Submitted to a Candid World

It’s been a busy week, and to catch up with the world and take a break from politics, I won’t be updating the site again until Monday (unless it’s to add something to the sideblog). But, I am continually thrilled with the number of people that read and, apparently, come back to this site, and I can’t leave my reader(s) out in the cold. In the interim, please take the chance to look back at what are, in my opinion, some of the best of days gone by. In no particular order:

• Sarah Palin’s evocation of “small-town values” threatens a new culture war, and unfairly pigeonholes the citizens of both small towns and cities, all-the-while insulting the urban poor. “Liberals” aren’t anti-small town, but apparently some conservatives are anti-city.
• Provisions to save doctors’ “conscience” in controversial procedures fails to save the most important thing in medicine – lives.
• Creationism is dangerous. For a political candidate to endorse the same betrays a lack of judgment and intelligence (Newsweek may have picked up on the slogan, but we coined “Palintology” first!).
• The battle-hymn of the Republicans – “elitism” – has, or ought to have, more to do with economics than culture war divisions.
• America could benefit from its own edition of “Prime Minister’s Questions.”
• Slippery slope arguments are bogus. Especially when you’re trying to prove that animal rights leads to genocide (huh?). **BONUS!** article contains adorable picture of my cat.
• John McCain’s “pass-the-buck/federalism” take on controversial culture war issues – i.e., let school boards decide whether or not to teach creationism – masks a thoroughly un-maverick-ian kowtowing to the religious right.
• Divergence into modern art: rephotography is funny. So is Jeff Koons.
• Responsibly addressing gay rights, and how to parse Obama’s abortion position from the spin. Also, how to not responsibly address abortion.
• Rapture-based politics are dangerous and irresponsible.

And, keep apprised of the election with these late-breaking developments:

• Media backlash against McCain, as he’s grilled on The View (don’t underestimate its viewership in key demographics) regarding his thoroughly un-maverick-y choice of Sarah Palin. One key question: “So if you believe in the separation of church and state, did it not give you a moment of pause that Sarah Palin, should God forbid anything happen to you, not have the same beliefs that you do about these things?” Ouch.
• In her first interview, Palin speaks from prepared talking points and stumbles over elementary foreign policy and gives inconclusive answers on the “bridge to nowhere” she campaigns on opposing. Charlie Gibson, her interviewer, was well received.
• Krugman analyzes McCain’s outright lies, as the press catches on to his mendacious campaign.
• Palin blames Iraq for 9/11. Oops. Five years too late on that one.