Fascinating three-page interview with President Bush written by Bob Geldof. Here’s a good bit:

I don’t know how, but eventually we arrive at the great unspoken. “See, I believe we’re in an ideological struggle with extremism,” says the President. “These people prey on the hopeless. Hopelessness breeds terrorism. That’s why this trip is a mission undertaken with the deepest sense of humanity, because those other folks will just use vulnerable people for evil. Like in Iraq.”

I don’t want to go there. I have my views and they’re at odds with his, and I don’t want to spoil the interview or be rude in the face of his hospitality. “Ah, look Mr. President. I don’t want to do this really. We’ll get distracted and I’m here to do Africa with you.” “OK, but we got rid of tyranny.” It sounded like the television Bush. It sounded too justificatory, and he doesn’t ever have to justify his Africa policy. This is the person who has quadrupled aid to the poorest people on the planet. I was more comfortable with that. But his expression asked for agreement and sympathy, and I couldn’t provide either.

“Mr. President, please. There are things you’ve done I could never possibly agree with and there are things I’ve done in my life that you would disapprove of, too. And that would make your hospitality awkward. The cost has been too much. History will play itself out.” “I think history will prove me right,” he shoots back. “Who knows,” I say.

It wasn’t awkward. It wasn’t uncomfortable. He is convinced, like Tony Blair, that he made the right decision. “I’m comfortable with that decision,” he says. But he can’t be. The laws of unintended consequences would determine that. At one point I suggest that he will never be given credit for good policies, like those here in Africa, because many people view him “as a walking crime against humanity.” He looks very hurt by that. And I’m sorry I said it, because he’s a very likable fellow.

Read the rest. It’s got a lot of interesting inside baseball bits like this:

“Laundry, huh?” the President mused. “Y’know, I’ve never asked that. I usually just wear the same thing all day, but if I need to change, there’s always a room I can go to. Laundry, huh? Is this the interview, Geldof? It’s certainly a different technique!” He’s showing me around because I’ve asked if I can get Air Force One stuff to bring home to the kids. “Hey guys, get Geldof the links and pins and stuff. And the M&M’s. Didja know I got my own presidential M&M’s?” Wow. “Yeah, cool, right? They’ll love ‘em.” They did. They’re in a presidential box with his autograph on them. The Queen doesn’t have that. Or the Pope. And I muse later from Car 25 in the 33-car motorcade that there are probably only three people in the world who can bring crowds like this out onto the street — the Queen, the Pope and the President of the United States, and only one’s a politician. “Jed,” the President says to the man doing the ironing between the twin beds. “How do we do the laundry on this thing?” “We use hotels, sir.” Ah.

Conservative intellectual William F. Buckley is dead at 82. Pretty good obit from the NY Times.

Here’s a great new site which offers stereotypical assessments of white culture. Regarding pledges to move to Canada:

For example, if you are watching TV with white people and there is a piece on the news about that they do not agree with, they are likely to declare “ok, that’s it, I’m moving to Canada.”

Though they will never actually move to Canada, the act of declaring that they are willing to undertake the journey is very symbolic in white culture. It shows that their dedication to their lifestyle and beliefs are so strong, that they would consider packing up their entire lives and moving to a country that is only slightly similar to the one they live in now.

Within white culture, it is agreed upon that if Canada had better weather it would be a perfect place.

Here’s a nice screed on gentrification:

In general, white people love situations where they can’t lose. While this does account for the majority of their situations, perhaps the safest bet a white person can make is to buy a house in an up-and-coming neighborhood.

White people like to live in these neighborhoods because they get credibility and respect from other white people for living in a more “authentic” neighborhood where they are exposed to “true culture” every day. So whenever their friends mention their home in the suburbs or richer urban area, these people can say “oh, it’s so boring out there, so fake. In our neighborhood, things are just more real.” This superiority is important as white people jockey for position in their circle of friends.

They are like a modern day Lewis and Clark, except instead of searching for the ocean, they are searching for old properties to renovate.

This should make interesting fodder for discussion in the Rhetoric of Hate class. We had a big discussion yesterday on whether the Quaker Oats guy should be considered offensive.

Here’s U2 and every other Irish singer on the planet singing an ode to Ronnie Drew, the founder of the folk band The Dubliners. He’s undergoing treatment for throat cancer and the proceeds of this single will go to the Irish Cancer Society. Very touching.

People get ready:

With the switch to all-digital television exactly a year away, vouchers to defray the cost of converter boxes necessary to keep older sets working will begin hitting the mail this week – and officials are urging people to request them early, as they are going fast.

The federal government is offering each family up to two $40 vouchers to purchase the boxes, which will translate digital broadcast signals so they can be viewed on analog TVs.

But the number of requests for the vouchers has been higher than predicted, raising concerns that the $1.5 billion set aside by the government might not be enough to meet consumer demand.

I just applied for two digital-converter box vouchers. Here’s the link.

I’m very excited about digital TV. I’m hoping that the networks start broadcasting more channels after making the switch to digital. (There’ll be a lot more room on the spectrum.) I’d cancel Cable TV if NBC started broadcasting Sci-Fi and Bravo.

Here’s the link to the Wikipedia entry on the Native American mascot controversy. Good reading — offers a nice pros and cons look at the issue. The great thing about Wikipedia is that you know both sides of an argument will be well represented.

Nice to see that chivalry is not dead:

Colt Haugen, a 22-year-old student at the University of Colorado and waiter at Ruby Tuesday, was working at the restaurant last month when he saw a man pull a pill from his pocket and put it in his date’s glass when the woman got up from the table.

He called the police, the drink was tested (yep, Valium), and the guy went to jail.

Good reader from the WSJ on the current state of the delegate race between Clinton and Obama. It makes the point that the superdelagates aren’t sold on Clinton, so no one should worry that they’ll hand her the nomination. Of course, it’s all moot if Hillary can’t win Texas and Ohio.

WikiTravel features travel tips written by readers. Check out the entry on The Ukraine. Gotta love this:

Don’t expect the border police to treat you in a friendly or even respectful manner, in fact, expect anything ranging from neutral to extremely dickish behavior.

On the plus sides, train fares are extremely cheap!

UPDATE: Oh, and I’ve got to stop referring to “The Ukraine.” It’s just Ukraine.

Nintendo’s going to offer a fitness package complete with some type of electronic sports ball for the Wii. Should sell like hotcakes. You really can work up a sweat playing that thing.