Sometimes shocking, spectacularly sharp and stunningly beautiful images from photographer Danny Ghitis‘ photoblog of both US party conventions, Fear and Loathing 2008 :
…
The McClatchy newspaper group answers the US media’s big exam question – “ Is John McCain’s vicious hairtrigger temper a potential danger to the nation and the world? Discuss, with examples.”
[…]
There’s a lengthy list of similar outbursts through the years: McCain pushing a woman in a wheelchair, trying to get an Arizona Republican aide fired from three different jobs, berating a young GOP activist on the night of his own 1986 Senate election and many more.
[…]
Cochran recalled earlier this summer that he saw McCain manhandle a Sandinista official during a 1987 diplomatic mission in Nicaragua.
Cochran told the Biloxi Sun-Herald that McCain was talking, and, “I saw some kind of quick movement at the bottom of the table and I looked down there and John had reached over and grabbed this guy by the shirt collar and had snatched him up like he was throwing him up out of the chair to tell him what he thought about him or whatever.” More…
…
Jay Rayner is a bit of an arse. If when a tiny neighbourhood Szechuan restaurant in a newly-trendy area asks a national newspaper columnist not to give them a review for fear of being overwhelmed by foodies, is it ethical for the columnist to say so in his column – thus writing about them anyway and potentially ruining their business?
…
A most illuminating post and ensuing comment thread at Obsidian Wings, on why some politicians’ lies are so much worse than others… *cough* Sarah “Boy, you people are dumb as mooses” Palin, and the burden that puts on the average voter. Hilzoy:
When politicians lie — and here I mean not just putting the best spin on things, but out and out lying — they might as well walk up to each and every one of us and say: Hello! I have no respect for the value of your time! You might have other things to do — work, playing with your kids, taking a long hike in the mountains, whatever — but I don’t care. I’m going to put you in a position where you’re going to have to research everything I say, or else just give up on your civic duty. You don’t get to assume that my words are, if not exactly true, at least somewhere in the general vicinity of the truth, and decide whether or not to vote for me. If you want to be an informed citizen, you’ll have to become obsessive, like hilzoy.
…
Via Avedon Carol: “British citizens could be convicted in their absence by foreign courts for traffic, credit card or other criminal offences under plans approved in principle by the European Parliament.”
The worst of it is that it’s not even shocking anymore.
…
Please, please, please, Flying Rodent, just do it.
OTOH if Nick Cohen’s looking for anyone to follow him about Britain squirting him with a water pistol filled with lukewarm urine, I’d do that gratis…
I’ll even cover costs: I’ve can spare 50 pence at least. For Cohen I’d even go to a whole pound.
If the Flying Rodent needs any more motivation…. Aaronovitch Watch:
Noted
New Wikipedia user Ncohen2 appears to have some quite strong views about the Nick Cohen/Johann Hari dispute, as well as some information about the circumstances under which Nick left the New Statesman which I didn’t think was previously public. I wonder who this user might be? I hope we see more. (thanks to an anonymous commenter below)
