Catching Up Is Hard To Do
Catching up on various links of interest.
Someday I'm going to devote some time to the differences between conservatives and neoconservatives. In the meantime, let me note that Lonewacko has referred to an article by Robert A. George, a self-described conservative, stating why he could not vote for Bush. Excerpts:
The past four decades have seen "wars" on social conditions ("poverty"), inanimate objects ("drugs"), and physical states ("teenage pregnancy"). (Each has met with limited, if any, success.) What is different now is that, this time, a president has asserted that we are in an actual war that must be fought with the full wartime powers of the presidency. With vague congressional approval, this assertion grants the president--and, more importantly, the presidency--powers deeply disturbing from a civil liberties perspective. Indeed, this expansion of presidential prerogative is anathema to the conservative belief in limited government...
...No, a Kerry administration would not be any conservative's ideal. But, on limited government, a Democratic president would, arguably, force a Republican Congress to act like a Republican Congress. The last such combination produced some form of fiscal sanity. And, when it comes to accountability, one could hardly do worse...
L.A. Observed has - well, they've observed - something that I heard over the radio this week - namely, Phil Jackson's criticisms of Kobe Bryant. When I heard excerpts over the radio (I believe it was on Bill Handel), the impression given was that Shaq was mature and Kobe was not. Frankly, arguing whether Shaq or Kobe is more childish is like arguing whether Bush or Kerry is more lenient on illegal immigration. Here's an excerpt from Phil's book, courtesy Sports Illustrated:
In the first six weeks after the Colorado story broke, I did not speak to Kobe [Bryant]. I called for a third and final time from Montana, but again the machine answered. He never returned my calls. Imagining the anxieties in his new life, I was not offended. Kobe will confide only with the people he trusts, and I certainly have never been a card-carrying member of that group....
Finally [in late August] Kobe came into my office at our training facility in El Segundo....The conversation was fairly harmless. Until out of nowhere it became anything but harmless.
"I'm not going to take any s--- from Shaq[uille O'Neal] this year," Kobe blurted out. "If he starts saying things in the press, I'll fire back. I'm not afraid to go up against him. I've had it."
I tried to calm him down as quickly as possible....I was sure that at least for the moment, the anger he flashed toward Shaquille was neutralized. After we wrapped up, Kobe headed straight to see Mitch, who later informed me that nothing had been neutralized.
"Shaq didn't call me this summer," Kobe told Mitch.
"Kobe, I gave you a message from him," Mitch responded. "He invited you to Orlando to get away from everything."
"Shaq didn't have to leave a message through you," he said. "He knew how to reach me."
The exchange with Mitch revealed the underlying contradiction in Kobe's attitude toward Shaquille, a symbol, in fact, of a much broader dichotomy in his psyche. On the one hand, he insists that he doesn't "give a shit what the big guy does," but on the other, he shows he cares a great deal about what the big guy does. The meeting with Kobe reinforced an idea I had been contemplating since July, since Colorado, since everything changed. I decided to enlist a therapist to help me cope with what will surely be the most turbulent season of my coaching career. After receiving a few recommendations, I selected a therapist who has dealt with narcissistic behavior in the Los Angeles public school system. He'll be right at home here.
Nick Nolte has a blog. UPDATE 10/22: No he doesn't.
Naomi Moneypenny has posted an article entitled Being Creative After Cost-Cutting.
I'm not the only one who isn't completely thrilled about United Way. (See my October 6 comments.) Your Philosophy Sucks refers to United Extortion. I encourage you to read all of his comments, but here's a gem:
If you decide that Bob is hungry and needs a sandwich, go buy him a sandwich. Don't come to me and coerce me into giving you money so you can buy him a sandwich....
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