assorted items

ap/ under the same sun

apparently Arvin is hibernating, so here's more lazy blogging from me...

Barbara O’Brien discusses two recent commencement speeches, and the right-wing take on them:

So, to re-cap the rules: (1) When a pro-war politician gives a pro-war speech as part of a graduation ceremony, and students in the audience heckle and boo him, that shows how Deranged the Angry Left is - because they heckled a pro-war speech. (2) When an anti-war politician gives an anti-war speech as part of a graduation ceremony, and students in the audience heckle, walk out and even riot, that also shows how Angry the Left is - because they “provoked a near riot” by pro-war students.

Mark Kleiman discusses Tom Kean’s commencement speech at Skidmore:

Former NJ Gov. Tom Kean is reported to have told the Skidmore College commencement:"Plato said, 'The penalty for not participating in government is to be governed by your inferiors.' Think about it. It may be happening."

some older news from Qadeeb al-Ban at Mere Islam, who hasn’t posted in a while.

"in a gesture of love"

Zeynep, at Under the Same Sun:

“Welcome to the Club, Iran”

Iran has decided to adopt the techniques of the rich and powerul:

"I officially announce that Iran has joined countries with nuclear technology," Ahmadinejad said today.[11April-JV] But more importantly, he might have said, Iran will now join the West in using an even more important technology: modern public relations. They, too, will use the ubiquitous, orwellian writing behind the leader.

1. Now, I think it would've been helpful if Kean had been this prickly when he was a bigshot on the 9-11 comission. He could have objected when George Junior insisted that his testimony not take place under oath and in the same place (and with cameras rolling) like everybody else's, but instead in a private session in the white house with Cheney present to coach him. But hey, that's the past.

2. do you like the doves? I think they're a nice touch.

cross-posted at HugoZoom, etc.