The Washington Canard

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY HUH?

Via PDXNQD via Cingular wireless via untold cellular networks across the contiguous 48, I understand that this image is of unsigned rock band du jour Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performing at the Gorge Amphitheater:

Apparently Welcome to Blog tried to send me a short video clip of same, but the magical wireless elves failed us on that score.

Great band, if you can find them. I'll give you a start: Here's "The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth" — which I believe I can safely post without fear of raising the RIAA's ire, as CYHSY remains inexplicably still unsigned in these United States. Maybe they're just waiting for Pitchfork to start a record label.

Update — Hmmm... I have cause to believe something may be wrong with this post (and I don't mean copyright) but I don't have enough information just yet. At this point, you may actually be saying "Huh?"

Another update — Okay, apparently I was mistaken about the source of that original photo. It was in fact Brandon, aka Welcome to Blog, and apparently this was a photo of Portland indie heroes The Decemberists (another fine outfit, and more readily available at your local franchise dealer). Indeed, the one above is pretty clearly the main stage, but Brandon tells me CYHSY

played a smaller stage called the Wookie Staged that was about the size of the back of a truck and was made entirely out of wood. The stage featured in the image on your blog is the larger, main stage that overlooks the Gorge. Notice the risers and the blurry landscape in the background. Hope this clears up any confusion.

It'll have to do. And now, at long last, a genuinely "huh"-inducing photo of CYHSY playing the Wookie stage, blown up to the same "huh"-inspiring size:

posted by WWB at 7:49 PM |

IN MEMORIAL OF A MORE MEMORABLE DAY

While others were at the beach, or in the mountains, whether enjoying frosty alcoholic beverages or intoxicants of more illicit varieties, I was stone cold here in Columbia Heights in front of my laptop just trying to get ahead, and by that I mean just barely managing to stay on top of things.

Looking back on happier, more inebriated times, I share without commentary some images from a not very solemn but profoundly patriotric ritual which I attended a little more than a week ago:

It was the first Nats game I've attended where they actually won, and all the sweeter, it was against the hated O's of Balmer (as they say around here). And ever since, they've been on a bit of a roll, their first all season.

This post is dedicated to the brave Washington ballplayers, who played ball so that my friends and I might yell inanities like "Go mid-Atlantic sports teams!!" and "Make noise!!!" (as per the request of electronic boards around the stadium) at the top of our lungs. Thanks also to the frosty beverages, which didn't hurt, either.

posted by WWB at 7:25 PM |

Sunday, May 28, 2006

NOTHING SUCCEEDS LIKE SUCCESS

Partisans of the right and (increasingly) partisans of the left accuse the media of political bias in its reporting. Some of these claims have merit, many do not, but other biases affect the news as well, if not more so. Certainly, something has to account for this laughable report from AFP:

"X Men: The Last Stand", the final installment of a Marvel comics trilogy, grossed 107 million dollars in its first weekend in North America, becoming the fourth biggest debut of all time, according to estimates. ... The new movie, based on the Marvel comic book series about a band of mutants, has been given rave reviews.

I suppose this is true insofar as some reviewers have given it their proverbial (or literal) thumbs up. But let's see what Rotten Tomatoes' summary looks like:

Hmm... not quite. What about Metacritic?

Hey, that's almost positive!

So what accounts for this? Probably a combination of things. Maybe this reporter only had time (or only bothered) to check Ebert's 3-star review and figured most critics would see it as he did (of course, even Ebert mostly defended the film against his better judgement). This would be the bias of laziness/harriedness — it's a continuum, I can tell you from experience.

Another possibility is that he or she merely assumed from the movie's impressive box office reports that it was also well-reviewed (though coming a week after "Da Vinci Code," this is even less defensible an assumption). I suppose this also falls under the time constraint bias too, but it leads me to think the reporter got caught up in the excitement (such as it is) of writing up a story about an extraordinary box office success.

It might also suggest a failure to grasp the difference between popular and elite appeal — though wouldn't a French news agency pay more attention to elite opinion than one of another nationality? — but I'm talking out loud here.

If nothing else it's just incredibly stupid.

posted by WWB at 7:46 PM |

AS IF WE DIDN'T ALREADY KNOW THAT CRIME PAYS / THE BALLAD OF ISAIAH

In this week's mailbag, Bill Simmons seeks the answer to a question that's crossed my mind at least every Sunday for the past few months:

Q: I'll cut right to the chase. My friends and I have debated what we think Tony Soprano takes home a year. Pre or post-tax, your choice.
--Mike, Watchung, N.J.

SG: Obviously, this question was too important to answer on my own, so I contacted the one person who would know: My stepdad, a diehard "Sopranos" fan (this is an understatement) and the right person for this question on about 10 different levels. Yes, he's 100 percent Italian. And no, he's not in the mafia. As far as I know. Anyway, here was his take:

"Remember, Tony is the top guy. So everyone's kicking back to him on everything they're doing. He's got 7-8 captains working under him, and those people all have people working under THEM, so he's getting kickbacks on every single thing that happens. Just in the last few episodes, Gay Vito offered him 200K to get back into the fold; Paulie mentioned that his cut from the Italian Feast was 30K; and the big fat guy brought them the huge envelope right before they stabbed him. He's getting kickbacks like that every week from every direction. That stuff adds up.

"Then you have to factor in all their businesses. They have gambling obviously. They have those high-stake poker games from time to time. Liquor and cigarettes. The strip joint. Construction and sanitation, which bring in more money than anything else. I'm not sure about drugs, they don't really touch that on the show. But they have those truck heists, robberies and all that other stuff -- like when Paulie killed those guys and found all the money in the refrigerator. And unlike the old days, you don't have to pay off judges and politicians anymore -- that stuff doesn't happen now.

"I would say he clears about $2 million a year. But it's all tax-free because it's all dixie money (under the table) and he doesn't have to report any of it. Remember the episode when the kid wanted to sell his family's construction business and Tony wouldn't let him because that's where he had his fake job that gave him medical insurance? That's probably the only income he reports to the IRS. And since he would be in the 50 percent tax bracket, and he's not turning over half of $2 million, it's really like he's making almost twice that much. The big problem is that it's hard to get rid of all that cash; you can't put it in the bank. So they have to bury it in their backyard or hide it in their house -- that's why Johnny Sack is screwed right now, all of his assets have been seized, he probably has money hidden all over the place and they're selling his house on him. But I say Tony pulls in about two million a year. And that might even be low."

Bonus throwback Simmons HBO commentary! — I watch the show "Entourage" — and by watch I mean "leave on in the background on account of being less execrable than that horrid show Michael Rapaport is/was doing for Fox" — but I wouldn't confuse it with quality. The best part of the show is Jeremy Piven as the agent, but Simmons was right when he wrote:

You know how everyone keeps saying how brilliant Piven is on "Entourage?" Well, he's sharing screen time with the likes of Adrian Grenier and the bully from "Rocky V" -- he's good, but he's not that good. Those guys make him look like a young Pacino.

No new Sopranos this week, of course. HBO is replaying the previous 3 episodes, which I hope means something major goes down next week. Yes, Vito finally got what was we all knew was coming to him the very moment Finn caught him in fellate delicto last season, but the show really has been teasing us with too many close calls. Maybe it's unfair to throw Tony's near-death experience in there, but it sounds like Bobby Bacala might not even lose the use of the eye he was shot in.

Under normal circumstances I would probably watch those 3 episodes again tonight, but it happens to fall during the best NBA playoffs in years. And call me crazy, but I'm guessing Bill Simmons will be watching the Western Conference Finals this evening too.

In the meantime, if you know anything about Isiah Thomas' unfathomable/infuriating/hilarious guard-hoarding as GM of the New York Knicks, I highly recommend:

Hat tip: OXR via IM.

posted by WWB at 1:48 PM |

Thursday, May 25, 2006

A BROOKS RUNS THROUGH IT

There are at least a couple reasons why I think the viral ad you can view by clicking* on the still below is one of the best commercials I've ever seen. I won't enumerate them, because it really should be viewed on its own terms. Unfortunately, it's a little bit too long and maybe a little bit too challenging (seriously) for network television:

_____
*The link will direct you away from this site.

Update — Partly because I'm so taken with this advert and partly because writing about it more will surely help me with Google — it's called "Run World, Run" I'd better note — I went ahead and transcribed the lyrics of the song, which I couldn't find anywhere on the web, and are ~~printed~~ reproduced below.

It turns out the song is by Chris Ballew from the Presidents of the United States of America, was commissioned by a Portland ad agency that is not Wieden + Kennedy, and — to my surprise — is nearly a year old already. At the Flash animation blog Cold, Hard Flash I found a short interview with Matt Clark, the animator (mostly about using Flash to create the spot), who also created some funny but less-meaningful print work for the running shoe company.

Anyway, those lyrics:

The good life is there to grab if you get it
But it will surely fly by if you let it
Spending all of my time
Doing circles in the sun
No protection from the glare
The days go on and on
But where's the flood
Where's the fun
This is my situation
I'm the one that's on the run
This is my only decision
Everybody's losin'
Everybody's winnin'
The party's just beginnin'
But now my mind is blown
And that's okay
I kind of like these heavy times
Heavy times
They just got lighter
This yellow sun
Yellow sun
Seems so much brighter
Tick tock, watch the clock
Pumpin' like a heart
This perfect success is the sweetest part
Let's plant a lovin' tree
Just you and I
Don't wanna stop and watch my whole life slowly roll by
My world will never be the same
My world will never change... no
Come on, come on into my world
Come on, come on into my world
Come on, come on into my world
It will never change

You're welcome, Googlers! (You too, users of less-ubiquitous search engines!)

P.S. — Did I mention that I hate running?

posted by WWB at 8:57 AM |

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

TAKING THE TAXI AT BOTH ENDS

Having written about yesterday's crazy taxi ride, I'd damn well better follow up with today's story:

If I think I'm going to be any more than 15 minutes late to the office in the mornings, I'll hail a cab. Well, this morning at about 8:30 a.m. I caught a ride from a graying Ossie Davis-looking oldster, who was pretty much the polar opposite of the aging skinhead nerd.

This cabbie I didn't mind talking to — this was his 54th year driving a cab here in his hometown. He recalled days of 30-cent per gallon gas and 5-cent hamburgers. He took a route into Rosslyn that I've never seen anyone take before: through quiet, tree-lined Georgetown. We passed his sister's house, where she still lived. He asked if I remembered the 14th Street Bridge plane crash. Well, I'd certainly heard of it, but I wasn't living here then. His niece had died in the accident. He was once a middle-weight boxer, at one time ranked 4th in the world (which I take to mean pretty much the U.S.). We passed the post office near M Street, and mentioned he earned his first pay there, shining shoes as a kid. I told him he could write a great book about the city. He agreed.

Every time I hear karma invoked, it's always the universe evening the score after you do something wrong. Well, let's say this time I evened the score with the taxi cabs of the Washington metro area.

Just to be safe, going home this afternoon I took the Metrorail.

posted by WWB at 10:35 PM |

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

DEATH CAB FOR UGLY

Whenever I leave the office an hour or more past the normal close of business, I treat myself to a taxi ride home. But I wouldn't exactly call tonight's ride a "treat."

The first bad sign was that the cabbie — a late middle-aged white dude (as in every other major U.S. city, cab drivers are almost exclusively African-American or foreign) with stubbly hair and thick rim glasses — kept chit-chatting after we pulled out into traffic, even though I had a stack of papers I was obviously keen to keep reading.

Heading across the Key Bridge, he inquired about my destination. Columbia Heights, how is that neighborhood these days? (Arlington cabbies are apparently unaware of the neighborhood's resurgence.) I told him, and that seemed to settle it.

But as we drove into Foggy Bottom on the Whitehurst, he mentioned how much he loved Foggy Bottom, having gone to school at GW in the 1950s, so I volunteered that I'd worked at the Watergate. We agreed that it was somewhat overrated. So he asked me what I did. I said, formerly journalism, now PR/marketing with a focus in political strategy. Democrats or Republicans, he asked? Both, I said. I jokingly called myself a mercenary. He concurred — and wanted to keep pursuing it.

How could anbody represent Tom DeLay, he asked? I didn't answer; I'm not a fan of DeLay, but I wouldn't ask the same question. Or Karl Rove? he continued. For my part, I tried to get back to reading my favorite Karl Rove apologist. I offered that everyone deserves a defense, like an attorney. He pointed out, correctly enough, that no one is legally obligated to a spinmeister. He advised me to get out of this line of work. "It'll eat your soul." I said thanks, making sure my tone said drop it. He added that he was a Buddhist.

Fortunately, I was allowed to keep reading my printouts most of the way up Rock Creek Parkway. I'd already decided he wasn't going to get much of a tip out of me, and I was debating telling him: Don't assume you know my politics, or that you have any place lecturing me on ethics.

But as we pulled up toward Mount Pleasant, he asked what I'd like to do. As long as we were off politics, I could relent. I said journalism, he asked what kind, I said magazine journalism, he asked what kind, I said politics for sure, but my interests were wide, I'm interested in technology as well. He volunteered that he wanted to go into journalism himself — was I interested in bioethics? I allowed that it was an important field these days. He listed his advanced degrees in the sciences, plus a year of med school. Despite the fact that he was getting on in years and was now driving a cab, I replied that his skills could be useful, because the problem with journalists is that they don't know much about anything except how to report.

And he knew about technology, too — he was learning how to troubleshoot his PC. He whipped a PDA out of his breast pocket for me to admire. I supplied the socially obligated utterances of approval. He added that he was using different versions of Linux on his machines now, too. I didn't recognize the names of the variants he mentioned, but managed to sound somewhat knowledgable by asking if he was knowledgable about Ubuntu. Apparently he was. I didn't know much more.

And then as we finally made it to Columbia Heights he asked: "So where have all the blacks gone?" A reasonable question, but impolitic phrasing. They're still here, I said, in fact there's a big Hispanic population in the neighborhood. Columbia Heights is still majority minority, and overwhelmingly so. I made the (apparent) mistake of using the word "gentrification," which he objected to. He didn't like the racial connotation, and preferred "remodeling." But isn't that how you describe a house? I suggested "upgrading," which sounded awful the moment it passed my lips, but he assented — a better word indeed, he thought.

But not that he hates whites, he said, the blacks are assholes, too. And as we pulled toward my corner, he added: But hey, there are some good ones, too. Sidney Poitier, for example. Sammy Davis, too. He named a few others, none of them born after 1930. Fumbling with cash — I ended up kicking him about a buck, to ~~be polite~~ not make waves — I volunteered Tiger Woods, and felt stupider still for contibuting. No, he didn't like Tiger Woods. He wasn't very nice to Jack Nicholson. Of course, he meant Jack Nicklaus, but I wasn't about to correct him. As I got out and closed the door, he was still mumbling to himself.

A racist, Linux-loving Buddhist cabbie? Now that's a subculture the New York Times should look into.

posted by WWB at 7:27 PM |

PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEXT SOPRANOS

I haven't seen any spoilers, but I can make a few educated guesses:

It will be revealed that Adrianna is in fact still alive.
Vito will rape Finn.

Bonus prediction for the final episodes next year:

Furio Giunta and the Russian from "Pine Barrens" will return, thus setting up a deadly gangland war that will ultimately leave them in control of the New Jersey and New York families.

I'm telling you, these are locks.

P.S. — While I'm on this Nostradamus jag, allow me to call the NBA Finals right now: Cavs over Clippers in 6 games. Place your bets accordingly.

posted by WWB at 6:38 AM |

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

IT'S A NEW RECORD!

Just a few minutes minutes ago I celebrated my 12th straight hour at work, the first time I've done this since election night 2004 at the Hotline. So, chances are I'll fall somewhere short of that all-night marathon, which makes this not an all-time record, but it's certainly a record here, outdistancing my previous record by two hours. And I didn't really win anything, except maybe the adventure of finding out what happens if I try to exit the front doors hours after the place locks up.

And I should say, depending on how one looks at it, November '04 wasn't really a record either, as long as we're counting my unpaid editorship of the Oregon Commentator as work. Back in those days, sometimes I wouldn't leave the office for the better part of a week.

Speaking of the OC, ex-editor-in-chief/senior hanger-on (hey, I did it, too) Tyler Graf performed admirably on the "The O'Reilly Factor" this evening, discussing the absurd Insurgent/Jesus cartoon controversy. TV interviews aren't easy, much less when you're talking into a camera, and less still when your host is none other than His O'Reillyness. Extra points for attempting to plug the website.

All right, back to work. It'll be difficult enough to hail a cab this late as it is.

Update — Well, I didn't make it home by midnight as I'd planned (my original target was 10pm) but close enough.

posted by WWB at 9:10 PM |

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

EXTREME BEUTLER

I'm not writing the Blogometer anymore, it's true, but that doesn't mean I've entirely gotten out of the business of political blog roundups.

posted by WWB at 8:03 PM |

THE FUTURE OF 9/11

A few posts back I gave my no-holds-barred review of "United 93," which even if understandably disliked by some, was a chilling and sincere experience for everyone who saw it, including those aforementioned some who just didn't appreciate it.

And as I said then, I wasn't sure what I would make of Oliver Stone's upcoming "World Trade Center." And so it turns out, neither does Paramount quite know what to do with its forthcoming film.

How, for certain, do I know that Viacom is having these second thoughts? Easy — they released the preview for German audiences before they made it available in the U.S. (It would be u0 on Apple's Trailers site right now... if they intended for English-language audiences to see it first.)

Obviously, they didn't want that. But if you would like to see the full trailer, featuring Nicolas Cage, dubbed into the language of Deutschland, well click here.

I can't say it'll be a good film, let alone a quality film, to say nothing of a memorable film, and I certainly don't want to weigh in based on nothing but a foreign-language trailer... but I am going to see this film.

I know it will be a different kind of film compared to "United 93," and Oliver Stone's recent track record notwithstanding, I am hoping that it actually will be a great film. I'll let you know if I know something before you do.

P.S. — Right now, I could care less about any other movie this summer, except for DeLillo's Game 6.

P.P.S. — Before anyone asks, yes, I am of course going to see Snakes on a Plane. But I'm going on record as predicting that movie's best days are right now, as a truly hilarious Internet meme, and not when the actual movie comes out. I'm sure Sam Jackson will ham it up enjoyably, but no way it'll be as funny as the tribute sites.

Update — As of the following morning, you'll notice the link goes to something other than the promised "World Trade Center" trailer. I've been reliably informed the availability was a mistake, and the trailer actually wasn't supposed to be available to anyone yet, regardless of your native tongue.

So, Apple is still the place to go. Or AICN or another fanboy site. I'm washing my hands of the whole thing.

Another update — By now you may well have seen the English-language spot, viewable in several sizes at Apple's Trailer page (of course). What do I think now? It's definitely better in German. Much cheesier when you can understand the words. And the words on the screen toward the end rub me the wrong way. I borrow this from another blog I read, and I'm paraphrasing, but where it says that some saw evil that day, but they (the police characters) saw "something else" ... shouldn't that be "something more"? Was 9/11 not actually a day of evil?

posted by WWB at 12:04 AM |

Monday, May 15, 2006

IT'S 3 AM — DO I KNOW WHAT YOUR NUMBER IS?

Boy, sometimes I really think I should get one of these:

But then again if I did, most of you would never hear from me again.

posted by WWB at 4:19 PM |

Sunday, May 14, 2006

THE DAY THE MOMZ TOOK OVER

To paraphrase rapper-for-hire Turbo B from the early 90's Snap hit "The Power," (i.e. Germany's answer to C+C Music Factory) it's gettin', it's gettin', it's gettin' kinda hectic around here these days, and I obviously haven't been able to keep the Canard as up-to-date as I'd like. So please, stay off my back. Or I will attack. And you don't want that.

But on this Hallmark holiday I had certainly better show up to dedicate a post to my own mother, pictured below with my youngest sisters, on the first floor of the house they're building in Lincoln City:

Being only a somewhat-good son (surely better than The Good Son once portrayed by Macaulay Culkin, though I certainly had my moments) I failed to send off either a card or flowers in time to arrive at the parental domicile in Portland by today. In the past I might not have had the money (seriously) but this time I didn't have the time. By the time I got to the FTD website on Thursday, I was fairly appalled that they couldn't deliver anything before Tuesday of next week. Are we living in the future or not?

So instead I'll make up for it with a Mother's Day phone call, which probably will mean more than the mass-marketed mild humor of a storebought card, or the outlay of money for a flower arrangement with a bar code. Despite the obvious acquisition of expensive things (vehicles, extra houses, additional children) they really aren't very materialistic people. Besides, I've finally re-started payments on the loan(s) they've provided to help me out on my way to financial solvency. And I hope that next month my father will appreciate the same offer.

Break 'em off somethin', break mom off somethin'.

posted by WWB at 4:38 PM |

Saturday, May 06, 2006

WATERGATEGATE

My recent departure from the infamous above-pictured superblock notwithstanding, I can assure you, I had no idea what was going on in my office complex. But I can also assure you, I certainly wish I did.

posted by WWB at 2:50 PM |

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

MEET THE NATS' NEW OWNER

Today we learn that last week's vehemently denied report was in fact accurate. The Washington Nationals indeed have this effervescent young whippersnapper for an owner:

I know next to nothing about real estate tycoon Ted Lerner and his band of merry investors, but their assuming ownership of our flailing franchise is fine with me for two reasons: a) He's local, and b) He's not George Soros. It's also kind of quirky that we now have two local teams owned by businessmen named Ted Le..., in a grasping-at-straws kind of way.

And as one of my co-workers asked at lunch, what do you think is the over-under on GM Jim Bowden's firing now?

posted by WWB at 1:42 PM |

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

UNREDACTED

Nearly two years ago, I brought you a snippet of juicy gossip from a book release party where an inebriated Christopher Hitchens was chatted up for nearly ten minutes by an inebriated yours truly:

Frankly, I was just pleased with myself for holding my own with him for that long, and he seemed pleased that I had actually read "Why Orwell Matters." And I concluded by mentioning a bit of shared knowledge about a "senior administration official" with a nearly obscene penchant for [REDACTED]. Oh, all right. For a certain condiment. Sorry, but I first heard this from [REDACTED]. Hitch concurred -- this was very weird.

As Geraldo was given to saying during his post-"Geraldo"/pre-"Rivera Live" wilderness years... Now it can be told.

Yes, flash forward to this morning, where I find out that somebody leaked this vital information to former New York Times reporter Todd Purdum, who is set to rip the lid off this Beltway non-scandal for Vanity Fair. Via Drudge, who thinks he's a reporter because people e-mail him articles hoping he'll drive up interest in their forthcoming stories:

At a roundtable lunch with reporters a couple of years ago, two who were present tell Purdum that Cheney cut his buffalo steak in bite-size pieces the moment it arrived, then proceeded to salt each side of each piece.

So there you have it. Maybe more salty than juicy.

posted by WWB at 10:15 PM |

Monday, May 01, 2006

DON'T BE STUPID

Regular readers shouldn't have too much trouble discerning my general opinion of Microsoft, considering my readiness to buy another Apple after my previous one gave up the ghost (albeit temporarily). This is about more than operating systems, though. I haven't used Hotmail in years — I use Gmail almost exclusively. Nor can I remember the last time I performed an MSN search — once again, I'm using Google (unless I'm using Technorati). Despite threats to set up shop elsewhere, I'm still using Google's industry-leading blogging service, and MSN Spaces is not my destination when I do.

That said, I find myself having a very strong pro-Microsoft, anti-Google reaction to a report in this morning's New York Times:

With a $10 billion advertising market at stake, Google, the fast-rising Internet star, is raising objections to the way that it says Microsoft, the incumbent powerhouse of computing, is wielding control over Internet searching in its new Web browser.

Aside from reflexively wondering what kills the Internet star, I must ask: Hasn't Google already risen? Google is nine years old and the dot com bubble popped six years ago. Therefore, the majority of the company's lifespan has fallen during the so-called Web 2.0 era it currently dominates.

You can call it a case of the young scrapper picking a fight with the aging pugilist, but I call it a shameless attempt to intimidate a competitor by threatening litigation on an issue settled years ago.

The move, Google claims, limits consumer choice and is reminiscent of the tactics that got Microsoft into antitrust trouble in the late 1990's.See what I mean?

First of all, competition in the browser market hasn't been better since the heady days of Netscape vs. Microsoft (for the record, I stuck by Netscape Navigator until doing so was pointless). Yes, Microsoft holds 80%+ of the browser market, but Firefox has obviously made serious inroads as of late.

Of course, Microsoft stays big because it's already big. To the amusement of myself and many far geekier than same, Microsoft is too busy scrambling on functionality to think about innovation. But this fact makes it all the more relevant — not to mention more galling — considering that Google is the installation default for the search boxes in Firefox, Opera and Safari and on AOL.

And yet, sounding vaguely like a NARAL spokeswoman who studiously avoids using the word "abortion," Google's spokeswoman protests Microsoft's alleged intransigence:

"The market favors open choice for search, and companies should compete for users based on the quality of their search services," said Marissa Mayer, the vice president for search products at Google. "We don't think it's right for Microsoft to just set the default to MSN. We believe users should choose."See? Microsoft is anti-choice! Google wants you to choose MSN or search the first time you launch it, which is ludicrous, and only slightly less ludicrous if they're willing to let A9, Yahoo and the others (Alta Vista, anyone?) join them on the setup page.

What's even more hypocritical is that no browser with Google built in offers such a choice, and self-proclaimed "search veteran" Niall Kennedy (not the hawkish Brit Harvard prof, you're thinking of Niall Ferguson) points out that you really have to work to put a different engine in Safari. How pro-choice is Google really?

And is Google that insecure about the service they provide? After all, Microsoft is big, but Google currently has half the market share in online search — so wouldn't a lot of people just hop over to google.com and find things like they do now? Or, I don't know, open up Preferences and make the adjustment?

Even though this post defends the Microsoft position, I rather I doubt, in the long run, that MSN Search will prove useful enough to displace Google. And if it does prove the superior search engine? Well, I will follow Kennedy's advice and point my Safari search box to MSN as well.

Google is famous for having in its mission statement the injunction "Don't be evil." Methinks they should have added: "Don't be stupid."

posted by WWB at 9:43 PM |

RARE COLBERT

Just because I wasn't actually at the White House Correspondents Dinner this weekend for Stephen Colbert's love-it-or-hate-it appearance doesn't mean I can't offer my two cents.

posted by WWB at 3:33 PM |

SEPARATING CHURCH AND STATE

Did anybody else think those "Take Me Fishing" TV ads were surrepititious advertisements for LDS or another evangelical church? Well, I for one did. But apparently I am wrong. Turns out it's just another PSA by yet another Beltway lobby.

And yet I'll admit, the TV spots are affecting, conjuring images of an old man relishing time spent with his adult son, an adult daughter connecting with her elderly father, little kids asking to be taken fishing, etc. Makes you all warm and fuzzy inside.

Which is all the more reason this campaign must be stopped.

posted by WWB at 9:26 AM |