MY RECENT POSTS
- It's Obama's Karma, not his
Katrina
May 03, 2010 11:42AM - No Compromise
August 20, 2009 11:53AM - The Republicans have become
the People’s Front of Judea
August 11, 2009 03:45PM - All choked up
July 28, 2009 10:44AM - How I Became an Extra in an
Independent Movie
June 11, 2009 02:27PM
MY RECENT COMMENTS
- “This might be my tipping
point on Obama. If he is not
even
willing to lead
unequ…”
August 19, 2010 10:09AM - “I would guess there are
still places where bookmobiles
make
sense, especially
in…”
February 26, 2009 07:32PM - “Admitting mistakes
allows people to take you more
seriously.
I think we are
more…”
February 04, 2009 11:29AM - “5 cents is not nearly
high enough. I think $5 per
plastic bag
would be about
rig…”
February 03, 2009 11:00AM - “Thanks
Procopius,
I wonder
whether those who fervently
supported this war
will
eve…”
January 14, 2009 03:22PM
Dan Schreiber's Links
It's Obama's Karma, not his Katrina
It looks like a narrative is emerging that the massive oil spill
in the gulf is now Obama’s Katrina. This makes sense, if you
don’t remember much about Katrina, or know much about this
oil spill.
It is true that this oil spill is likely to exceed the
environmental damage and human… Read full post »
No Compromise
I’m a liberal. I believe in giving a little to try to make more people happy. I believe people’s concerns should be taken into account if it will make for a stronger community. I believe that compromise is warranted based on its effectiveness, but that compromise is not its ow/… Read full post »
The Republicans have become the People’s Front of Judea
Let strip away all the crazy from the health care reform “debate.” Let’s pretend that people are rational and decent. Let's pretend people don’t do things like:
- Hang congresspeople in effigy.
- Shout angrily that the government needs to keep its hands off their Med/ … Read full post »
All choked up
If there is a moment that most Harry Potter fans say they
cried while reading the books (and if you have not read the books,
please stop reading this right now, run to your nearest library and
read all seven books before doing anything else in your life, and
also stop… How I Became an Extra in an Independent Movie
Last Thursday, I picked up some dancers in Kankakee.
Wait, that sounds incriminating. How about this: Last Thursday, I
had some semi-famous dancers in the back seat of my van.
Maybe I should back up. I guess this story starts where many tales
of lost innocence and fame-seeking start: with a bribe.
We br… Read full post »
Why gays are morally superior to Christians
Controversy over "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is starting to
heat up again, as President Obama continues to drag his feet in the
face of
continued firings of military personnel who admit to being
gay.
The 1993 policy was one of those compromises that made everyone angrier than they already were.
… Read full post »Walking and Waving in Community
I walked my son to school earlier this week. It was one of those bright, sunshiny mornings that clears out worries of depression and war and pandemic, and makes everyone glad just to be alive and present in the world.
This is probably what accounts for no fewer than three
… Read full post »Spring Break Confession
I did something during spring break in Florida that I'm not terribly proud of. No, I didn't forget to use sunscreen and burn my body red. I didn't trash any hotel rooms. I didn't even wake up on the beach in a pool of my own vomit, or next to a…
Loser Dad
Being a good or bad parent is hard to judge on a
day-to-day basis. Often, it is not until your child successfully
finishes therapy as an adult that the full verdict can be
rendered.
Nonetheless, every now and then you engage in a symbolic act of
parenting that
Clash of Cultures, Clothing Edition
One doesn't normally think of Amish and Old Order Mennonites as being exceptionally mission-oriented. After all, one of the defining characteristics of these groups is that they choose to intentionally separate themselves from the world. Plus, you never see any Amish preachers on the quad, sc… Read full post »
My hometown library of Champaign, Illinois
announced a few days ago that its bookmobile is being retired
next summer. For those of us who grew up with bookmobiles, it's
like hearing that the last Big
Boy has finally closed, or that station wagons will no longer
have fake wood paneling, or… Read full post »
Every year, it’s the same. Winners come up on stage, recite a long list of people to thank, and say almost nothing of interest. Yawn.
Instead of actually showing us clips of outstanding performances this year, th… Read full post »
Middle School Girl Syndrome
There's a certain ironic justice in the fact that many
middle school boys grow up to become fathers of middle school
girls. What we didn't notice or understand in our early teens comes
back to demand our full and constant attention, as our daughters
come home sobbing or angry for… Read full post »The Air We Breathe
I finally caught Mad Men the
other night, the AMC series on ad men in the early '60s. It's as
good as hyped, with enigmatic characters and smoldering atmosphere.
But what's astonishing about it is its unflinching portrayal of the
easy, unquestioned sexism, anti-Semitism, racism, and
homophobia… Read full post »
This year’s crop was no different, giving us some… Read full post »
Bagger's Bane
It's good to see cloth grocery bags popping up for sale at most grocery stores, as an alternative to the tyranny of paper or plastic. The bags are always accompanied by a happy sign underscoring the environmental benefits of such a purchase.
The only snag is that this commitment to
Prophets vs. Kings
Amid all the soaring rhetoric and unbridled enthusiasm of
President Obama's inauguration, I heard a comment that truly
disheartened me. At one point, during a Martin Luther King event,
someone stood up and declared that Obama has been ordained by God
to lead us in such a time as this.
As George W. Bush leaves office, it is fitting that the mood of the country has softened toward him, at least in some quarters. After all, it is customary to treat outgoing presidents as if they are the guest of honor at a wake. In such circumstances, it is rude… Read full post »
Technically, they are announcing that our northern ice cap is continuing to melt at an alarming rate. But since there is no land at the North Pole, it begs the question: What is Santa
… Read full post »Rick Warren Wants Dick Cheney Dead
Rick Warren was supposed to be the new, reasonable face of Christianity. He was going to avoid the arrogance of Jerry Falwell, the bigotry of James Dobson and the weird-crazy of Pat Robertson.
His book, A Purpose Driven Life, has been wildly successful as a non-proselytizing way for Christian… Read full post »
The War on Tolerance, 2008 Update
What can be said about The War on Christmas® that hasn’t already been angrily shouted by Bill O’Reilly or snidely lampooned by Jon Stewart? Apparently, not much this year.
Christmas warrior James Dobson has had to recycle his list of sinful retailers that have the audacity to s… Read full post »
emma peel
Winona W. Wendth
FeatheredThing
Christie H.
JRDOG
Kerry Lauerman
Salon.com