This sequence of headlines in
This sequence of headlines in my My Yahoo! says a lot:
I commented on the firing earlier. Here's the Daily Mirror's site, which is very NY Post-like.This sequence says a lot, too:
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March 2003 Archives
March 31, 2003
The confusing sexual politics of
The confusing sexual politics of Italy: the national government encourages getting busy in a new public make-out parking lot in Vinci (which Leonardo probably would have frequented), as long as you are straight.
Peter Jackson is taking on
Peter Jackson is taking on another movie remake that sounds like it could be a disaster of schlock, but I just know (or actually just really hope) he'll pull it off: King Kong.
Michael Moore's next movie may
Michael Moore's next movie may be about the B*sh/bin L*den connection, and America since 9/11.
The world's best Saddam Hussein
The world's best Saddam Hussein impersonator (except for the ones Saddam employs) has called it quits. War just isn't funny anymore, he says.
They've been doing it forever,
They've been doing it forever, but it's getting worse lately: record companies are purposely slipping (or wedging) corporate product tie-ins into their music videos, and (maybe this part is new) the corporations themselves are paying for it. MTV can blur a logo on a t-shirt, but they can't erase a Hummer. There seems to be a bit of naivete, blissful ignorance, irony, or even hypocrisy on MTV's resistant reaction to such videos. I guess it's because although MTV may be willing to admit that everything is an ad, they want to be the only ones profiting from it. (Don't forget, for example, that they take money from the companies who furnish Real World sets, and provided those Land Rovers to the kids on the fraternity show.)
My man Peter Arnett has
My man Peter Arnett has been fired from NBC and MSNBC for remarks he made over the weekend on Iraqi TV: "The first war plan has failed because of Iraqi resistance. Now they are trying to write another war plan." I guess saying that sort of thing on the state-owned television network of the enemy isn't the best idea. National Geographic canned him, too. Cover the story, don't become the story.
Long way down, Pete. You blew it.
Our prez has changed the
Our prez has changed the policy on people seeking asylum for other countries, so that if they come from Iraq or 32 other countries, they are automatically detained while their application is reviewed. The problem is, no one is revealing what those 32 countries are, and it often takes 6 months for applications to be reviewed. "It's clearly ironic that on the eve of a war to liberate the Iraqi people, we are telling people that those fleeing tyranny there will be deprived of their liberty for extended periods when they arrive here," says one human rights lawyer. [nyt]
March 30, 2003
Sorry I didn't find this
Sorry I didn't find this a week ago...Here's video of Michael Moore, in the Oscars press room, explaining his speech. He basically says that everyone who voted for him knew he'd speak out, that his book is a best seller and he figured it would be "irresponsible" not to represent those people in his speech, and he says he loves America and filmmaking. He also says he warned his fellow nominees that he was going to speak out, but they all joined him on stage anyway. [RealPlayer or Windows Media Player required.]
Some interesting stuff on this
Some interesting stuff on this week's On the Media on NPR: Lengthy segment discussing how our show, 24, has been mirroring reality this season. Of particular interest to the OTM folks: how one episode slipped in a reference to the interrogators at Gu*ntanamo. It was the show's first explicit acknowledgement of 9/11 (Amy can correct me if I'm wrong). [scroll down to "Life Imitates Art" section.]
Another segment on the show discusses the "brand-naming" of military operations, such as "Operation: Desert Storm" and the terrible "Operation: Ir*qi Freedom". When I first heard "Ir*qi Freedom", its obviousness made me cringe. Now, however, I realize that it is just yet another example of how our prez absolutely lacks any subtlety whatsoever, and always makes explicit and stupid those things that used to be implicit and smart. It seems the thought process must have gone, "The American people won't understand/buy the stated goal of this war unless we actually name the operation after that goal." When Desert Storm occurred, I read an article that said that operational names came from a two-column list: the first column was used for the first word, and the second column for the second word, so there was a modicum of artfulness involved in choosing two words that went together well and suggested the goal of the operation. Everyone loved "Desert Storm", everyone hates "Ir*qi Freedom". (See "Wordsmiths of War" on the OTM page.)
Relatedly, here's a long list of recent military operations (and their names) from FAS.org, lots of which I had never heard of.
Gary Hart has a blog.
I mentioned it in advance
I mentioned it in advance the other day, and now it's fact: The Big Dig tunnel opened yesterday in Boston. I never thought it would happen.
Corruption at the MTA. The
Corruption at the MTA. The lead investigator "contends that the corruption has cost the agency millions of dollars and threatens to undermine efforts to protect the transit system from terrorism." Maybe that's why fares went up 50 cents?
John Updike reviews the new
John Updike reviews the new DeLillo in the New Yorker.
Also, ADM reviews the new Updike in Amy's Robot: It sucks, and you didn't even write it yet.
Looks like R*msfeld has gotten
Looks like R*msfeld has gotten himself in some hot water: according to the NYer, six times he over-ruled advice from his generals to put more soldiers on the ground in Iraq. This doesn't sound too good: "A former intelligence official [said] the war was now a stalemate. Much of the supply of Tomahawk cruise missiles has been expended, aircraft carriers were going to run out of precision guided bombs and there were serious maintenance problems with tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment." Well, actually, Rummy hasn't gotten himself into hot water, he's gotten 300,000 American soldiers in hot water.
March 29, 2003
Keith Olbermann, whose comings-and-goings we've
Keith Olbermann, whose comings-and-goings we've been following for a while here on the 'Bot, is returning to MSNBC. Who is he replacing? Phil Donahue. Wasn't Jesse Ventura supposed to replace him? Ah, MSNBC, you remain directionless. Here's what I think: I think MSNBC should hire Jon Stewart.
Smoking ban starts tonight. American
Smoking ban starts tonight. American Journal of Public Health says that after a while, most people prefer the change, even if they resisted it at first. You can find your intrepid Amy's Robot Health Desk reporters monitoring the smokeless revolution tonight at McHale's in Hell's Kitchen.
Interesting article in today's Boston
Interesting article in today's Boston Globe about political feelings on the war entering the workplace: people are getting fired for missing work because of protests, and one woman was even fired (from Genzyme) for protesting a fellow employee's cubicle signs endorsing the war.
History as it happens: terrific
History as it happens: terrific report from Government Executive magazine on the genesis of the war plan, and what's happened to it since. [via the amazing defensetech.org, which everybody should bookmark right now.]
Update on a story we've
Update on a story we've been following: Halliburton is out of the running for the largest scale of the Iraqi reconstruction projects, although they already have the firefighting/repair contract for the oil fields. The winner of the contract will be chosen by US AID.
There is another angle on this story you sort of have to be a (former) Bostonian to notice: one of the remaining finalists is Bechtel, which is the lead contractor on Boston's grotesquely mismanaged Big Dig project. The head of US AID, Andrew Natsios, was the head of the Big Dig for about 2 years. (By most accounts he did a good job, but I thought I should note it.) Also worth noting, while we're on the topic, is that the Big Dig tunnel opens this weekend, after a 13-year-wait.
The German architect of Saddam's
The German architect of Saddam's bunker says it'll take a nuclear bomb to penetrate it. He says even if we dropped a Hiroshima-like bomb on it, the bunker would survive.
March 28, 2003
Here's a weird grudge match:
Here's a weird grudge match: Chris Rock vs. Matt Drudge. Here's the Drudge post that started the fracas.
The Pentagon has expelled a
The Pentagon has expelled a reporter from Iraq for the first time. Phillip Smucker, working for the Christian Science Monitor, was asked to leave after revealing too-specific information about his location with the troops. [via romenesko]
Ebert gives Basic (which reunites
Ebert gives Basic (which reunites Pulp Fiction duo Travolta and Samuel Jackson) an unusual one star. In the process, Ebert identifies a genre called "The Jerk-Around Movie." If the radio ads I've been hearing for the movie are any indication, it may suck even worse than Ebert says. The narrator of the ad, apparently quoting some nameless reviewer, intones, "John Travolta proves once again he is one of America's best actors." WHAT? Has anyone noticed that JT has made exactly two decent movies in the last 25 years? (Versus three decent movies before then.) Besides, I thought Sony had sworn off made-up reviews. Meanwhile, Ebert gives Core, starring our indie cross-over buddy Aaron Eckhart, 2.5 stars,
I just heard this one
I just heard this one on 1010 WINS, too: A Columbia professor has caused a controversy by calling for "a million Mogadishus" in Iraq, referring to the dragging, dismemberment, and torture of American soldiers in Somalia a few years ago. He made these remarks IN FRONT OF THREE THOUSAND PEOPLE. Their response? Scary: "De Genova's hopes for the defeat of the United States were cheered by the crowd...at the Wednesday night anti-war teach-in"
The mysterious SARS virus has
The mysterious SARS virus has shown up in NYC -- apparently 5 people have it, having picked it up in Asia. Here's the official info from the Department of Health.
Don't forget that the health division of Amy's Robot has analyzed the SARS genome and determined how it is spread.
Other signs that the war
Other signs that the war isn't going well: I heard on 1010 WINS that one cadre of our soldiers in Iraq is getting only 1 meal a day because the supply lines haven't caught up to them yet. I'll see if I can find confirmation of that story. Update: here's the confirmation. Also: The U.S. military officers said that use of gas-guzzling armored vehicles had been restricted to save diesel. Items like batteries for radios are also limited and soldiers and Marines have been told to conserve the ones they have.
"The enemy we're fighting is
"The enemy we're fighting is different from the one we'd war-gamed against." Those words may be the most concise summary of the war so far. They just showed up in the paper this morning, and they're already famous. Well, who did they War Game against? Matthew Broderick? Ally Sheedy? Here's the original WP article containing the candid comments. The angry reaction from the White House has already started.
March 27, 2003
NYC's new version of the
NYC's new version of the old Penn Station will be named after Daniel Patrick Moynihan. That's one blow against the presumed drives to rename things after Rudy*. Hurray for old timey liberals.
*I love America. Don't arrest me.
There's so much good stuff
There's so much good stuff on IMDB's gossip page today, I'm just going to refer you there. Everything after the first blurb (about Renee Z) is interesting: Tim Robbins gets mad at the WP's Lloyd Grove, The Angelina Jolie Oscar Dress Heist was a hoax, Barbra Streisand lamely released the political speech she "planned" to make at the Oscars, Britney signs up for Will & Grace, and Guy Ritchie is attempting to salvage his dumb Madonna movie by adding more naked footage of her to the DVD release.
Related to ADM's post about
Related to ADM's post about Kurdish refugees watching satellite TV, here's Secam bringing high-speed internet to some lucky people in the middle of nowhere in India.
For everyone who thought they
For everyone who thought they would be able to keep smoking in the bars in Grand Central, because it's owned by NY State and not the City, think again.
A new, even softer side
A new, even softer side of Sears. Now you can't buy a garbage can there anymore, and they're building up their clothes department even more, but shoppers still go there expecting washing machines and blenders.
You probably heard that Al
You probably heard that Al Jazeera's English site (don't expect site to work) was hit with a Denial Of Service attack (on its first day) and earlier today was hacked and defaced, but it appears now that Uruklink, the official website of Iraq, has also been, as they say, 0wned. [via defensetech.org]
Can't keep track of all
Can't keep track of all those witty and almost-witty slogans at recent peace rallies? This guy has a compendium of them.
One of my political heroes,
One of my political heroes, Pat Moynihan, died. Good obit. I wonder if Hillary will live up to him.
BankBoston, a bank with stong
BankBoston, a bank with stong ties to South America and me, was bombed in Chile yesterday.
Word of advice to friends
Word of advice to friends of Snoop Dogg: if you hate a gangster like Suge Knight, don't call up ole Snoop and leave a message on his machine telling him so. The message might wind up on an album, and you might end up in fear for your life.
Tom Brokaw's heir-apparent, the smart
Tom Brokaw's heir-apparent, the smart and capable Brian Williams, was almost shot out of the sky in Iraq. [via medianews]
Reuters diagram of US soldier's
Pretty riveting account in the
Pretty riveting account in the NYT of some American soliders caught in a gun fight with Iraqi soldiers disguised as civilians. Also good: this slideshow of recent events.
Clooney & Soderbergh have announced
Clooney & Soderbergh have announced their next producing project: the film debut of another member of their traveling love-fest, Don Cheadle. Other movie news: the release date of Spider-Man 2 has been pushed back to July 2004, due to Tobey's injury. (At least he's staying in the role.)
In other Spidey news, police in south Florida have arrested a thief who, like Spiderman, scaled a high-rise building and who, unlike Spiderman, stole some jewelry. Sound familiar? The case recalls a similar series of 80 burglaries committed in the early 90s in Florida by a burglar nicknamed "Spider-Man" who (I think) turned out to be a lanky former Marine.
NYT discusses war coverage from
NYT discusses war coverage from some unexpected media outlets like People magazine and Rolling Stone, who have embedded journalists.
Babak sent in this picture,
Babak sent in this picture, from the NYT, of a family of Kurdish refugees watching satellite TV at their campsite. The pic says a lot about the modern world, and the apparently forgiving nature of analog satellite antennas.
March 26, 2003
Quick article on the status
Quick article on the status of various missing/presumed dead journalists in Iraq, including ITN's Terry Lloyd and some guys from New York Newsday. A total of four journalists were killed during GW1.
Our friend Matt the Virologist
Our friend Matt the Virologist has sent us the genome sequence for the coronavirus the nearest-known relative of the mysterious pneumonia-like SARS virus that is mysteriously killing people.
I studied it carefully, and found a clue that seems to indicate how the virus is spread.
This is another in a series of virus genomes we've posted here on the 'Bot.
When it comes to how
When it comes to how the world sees America, this photo says it all.
I heard about this in
I heard about this in the faculty room today: a teacher at a Catholic school in Bergen County was forced by his administration to remove a button that said "War is Not the Answer". Rather than comply, he quit. I guess no one in the administration there is concerned with repeated messages from THE POPE stating exactly the same thing. The principal's explanation? "I encourage teaching that (anti-war) point of view because it is a teaching of the church," Fusco said. "I just feel a button is not a vehicle to teach." What if a student or teacher wore a crucifix pin?
This has been blogged elsewhere,
This has been blogged elsewhere, including by the competition, but it's too good to leave out: a report from the Vanity Fair Oscar party. Lots of great tidbits. To wit:
In was being nice. As when Janet Jackson was overheard asking Alana Stewart if Rod Stewart was her father. (Ms. Stewart is Mr. Stewart's ex-wife and was by all reports flattered by the question.) Or The New Yorker writer Susan Orlean and Meryl Streep hugging and chatting.Also included: how Adrien Brody got his tan.Out was being rude, as when the talent agent Ed Limato threw a cocktail at Richard Johnson. Two olives bounced off Mr. Johnson's nose. Mr. Johnson, who writes Page Six for The New York Post, said that Mr. Limato was angry about an item he had written about Mel Gibson.
The Supreme Court, right now
The Supreme Court, right now in the year 2003, is considering whether bans on consensual gay sex can exist. Obviously they should: otherwise the terrorists have won.
In case you're wondering, here's the current state of sodomy laws in America: Of the 13 states with sodomy laws, four (Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri) prohibit ''deviate sexual intercourse,'' or oral and anal sex, between same-sex couples. The other nine ban consensual sodomy for everyone: Alabama, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and Virginia. How many states have you broken the law in?
NY Press reports on New
NY Press reports on New York's 50 Most Loathsome People, and are incredible bitches about it. The list is based on reader votes, but remember people: only New Yorkers can appear on the list, so Ben Affleck doesn't really count. But Carson Daly does.
Liechtenstein is available for rent
Liechtenstein is available for rent to corporations, who will be able to use its hotels and buildings, and temporarily re-brand them with their own logos.
Aaron Eckhart on being a
Aaron Eckhart on being a Mormon, being an indie actor, and on selling out. Quote: "I can be mediocre just like the next guy."
March 25, 2003
I try to mention it
I try to mention it when it happens: the NY Post and the NY Daily News had the same covers today.
Kakutani on new Delillo. She
Kakutani on new Delillo. She doesn't like. [nyt, via babak]
Follow-up to my Halliburton post
Follow-up to my Halliburton post the other day: Halliburton has won the firefighting contract for the Iraqi oil fields. Beautiful. Here's the official press release.
Service Announcement: the Michael Moore
Service Announcement: the Michael Moore mp3, which seems to be popular today, is below, in Sunday's post. [tx babak & fimoculous]
CourtTV is producing a few
CourtTV is producing a few documentaries based on Barry Scheck's Innocence Project, which has freed a lot of people from death row. Also, they're working on some specials based on our favorite source for legal news, The Smoking Gun.
Interesting piece on TV Barn
Interesting piece on TV Barn arguing that retired military officers should not be consultants for TV war coverage. The author is seconding comments made by Michael Moore at the Independent Spirit Awards.
You heard about the mine-hunting
You heard about the mine-hunting dolphins already? Here's a picture.
Michael Moore wrote a letter
Michael Moore wrote a letter to Roger Ebert's Movie Answer Man column. The letter refutes some suggestions Ebert made that the movie isn't entirely accurate/transparent.
NYC has unveiled its new
NYC has unveiled its new non-emergency citizen service phone number. It used to be that you were supposed to call 911 if, say, you saw a burned-out street light or a rat stuck in a tree or something. Now, finally, we have 311. Use it responsibly, people.
Our juicy-assed friend Renee Zellweger
Our juicy-assed friend Renee Zellweger was supposed to perform live at the Oscars but, according to NY Post's Page Six, got stage fright and backed out.
The French really do love
The French really do love Jerry Lewis...so much so that a Lewis impersonator was able to get through to French PM Jacques Chirac. The conversation was broadcast live on a radio morning show. Lewis himself is so pissed, he's suing.
Yeah yeah, war, whatever, but
Yeah yeah, war, whatever, but Dude, it's SPRING BREAK! Article on hubris of US college students in Cancun, and details on the new jail that had to be built around the resorts to contain all the publicly indecent drunk college kids.
The girls of tATu really
The girls of tATu really do have sex with each other. No really! For real!
More Oscars: Once again, Cintra
More Oscars:
Once again, Cintra Wilson brings us the super-duper-mean recap of the awards (watch the short ad to read the whole thing), but makes some good points, particularly in her wonderment on how Renee ever got that part in Chicago, what with her protruding collar bones and mysteriously misplaced bust that she had nicely developed for Bridget Jones.
Also: what's with the no interviews on the red carpet on E!? As Chris said, if they take away our red carpet interviews, the terrorists have won.
Big ups to Weird Al Yankovic for showing up to collect Eminem's Oscar for him.
Michael Moore is such a crazy old leftist, who was clearly so wound up about having the biggest audience he's ever had in his life that he just about completely blew the moment.
Overall, this year was the Oscars That Were Marginally Less Offensive Than Last Year's. Everyone looked...nice. J. Lo even looked respectable, but revealed herself to be the ghetto skank that she is when she said "moun'ains" with a total Bronx glottal stop.
And thanks to Aquafina for the total shout-out to me and my friends in 10th grade for using "Pure" by the Lightning Seeds in their ad. And the Academy's shout-out by giving the Best Animated Feature to Spirited Away. Thanks, dudes.
March 24, 2003
So yeah, the Oscars. One
So yeah, the Oscars. One introductory note: you might have been surprised, as ADM and I were, that Susan Sarandon didn't make any anti-war or political commentary while she introduced her awards, but that might be because she was out protesting at the LA march against the war on Saturday: here's a photo of her and other protesters, wearing her "What Would Jesus Bomb?" t-shirt. Some coverage here (as well as some surprising comments by other celebs) of war/anti-war events at the Oscars.
March 23, 2003
So the Oscars. Intrepidly, (for
So the Oscars. Intrepidly, (for those of you who weren't keeping track) I brought them to you in progress.
Now, it's all over, and everybody's happy. Except Scorcese, I guess, who didn't win anything. Good night, world.
- They're about to give Chicago the Best Picture, right? Yep. Celebrate the inevitable! Celebrate the mediocre!
- Look, they trotted out ole Kirk Douglas again. Wow, Hollywood is so compassionate.
- No way did I think Roman Polanski was going to win. No way. Too bad he raped that girl.
- Pedro Almodovar wins for screenplay! Wow, another big surprise, and he even squeezed in a mild pro-peace speech.
- The Pianist wins for best adapted. Doesn't it take more talent to do what Charlie Kaufman did? Wasn't his screenplay far more inventive? Yes. But. If the Academy were smarter, I would say that it was the last third of Adaptation which lost him the award. Instead, I have to think it was the first two thirds.
- Guess whose name comes after the following intro: "...It's one of America's favorite actors!!" Can you guess who it is? That's right, America: your favorite actor (according to the Oscar announcer) is Richard Gere. Give me a break. This reminds me of last year when they announced J Lo as one of America's "most glamorous" actresses. If you have to say it, it isn't true.
- Wow, they're really going to go through this 59-person roll call of extant Oscar winners. Oh my god, this is the most self-indulgent thing I have ever seen in my life. People, it's a school night. Please. Everything is moving in slow motion. I can't take it anymore! Is this what they're doing to Iraqi POWs? I'll tell you everything...please just make it stop........please just make it stop.......... please just make it stop........... please just make it stop.......... please just make it stop.......... please just make it stop............. please just make it stop.......... please just make it stop...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzzz.............. What else is on? Oh, Stargate SG-1? Awesome.
- So Nicole wins Actress. Had to happen sometime. She can't think of what to say, but she mentions Russell!! That must make his new bride happy. Why isn't anyone preparing any speeches tonight? Why isn't anyone just saying "thank you" tonight? She's offering excuses for coming to the Oscars instead of staying home and watching CNN. Blah, blah, blah, ramble, ramble, ramble. Is there any more ice cream in the freezer?
- Hurray for Eminem and his slacker buddy who forgot to get dressed up. I guess this means he won't be singing tonight. Oh well.
- Adrien Brody -- from happy to sad in just a few long minutes. Now, strike up the band! Congratulations, Adrien. Go make some bad movies.
- Lots of famous people in the Dead People Montage this year. Usually you've never heard of 1/2 of them, or it's people who you thought died 20 years ago. This year, it's biggies: Rosemary Clooney, James Coburn, Milton Berle, Billy Wilder, etc. Ok, I thought Billy Wilder was already dead, too. [Oh -- Steve just made a similar joke. "Next year, we'll have a montage for people you think are dead but aren't."]
- No anti-war speech from Susan Sarandon. Maybe the boos for MM intimidated her?
- Conrad Hall won for cinematography, even though he's dead. At least we won't have to sit through a long and tiresome speech like we had to when he won for American Beauty.God bless Michael Moore! God bless freedom of speech! God bless America!! MM just got booed as he nervously attacked our Prez as "fictitious". Probably the fastest transition in public speaking history from standing ovation to boos. Here's an mp3 of his speech [338 kb].
- When was the last time you laughed during the host's opening monologue? Steve Martin is automatically funny.
- Amy wants to know, Is Eminem there? Unless it's a surprise, I don't think so.
- Didn't you get the impression that J Lo's appearance was treated with less fanfare than usual? Maybe she's dressing more conservatively b/c she's afraid of Lil' Kim.
- Hurray for Catherine and Latifah getting up there and singing live. Amy has more on that.
- WHAT WAS WITH THAT MICKEY MOUSE BULLSHIT. Oh that shameless ABC self-promotion was horrifying, out of place, clumsy, and bad. Shame on you Jennifer Garner.
- Hey Sean Connery, how come you stole your tux from Mickey Mouse? [Steve says, "He's wearing 'Red Lobster'"]
- This whole evening is even more ignorantly self-congratulatory than ever. All these movies suck.
- It hasn't turned into a night for activist actors yet -- maybe because of all the canned patriotic montages. Do they get more meaningful if you keep repeating them? Must be.
- It's Caetano Veloso! It's Caetano Veloso! Singing in English, which some people don't like as much. The first celebrity to advocate peace at the Oscars? Frida Kahlo, as channeled by the star of Y Tu Mama Tambien. Doesn't matter that she's long dead...Salma cheers on wildly.
- Hilary Swank is starting to look like Julia Roberts.
Guess what company is uniquely
Guess what company is uniquely positioned to profit from the post-war rebuilding of Iraq? That's right, it's Halliburton, the company Dick Cheney was CEO of before he became our Vice-CEO.
Prime Suspect, starring Helen Mirren
Prime Suspect, starring Helen Mirren (who used to be pretty hot) is returning to TV. And, Liz Taylor (who used to be hot, too) is thinking of tonight's Oscars as her "farewell to acting".
March 22, 2003
Ted Rall, controversial editorial cartoonist,
Ted Rall, controversial editorial cartoonist, has issued a stinging rebuke of our prez and "the moronic majority" -- the 51% of American who believe, without cause, that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11. Rall says that once the hype is over, "Like stupid Americans before them (those wh