now that we're moved, it's time to adopt a soldier through Soldier's Angels. Or maybe just sign up to send care packages out to Iraq and Afghanistan.

My non-warmongering readers should remember that one of the diverse outreaches through Soldier's Angels is focused less on supporting the military, and more on helping them to meet the needs of Iraqi kids. So there is truly a program for everyone within SA—even my lefty fans!

Now that I'm going to follow up on this, it's time for the rest of you to do it, too: after all, I have a birthday coming up in July. Join an Angels outreach for my birthday! Yay!

(This is on my mind because Greta does such great work with them—as does Whatever Beth. They are good examples, and it's time to get my hands dirty.)

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And read the entire post, which is lovely and has a nice "button." (I spend a lot of time searching for good post-buttons, but they always turn into digressions. It's hard to find something that really completes the circle in a blog entry.)

But where is Megan? She sneaked away while I was moving my digs. Never trust tall girls: never. Certainly, never get drunk around 'em.

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Ace:

I've cut out the numbers because I was told there would be no math on this blog.

I'm glad he's learned to take orders from the boss. The 'sphere, after all, is a harsh mistress.

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Well, maybe.

Of course, I've always felt that Reynolds does a pretty good job, considering the fact that he has a family and little that part-time law-professor thingie. And the podcasts. And the freelance photography. And the tech reviews. And the cooking. And the book-writing. Also, he's a person, rather than a web-spider, which has to cut down on efficiencies of scale.

And he cannot link every worthy cause, and every bitchin' little boutique blog (though of course he should link me just a bit more often, because I'm so fabulously wonderful, and most certainly first-among-equals for those who only get 250 hits a day).

Furthermore, Mr. Bloody Protein Shakes did eventually link a Malkin-site/See-Dubya post on the subject. I also think the crew at Jawa has been pretty supportive of Jane's work on behalf of the Yemenis, and Ace most certainly has been, so there's no call to get mad at all the "big dogs" of the 'sphere. Unless we want to.

But, yeah: I can see the temptation to compare Glenn with Goliath rather than with David. It was inevitable that that would happen at some point. I'm sure he'll see the compliment in there.

(FWIW, I still get more traffic from an Instalanche than I do from a mention on CNN, a link from the NYT, or prominent placement on Memeorandum. Glenn is, indeed, a one-man force of nature, or perhaps he's some other mixed metaphor I can't quite think of right now.)

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Iowahawk carves up our congresscritters once more, exposing their ooky innards for the world to see. Revolting. Disgusting. Beautiful.

All this, and classic cars. Thank you, Sir.

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Sure. I'll give it a shot.

Clockwise, from the high heels: Rachel, David, Jonathan, Eric.

Do I get a prize?

Via Eric, this time around.

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Michael Yon on the difference between a technically illegal—yet acceptable—lifting of a photo, and Michael Moore's theft of one of his own signature image (the one that, by the way, graces the cover of his Yon's new book, which I just bought):

When someoneÂ’s grandmother disseminates the photo of Major Beiger cradling a dying girl in his arms, I allow the usage because I feel she is trying to share the human tragedy. When Michael Moore puts that same photo on his web site, alongside images of George Bush, John McCain and Hillary Clinton, the clear implication is that FarahÂ’s death is their fault.

That is a misrepresentation of the facts on the ground, as well as the story of the photo. Farah was killed by a suicide car bomb in Mosul on May 2, 2005. Major Bieger and other soldiers literally risked their own lives to save many children and adults that day, but Farah didnÂ’t make it.

Michael Moore apparently does not understand – or refuses to acknowledge – the moral distinction between a man who would murder innocent people, and a man who would sacrifice himself to save them. The photo, as I took it, is the truth, but Moore uses it – illegally – to convey falsehoods. His mind is that of a political propagandist who sees Farah’s death not as a human tragedy, but a tool.

Yon is one of the great journalists of our age. He points out to his angry readers that this situation must be handled in a legal fashion, but I have no problem citing this as one more example in which Moore uses powerful images to tell flagrant lies.

This—like splicing together words from different Charlton Heston speeches to make it sound like he said things he never said—reflects upon Moore. Not on whatever topic he has chosen to lie about that day.

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Today brings us

Next from Bruce Ramsey: The Khmer Rouge -- Misunderstood Warrior-Poets

A few weeks ago I read a few lines from Ace aloud. At least a couple of posts were represented.

"What the hell?" I wondered. "Am I delighted, or appalled?"

"Yes," suggested A the H. "But he's just as brutal with himself as he is with the rest of the world."

"Maybe," I replied. "He's no rifle crank; that's for sure."

"Nope."

"I mean, he isn't spending untold hours sightin' anything in."

"He's a shotgun man," A the A responded. And he turned the page the book he was reading.

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The Rachel Boyfriend has returned. Go say "hi."

He looked smokinÂ’ hot in his uniform. Oh lord. I was tempted to test social boundaries and fellow travelersÂ’ patriotism by jumping him right there at baggage claim - I mean, are people really going to say anything to a guy in uniform? - but I controlled myself.

The uniform did come in handy at one point, which is when while boarding that flight, the agent stopped him and said, “Would you like to sit in First Class, sir?” Well of course he would, thank you very much. So that was nice for him.

Yeah. A the H reports that flight attendants were always nice to him when he flew in uniform. I like the Glenn Reynolds approach (though at present I can't afford it): when you see a group of people in uniform, send them a round of drinks.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 02:18 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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The Rachel Boyfriend has returned. Go say "hi."

He looked smokinÂ’ hot in his uniform. Oh lord. I was tempted to test social boundaries and fellow travelersÂ’ patriotism by jumping him right there at baggage claim - I mean, are people really going to say anything to a guy in uniform? - but I controlled myself.

The uniform did come in handy at one point, which is when while boarding that flight, the agent stopped him and said, “Would you like to sit in First Class, sir?” Well of course he would, thank you very much. So that was nice for him.

Yeah. A the H reports that flight attendants were always nice to him when he flew in uniform. I like the Glenn Reynolds approach (though at present I can't afford it): when you see a group of people in uniform, send them a round of drinks.

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. . . seems more interested in the Obama gay sex murder scandal than she was in Hillary's alleged lesbian affair. Probably because of the "murder" part.

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Hm. To me, she looks like my best Celtic friend (the guy we call "Count Linguist"), in drag.

In all seriousness, she really looks quite beautiful to me.

Thank you, Irene. And goodbye.

(And thanks to AoS's Krakatoa as well. It's nice to hear good news every now and then.)

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Joy:

I try to accept the woman-haters for what they are: guys who haven't been laid since high school, when they were embarrassed by the fact that one of their dates had to get out a magnifying glass to find their itty bitty
dicks.

Oopsie. Did I say that out loud?

Anonymous Cotillionite A:

LOL. Don't hold back, Joy. Tell us how you REALLY feel.

Anonymous Cotillionite B:

Yes, you did, Joy—and I find it so nice that you can restrain yourself and describe those guys so kindly. *snicker*

Little Miss Attila: a source of understanding, sweetness and light for misogynists since 2003 . . .

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. . . there's a right-wing equivalent to this movement.

And I'll bet they produce even less trash. And live better.

Of course, part of this has to do with the fact that everything is better with guns, including lifestyle choices. Firearms are to daily life what sprigs of cilantro are to a Thai or Mexican meal: necessary. Seductive. Worth, for a few irrational moments, trading one's soul for.

(Usually, one's conscience interferes before one does anything foolish. Usually.)

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Jeffrey Goldberg is ready to ally himself with those crazy Muslims over the issue of eatin' ham and bacon. I think I might be able to give up bacon, but smoked ham is the ultimate meat-as-condiment. Life without navy bean and ham soup sounds dire. Not to mention ham and cheese, prepared every possible way and using every different kind of ham. And cheese.

This is without getting into the issue of pizza, and how it ideally is topped with pineapple and Canadian bacon . . . i.e., ham.

What I want to know, however, is whether Islam permits one to mix dairy products and meat at the same meal. Because I'm starting to think that I wouldn't be a much better Jew than I'd be as a Muslim.

And being vegan would be great most days, until I ran out of peanut butter and lentils—at which point I'd start Jonesing hard on milk, eggs, cheese, and . . . ham.

Thank you, thank you, Sam I am.

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Okay.

If the modern conservative position is that the U.S. is, indeed, a "Christian" nation, why exactly is it that the term "neocon" is, in some circles, a synonym for "Jew"?

Just askin'. You stay special.

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1 Yaknow, I never liked the term 'neocon' anyway. Always sounded to me like the new guy in the slammer.

Posted by: Mister Prickly at May 09, 2008 04:26 PM (/9Waz)

2 Jonah Goldberg contends that it was probably an attempt to echo the term "neo-Nazi." I hope not; that would be pretty low. I just always see it as a way of emphasizing that the person isn't a "Rockefeller Republican"--that it's truly a philosophical leaning rather than some sort of icky class affiliation thing. Oh, and--yeah: we gots more Jews than the Paleocons ever had

Posted by: Attila Girl at May 09, 2008 04:56 PM (Hgnbj)

3 ^5 joy

Posted by: zoey at May 09, 2008 07:40 PM (KU4Si)

4 Thanks, Z!

Posted by: Attila Girl at May 09, 2008 09:51 PM (Hgnbj)

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(That is to say, the 1980s version of ripping a music CD.)

"It's like free-association. Or shitting."

Much the same with blogging; hadja noticed?

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Ace snarks about the hypothesis that conservatives "rationalize" more than liberals, and how those who study these things sometimes can't see the forest for the state-mandated-redistributionist trees.

Hm. The study appears to be as condescending and silly as most of these things are, but of course it got me thinking about how few people I know are really happy—conservative or liberal.

I do think it's more of a challenge for people who are overbrained. Though please note that I don't see neurotic hand-wringing as a sign of high intelligence. I just think that like everything else, happiness tends to be hard work. And, as with everything else, some people have more of a talent for it than others do.

But not to try seems like a tragedy at best, and a slap in the face of God at worst. I suppose that I ultimately agree with Dennis Prager: if one has the choice, it is more merciful to those around us—and more respectful to our better selves—if we do our best to be happy.

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. . . off of my cold, dead torso.

Oriana Fallaci once interviewed the Ayatollah Khomeini during his rise to power. Of course, she had to agree to wear a burka during the session, and one of her first questions was "how do you swim in this thing?"

I wonder if Barbie has also been wondering that lately.

The way I heard the story, Fallaci ended up taking the hood and robe off during the interview, which I understand: they say it's hot over there in the Middle East.

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1 Oh, Joy! I would much prefer to peel your tanktop off your warm, living torso... Gosh, did I just say that?

Posted by: Gregory at May 07, 2008 05:47 PM (cjwF0)

2 Heh. I was gonna say... Necrophilia is just not my thing. I too prefer the warm and jiggly.

Posted by: Desert Cat at May 07, 2008 07:00 PM (DIr0W)

3 I believe that's AtH's job, not mine. He signed up for the tour of duty, he can complete it...

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie at May 08, 2008 08:36 PM (ueMTj)

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Virginia Postrel is one of the victims.

What surprises me is that people think they can get by with it in this day and age—even if the community of libertarian and pop-culture writers didn't catch Professor Twitchell, the electronic tools we all use every day was bound to.

I just don't get why James Twitchell thought he could get by with this. Did he want to get caught? It's whacked.

MORE: Postrel adds:

It's unfortunate that newspaper accounts of such scandals rely so much on "objective" parallel passages rather than getting at the true disservice to the reader. When James Twitchell fails to cite sources for his statistics, leading readers to assume he is the source, he deprives those readers of further information on the subject, including when the stats were gathered and how. He also slights readers when he offers an unsourced summary of another scholar's idea without telling readers where to find the original, and far more thorough, development of that idea. Then there's changing facts to make them inaccurate [as he did with some of the work he lifted from Postrel] ...

As an offense against other scholars and writers, plagiarism is a sign of bad character. But, more important for the public sphere, it's a sign that you don't care about your readers.

That's it in a nutshell, and how odd it is that I didn't read these posts until today, after I'd blogged about using Postrel's own citations as a resource for further reading when I was done reading her books.

AND: More from one of Twitchell's other eminent victims.

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1 When I catch a student plagiarizing, I have one of two extremely visceral reactions: I cry or throw up. Then I turn the little f**ker in to the Student Conduct committee. Sometimes, they don't even take out the blue hyperlinks in what they paste in from the frikkin' internet! And a friend of mine got a paper that was cribbed word for word FROM THE BOOK THEY WERE USING IN CLASS. I swear to the gods. I mean, homage, imitation, flattery, cultural zeitgeist, subconscious influence, collective unconscious, whatever. But dammit, if you hit select copy paste, you know what you did!!! And you should be punched in the face.

Posted by: Rin at May 07, 2008 10:11 AM (f8xXa)

2 Well, there is the fact that Word makes hyperlinks all over the place, unless you tell it not to. But what these kids don't understand is that people like you and me are going to recognize any passage that made any impression on us at all, if we've ever encountered it before: we notice turns of phrase. If it's worth stealing, it's memorable enough that someone will . . . remember it. I try to remind myself that there are people who cut corners in certain areas of life who would never do so in any other. For instance, I've never been tempted to plagiarize, because . . . well, I can always do better than the original. Though I do seem to remember pushing my deadlines, and paraphrasing in rather a hurry at 3:00 a.m. the morning before an assignment was due. But I know I'm tempted sometimes to invade other people's privacy--read their email or whatever. I don't do it, because that is one thing you cannot undo. If you read someone's private correspondence, or their journal, it might alter the way you think about that person forever. To me, it's even lower than plagiarism, and even more destructive. But not everyone I know sees it that way. Yet I've been "cheating" in my checkbook since the beginning of time: there is always that $8 or $15 or whatever that I can't account for, and I've always just added or subtracted (usually the latter) to make it balance. This is probably shocking to some people, but I'm not good at arithmetic, and I don't have the time to invest in making things balance perfectly. And I have no inclination, either. I like the "sloppy research" people. Yeah: "I accidentally lifted that passage ". . . gimme a break. Though, to be fair, I do know a husband-wife composing team who regularly run their work by each other to make sure they didn't unconsciously grab something out of classical music somewhere. Maybe if one is operating far enough from the right brain, it could happen. Remember, though, Rin: this is a professor and a writing professional. Not someone trying to get through a breadth requirement. This guy has some bad freakin' karma coming to him, which is why I used his real name.

Posted by: Attila Girl at May 07, 2008 12:06 PM (Hgnbj)

3 I've always thought that plagiarism is a foolish enterprise, because people like you and me are going to recognize any passage that made an impression on us: we notice turns of phrase, and if it's worth stealing, it's memorable enough that someone will remember it. And besides, one can usually do better than the original.

Posted by: Rin at May 07, 2008 01:07 PM (bSHZa)

4 Oh. You are bad.

Posted by: Attila Girl at May 07, 2008 01:12 PM (Hgnbj)

5 You, on the other hand, are good. ;-)

Posted by: Rin at May 07, 2008 01:30 PM (bSHZa)

6 Then I turn the little f**ker in to the Student Conduct committee. And then what happens? do they get punished, or do they get a slap on the wrist and get off? I'm vaguely aware of an incident that happened in my own department - someone reading a faculty member's email surreptiously - that got swept under the rug because the chairman at the time wasn't into confrontation. Some determined that I shouldn't be notified, even if I where the network admin. If left up to me, I would have dropped the hammer on the perp, and at least cut him/her off from their account for a good, long while. But that would be confrontational...

Posted by: I R A Darth Aggie at May 08, 2008 08:45 PM (ueMTj)

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