Everybody's a critic.

So much for two posts a day. Yeah, no such luck. Although, maybe one long post a day is preferable to two. As this blog is still in its nascent stages with (I imagine) very few readers, I'll keep fiddling around with format and whatnot. Any suggestions from my meager readership are encouraged.

So, in actual French news, Royal has taken a hit in the latest Figaro poll. Not that French polls are a decent metric of French public opinion. Still, Sarkozy still holds comfortably onto the biggest chunk of the public with a sizeable lead. I'll write more about the actual election later, as actual Election Day draws nearer.

In the meantime, here's a neat piece from Figaro (in English) about how Internet video is affecting French politics. I'll note that it's still way behind the impact of, say, "macaca" in 2006. The bulk of gaffes and public appeals have been distributed in papers and television. Still, the rise of Bayrou in the last few weeks may have as much to do with his Internet blitz as traditional French indecision.

Disney OKs gay marriage. Good for business = Good for America.

A symbolic reminder of the culture we inhabit. If you have time, you should definitely give it a read and consideration. Would you stop and listen? I'm honestly not sure I would. We're all fixed on our goal to just get through the day that we miss works of unimaginable beauty around us, even when they're right in front of our faces. In other Joshua Bell news, that down-home Indiana boy has gone and won himself the Fisher Prize... a prize that no one has won in three years.

On the topic of cultural expression, here's a NYTimes piece about heckling culture. As criticism has become art sometimes superior to the art itself, have we become so callous that we're more willing to pan than exult? Has the internet turned us into this? I chew on this one quite a bit, because honestly, I'm exactly the snarky, ironic, critical asshole that may be killing creativity, or at least, making a caustic environment for new art. Is there such a thing as smart heckling and dumb heckling? Is the defensive response to heckling simply the result of coddled artists who need a cold dash of reality?

Heckling has a storied history (The Rite of Spring comes to mind), and we need strong criticism to keep established acts in check. Yet, that's exactly the opposite of how heckling works. We heckle no-name bums in comedy clubs, not Dane Cook (though we should). No one who pays hundreds of dollars (or more) to see the Rolling Stones is going to boo them for not playing "Wild Horses." Yet, during this time of unbearable peanut gallery displeasure, creativity seems fertile as ever. The Internet and cheap editing software, which have spawned idiocy on a mass scale, have also spawned a new wave of mash-up culture and small masterpieces. Who's to say that more voices aren't degrading the cultural water, so much as they are creating adversity necessary for any great art? Then again, if Emily Dickinson had posted her weird poetry on LiveJournal, she'd probably take hell for it. (I can see the comments now... "Jesus, more emo poetry bullshit. Cheer up or slit your wrists.") What if it stopped her from going on? Anyways, something for us wise-ass bastards to think about.

David Heimann is traveling to 365 Catholic churches in 365 days. He blogs about it here. A remarkable journey of faith. Worth the read during Holy Week, even for us heathens.

In more hilarious Easter stories... SOYLENT GREEN IS PEEPS. It's the Washington Post Peep Diorama competition. And since it combines three things that I love (the Washington Post, Peeps, and dioramas), it is officially a bag o' dimes. Look at them all, but Soylent Green is #17. Sorry, no direct link.

Giuliani's presidential candidacy better implode soon. He's driving me crazy. Quote to remember:

As for Iran, Mr. Giuliani said that “in the long term,” it might be “more dangerous than Iraq.”

He then casually lumped Iran with Al Qaeda. “Their movement has already displayed more aggressive tendencies by coming here and killing us,” he said.

If America's Mayor becomes America's President, seriously, I quit.

Peter Beinart and Jonah Goldberg talk about Hillary Clinton. Beinart's mic is scratchy, so it gets a little aggravating, but they do get at some important points. Goldberg points out that Hillary is in many ways a "compassionate conservative." (Sadly true.) Beinart points out that Hillary's not an opportunist, but is careful about how she broadcasts her views, and that power-hunger is natural in politicians. Calculation is all good, but thinking back on the mistakes of the Bush White House, it's not entirely clear to me that Hillary Clinton, in the same position, wouldn't have made the same or similar decisions (war in Iraq, Patriot Act, wiretaps, etc.).

CUBS WIN CUBS WIN. Cubs now over .500 for the first time since May 4 last year. Can we stay afloat? Eh, I'm not holding my breath.

Finally, the greatest war movie this side of All Quiet on the Western Front. Yeesh, not even Trejo can save this trainwreck.