I wanted to see Shattered Glass in the theater, but never got a chance to. I finally caught it a few months back on HBO, and I loved it. Glass & Chuck on the Glass's really bad day was just about some of the most painful squirming I've ever sat through.

Man, Hayden Christensen sure knows how to play a sniveling little shit. Too bad he's asked to play the MOST EVIL MAN IN THE UNIVERSE.

Then again, maybe playing Glass *was* good training after all. . .

Cheers,
Dave at Garfield Ridge

Imagine that, going over there to help promote democracy and freedom. Who the hell does he think he is??

The nerve of that guy. I think this calls for a de-linking.

Yeahp. Great movie. Super-squirmy. I LOVE the narrowing Clint Eastwood eyes Chuck gives when he begins to twig on that Steven hasn't merely been "duped" by his "sources."

And Hayden Christianson was quite good as the snivelling little ass-kiss. I actually sort of liked the character -- he was, at the very least, a nice guy who seemed genuinely concerned about the feelings of others -- and man, did he have a brutal couple of days there.

Actually, I'm not sure if I have him linked at all.

Maybe I'll link him so then I can announce I'm delinking him.

Hell, even Steven Zahn was good in that movie.

And of course Hank Azaria, who somehow has made the transition from goofy cartoon voice-guy to credible leading man.

he was, at the very least, a nice guy who seemed genuinely concerned about the feelings of others

Wow, did I not get that from that character. Completely unsympathetic, uber-manipulative shit to me. Really good movie, though.

Eh. All niceness is sort of manipualtive when you think about it.

It's still nice.

Dittos on Shattered Glass, ace. I saw it a couple of months ago. Funny thing, though: you remember that story he wrote about the CPAC conference where all the young conservatives spent the entire weekend drinkin' and fuggin' and such like? Well, I actually read that story when it first came out and I remember thinking "oh dear, those ass clowns are making conservatives look bad by their bad behavior. They ought to not do that. Oh dear." Etc. It never occured to me to question the authenticity of the story. I was actually relieved to learn that the story was made up from beginning to end.

And by the way, not to nitpick, but the fraudulent reporter's name is Stephen (not Steven) Glass. He is now supposedly practicing law somewhere. God help his clients.

I won't take anything away from Totten for making the trip - but "Now that I've been there and know how close by it is, I can almost feel its breath on my neck. "

Does he write soft porn in his free time, or maybe he was reading a bad novel on the plane. Guys are probably getting cramps in their nut sacks living close to that shit - and he feels their breath on his neck! What are they gonna do, kill him, or fuck him? Kee-rist! But then maybe its both.

A-hem. I thought the same thing, but I didn't want to be churlish.

And people would just accuse me of being jealous, which, of course, I am.

you remember that story he wrote about the CPAC conference where all the young conservatives spent the entire weekend drinkin' and fuggin' and such like? Well, I actually read that story when it first came out and I remember thinking "oh dear, those ass clowns are making conservatives look bad by their bad behavior. They ought to not do that. Oh dear." Etc. It never occured to me to question the authenticity of the story. I was actually relieved to learn that the story was made up from beginning to end.

Yeah, and let me say, I was at CPAC, and I wish that crap was going on.

I read his story on the "Church of George Herbert Walker Christ" -- about, get this, a cult that actually worshipped the Elder Bush as the second coming of Jesus -- and I have to admit, I bought it.

I found it "unbelievable," and yet I believed it.

It was, after all, the new republic, the "in-flight magazine of air force one." (Giggle.)

ace, you really should have a totten link. he's a liberal, but not a leftist, and his site is sort of a continuous, high-brow version of some of your more, um, shall we say substantive threads

got a great "moderate" mentality in all senses of the word.

i may disagree with him about domestic policy issues, but he's a sharp guy.

Uh, Hobgoblin, did you miss one of Ace's greatest takedowns ever?

Fully agree on Shattered Glass. I was so fuckin' into that movie. It's like fun and sex and drugs and fuck and eat all rolled into one.

I wanted to go crazy on Chuck Lane. He's so fuckin' hohhht.

yes, someone, yes I did miss that.

and really, reading it, that was a good takedown of a poor piece, but that piece isn't indicative of all he writes.

Love you too, Ace!

I agree that Shattered Glass is a great movie.

Seriously, dude, come on over and I'll buy you a beer. Beirut is on sale right now - big time. The five star hotels are only 70 bucks. No one wants to come here as a tourist, not even the rich Gulf Arabs with bodyguards. Cowards. Even in Hezbollahland nobody bothered me - but I wouldn't want to set up shop there.

Right, Michael "Grandstanding" Totten. I'll just fly my ass to Beirut.

But... the beer's on you, right?

Seriously, invite appreciated, but it's not so simple, or cheap, to take a trip to Beirut.