My god... Schumers just crucified the poor guy. There's no question he should be out, but once again the real villains (Bush, Cheney, Rove) get out unscathed.

Good article King. And while I agree with nearly everything you said, why the Kelly Clarkson potshot? She could very well end up being the only American Idol figure to transcend that show's cookie-cutter, blandly corporate, oranges-and-oranges aesthetic. She has Mike Watt of the Minutemen in her band for christ's sake!

She's the Curt Flood of American Idol. Act like you know!

Nate K

...and I honestly don't remember watching all that much baseball as a kid. My love for the game came about through equal parts playing it, reading about it, collecting baseball cards, playing video/computer games (for better or for worse), and hearing stories about great moments in Pittsburgh Pirates history from my mom and dad and grandfather.

I'm not sure how much of a child's appreciation for a sport comes from simply watching it. Children and even adolescents can be a little too restless and pre-occupied to sit and watch a three hour baseball game. That's not to say I didn't attend and and/or watch (and listen to) my fair share of the diamond growing up, but it was a component of a broader cultural and social experience.

My most vivid sports memory from childhood remains the culmination of the 1992 ALCS in which Sid Bream (former Pirate) scored the game winning run to beat the Pirates and keep them from their first World Series appearance since The Family went in 1979. In reality, I didn’t actually see it. I only heard my dad yell out in disappointment. I cried myself to sleep from my bed on a school night. Go figure.

What made Richardson's comments so outrageous? Human rights, basic human dignity, why shouldn't maintaining those things be every elected official’s number one priority? Isn't that the very essence of security, ensuring that we are able to sustain our basic human rights? Given the nature of our current definition of "national security," I'll take "human rights" any day. Tim, you sound like one of Glen Greenwald's dreaded GOP tough guys. And by scrutinizing what is ultimately a matter of wording, you're simply playing into the nonsense that makes politics so excruciating.

Someone help me out here. Again, how was that statement a blunder?

"Oh my god did you hear what Bill Richardson said? He thinks human rights are more important than anything else! What a nutter!"

Great list Douglas, but I can't help thinking that the absence of Frank Santoro’s STORYEVILLE is a bit glaring. In terms of both form and content, STOREYVILLE was indeed groundbreaking (points hammered home by both Seth and Chris Ware, so don't just take it from me). And given that it was so rare upon first release, this year’s reissue is that much more important and worthy of note.

Thanks

Nate K

I thought it was amusing to see Dunlap talk about something other than politics (yet Jackie's reactions were the same as they always are...nice touch).

One--it was pretty funny (he saw Genesis on their Invisible Touch tour...another nice touch). Two--from the perspective of comedy writing, it provides another dimension to Dunlap, which will make for better more elaborate bits in the future.

To the person who lost a friend in the Great White fire, I'm truly sorry to hear that, but tragedy always has an always will be fodder for comedy. As it should be. And truth be told, that was a pretty innocuous comment about said tragedy.

Why do you hate Jews so much Glenn?

Via one of the rare instances in which I disagree with you Glenn, I can now see why so many people find you to be an annoying and petulant jerk. Jeez man, there's a rationale argument to be made that Spitzer f-ed up and needs to resign. I and many other thoughtful rationale people think that Spitzer's hypocrisy is simply too glaring for him to be able to hang around.

He prosecuted prostitution rings, and then got caught in the midst of one. Therefore he needs to step down. Yes or no? THAT'S the discussion that needs to take place. But you yourself have destroyed the possibility for rationale discourse here as much anyone else with your merciless sarcasm, dismissive tone, and--most importantly--insistence that this be about the relative moral pros and cons of prostitution. That's NOT what this issue is about.

One's personal feelings about whether prostitution should be legal or not, whether it's good or bad, comments about "the oldest profession" and so on are irrelevant. Again, Spitzer prosecuted prostitution rings and now he's caught in the midst of one. If he was caught buying pot in a drug sting, there'd be just as big of a flap, and the same arguments would still be there REGARDLESS of one's opinions about the legalization of marijuana.

You're avoiding the basic problem by taking a snarky, mocking tone because some people might actually think what Spitzer did was wrong. Come on Glenn, you want to be a bully? Then get your own radio show.