Kevin D. Williamson is a “roving correspondent” for the National Review. Kev doesn’t tell us where he’s roving when he delivers his latest dispatch, a frenzied take-down of Girls gal Lena Dunham, but he’s definitely pissed. In a 1,050-word screed, Kev denounces Lena and all her works, using such words as “psephological” (Greek for “pebble…
Author: Alan Vanneman
Yo, Mitt! Maybe you’re not so goddamn reasonable after all! Woo Hoo!
A week or two ago I noted sadly that rumors of Mitt Romney making another try for the presidency in 2016 were unlikely to pan out. Mitt himself said so! But now, the rumors are flyin’ fiercer than ever, thanks to Republican man about town Byron York, who gave the story new life. According to…
The Obama Administration’s “bad dude” theory: If you’re dead, you’re guilty
The AP summons up some “nuance” on the latest U.S. hit on someone, somewhere in the Middle East, taking out “the Khorasan Group,” who were, it seems, fairly likely to be planning to take out someone, somewhere in the U.S., or maybe somewhere else. Who knows and who cares? Explained Rear Adm. John Kirby, “I…
President Obama: Bush Lite or Bush Heavy?
What has Harvard done to us? I know it’s not surprising that a graduate of Harvard Law School would think like a grad of Harvard Business School, but do they have to be an exact match? That’s what “everyone’ has to be thinking after President Obama’s UN address last week. If George W. Bush didn’t…
James Thurber, A Reader’s Guide, Part 27
INTRODUCTION This is the 27th episode of “James Thurber, A Reader’s Guide,” a rambling consideration of Thurber’s works, examining his life and work in some detail. Generally, these appear every Friday. The links to the first part and the most recent part are given below. Part 27 contains discussion of Thurber Country*, Thurber’s collection of…
Ross Douthat, out on a limb
I have made rather a cottage industry out of ridiculing NYTimes columnist Ross Douthat, descending, to my shame, more than once to the level of referring to him as “Ross Dumb Fuck,” but, well, those times are past. In the past two weeks Ross has turned in columns that place him firmly, even shamelessly, in…
Ow! Ow! Ow!
Once, back in the day, well, I was unemployed a lot. I tried to make a living as a free-lance writer, and while I can’t say that I am the worst free-lance writer who ever lived, I can say that I am the worst free-lance writer who is still alive, because Brad and Harry both…
Jazz at the Philharmonic, circa 1967
Clark Terry, James Moody, Zoot Sims, and Dizzy Gillespie lead off a full-length BBC presentation of JATP, back in the day when jazz musicians still wore tuxes to a gig. The first 40 minutes are the best. Then R&B vocalist T-bone Walker shows up, which was not really a good idea. Pianist Teddy Wilson is…
Pseudo New Yorker
Legal humor here. All cartoons here. and here “I don’t know. Lately, I’ve just been in a pre-Cambrian state of mind.” “Watch out for the damn minnows!” “My doctor says it’s evolution, but I have my doubts.” “My acceleration has improved, but I’m always hungry.” “Yeah, it looks terrible in the direct light, but after…
James Thurber, A Reader’s Guide, Part 26
INTRODUCTION This is the 26th episode of “James Thurber, A Reader’s Guide,” a rambling consideration of Thurber’s works, examining his life and work in some detail. Generally, these appear every Friday. The links to the first part and the most recent part are given below. Part 26 continues discussion of Thurber’s five-part series on radio…