FRIDAY ROUND-UP

Bush the Environmentalist? – In his blog debitage, Stentor Danielson attempts to explain how Bush can reconcile his contempt for environmental regulation with the eco-friendliness of his ranch. Read it — it makes sense, and it’s important to understand the enemy.

Better Than the Book You’re Reading Now – If you haven’t yet discovered Salon blogger Claire Smith’s Life in LA, allow yourself a couple of hours, start way back here where it started in June, and read it, from the beginning. Yes I know I mentioned this already in last week’s round-up. It’s that good.

Blogging in 3-D: Just for fun, see what you think of Jim Gasperini’s technique of using animated gifs as a means of creating the illusion of three-dimensionality.

Mid-Life Crisis: Washington State newspaper columnist and new Salon blogger Chuck has a wonderful shaggy dog story.

Proportional Representation for BC? – Those wacky British Columbians have another interesting experiment in participatory democracy, a Citizens’ Assembly whose members will be drawn by lot, and who are charged with developing a binding referendum question for proportional representation for the province.

It’s Not Me…It’s Her: Leslie Talbot of the Salon blog It’s Not Me…It’s You comes out and tells us who she really is and what she really thinks. I still think she’s a professional writer for the Boston Globe. Otherwise she wouldn’t have this wild illusion that writing an excellent blog (which she does) is going to attract the interest and attention of publishers and literary agents.

As most of my readers know, this is normally a thinker blog not a linker blog. Advance apologies for not acknowledging who put me on to the above links. I forget, and if you remind me I will correct the oversight.

2 Responses to FRIDAY ROUND-UP

Jon Husband says:

August 29, 2003 at 16:44

Thanks, Dave, for pointing me to Life in LA.I just finished doing what you suggested was worthwhile – starting on June 9 and reading through to the last post several days ago.I like that person, and at the moment I feel inspired to recapture as much of who I am, the core of me that feels courageous, aware, sensitive, imperfect, happy, lonely, independent….What a lovely demonstration of how blogs help us see and feel other human beings.
Pete says:

August 29, 2003 at 21:07

Danielson’s article is certainly interesting, but I have a hard time accepting Bush’s environmental policies having a foundation in libertarianism. He has rejected libertarian principles in just about every aspect of public policy. I’m not saying that he doesn’t have them, just that they’re not going to inform his decisions.For example, during the campaign, when asked about medical marijuana, he stated “I believe each state can choose that decision as they so choose.” (sic) He then proceeded to preside over the most incredible attack on the medical marijuana states imaginable. I don’t doubt that he believed his first statement; but he was “straightened out” by various interests.I’m afraid I have to believe that Bush’s policies on the environment are also guided by practical interests relating to political goals, rather than higher libertarian principles.The problem with Danielson’s argument is he sees a type of activity and assumes it to be part of a particular larger principle. Environmental deregulation fits libertarianism, but it also fits cronyism and economic favoritism. The telling point is to look at Danielson’s description of Bush’s background of midwestern conservatism with its “self-reliant individualism” and “confidence in ‘regular folks’ as trustworthy and capable of taking care of themselves.” I have yet to see evidence of those particular principles in Bush policy.P.S. The 3-D animated gif is pretty cool… as long as you don’t stare at it too long.