re: hitchens:

One might do worse than to say that an intellectual is someone who does not attempt to soar on the thermals of public opinion.

in the words of the man himself. would that he would take his own advice, instead of delivering an article that seems to be mostly about his standing vis a vis public opinion. and does anyone here even know what he's talking about when he references the dreyfus affair? i think his jewish roots are showing, and bully for him, but this doesn't make him any less of an egotistical twat imo. still, a fun read.

Raygun Ketchup - It's what's on your dinner.

Hmmmmm, Jonathon.

Does your issue have something to do with the fact you don't know what he's talking about. "does anyone here even know what he's talking about when he references the dreyfus affair?" Seems to indicate you dont know.

The affair was a turning point in French history. It was also an obvious example of the rule of law being subverted by public opinion. On appeal the Rule of law won but mainly due to international embarrasment. It was also one of the first clear examples of institutional racism being 'eventually' defeated by law. Of course it did occur outside of the US and sometime before 911 so I can understand how you doubt anyone knows anything about it.

I agree somewhat that Hitchens does seem a bit of a public attention hound, but that is actually part of his job. If he did nothing and just spoke to small groups of friends then he would not be employed or influential in any way.

on the clinton request for a republican apology, i observe a continuing pattern: democrats who are awful while running for president seem to revert to their better selves after they lose. gore, prime example. awful candidate. really brilliant as a civilian. hehe.. vice presidential candidate maybe? clinton - votes against retroactive immunity after losing her bid for the nomination. why am i so certain that if she were the candidate, she would have voted the way obama did, as the candidate? and that obama would have voted as she did, if he were no longer running? this idiotic rush, not to the center, but to the lunatic fringe, what is it based on? are the dems so sure that the right wing anarchists (isn't that a fun new term?) who prefer not to be impeded by laws, would garner enough votes? to defeat a simple patriot who votes in favor of having laws that you can't revoke after they've been broken by your cronies? lovely, this comedy. what next i wonder? i believe i shall go steal some cases of wine and then lobby my representatives to retroactively immunize me. yes, that's what our congress is for. rant, fume..

The periodic table video is VERY cool...

And, Jonathan - um...j'accuse - zola - kinda famous scandal - like knowing about mccarthyism....not really obscure....

Something tells me that our Israeli friend Jonathan's addendum, "i think his jewish roots are showing" indicates that he does know what the Dreyfus Affair was, doesn't it? (Maybe he thinks we don't.)

In any case, it is ironic that Hitchens has 'hitched' his pro-Iraq war stance to an American President is "an obvious example of the rule of law being subverted" in this case, by the subversion of public opinion.

I like the periodic table video too. I'd love to do the cesium demonstration in class, but I couldn't bear to part with the gorgeous vials of cesium I've got in my lab.

(Maybe he thinks we don't.)

:) i should have known that if anyone non-jewish would know about the dreyfus affair it would be the erudite and highly educated readership of 1gm. sorry about that.

i hope oz krenske continues to post. we could use more dry humor of this nature. i wonder if he's british.

tim, btw, how does one get italics? if i knew how to do this, i MIGHT consider using caps properly, instead of as a substitute for...italics.

Jonathan -

To see how any of these feats of typesettng are accomplished, you can view any page where it is done as source and look to see how it's done. Of course, if you're too encumbered by use of the shift key, you're going to be disappointed. :)

As for Oz - well, ya know, we used to follow history, but 9-11 changed everything.

re: Clinton. Yes, once the need to be all things to all people ends, a former candidate begins to speak her heart. I agree fully. We are owed an apology by the Republicans and they have some nerve even running a candidate. Republican policies have failed the country. They should sit this one out.

Personally I think naming a sewage plant after bush is too good for him. He has been responsible for making a mess of everything he has touched in the last 8 years but he has cleaned up none of it. I can't even think of a metaphorical tribute in our society that would be fitting for bush. He and his cohorts have certainly been "outside the box" with all of their failed policies. Impeachment and a trial for war crimes would certainly give us some comfort that an administration can't get by with the criminal behavior as this one has had.