Gossip Girl Channels Whit Stillman?

Don’t get me wrong, Whit Stillman is my favorite writer/director so I don’t mean to bring him down to the level of tween tv, but am I the only one to notice that the creators of Gossip Girl have a few homages to Stillman? Consider the evidence:
1. Metropolitan’s “it-girl” is named Serena Slocam. Gossip Girl’s [...]

Read Full Post »

Fire Your Management Company

You only have to have watched a few recent tennis Grand Slams to know that Roger Federer shares the management company as Tiger Woods and Thierry Henry. This advert absolutely makes me cringe. With all the money that they have you would think they’d be embarrassed to lather up and shave for the camera. Let’s [...]

Read Full Post »

A Modest Column

Definitely worth the full read.
People in high office — like the president and the vice-president — have difficult, complicated jobs. If they forget to do stuff, or if they cut corners here and there, or if they tell a white lie now and then, that’s OK, because the important thing is for them to protect [...]

Read Full Post »

Jayson Blair Your Successor is Named

A 6-year-old Garland, Texas, girl won a Hannah Montana makeover and concert tickets Friday with an essay that started, “My daddy died this year in Iraq…. “
Trouble is, it wasn’t true. Her mother admitted the essay and information she supplied about the supposedly deceased soldier are false…
Before you get outraged, they took back the [...]

Read Full Post »

Headline: “Bin Laden says U.S. seeks to exploit Iraqi oil”

“America seeks, alongside its agents in the region, to create an allied government … that would accept in advance the presence of major U.S. bases in Iraq and give the Americans all they wish of Iraq’s oil,” he said.

While I’ve no doubt the administration is preparing a response to the above, Bin Laden is not [...]

Read Full Post »

The American Taliban Revisited

Wonkette posts You Can Go Home Again, If You’re White in reference to Australian David Hicks’ release from prison — which reminds me of the less talked about John Walker Lindh. Let’s recap:
Captured on November 25, 2001.
Indicted on February 13, 2002.
Plead guilty July 15, 2002 and began serving his sentence shortly thereafter.
In light of [...]

Read Full Post »

Poor Tiger

I’m not suggesting that the Police were wrong to shoot Tatiana, but I just can’t help feeling sorry for her. To be held captive for so many years, escape, and then be immediately killed.

Read Full Post »

Sanrio’s New Menswear Line

The Nightly Business Report on PBS did a segment on Sanrio’s new menswear line. Well, I’m a huge fan of Sanrio though I prefer Chococat to Hello Kitty.
Unfortunately available only as a transcript and not streaming video, the story really should be seen to be believed. No photos on the web do justice to the [...]

Read Full Post »

A Salute to Risk Takers

What kind of person risks himself/herself to be a leader and make a difference? I always have admiration for these individuals because I am categorically different.

If I were Bhutto, I would have given up after the first attack. What about Ayaan Hirsi Ali? I get scared even leaving a comment on a blog that [...]

Read Full Post »

Christmas Tree Shopping Via Bus

Taken on the #44 in Seattle.

Read Full Post »

The Shame of Coupons

My husband received a Passport Unlimited card from his work. The company’s website advertises itself as “the first dining program targeted at business professionals, offering significant discounts and repeat visits at participating upscale restaurants.”
I’m sure I’m not the first person to get embarrassed when using a coupon, especially at an upscale restaurant. Let’s be honest [...]

Read Full Post »

The Vanity of Sperm Banks

Ever notice that when a story breaks about a sperm or egg donor who has passed on a genetic disease that the donor is always blonde-haired and blue-eyed? I’m not saying that there is a connection between genetic disease and having Aryan features. Perhaps those are the most popular type of donors and these [...]

Read Full Post »