on the ground there. While I see a lot here, I hardly see everything even in my relatively small slice of the pie. Therefore, while I can provide some useful on-site information regarding the situation, I am not privy to everything that is occurring and my vantage point may even make it more difficult for me to make assessments regarding the big picture, because I am so involved in questions down in the weeds. Therefore, while I will offer what information I can, I will try to separate facts from opinion by noting when I am relating something I have familiarity with as opposed to an assessment I have arrived at on my own.

I want to point this out because I do not want to want to take more authority to myself than is justified. If I'm seeing something on the ground, I have no hesitation in pointing out what I know. But that does not mean that I think that my opinions about what should be done should confer any special weight.

And to ensure that this post has some real purpose: open thread.

Anti-Althousiana, Hooray!

by von

I DON'T GENERALLY READ Ann Althouse; I find her shtick -- and a lot of it is shtick -- to be kinda boring.  Indeed, that Professor Althouse attempts treat blogging as performance art doesn't mean that all of her performances are art (or particularly good).  But curiousity got the better of me, and I clicked through Hilzoy's post to see last hour's tempest in a teapot.

Now, I don't claim exceptional vaginatise: I'm pretty familiar with vaginas, but I don't have one and it seems that having a vagina is required to be an expert in all things vagina.  Still, I'll offer my two cents.  I just don't see how crunchy, oniony hoop equals vagina.  At least the vaginas that I've seen or known, that is.  (In the event that someone in the audience does have a crunchy, oniony hoop for a vagina, umm, more power to you.)  Maybe I'm stupid.  Maybe I have insufficient insight or imagination.  Maybe I just lack the stones.  But I just don't see it.  So, what Hilzoy said.

Then I saw the following update at the end of Althouse's post:

UPDATE: This post has spawned a whole subgenre of anti-Althousiana. I discuss that here.

Now, I'm never surprised when Althouse claims that a post of hers -- even one as obviously mockable as this one -- spawns a "subgenre," "hotbed," "phylum," "maelstrom," "orgy," "Big Mac and a bunch of fries," and/or "whole buncha" of anti-Althousiana.  Like I say, she's got a schtick.  But again curiousity got the better of me and I couldn't stop clicking through. 

Oh boy.  I admit that I couldn't finish reading her follow-up post, having not, in the first 1000 words, seen any indication that Althouse thinks her onion-ring-as-vagina claim was a satire, stupid, or just plain strange.  Also sapping my strength was Althouse' assertion that her provoking comment "was a little casual Freudian interpretation of a Hillary Clinton campaign video" -- really, a trifle! -- and following up with thousands of words responding, point-by-point, to her various perceived "critics."  A mite bit contradictory, no?  Or, as the second commentator on her follow-up post (Josh) observes:  "Me thinks she doth protest too much."

I suppose Althouse's defense of her thesis is somewhat interesting as an example of a person both self-unaware and self-indulgent.  One also sincerely hopes that Althouse understands the irony in her assertions that:  "The famously controlled former First Lady is pleased there are people like you. ... Me, I'm not so obedient. Even though I voted for Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 and may very well vote for Hillary, I don't accept these things at face value."  (You go, girl!  Don't take sh_t from no-one.)  Similarly perplexing is her claim that "[i]n the whole history of the world, if there is one person for whom a cigar was not just a cigar, it's Bill Clinton."  Even if I were to accept as much, why does it follow that an onion ring isn't sometimes just an onion ring?  Was there some onion ring scandal of which I am blissfully unaware?  Indeed, Althouse's "Freudian explanation" of an idiot Hil-dog campaign video reveals more about the good Professor than anyone else, including, most of all, Hillary and Bill. 

Now, unlike Althouse, I almost certainly won't be voting for Sen. Clinton.  Nor did I vote for Bill -- although, frankly, I would have voted for him in '92 (had I got around to voting that year).  But come on. 

UPDATE:  Worth noting is that Althouse claims to have intentionally created all this, and several of her commentators claim (on her behalf) that this is a work of satirical genius.  Even if we take all this as true -- and maybe it is -- it still doesn't excuse these post as being terribly boring and unfunny.  For satire to work, there has to be some plausible connection to reality. 

But am I contributing to the problem by feeding the beast?  Does Althouse get a thrill that many think her views limited and unthrilling even assuming they're satire?  Do you get bonus points for being intentionally dense?  Does this attract law students to Wisconsin?  Is it a wise move for your students?

I hazard no -- to the last two questions, at least. Indeed, I have a slight role in interviewing law students for the summer program at my large, midwestern firm.  A law student emphasing his or her love of Professor Althouse or her classes in an interview or is slightly less likely to get a thumbs up from me.  Sorry, but these sorts of things do matter:  they're signals.  One thumbs down to a candidate is almost certain to end his or her chances for a position. 

Of course, all of this is deluded Anti-Althousiana from someone who thinks Althouse's shtick is annoying, dull, or just plain stupid (and sometimes all three).  But it drives up the pageviews!  It creates controversy!  It's performance art, man!  Look at me!  Look at me!

We're looking, Ann.  We don't think you're crazy.  We get what your trying to do.  None of it is very impressive.

UPDATE 2:  Despite your love of the new traffic, it's not clear that the link from InstaPundit is particularly approving.  But, since Althouse has an evident desire that we all look at her, I'm happy to oblige. 

File Under .... General Idiocy

by von

JACK TRUDEAU, former QB for the Indianapolis Colts, faces three years in prison for hosting a high school graduation party.  The crime?  Alcohol was served:

Hosting a party for Park Tudor graduates at his Zionsville residence, former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jack Trudeau collected car keys and listed names on a clipboard -- but denied that he supplied any of the alcohol that authorities found there early Saturday, according to Boone County court documents released Monday.

.....

Authorities filed a felony charge of obstruction of justice Monday against Trudeau, who could face up to three years in prison. Police say he failed to provide the list of the young people attending the party.

....

Trudeau was charged after police found students from Park Tudor, a private school on the Far Northside of Indianapolis, celebrating their graduation with alcoholic beverages in his home. According to the police report, when officers arrived, Trudeau was at the front of his home with a clipboard in his hand. He told officers that he was taking everybody's names and keys so no one could leave the party. According to the court documents, he said that if underage drinking were going on, he didn't supply the alcohol -- but added that he wasn't checking people's coolers or bags as they entered the party.

Authorities said Trudeau had told his guests that he didn't want them to wind up like Jon Pavey, a star receiver on the Zionsville Community High School football team who was critically injured in a one-car accident May 25.

This is ridiculous.  Granted, Trudeau may have broken the law and, granted, he might have been a bit of a prick.  But is there nothing better for these officers and Boone county's prosecutor to do than put a guy in jail for having, at worst, a misguided sense of what's in the best interests of these kids?  (I say "at worst" because it's not at all clear to me that 18-year olds, eligible to both vote and die for this country, shouldn't also be permitted a beer in a private residence.)  There is, after all, an honest-to-God crime wave occuring in Indianapolis.  Although I realize that it hasn't affected tony Zionsville, couldn't the Zionsville police at least make a stab at giving a damn?*

A Distant Episode

by von

WE BREAK FROM POLITICS* to reconsider our relative youth.  And one of the better tunes from the late 1990s:

You're such a willing stick

to beckon that wanting knife and

you've been looking for it

the right blade, all your life

saying: "who's gonna cut

me down to a size that suits me?

is there a worthy sculptor

among all you fine young knives?"

Jets to Brazil, "King Medicine," Orange Rhyming Dictionary.

Of personal interest, there's a video of JtB playing this very song at the Empty Bottle in Chicago, Illinois.  I happened to be in the audience at that show.  You won't see me in the video, of course, because my sacred duty at such things is to sit at the bar down my Maker's Mark and Cokes in restless silence with only an off-tempo shake of the knee to demonstrate that I'm paying attention. 

Incidentally, it's simply untrue that pouring Coca-Cola in a glass of Maker's Mark is a good way to ruin bourbon.  It's the best way.

*A cynic might point out that, given the news, the only thing a liberalish Republican can do at this point is to remember their youth.  Fortunately, I have it on good authority that no one who reads this blog is a cynic.

(Those who know the source of the title of this post also should know that the referenced work has absolute nothing to do with the content of this post -- save that it supplied a title that, taken wholly out of context, kinda fits.)   

Closing Time

by Andrew

I believe that when we leave a place a part of it goes with us and a part of us remains. Go anywhere in these halls, when it is quiet, and just listen. After a while you will hear the echoes of all of our conversations, every thought and word we've exchanged. Long after we are gone, our voices will linger in these walls for as long as this place remains. But I will admit that the part of me that going will very much miss the part of you that is staying.

G'Kar, Babylon 5

This will be my last post at Obsidian Wings. Not, as has noted, that anyone is likely to notice I'm gone, since I've done a lousy job of keeping up of late anyhow. <g> I have no desire to leave, but given my personal circumstances, it appears to be the best of my available options.

Bring Back Fat Apollo!

by von

If you want politics, go here (Andrew on the Fairness Doctrine) or here (Hilzoy on Hillary).  If you want to bs about today's games, go here.  If you want to gamble on the Cornerites, Publius is your man.  By popular demand, however, this is your Battlestar Galactica Open Thread.  Use it wisely.

Because of the Colts game, I'm DVR'ing my BSG fix for tomorrow.  So, to avoid spoilers, I'll not be patrolling comments.  Play nice.

I'll leave you with a few thoughts:

Number Six in Playboy?  The fifteen-year old nerd in me rejoices.  (OK, OK, the nearly-thirty-three-year-old nerd in me is also relatively positive on the subject.)

Is anyone else thinking that we've been a while since a supporting character has died?  My bets are on Galen or Anastasia taking the hit for the dramatic team.

And bring back fat Apollo!  That was the worst training montage since The Karate Kid.  (Granted, the 'Kid also had the All-Valley Karate Tournament montage -- perhaps the best film montage of all time).  Alternatively, if anyone knows how Apollo managed to drop 45 pounds in thirty seconds of screen time and about a month of "show time" (judging from the storyline), let me know.  I could stand to lose a few as well.

Dreams Go To Die

by von

5:34 left in the 4th, and it looks like New Orleans is about to fall to the Chicago Bears (currently it's 32-14, with Chicago driving at the NO 20).  I never bought NO as a legitimate contender, and, having lived in Chicago for a number of years, I still have some residual love for the Bears. 

But the real game starts 6:30 EST.   

You Can't Take the Sky From Me

by Andrew

If memory serves, when my taste for Babylon 5 was first revealed here at ObWings, there was some discussion of another sci-fi show called Firefly. As luck would have it, I received both Firefly and Serenity as Christmas gifts, and Amanda and I had time to watch the full series and the film over the holiday. Given it's a Friday going into a long weekend (for some, anyhow), this seems like a fun opportunity to discuss the show's merits, both relative to the film and relative to B5 and other sci-fi shows and films out there. Not to mention a good open thread. Have at it.

A Christmas Story

--by Sebastian

Personal anecdote open thread.

I went to Denver for Christmas to visit my family.  As you may have heard, there was a bit of snow in Denver around that time.  Fortunately I was traveling on Saturday--two days after the Denver airport reopened.  There was a warming trend while I was there.  It got up to a daily high of 32 degrees (that is freezing for our European readers) by the time I left. 

So Saturday morning I woke up at 4:30 in the morning to catch the first flight to Denver.  I met my taxi cab in the front at 4:45.  He was on time, which is a bit rare, so I was thrilled as much as I can be thrilled at 4:45 am.  (I'm a night person so I have to admit that isn't very thrilled on an absolute scale.)  I threw my luggage in the trunk and the driver slammed it shut.  Then he went to the front and made an unpleasant discovery.  He had locked his keys in the car. 

I struggled for an appropriate non-hysterical response.  I realized that in my jacket pocket I had my phone, my wallet and my iPod.  I immediately called a tow truck to open the door.  The man on the other end assured me that he could make it to my location within 45 minutes.  That wasn't going to cut it for my flight.  I asked him to come anyway (the cabby was going to need it at some point).  The taxi service sent another cab, but that didn't help with my luggage.  The driver offered to bring it to the airport, but I knew I wouldn't be able to get it through security unless I waited--which I couldn't do and catch my flight.  He suggested that the airline would send it to meet me in Denver, but that was pre-9/11 thinking. 

I had a nasty cold, but I wanted to see my parents, sister, brother-in-law, nephew and niece, so I decided to travel without luggage.  Even though I was late, it proved easy to get through security with zero luggage.  I flew to Denver, went straight over to WalMart, purchased a pair of longjohns, two sweatshirts, two pairs of sweatpants and a backpack for about $70.  Thank God for Walmart!  My sister was sick too, so I spent a bunch of time with her sipping tea while huddled in blankets.  This San Diego boy isn't built for cold weather. 

The day after Christmas I met with our very own Andrew and his lovely wife.  Both were charming.  Andrew was fun and chatty, his wife was a bit more quiet but had an obviously sharp intelligence about her. 

So for our ObsidianWings reunion (hmm if we haven't met yet is that just a 'union') I'm not suggesting Denver in the winter.  Honestly I would recommend San Diego any time of year.  I played beach volleyball yesterday when it was an unseasonably warm 70 degrees within sight of the water. 

Be well everyone!  Happy New Year and all that rot.  :)