Random Thoughts

Yesterday was James Joyce's bday. I will not honor him by descending into crappy writing, shitty grammar or any other of the "innovations" to literature he brought about. Any wonder his daughter went schizo?

Boehner was elected House Majority leader. While he is not as reformist as Shadegg, he is also less of an insider than, say, Blunt. This is a compromise victory for the GOP. Boehner gets credit for never having written an earmark into a budget, and for being a reliable conservative. More reforms will be enacted by reducing spending and the culture of greed in Washington.

I do find the contretemps in the Muslim world over the offensive cartoons originally published in Danish newspapers fascinating. One would think images of planes crashing into landmarks, beheadings, car bombs and abuse of women would be more offensive to Muslims and the Prophet than some drawings. Why haven't American newspapers printed these images? I would think that the right of free speech would trump the religious concerns, especially given the secular and liberal slant of every newsie in America. Granted, these images (they are funny, but not terribly so; think The Simpsons on a really good day) are of Muslims; if they were slamming Christians, Bob Herbert, Maureen Dowd and Krugman would be racing to finish their masturbatory odes...