The cicadas are here! We’re actually somewhat lucky in that our cul-de-sac was built in 1990, after the previous emergence of this particular group of cicadas so we don’t actually have any here. But all around us, in the parts of town not touched since the last emergence, they’re out in force. From here it sounds like flying saucers hovering or something out of a 50’s sci-fi B-movie. Jack and I are both thrilled. We think this is all great fun. This picture is Jack with a cicada on his arm. What you can’t see is his infectious giggle. I think we’ll both be sad when they’re gone in just a few weeks. Jack won’t see these guys again until his Junior year of college. I don’t even want to think about how old I will be…
Author: Andy Affleck
While the Press Sleeps
Orcinus writes:
But even beyond the bias is the way this framing really corrupts and trivializes the national debate, so that we find ourselves constantly arguing about the “morality” or “character” of politicians, an issue that is by nature a product of spin and propagandizing. This has never been more clear than in the current election, when the “character” of a pampered fraternity party boy who couldn’t be bothered to serve out his term in the National Guard and who went on to fail miserably at every business venture he touched is successfully depicted as that of a sincere and patriotic regular guy, while that of a three-time Purple Heart winner who voluntarily left Yale to serve in Vietnam, and whose ensuing three decades of public service have been a model of principle and consistency, is somehow depicted as belonging to a spineless elitist.