Sarah Vowell on torture, the Constitution, and Jack Bauer:

If the civics robot is feeling particularly nostalgic for that time in America when the word "rendition" was usually followed by the words, "of 'Louie, Louie,' " it continues to nitpick about what some of those ideals entail: Congressional oversight, due process and treating prisoners of war according to ye olde golden rule. Not only because we would hope our captive soldiers would be treated with reciprocal human decency, or because the information gleaned from torture usually turns out to be a Saddam's-in-league-with-Al-Qaeda sham, but mostly, Americans reject torture because we are not satanic monster scum.

Except, of course, the moment we pick up our TV remote controls. That's when even my inner civics robot cracks open a ginger ale, stares at Kiefer Sutherland on the beloved "24" and cheers: "Yeah, Jack Bauer! Break into that interrogation room and shoot that suspect in the leg!" There is a jarring disconnect between what I want my real-life intelligence officers to be doing versus what I want my fake TV intelligence officers to be doing. On my two favorite shows, "Alias" and "24," the protagonists Sydney Bristow (Jennifer Garner) and the aforementioned Jack Bauer bend and break the laws of the land in the name of national security with such speed and frequency, even Donald Rumsfeld himself might be outraged enough to utter a "my goodness gracious" tsk, tsk.

Skipping way too much, in order to poke my head (after 6 hours of rehearsal TAing for the students' exam), to post something that is not meMeME: according to the Buffista Calendar, today is Micole's birthday. I hadn't seen any posts from her in a little forever (and I miss them, because they used to always be interesting and thoughts-provoking), but I hope she gets the well-wishes somehow.

no idea if it is raining here. I haven't made it to a window yet. I decided if going back to sleep was good enough for the cats it was good enough for me and went back to bed. The cats were not too pleased with that idea.

I'm not sure how you separate the dancer from the dance on this.

The dancer is never the dance. Well, not because of the dance. I have a lot of opinions. They are not me. Some of them are naive, some of them are cynical--some of them are realistic, some of them are optimistic. It's perfectly possible for that to be true.

I draw a huge distinction between "your stance is naive" and "you are naive." I don't know how else one would describe an opinion without describing the holder--but it has to be possible, doesn't it? As long as it's perfectly reasonable for someone to hold a particular angle that doesn't define them entirely, which I honestly believe.

This ebay listing is so not right: [link]

Going to bed btw 11:30 - 12 should not = being awake at 6. Still, am awake.

This is so my life. This morning my big triumph was getting the little wiggle (my son) to fall asleep again after he woke up at 5 am, thereby allowing me the decency of rising at 7.

I'm sorry you're sick, msbelle.

I'm kind of anti-torture, period. But then again I don't watch 24 or Alias.

yeah, I don't really feel sick anymore, but I don't wanna stray far from home just in case.

I'm glad the babysitting is working out. little wiggle...hee.

I love the cozy Sunday at home thing anyway. Especially if either tea or hot cocoa is involved.

Little wiggle is an apt name for him. He's VERY wiggly, especially when his diaper is being changed. Which, btw... um... I better go check.

It's a gorgeous day here. Yay.

I need to do some work and some cleaning today, but first I believe I am going to go out to breakfast and run amuck at Target and Marshalls, and maybe even Old Navy.

Hey Burrell, I got your message and I've been swamped (in fact, in class right now!) This friday is sort of open. At least in concept.

ita, I'm not disagreeeing that one opinion is not the sum total of a person. But your comment was making me think about what I think a person is, beyond part of the food chain. I'd say that we are an amalgmation of our thoughts and opinions and memories.

It gave me some interesting things to contemplate on today's commute.