The Sound of the Crowd

…is that, almost inevitably, it has an effect opposite to what the censors intend.

That Ron Reagan appearance on Larry King I mentioned a few posts down is going to be rebroadcast on CNN this evening.

If you’re near a TV check it out.

…to get Tilbrook to Difford.

The Method And Result

As this Washington Post article says, the 40th President’s son Ron has been increasingly outspoken of late.

I like it; his appearance on The Larry King Show was thoughtful and well-spoken, with little I could disagree with. At least little that couldn’t be explained by the thought that it’s his father, for goodness sake.

Plus, I have to like the fact he expressed an opinion similar to one of my own posted here: That the overwhelming response to his father’s death was in part due to the fact that Americans have so recently been confronted with the Bush II adminstration. Whose mistakes and sheer wrong-headedness make the Gipper look good, even to the staunchest of Democrats.

Should be interesting to see what he does in the coming months.

Buzz Around Moore’s Movie…

–From The Washington Post

Rolling Stone has published a panel discussion on Iraq with several experts, including Gen. Anthony Zinni, Gen. Wesley Clark, Rand Beers (Counterterrorism adviser to President Bush, 2002-2003), Sen. Joseph Biden, and Bob Kerrey (Senator from Nebraska, 1988-2000).

It’s well worth reading. Pay special attention to Biden’s comments, and tell me he doesn’t want to run for President again in eight years. At least I’m starting to hope so.

Does it? I mean, not if she’s gonna do stuff like this to the English language.

Briefly put, it states that:

“As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the
probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler
approaches one.’ There is a tradition in many groups that,
once this occurs, that thread is over, and whoever mentioned
the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in
progress.”

For a fuller definition, see here.

I find that this law can be expanded beyond Usenet. Whenever I see or hear someone reaching for such a comparision in just about any context I almost always assume they know, deep down, that they’re wrong.

Which brings me to this little item.

If you follow this link to the news from mark evanier site, you’ll find he’s posted one to five of the greatest minutes of television I’ve ever seen.