MSNBC reports that burlesque dancer Deirdre Franklin wants to raise more than $10,000 to support Pit Bull rescue through a calendar, "Pinups for Pitbulls." The Grinder is glad to see these perfectly friendly dogs getting some love. Remember people; there is no such thing as bad dogs, only bad owners.Bob Herbert writes a surprisingly readable defense of union workers in the New York Times. Herbert says the UAW isn't at fault for the Big Three automakers' failure and notes that the union has made big concessions over the last few years; including salary cuts of up to 50%. In fact, Toyota Motor Corp pays American workers better than Detroit. We hate to repeat ourselves, but the reasons for Detroit's failure aren't exactly mysterious. We keep coming back to that whole making-cars-that-people-don't-want-to-buy thing. UAW workers aren't the ones deciding what cars to build.
Glenn Eichler, the NYT's booze blogger, has a collection of funny stuff overheard (and misheard) at office Christmas parties. One good reason for not drinking, Eichler says, is that you won't say stuff to co-workers like, "in this light you, don’t look cross-eyed" or “Sometimes accidental electrocution can be a blessing, but try telling that to the other mothers in the playgroup.”
Just in time for Christmas, Liz Gunnison at Portfolio takes a trenchant look at "It's a Wonderful Life," and wonders if maybe Mr. Potter wasn't such a bad guy after all.
Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal has a fine little column about America's future. Hint: We still have one.
Causing a mighty fuss, the Pope has come out against homosexuality. Pope Benedict XVI, delivering his year-end address to senior Vatican staff, sparked a furious reaction when he suggested that blurring the distinction between male and female could lead to the "self-destruction" of the human race. (In other words, the Pope is Catholic. Also, grizzly bears like to you-know-what in the woods.) Why is this surprising? It isn't like the Vatican singles out gays. Keep in mind, this is the Catholic church; a body which views all sexual acts outside of marriage, gay or straight, as sinful.
In even more gay news, the Washington Post has two -- two! -- columns about Obama choosing Rick Warren to speak at the Inauguration. Richard Cohen, who's pretty snarky about the whole thing and E.J. Dionne's more nuanced response.
