The state of the culture

It's fine if these people want to appease fundamentalist offense-finders just to protect the bottom line, but what about the sensitivities of the rest of us? Why are they allowed to keep calling the place Burger King instead of Burger President or Burger Committee Chairperson?

Reams and reams could be written on what we can learn from the movies than make men cry and the movies that make women cry (click on the chart to see the complete lists). But you know what? I won't touch it, except to note that "Schindler's List" being at the top of the men's list and "Ghost" heading the women's says a whole lot.

They're taking a break in the Judiciary Committee, and Edward Kennedy is being interviewed on Court TV, saying that what both Democrats and Republicans want is a justice who is in "the mainstream." In the first place, that's utter nonsense. Each side wants someone who will do with the court what that side thinks should be done with the court. And in the second place, exactly what is the "mainstream"? Prevailing legal opinion? What a majority of Americans think? What does any of that have to do with constitutional interpretation?

If we allow one theory of "intelligent design" of the universe into science classrooms, wouldn't we then have to let other theories in as well?

So many glitches on the road from the known to the ideal . . . the world's 10 stupidest utopias.

This is just so wrong on so many levels.

Arnold Schwarzenegger said an odd thing as he vowed to veto the bill that would make California the first state to recognize gay marriage by legislative action:

The Republican governor had indicated in previous statements that he would veto the bill, saying the debate over same-sex marriage should be decided by voters or the courts.

No matter what you think about illegal drugs, you have to start asking if the war against same is working. Or maybe we should bring back the war against alcohol.

On the death of Bob Denver, some interesting trivia about "Gilligan's Island" in the New York Times obituary: The relationship of Gilligan and the Skipper was based on Laurel and Hardy. Gilligan's first name, seldom used, was Willy. The Minnow was so named in homage to FCC Chairman Newton Minnow of "vast wasteland" fame. And the show was cancelled after three seasons, though still high in the ratings, so that CBS could stretch "Gunsomke" from a half-hour to a full hour.

I should probably lament this development as another sign of civilization's decline -- see, nobody's reading anymore! But it seems like an interesting way to add interest to the magazine. I read a lot of comic books as a kid and graduated to Mad magazine and National Lampoon, checking out a few Classics Illustrated along the way. If I could find a good illustrator, I'd add a graphic novel to this blog.