23 maj 2010

Tribute to 'Lost'

I'm not a big fan of Jimmy Kimmel, but this is pretty good.

Lost with unnecessary censorship:

21 maj 2010

Only in Sweden...

How many light-years ahead of us are the Swedes?

So far, that the Swedish church is up in arms about Princess Victoria's decision to have her father walk her down the aisle, a practice which the church deems sexist.

Only in Sweden....

10 maj 2010

Pushing the Limit

I have always thought the FCC song was one of the best musical numbers in Family Guy. Always worth a second look-see.

06 maj 2010

Demokracia në veprim

Videoja më poshtë (dhe pjesët në vijim të saj) tregojnë atë që, me plot gojë, do ta quaja çastin më demokratik në Shqipëri, si nga ana e cilësisë së dialogut qytetar, ashtu edhe nga ana e mirëkuptimit midis qeverisë dhe popullit intelektual. Për më tepër, ajo vë në dukje hipokrizinë dhe ironinë që është fshehur (ose ka shfaqur fytyrën e pacipë) prapa demokracisë që ka ekzistuar në Shqipëri që nga ai vit e deri në ditët e sotme. Vlen të theksohet, gjithashtu, se kjo ka ndodhur plotësisht nën kujdesin e një regjimi që ishte, në thelbin e tij, jo-demokratik.

Asgjë nuk humbet. Asgjë nuk harrohet.

Ia vlen koha që duhet për ta ndjekur.

05 maj 2010

Greece

The Economist has a good and well-researched profile on Greece, its mistakes, its current state, and its prospects for the future. Worth a read, if you have the time.

The Face of Progressivism

Many people will throw the word 'progressive' around and intend for it to have a negative connotation. Well, newsflash: one of the many facets of progressivism is the protection of the weak from the abuses perpetrated upon them by the more powerful. That also extends to the educational environment and Massachusetts has now passed the most progressive anti-bullying legislation in the country.

Next time you think about using the word 'progressive' as a synonym of any negative word you can conjure up, think of this law and put a face on it. Then kindly rephrase your statement.

The Next Supreme Court Justice

Actually, I don't know who it is going to be yet. Newsweek has a round-up of the likely candidates, along with the case for each of them from someone who knows them from up close.

I don't know whom I would prefer yet. I would advocate the nomination of someone who has a realistic and present-day interpretation of the Constitution. Someone who isn't limited by the narrow interpretation of the Constitution as a document that already contains every possible right we could ever be afforded or guaranteed. This originalist view on the Constitution is antiquated and downright wrong. I mean, look at Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia. They're far from being the most reasonable justices out there. And just because the founding fathers (who, after all, could not have been infallible) did not imagine certain rights, it does not mean that they are not guaranteed by the constitution. I doubt Jefferson or the others ever envisioned equality for blacks or women, so just because we gave it to them, doesn't mean it was unconstitutional.