http://rabbitvalleyroad.com A weblog by David Morton Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:08:52 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Damon Linker: Reaganite conservatism axiomatically disdains government, and that creates a perverse incentive for conservative politicians to run government badly (or at least not to run it well), since the failure of government confirms conservative prejudices and (in theory) provides the movement with additional evidence in favor of its ideology. We ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/03/11/political-realignment-from-the-reagan-era/ Video. Amusingly, I didn't get a chance to see the movie over the weekend, and found out today that it had been changed. Then again, I had crazy-low expectations. http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/03/09/hitler-finds-out-about-the-new-watchmen-ending/ If you don't follow the far-far-right, the basic context is that they (of course) want Barack Obama impeached after 45 days in office, or they want to secede from the Union, or something equally feckless. Andrew Sullivan addresses the first Hannity-flavored option: Obama's predecessor secretly invoked the power to suspend the ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/03/06/impeaching-obama/ David Simon, creator of The Wire, has an article in the Washington Post about the decline of hard-hitting journalism: Half-truths, obfuscations and apparent deceit -- these are the wages of a world in which newspapers, their staffs eviscerated, no longer battle at the frontiers of public information. And in a city ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/03/04/david-simon-returns-to-his-old-bpd-beat/ Yeah, yeah, posting here has been light, and I have all kinds of plans, hopes, and dreams that I want to pursue with this blog... Moving on. I awoke at 4 a.m. today thinking that there was a fire above me on Stringer's Ridge. Once I gained my bearings, I realized that ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/03/03/youll-see/ The three primary roles your local website should play While the convergence of news, blogging, and historical perspective may be a relatively new phenomenon, the result is a natural culmination of three traditional spheres moving closer together: the town crier, the town square, and the town expert. (Follow the link for ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/17/the-crier-the-square-and-the-expert/ The No-Stats All-Star As is his prerogative, Michael Lewis takes a lengthy look at the Houston Rockets' Shane Battier, his team-oriented approach to the game, and why he's one of the best-kept secrets in the superstar-driven NBA: Battier’s game is a weird combination of obvious weaknesses and nearly invisible strengths. When he ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/16/1395/ The Michael Jackson Auction Julien's Auctions will hold an auction in April to sell off some of the King of Pop's belongings. Given the range of ridiculously expensive, narcissistic paraphernalia, it's no wonder MJ's facing bankruptcy: King Michael in Gold Frame Electric Cart with MJ as Peter Pan Robotic MJ Head When reached for comment, ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/16/buy-michael-jacksons-pointless-crap/ Despite being two of the most well-read news outlets in the world, both the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times are in serious, financial trouble for a simple reason. Though part of the WSJ is subscription-based (yeah, who does that?), most of their online revenue is derived from ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/12/newspapers-and-the-three-legged-stool/ Christopher Fahey argues that the pre-2000 paradigm of the "dumb client" is no longer applicable: ...I still regularly hear designers and consultants stereotyping their clients as if it were still 1999, as if they were still dealing with people who had never bought a book online and don’t know how search ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/12/ignorant-clients-no-more/ The Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan - Open Source Funding Billionaire Mark Cuban is putting his money where his mouth is, and opening up his capital to start-ups in order to stimulate the economy. All you have to do is post your business plan on his website for he and others to ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/12/mark-cuban-will-fund-your-business/ Having recently moved to District 1 last August (and not District 2 as I originally thought), I haven't been as active in the North Chattanooga community as I would like. As it happens though, both my wife and I work in District 1, and we spend a good chunk of ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/11/district-1-endorsement/ The Old Stone Cross: A statesman is an easy man, He tells his lies by rote; A journalist makes up his lies And takes you by the throat; So stay at home’ and drink your beer And let the neighbours’ vote http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/10/william-butler-yeats-on-political-apathy/ The Meaning of Sarah Palin -- Yuval Levin discusses why Sarah Palin was so reviled by the Left and so adored by the Right, and what her candidacy tells us about the cultural and economic divides in America: The Republican party has been the party of cultural populism and economic ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/05/balancing-sarah-palin/ While researching an idea for great, initially-unpopular sophomore records, I came across this sample list for The Beastie Boy's Paul's Boutique (original source here), which will be reissued this Tuesday. Looking at the list, I was struck by the fact that no one will ever make a record quite like ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/05/pauls-boutique-sample-list/ When you're a kid, your parents probably told you that you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it. Having recently turned 30, it seems I'm past the statue of limitations on this golden rule of ambition. Given my age, background, and natural proclivities, there are ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/05/the-myth-of-doing-anything/ The Man Who Made Obama: It was Plouffe (rhymes with bluff) who gathered the president's unprecedented thirteen-million-name contact list, which has grown into a fulsome pulsing beast, and it is Plouffe who now owns it and keeps it under lock and key. Plouffe sent those thirteen million people an e-mail in ... http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/04/the-most-powerful-tool-in-american-politics/ Make Something Cool Every Day -- The movie novelizations are excellent. I'm a fan of the Caddyshack and The Hudsucker Proxy covers. (via Daring Fireball) http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/04/original-songs-by-kenny-loggins/ Mostly, I'll miss seeing a politician in those glasses. Very bold. http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/04/daschle-out/ Department of Eagles -- An off-kilter cross-section of Americana. Download No One Does it Like You, In Ear Park, and more. I'm willing to bet that Daniel Rossen (Grizzly Bear) likes the Gershwin. http://rabbitvalleyroad.com/2009/02/03/currently-listening/