a) I’m busy tearing down walls and removing cabinets in the kitchen (though I could still listen while doing that, amidst the noise of the hammering and reciprocal sawing).

b) I haven’t seen any of the movies that are up for awards.

c) I have no interest in the glitterati–I think that for the most part they’re pompous, pretentious pseudointellectuals, attempting to make up for what they know are largely lucky breaks (surely there are many more great actors and directors than are given opportunities in Hollywood–just look at how much it helps to be have a family member in the business) in their success, by “giving something back” in the form of wacko progressive politics. I’ve also lived long enough in LA to have met many of them in real life, and for the most part, they’re not even people you’d particularly like to know.

d) I have no interest in listening to their inevitable ignorant digs, or outright rants, at the president, or Republicans (though I’m no big fan of the president or Republicans myself–I just find the Bush-hating derangement tiresome, when there are so many real things that they could be criticizing both for).

[Update a few minutes later]

It just occurred to me that I did see “Pride and Prejudice.”

But I’m still not watching.

a) I’m busy tearing down walls and removing cabinets in the kitchen (though I could still listen while doing that, amidst the noise of the hammering and reciprocal sawing).

b) I haven’t seen any of the movies that are up for awards.

c) I have no interest in the glitterati–I think that for the most part they’re pompous, pretentious pseudointellectuals, attempting to make up for what they know are largely lucky breaks (surely there are many more great actors and directors than are given opportunities in Hollywood–just look at how much it helps to be have a family member in the business) in their success, by “giving something back” in the form of wacko progressive politics. I’ve also lived long enough in LA to have met many of them in real life, and for the most part, they’re not even people you’d particularly like to know.

d) I have no interest in listening to their inevitable ignorant digs, or outright rants, at the president, or Republicans (though I’m no big fan of the president or Republicans myself–I just find the Bush-hating derangement tiresome, when there are so many real things that they could be criticizing both for).

[Update a few minutes later]

It just occurred to me that I did see “Pride and Prejudice.”

But I’m still not watching.

a) I’m busy tearing down walls and removing cabinets in the kitchen (though I could still listen while doing that, amidst the noise of the hammering and reciprocal sawing).

b) I haven’t seen any of the movies that are up for awards.

c) I have no interest in the glitterati–I think that for the most part they’re pompous, pretentious pseudointellectuals, attempting to make up for what they know are largely lucky breaks (surely there are many more great actors and directors than are given opportunities in Hollywood–just look at how much it helps to be have a family member in the business) in their success, by “giving something back” in the form of wacko progressive politics. I’ve also lived long enough in LA to have met many of them in real life, and for the most part, they’re not even people you’d particularly like to know.

d) I have no interest in listening to their inevitable ignorant digs, or outright rants, at the president, or Republicans (though I’m no big fan of the president or Republicans myself–I just find the Bush-hating derangement tiresome, when there are so many real things that they could be criticizing both for).

[Update a few minutes later]

It just occurred to me that I did see “Pride and Prejudice.”

But I’m still not watching.

I don’t know how history will rank Jimmy Carter among the presidents (my guess will be pretty low, definitely in the bottom quarter), but there’s not question in my mind that he’s absolutely the worst ex-president we’ve ever had:

Mr. Carter said he made a personal promise to ambassadors from Egypt, Pakistan, and Cuba on the U.N. change issue that was undermined by America’s ambassador, John Bolton. “My hope is that when the vote is taken,” he told the Council on Foreign Relations, “the other members will outvote the United States.”

…Asked yesterday about his views on religion, Mr. Carter said, “The essence of my faith is one of peace.” In a clear swipe at Mr. Bush’s faith, and to a round of applause, he then added, “We worship the prince of peace, not of pre-emptive war.” Mr. Carter then went on to attack American Christians who support Israel.

Shameful.

While I thought that Harry Browne went off the deep end in the last few years on foreign policy, he was a great, and I think good (if occasionally misguided) man in advancing the ideas of liberty. I always thought it a shame that he wasn’t allowed to participate in the presidential debates–he would have mopped up the floor with both candidates, at least in being coherent and articulate. And passionate (unlike Al Gore, who considers bellowing absurdities and wonktalk with a red face and bulging veins to be passion).

Brian Doherty has a tribute over at Reason’s Hit’n’Run.