TWO LINKS: Disputations: “The hoarded wealth not only cries aloud, but after it corrodes, it acts as a witness for the prosecution — and, in a particularly ghoulish image, it goes on to corrode the flesh of the rich!” (more, brief but really interesting & powerful) and, via Journalista, a good review of Jaime Hernandez’s Ghost of Hoppers. I commented on the comic here, but Derek Badman’s review does some very cool quickie panel analysis to show how awesome JH... Read more

KITCHEN ADVENTURES: ‘WICHY WOMAN. So, inspired by this “Top Chef” episode, I’ve been trying out a passel of sandwich ideas–a change from my ol’ favorite. These are all hot sammiches: Mushrooms, bacon, gruyere, balsamic vinegar: Heat oven to 375. Take a largeish roll, split it down the middle, then cut the halves lengthwise. Put the bottoms of the roll halves on aluminum foil. (Do that for all of these recipes, except for the french toast one.) I used a mealhada... Read more

GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN: Awesome para. from Australian Cdl. Pell: …The most profound changes emanated from the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, the most problematic of all the Council documents at least in its implementation. This constitution quite properly called for dialogue with the surrounding culture rather than condemnation and urged us to emphasise what was common rather than to begin immediately with our differences. This is fundamental to the way we now see... Read more

I SCOURGE THE BODY ELECTRIC: “To borrow an analogy from Boston College professor Peter Kreeft and give it a twist, if I were to announce at a cocktail party that I just got my tongue pierced, I would be surrounded by an eager crowd of spectators. But if I were to announce that each morning before work I take a cold shower as a religious ritual, I would soon be talking to myself.” (more–a really good piece) Via Amy Welborn. Read more

Every single one of his blogsIs titled a number, and starts with a watch…. Balkinization: Scroll down for links to Marty Lederman’s essential posts on the detainee abuse (since I guess we can’t call it “torture” because it, like, makes Laura Bush feel bad?) compromise; but for now, a leftist’s union blues. Disputed Mutability is back!!! R0xx0rz. And as usual, her comments section has a ton of interesting stuff, like this comment about expectations of same-sex friendships. Hit & Run:... Read more

PRESTER JOHN… KING ARTHUR… RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY: …I am getting ready for a book tour to promote a new Rumpole. Unlike some writers, I enjoy book tours. Writing novels is a lonely business; your feet and legs get cold and you have no direct contact with your audience. … Rumpole keeps going because all his stories are a comment on the passing scene. At the moment, he is engaged in defending a Pakistani doctor accused of being a terrorist.... Read more

A humourous piece of AA advice is: “Ask yourself what a sane, intelligent, caring person would do, then pretend you’re that sort of person and do it!”—Kathy Shaidle, A Seeker’s Dozen: The Twelve Steps for Everyone Else Read more

OH, PATSY. This weekend’s discovery: Absolutely Fabulous season five is the best since the very first season. Go! rent! Read more

COSTUMED VIGILANTES: OK. I fully admit that I have not been plugged-in enough this past week to have a robust opinion on the McCain/Bush interrogation compromise. But it’s troubling that no one else seems really to know what happened either. And this, The Administration has been suggesting that it would somehow be inappropriate for the legislation, or the Senators, to say specifically which techniques the law would prohibit, i.e., that the law must remain so opaque that the Congress and... Read more

But I’ll never blogwatch your heart… So… in my absence, apparently everything has gotten crazier than usual. Can’t say I’m surprised. Here are a few photographs from the latest lipstick vogue. The Agitator, awesomely, may get a man freed from Death Row. Wow. Balkinization: What does Sen. McCain think the “torture compromise” does? And this is the most important post I’ve found thus far on the issue. Jane Galt: Why a time machine stuck at 1973 would clarify our understanding... Read more