Bryan Williams needs to be smacked upside the head with a lead pipe for proposing Hurricane Katrina as Time‘s “Person of the Year”.
I, just, wow, man. I mean, wow. Are we that unclear on the definition of “Person”? Yes, past PotYs have included groups of people, but, you know, they were people.
I can hear the wind whistling between Williams’ ears from here. Holy crow.
Now That’s Just Plain Idiotic
[…] It’s getting to be that time of the year when we start commemorating everything else that’s gone on for the previous twelve months, and along with that comes Time’s annual “Person of the Year.” Currently, Time has a poll up on their website allowing readers to vote for one of the finalists. But Wonkette tells us that the choice has pretty much been made, and it’s not a “person” after all: Mother Nature. Blog About Town figures after the wrath-of-God type weather we’ve experienced globally this year, the other finalists do tend to pale in comparison. Of course, if you feel the non-person Person of the Year thing is just plain idiotic, well, you’re not alone. But Tales of the Stupid reminds us of other options we might have had, including Tom Cruise or Baby Federline. Meanwhile, a trip to Martinis, Persistence, and a Smile gives us a glimpse of the woman NBC’s Brian Williams reportedly endorsed for the face on Time’s cover. In Supreme Court news, papers have surfaced from back in the Reagan days that show SCOTUS nominee Sam Alito’s “proud” conservatism, and, more notably, his belief that abortion is not a Constitutionally protected right. Opinions on this “revelation” run the gamut: Palmetto Pundit makes the point that, strictly speaking, Alito is correct — the Constitution does not mention abortion either way. Ambivablog tries to rein in the hype a bit, pointing out that Alito also shows himself to be a believer in judicial restraint. Guide to Midwestern Culture takes the “hey, 1985 a long time ago” approach. However, as It’s a Paul World notes, this does put the Democrats in something of a tight spot, in which they will almost have to filibuster — something Polar Donkey says they need to be prepared to do — and will more than likely lose. Magpie notes that it does not look good for women’s reproductive rights, as TheBlueState.com figures Alito will wind up getting confirmed anyway. And, just to represent the “a blog for every viewpoint” position, Fort Wayne Libertarian Mike Sylvester thinks Alito won’t vote to overturn Roe, and that would be a shame. Odd medical news out of Britain, as the press has reported of a man who claims to have rid himself of HIV, simply by taking vitamins and living healthy. There is all manner of skepticism and testing and scrutiny yet to be brought to the case — indeed, From the Ashes blasts the media for “lazily … reporting false hope and fantasy as fact.” — but the news has understandably made the rounds in the blogverse. Forgetfoo echoes many a blogger when he observes that, if true, this man would appear to be the most valuable lab rat on the planet. Finally, in news of unbelievable frivolity, MTV aired the second season finale to their teen reality sensation Laguna Beach on Monday night. For as much of a guilty pleasure the show has become, it was greeting by many a blogger’s shrugged shoulders. “Surprisingly uneventful,” says Kenneth in the (212), while Reality Bites, For Real noted that the commercial-free airing could have used an ad break or two. After the show, MTV unveiled plans for both a third Laguna season, as well as a spinoff (The Hills) which will follow Laguna star “LC” to Los Angeles and an internship at Teen Vogue. TinaPoPo and Friends deem the prospect of season 3 a little too Saved By the Bell: The New Class to get into. Gawker, meanwhile, wonders how the hell Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour wound up in the Hills preview footage. […]