BREAK OUT THE DEPENDS

If you want to rekindle the feeling that you're living in some sort of surreal Calvinist redefinition of the American experiment in democracy, read this.

I haven't read it in about a year, and I just ran through it again in advance of assigning it to my students on Wednesday - although by asking them to read something that contradicts their worldview, I am placing myself (as the article explains) in the "reality-based" community.

I'm OK with that.

Re-reading this piece has been interesting from two perspectives. First, a lot of the predictions about the Second Term (note: the article was published just days before the 2004 election) have been stunningly accurate. Second, it has strengthened and validated my prevailing "no, really, kill them all before the damage becomes irreversible" thesis.

POPE VS. SPACE POPE

Discuss.

It might seem like a slam dunk in favor of the Ratzi Man, but keep one thing in mind: one of these two people started a war against Islam using poorly-researched, historically-inaccurate quotes in the middle of a diatribe of questionable value. The other one hasn't.

I think someone from the church will have to sit down and explain to him "Look, we picked your octogenarian ass as a placeholder and palate-cleanser. You are the sorbet of popes. Stop talking."