Affirmative Links

Bill Maher: Real Time May 18th 2007

Not the greatest show for Maher this time, although, it’s very guest (as opposed to host) dependent.

Bradley Whitford: Hey, if you’re gonna make a fool of yourself stammering and stuttering (“uh, uh, uh”) try not to complain to the resident conservative about the 20 million uninsured in this country – because you might sound foolish when he jumps in to correct you.  It was pretty clear Whitford came with some pre thought out 30 second sound bites, and then just tried to ram then in for applause, whether they were appropriate or not.

Loretta Sanchez: a bit touchy feely, grabbing the other guests, didn’t do much for me.

John Fund: Wall Street Journal-ist with the creepy grin, actually was much better spoken than Whitford, but of course resorted to Republicanisms such as “rising tide lifts all boats”…etc.

Best Line of the night came during the Russell Simmons portion.  Simmons is proselytizing for yoga as the cure for insomnia, clearing your mind, etc., when Bill asks:

How do you have a completely empty mind and not be George Bush?”

Biggest laugh of the night too.

Best Pun title for a New Rule: the Romney should wear a funny hat segment called “Top O’ the Mormon”

Michael Moore, Ben Afleck and P.J. O’Rourke should make for a better panel next week.

[See also: Free Association, The Dupont, and the last new rule]

Why I’m Glad I’m not a Teenager (anymore)

Wow, if I try reeeeeeeeally hard… I can almost remember being this angry.  (Or maybe half that angry.)

Google Tweaks Itself

Jason the Content Librarian reviews some important changes in “All Things Google,” particularly the new Universal Search and Google Experimental Tools.

Gotta thank him for pointing me to the experimental stuff like map views. 

Check this out: let’s say you’re interested in ZZ Top concerts?  OK…  Map View

Definitely has potential…

Louis Armstong: First Man to Walk on the Moon

Americans For The Arts is advertising on Instapundit with an ad that runs:

When people think Louis Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, there’s not enough art in our schools.  Art.  Ask for More.

I agree, but I’d hasten to add this: when people think that Louis Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon… there’s not enough education in our schools either.

(and Professor Reynolds, if you're reading this and want to insta-launch me, check out my real blogs: Criminal Defense and DWI Lawyer.)

Adding a Nice Touch to Your Blog Post

Great example of "adding a nice touch" to your blog post done by Brett Duncan.  I thought about posting the image he uses here, but I think it'll have more effect if you click through to his post.

The post is subtitled "The Pitfalls of a Blog," and it's from his 90 Days of blogging series.  Yes, I suppose you have to be of a certain age range to appreciate it, and perhaps being an old Atari 2600 fan would help too, but it works even if you don't get the joke... and, again, it's just a "nice touch" for those who do get it.

Taking some time to make a post "just right" can add alot of effectiveness to your blogging, and of course, the ultimate goal, increase your blog readership.

Poker Writer Gary Carson

Blog of the Day: American Tradition

Poker author Gary Carson’s American Tradition blog gets the nod for Blog of the Day.

Gary has been very generous in linking to my other blogs, and anyone interested in poker (as I am) should check out his poker books, The Complete Book of Hold ‘Em, and The Complete Book of Casino Poker (as I have).

Is the War on Drugs a Complete Waste of Time?

"Is the war on drugs a complete waste of time?" someone googled, and one of my other blogs popped up at #7.

Keeping it short and simple, the answer is a resounding "YES".

You know you've hit middle age...

...if someone asks you how old you are, and you have to struggle (if only slightly) to figure out what year it is now, so that you can work your way back from there.

California Appelate Law Blog

Ventura California lawyer Greg May has recently started an Appellate Law Blog that looks very promising, and has been added to my RSS reader.

HIs latest posts asks whether Wiki's may soon be cited in legal opinions (since blogs have already made their way in).

Citations to blogs should not be too surprising.  Most are, after all, commentary.  While not as formal or thorough as a law review article (to put it mildly), the principle behind citing a blog is not, to my mind, much different than citing a law review article, at least where the blog is well-reasoned.

Is similar treatment in store for the legal wiki?  A wiki is different from a blog because virtually anyone (though that can be restricted by registration) can edit, add, or remove content, often anonymously — as anonymously as the Internet allows, anyway.

Well written blog.  Blogging lawyers would do well to keep track of this new 'blawg'.

Rambo 3 vs. Spiderman 3

In 1988, Rambo III was the most expensive movie ever mad with an estimated budget of $63 million.  Nineteen years later, Spiderman 3 has an estimated budget of $350 to $500 million.  (Add the extra $150 mil if you want to count marketing.)

Other Bloggers, Similar Subject: The Movie Blog, Meaninglis, Liz & Darrow, The Moviezzz Blog.