Posts Tagged ‘great’
I genuinely like Sarah Palin.
I don’t mind that picking her was probably a cheap, desperate ploy by John McCain to mine votes from still-fervent Hillary Clinton supporters. That’s politics, the same politics that prevents Obama from calling Clinton out as a divisive, harmful, transparent politician not worth Spider Jerusalem’s tugs.
Naturally, MoveOn didn’t waste any time sending me an smear e-mail. (I got on the list for criticizing their weak criticism of John McCain, and I haven’t bothered to get taken off, yet. I have a voyeur’s curiosity.) Most of their arguments against her were especially weak, and the rest are all a matter of perspective.
She was elected Alaska’s governor a little over a year and a half ago. … She has no foreign policy experience.
Neither did small-state Govs. Clinton and Carter. Neither does Obama, for that matter.
Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage.
Obama’s previous office was in the Illinois state legislature. I don’t hold that against him, either.
Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.
Sounds good to me. Oh, and take a cue from the Associated Press — it’s “abortion-rights” versus “anti-abortion,” not “pro-choice” versus “anti-choice.”
She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000.
The same Pat Buchanan who praised Obama’s convention speech for two straight minutes in 2008, only stopping because some uppity producer off-screen called time. Buchanan ain’t all that bad, people.
Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.
She later clarified this, saying that “alternative views” should be debated, but not part of the curriculum. This is political waffling, but her very first. I’ll give her some slack.
She’s doesn’t think humans are the cause of climate change.
I’m not sure this is the indictment you think it is, MoveOn. A lot of humans outside your inner circle believe this — more than you’d care to admit.
She’s solidly in line with John McCain’s “Big Oil first” energy policy. She’s pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won’t be ready for years.
Wrong. Viable renewables won’t be ready for decades. In the meantime, pushing hard for more oil drilling, or at least seeming to, could lessen the effects of speculation.
She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered species — she was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.
Read her real reasoning, instead of speculating.
How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.
Considering all the grief you guys give Cheney for being the master puppeteer behind Bush, that Palin and McCain barely know each other is a breath of fresh air for the GOP.
MoveOn should be able to paint anyone as a right-wing nutjob — not that it should, but that’s its speciality — and so that it’s having such trouble staying coherent about Palin is very good news for the McCain campaign.
The following story was told to me by a 68-year-old man who, though tipsy on red wine, is rarely prone to exaggeration. This is a true story, he said.
It came to pass that this father of three found himself on the same cruise ship as a number of jazz greats. Though the family patriarch, he’s the only one in his clan yet to appreciate that whole genre of music. Not too long ago, his daughters swooned for boy bands, and his son still fancies heavy metal with indistinguishable lyrics.
Dad prefers jazz. That’s why his heart skips a beat when he realizes that, across the blackjack table, is the leader of that motley jazz crew full of living legends. Fate would have it that the bandman was in a losing streak, while our hero is in a winning streak. In an instant, the bandman finds himself with a few extra $100 chips, courtesy of our father. The two get to talking, and hit it off.
Dad is a fan of every one of the greats the bandman tells him is on the ship, and our hero is thrilled to find out that all of them booking the same cruise was no coincidence — the bandsmen plan on having more than a few jam sessions back in their cabin, once the day’s planned festivities end.
Sooner than later, he gets invited to that night’s jam session. He asks if he could bring along his oldest daughter, and the bandman agrees.
I figure that these guys will be trippin’ all over themselves to impress her, and it’ll only make their sound better.
The daughter doesn’t give in as easily.
Daddy, I’m not sure I’ll like your elevator music.
Elevator music? Whose child is this? Holding back his rage, Daddy explains that he won’t be mad as long as she keeps an open mind and gives these jazz legends a chance. She has nothing to lose, he patiently explains. She agrees. Reluctantly.
The evening flies by. Chart after chart, standard after standard, all artfully tweaked with masterly improvisation. The whole time, Dad can’t stop grinning, and without a thought to the reaction of his daughter. He can’t believe that he’s in the same room as musicians he couldn’t afford to visit. Too soon, it’s all over. Tired, they return to the cabin.
The next morning, Dad finds his daughter sitting in the living area, a pensive look on her face. After a short time, and without goading, she turns to her father and says:
The stuff I listen to is shit. These guys, though? They’re musicians.
Happily, he embraces her. That’s my daughter.
One of the many area corporate-franchise school photography studios wants some entry-level photographers, and I certainly hope that I fit the bill. Given that the minimum requirements for employment include a high school education and full use of your vehicle, I’m not too worried.
It mostly depends on how many spots the studio is trying to fill, and how willing they are to work around my neligible experience.
That is, while I have my share of experience shooting free-range outdoor photography — no tripod, no monopod, no unipod, no flash — I’ve never really figured out all that photo stuff that my Nikon D50 doesn’t include.
I told a few friends of mine that I was worrying a little about it. One or two told me not to get stressed, and another three wished me luck. The rest weren’t afraid to make a joke about it.
If nothing else, you’ll be taking pictures of lots of hot high school girls.
Ew.
Just kidding.
I don’t need the threat of a lawsuit. Please wish me luck in helpful ways.
