Friday round up

So many odds and ends today. Pardon the ADD nature of this entry.

First, I cracked up at this article by Washington Post style writer Robin Givhan. The photo of the Veep doing his best Nanook of the North impression is priceless. I picture Lynn Cheney looking at today’s Post over morning coffee and smacking him yelling, “Idiot! I told you to wear your top coat.”

Also from today’s Post was this horoscope:
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Fighting for someone else's rights brings out the warrior in you. "No" is not an option, and you're willing to make a scene if that's what it takes. You're now the sign most likely to be called to jury duty.

As it happens, I have a jury summons sitting on my desk. Very freaky…

Heard a fascinating discussion on The Diane Rehm Show this morning. Steve Roberts, sitting in for Diane, was talking with Dr. Temple Grandin, professor of animal science at Colorado State University and author of “Animals in Translation.” The kicker is she has autism. Her book is a discussion of how her own experience as a person with autism helps her translate what goes on inside the minds of animals. It was one of those NPR gems you just stumble on from time to time, usually in the car in between meetings.

It seems Sy Hersh has drawn the ire (again!) of the Bush administration with this piece in the current issue of The New Yorker. He was the victim of government smear tactics, until the venerable Post and New York Times ran similar stories. Ari Berman’s blog “The Daily Outrage” in The Nation details the criticism and the non-denial denials.

And finally… I receive all manner of e-newsletters these days, many of which are geared toward writers. But this kind of stuff just cracks me up. I would advise writers to steer clear of ads that proclaim, as does this piece in today’s Absolute Markets Newsletter:

“If you ever dreamed about the romantic life of a travel writer, here's a very unusual opportunity to actually live it!” When you click on the link it takes you to a loquacious sales pitch that includes such gems as this:

“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Steenie Harvey, and I'm not exaggerating when I say my passport pages are as well turned as a child's favorite story book. I really do travel the world... and get paid to do it.”

And it gets better:

“Right now, Passport to Romance: The Ultimate Travel Writer's Course, and AWAI's exclusive photojournalism course, Big Bucks for Snap Shots, is yours for only $287.

Get Started Today for Only $49!

All you have to pay to get started is $49. After that, you will be billed $34.00 a month for each of 7 installments that follow. That means you can begin this exclusive program for less than $50.”

What a racket!