“I shoulda been a better friend. I shoulda stopped you. I shoulda grabbed you by the neck, I shoulda kicked your teeth in. I’m sorry, Steve.” –Stephen McNally to Burt Lancaster, “Criss Cross” Read more

Happiness is a watched blog (bang bang shoop shoop) I spent way too much time today wrestling a horrendous monster of an article on welfare reform, so this is about the best I can do. To all the people who sent in slogan suggestions, thanks–I’ll print the best of them on Friday. For now, check out the list over at Yale’s Finest Blog, which is also hosting a running debate on Catholic universities for reasons that escape me. Charles Murtaugh:... Read more

“Your head says one thing, your whole life says another. Your head always loses.” –Humphrey Bogart, “Key Largo” Read more

REJECTED CAMPAIGN SLOGANS: Yes folks, it’s contest time! Give me slogans for the Democrats; the GOP; the Libertarians; or the Greens. Best will be published. Some samples (mostly by a friend–she’ll remain anonymous until I check if she wants her name on these): THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. Asking what your country can do for you. Don’t settle for the market wage. THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. Because we have to have rules. Remember Communism? Didn’t that suck? Can we get some service here?... Read more

ERIN GO BLOG: So D.C. Blogfest was much fun. Met the Offerings; Nephew; Corsair the Rational Pirate; Tony Andragna; Dave Tepper; Will Wilkinson; and the Emir of Blogistan. There was a nifty local vibe–everyone except Slotman, I think, had grown up in the DC area–in George Pelecanos-land, not Inside the Beltway-land. Last night was not very restful (green drinks before bedtime = dreams about being Johnny Farrell in “Gilda”) so I won’t post as much as I’d hoped today, but... Read more

“You’ve no idea how faithful and obedient I can be. For a salary.” –Glenn Ford to George Macready, “Gilda” Read more

RANDORAMA: Tomorrow: immigration and a report from the D.C. Blogfest. Today: A ton of stuff over at Questions for Objectivists. Two posts about abortion; an attempt to disprove a disproof of God; one long and two short-ish posts about the relationship between ethics and metaphysics; a hideously long post about the Prudent Predator Problem; and “25 Least Appropriate Things for Objectivists to Say During Sex.” Comments on that site are very, very welcome; I will publish anything cool. E-mail me... Read more

BLEAT SEMATARY: Lileks waves the pom-poms for Stephen King. Good for him–King’s best writing is top-of-the-line, but the horrormonger drowns his best work in oceans of schlock and insignificance. My own take on King gets a passing mention here. Executive summary: Read Pet Sematary. Read more

RANDWATCH: By Monday morning, the Questions for Objectivists site should have a) (anti-)Objectivist humor that’s actually funny, as opposed to the stuff up there now; b) a discussion of The Prudent Predator Problem; c) A little rant about ethics, metaphysics, and a personal God; d) stuff about abortion; e) stuff about humor; and f) a refutation of one of Rand/Peikoff’s arguments against the existence of God. After that, I won’t be updating the site too often unless people send me... Read more

“Blow, shyster.” –Robert Ryan, “The Racket” Read more