I don’t how how I missed this Dubyaism of 10 January 2005. Must be the result of my Dubya Media Blackout Policy:
“I’m also looking forward to the Iraqi elections on January the 30th. This is an extraordinary year, when you think about it. In the first month of a new year, there will be an [...]

In a vain attempt to salvage a bad week and do something productive with my afternoon/evening yesterday, I did our 2004 taxes. How’s that for something to cheer you up? Well, it did cheer me, as far as these things go. I have to say, despite the regressiveness of Tennessee’s no state income tax and [...]

This entire week (and therefore my entire 43rd year save my actual birthday) has been crummy, but today was the exclamation point. It started off by me having to give a substitute lecture for a colleague, which in itself is not a bad thing, but it meant sacrificing the morning of my prime research/writing day. [...]

Japanese lawamakers are now debating if and how to change Japan’s succession law to allow a woman to assume the chrysanthemum throne. Prime Minister Koizumi and Finance Minister Tanigaki, pictured here, seem less than engaged about the proceedings in the lower house of Parliament (the AP caption implies that they are concentrating with eyes closed; [...]

This is courtesy of friend and colleague Michael Bess:
Q: How many Bush Administration officials does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: None. There is nothing wrong with the light bulb; its conditions are improving every day. Any reports of its lack of incandescence are a delusional spin from the liberal media. [...]

Finally, the Wall is coming down. The three-tiered, rotting railroad tie retaining wall that has been the bane of our existence in our back patio, that is. We contracted Chris Agee of Living Stone to tear it out and put in concrete blocks instead. While an expensive job ($15,000), it will add value and diminish [...]

No, this word doesn’t mean government by Japanese oysters (or persimmons). It means government by the Bush Administration. See:
“Kakistocracy (from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition, 2000)
SYLLABICATION: kak·is·toc·ra·cy
PRONUNCIATION: kak’i-stok’re-se, käki-
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. kak·is·toc·ra·cies
Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.
ETYMOLOGY:
Greek kakistos, worst, superlative of [...]

This is what movies should be: a vibrant and balanced mix of imagination, emotion, and intellect that makes full use of the film medium. Amélie captures your interest with the uncanny narrative, your eye with playful cinematography (and Audrey Tautou’s pretty face), and your ear with well-placed music. The movie doesn’t overtly try to be [...]