(no subject)

We’re down to a race between the candidate who claims he will make the political process better but has yet to demonstrate exactly how that works, and the woman who claims she’s the only one who’s powerful enough to take on the Republican forces of darkness. Don Quixote vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

-- Gail Collins for The New York Times

(no subject)

We’re down to a race between the candidate who claims he will make the political process better but has yet to demonstrate exactly how that works, and the woman who claims she’s the only one who’s powerful enough to take on the Republican forces of darkness. Don Quixote vs. Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

-- Gail Collins for The New York Times

Well-Adapted

Vampire bats are remarkably well-adapted to the rain forest. They come out at night and use heat sensors to find a goat, child or other mammal, which they feed upon only after determining from its breathing that it is truly asleep.

If the prey is an animal with fur, vampire bats use special teeth to shave the skin. Then they use incisors to cut the skin almost painlessly, while the saliva prevents clotting, and they lap up the blood.

-- Nicholas D. Kristof for The New York Times

You wouldn't guess that this is about saving the rain forest, unless you are well familiar with Kristof's writing. He knows how to hook us.

Well-Adapted

Vampire bats are remarkably well-adapted to the rain forest. They come out at night and use heat sensors to find a goat, child or other mammal, which they feed upon only after determining from its breathing that it is truly asleep.

If the prey is an animal with fur, vampire bats use special teeth to shave the skin. Then they use incisors to cut the skin almost painlessly, while the saliva prevents clotting, and they lap up the blood.

-- Nicholas D. Kristof for The New York Times

You wouldn't guess that this is about saving the rain forest, unless you are well familiar with Kristof's writing. He knows how to hook us.

The D.C. Madam

Hypocrisy and sex is usually a mundane business, but when dealing with the powerful people of the country, I suppose it can be deadly. The D.C. Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, is reported to be a suicide today. I thought it was bad enough that she was up on charges that could have netter her fifty years in prison - fifty years for managing the sale of sexual favors among consenting adults. The politician just suffers a bad news cycle for being caught with his pants down. Okay, former Governor Spitzer suffered worse, but still! I can appreciate it if you want to argue that such loose sex is less than morally upstanding, but should it be a crime? Should it be a matter of life and death? How is somebody like Dick Cheney suppose to get laid!?

( article )

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Palfrey suicide notes

The D.C. Madam

Hypocrisy and sex is usually a mundane business, but when dealing with the powerful people of the country, I suppose it can be deadly. The D.C. Madam, Deborah Jeane Palfrey, is reported to be a suicide today. I thought it was bad enough that she was up on charges that could have netter her fifty years in prison - fifty years for managing the sale of sexual favors among consenting adults. The politician just suffers a bad news cycle for being caught with his pants down. Okay, former Governor Spitzer suffered worse, but still! I can appreciate it if you want to argue that such loose sex is less than morally upstanding, but should it be a crime? Should it be a matter of life and death? How is somebody like Dick Cheney suppose to get laid!?

( article )

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Palfrey suicide notes