Obama's speech

Here is what Arizona felt about it:

I read some criticisms of the cheering at Obama's speech, and it startled me at first, too. But then I read this in a comment thread:

I think the cheering was cathartic—this is a close-knit place and the UMC has been at the center of everything since the event. My colleagues there have commented that the students (like the rest of the city) have been truly shell-shocked by this.

So, OK.
As Obama continued, I found the cheering less annoying and the speech itself came into focus. This was the line that I remember most clearly:

in the fleeting time we have on this earth, what matters is not wealth, or status, or power, or fame – but rather, how well we have loved, and what small part we have played in bettering the lives of others.

It was the little girl's death that affected me the most. This was when I started to cry

Christina was given to us on September 11th, 2001, one of 50 babies born that day to be pictured in a book called “Faces of Hope.” On either side of her photo in that book were simple wishes for a child’s life. “I hope you help those in need,” read one. “I hope you know all of the words to the National Anthem and sing it with your hand over your heart. I hope you jump in rain puddles.”
If there are rain puddles in heaven, Christina is jumping in them today. And here on Earth, we place our hands over our hearts, and commit ourselves as Americans to forging a country that is forever worthy of her gentle, happy spirit.

Hope.

It's the media's fault!

I had a hunch several days ago that Republicans would deflect the responsibility for their violent threats to the media. Now Palin is doing it too.
If only I could be so prescient with the stock market.

Great line of the day

From Jane Hamsher on how Sarah Palin's complete collapse of leadership on the Giffords shooting has doomed her political career:

You want to act recklessly? Fine, drive a race car. Put out oil fires. Climb the Himalayas. You do not have the maturity or the judgment to be President of the United States. Further, Palin’s retreat into self-pity and victimization in the wake of the shooting demonstrates that she is utterly devoid of self-reflection, completely unable to acknowledge her failure to gauge the dangers inherent in the situation at the time, or learn from her mistakes. She acts like a sneaky teenager. She lies. She pushes others out there to take the hits for her, incapable of even acknowledging her role as a political leader who consciously exerts influence over how her followers should interpret and respond to events.

Shorter

Shorter right-wing talking point on violent political rhetoric:

Its not our fault for saying it -- its the media's fault for covering it!

Clown Car Republicans

The so-called Tea Party "movement" in the States was always a joke and now the people who they elected are acting like clowns, including circus stunts like reading the Constitution right out loud, and holding meaningless and illegal votes.
Bring on Fearless Freep!

An existential epiphany

As Canadian fans ponder what happened, the Onion provides some perspective on how we are all just specks of dust floating through the universe without purpose:

Great line of the day

Dawg writes about Harper's outstanding record of hiring incompetent people:

From the Rights and Democracy sideshow to the Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner and now apparently to the CHRT [Canadian Human Rights Tribunal], we can see a pattern clearly emerging: incompetent, tyrannical managers and/or ideologues appointed to difficult and demanding positions by the Harper administration, and spectacularly flaming out.

Theory v. practice

Another example of a noble idea that sounded fine in theory but is proving to be stupid in practice.

Auld lang syne

Sorry for lack of blogging -- had a touch of the flu today.
But I just wanted to share this happy new year moment with everyone:



It's always worth remembering that, however dull your new year celebration was, at least it wasn't this bad!

Man of the decade

Kodachrome: 1935-2010

Today is the end of Kodachrome with the closure of the last processing lab in the US:

One of the toughest decisions was how to deal with the dozens of requests from amateurs and professionals alike to provide the last roll to be processed.
In the end, it was determined that a roll belonging to Dwayne Steinle, the owner, would be last. It took three tries to find a camera that worked. And over the course of the week he fired off shots of his house, his family and downtown Parsons. The last frame is already planned for Thursday, a picture of all the employees standing in front of Dwayne’s wearing shirts with the epitaph: “The best slide and movie film in history is now officially retired. Kodachrome: 1935-2010.”

Puppies

From Attaturk

US blizzard in Vimeo

From Balloon Juice

December 2010 Blizzard Timelapse from Michael Black on Vimeo.

Compare and contrast

George Bush complains his fee-fees were hurt when Kanye West said he didn't like black people.
Jimmy Carter eradicates a disease that has plagued millions of African people.

Merry Christmas to all

Over the Rainbow - Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole OFFICIAL VIDEO from Mountain Apple Company on Vimeo.