Clinton's comments were strongly refuted by a Republican spokesman, who called on the former president to "check his facts."
Now the first time I read it, I instinctively interpreted "refuted" as meaning "denied." But then I looked the word "refute" up in three different dictionaries, all of which defined it as meaning "to prove wrong by argument or evidence; show to be false or erroneous."
Then I reread the article and, in my opinion, Clinton's comments may have been strongly denied, but were not strongly refuted. So I have to ask my readers, especially those who are actual journalists:
a) Is such conclusory language appropriate in a news article?
b) If the players were reversed, would CNN or a comparable publication ever describe a Republican's comments as being strongly refuted by a Democrat?
A conservative humor site (I didn't know there was any such thing, either) has created an annoying liberals list. (Via Amish Tech Support) But never fear -- we have lots of better lists:
Here's something seriously cool for classical music lovers -- a classical music search engine for when you hear a melody in your head and can't remember where it comes from. You just type the melody into the engine and it identifies the piece and even finds you a midi file excerpt. I know it sounds crazy, but it worked when I typed in one of Schubert's 9th Symphony themes.
A survey conducted by search engine AltaVista found that male chauvinism is alive and well on the internet, with 80% of men claiming to be better surfers than their female partners.
Men are also far more likely to be backseat drivers, interfering while their partners surf the web.
And just as road rage is often the preserve of the male of the species so too net rage seems more likely to happen to men.
It reminds me of another study I read recently which I'm sure I could find if the #$#$&$#ety, #$#$&$# #$#$&$# study weren't #$#$&$#ing hiding from me!
San Francisco Opera divas are wailing over fog these days, and one's even filed a lawsuit. Their grievance? Vocal cord and breathing damage caused by atmospheric fog used in opera productions.
They have my sympathy. Over the years I've played oboe at more than my share of Catholic Church masses, and frankincense and myrr are killers! What's a nice Jewish girl doing playing oboe at Catholic Church masses? Hey, a gig's a gig.
Limbaugh Load My friend Quenton a/k/a GWBush Art has relaunched his funny and informative Rush Limbaugh parody site. I thought I'd celebrate with a poem:
Limbaugh Load By Madeleine Begun Kane
Big bad Rush, head full of mush,
Won't he ever hush?
When that man begins a rant
Just wanna tell him, "Shush!"
Spouts the right's talking points,
With liberals he always fights.
Fans the flames, knows no shame,
Does dirty work for Bush.
Spews his hate, titillates,
How did he get a mate?
The ratings king knows how to sling
His venom in a gush.
Plays innocent with humor bent,
Says his fans are peaceful gents.
Inspiring rage from radio stage,
The fact unfriendly Rush
I thought Al Gore's SNL performance last night rivaled John McCain's stellar appearance on the same show. And I especially enjoyed the running mate, West Wing, and Stuart Smalley bits. Not to mention the self-parodying Al-Tipper clench that opened the show. (For a humor piece I wrote about their original infamous kiss, visit A Kiss Before Speechifying.)
Most Overrated Movies of All Time: I taped last night's Barbara Walters' Bush interview, so hubby Mark and I could watch Magnolia on DVD. Big mistake! Even Dubya's drivel had to be more entertaining than this "everyone's 1999 top-10 list" mess.
Yes, it did feature some great acting, including a surprisingly excellent Tom Cruise. But it was interminably long, disjointed and convoluted, and featured a frog storm. Surrealistic and symbolic? Gimme a break! Sorry, but Fellini did surrealism and symbolism. The frog storm was nothing more than a poorly executed not-so-special effect.
Magnolia was so bad, even Mark hated it, and he enjoys virtually all movies. So it's officially displaced Forrest Gump and American Beauty, which were previously tied for first place on my list of the most overrated movies of all time.
For those who've been waiting breathlessly for Barbara Walters' George Bush interview, airing tonight on ABC's 20/20, ABC has thoughtfully posted several excerpts.
I especially liked Bush on the burdens of hugging:
War is my last option, not my first option. See, it's easy in this town for people to commit troops, the U.S. troops, to combat, through opinion and the noise you hear in Washington. But there's only one person who is responsible for making that decision, and that's me. And there's only one person who hugs the mothers and the widows, the wives and the kids on the death of their loved ones. Others hug, but having committed the troops, I've got an additional responsibility to hug, and that's me, and I know what it's like.
And this exchange on gas masks:
WALTERS: I have heard that everyone in the White House has been issued a gas mask.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Really?
WALTERS: Yeah. Did you hear that?
PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, first of all, if that's true … I'm certainly not going to tell the enemy. … And secondly, I don't know where mine is.
Lately, I've been writing song parodies about Liberals, Lott, and Daschle, and I'm afraid that Dubya may be feeling neglected. But he won't be for long: (Feel free to sing along using this midi link.)
Bush Loves Things Just The Way They Are (To be sung to "Just The Way You Are," by Billy Joel)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Don't go blaming
George Bush for Wall Street,
Cause fuzzy math is such a bore.
mmm......... mmm........
Don't imagine
He's too familiar
With anything but waging war.
He loves to lead you
To times of trouble,
Or else he couldn't have come this far.
mmm......... mmm........
He took the good times.
Turned them to bad times.
He loves things just the way they are.
Won't go trying
Some new fashion.
Won't change his viewpoints on a dare.
mmm......... mmm........
He'll always have his
Oft spoken passion
For launching wars with Tony Blair.
He don't want clever
Conversation.
He never wants to work that hard.
mmm......... mmm........
He just wants Cheney
And all his hawks to
Let him pretend that he's in charge.
You need to know that Bush will always be
A guy that helps the wealthy few.
Oooooooh,
What will it take till you believe that he
Will say whatever isn't true?
He'd love to rule you
And me forever.
He made that clear right from the start.
mmm......... mmm........
He just wants power,
Full, unfettered.
He loves things just the way they are.
(MUSIC BREAK)
He don't want clever
Conversation.
He never wants to work that hard.
mmm......... mmm........
He just wants Cheney
And all his hawks to
Let him pretend that he's in charge.
