I think some rationales for downloading/streaming pass the sniff test better than others. For example, if I have a cable subscription but not DVR, I think streaming a show or even downloading it isn't much different than what the U.S. Supreme Court upheld with "time-shifting" (taping a show on one's VCR) back in the…

Trickster whore?

Fair warning to anyone who hasn't watched them and is considering it: I did, and when I arrived at the end of the fourth episide I realized what a Faustian bargain it really is. I'll be waiting a month now to see the aftermath of a doozy of a cliffhanger.

Ah. I love Selmy and I would have liked to see him continue on with her into Westeros (given that comes to pass), but I guess sacrificing himself atones for his self-perceived sins in failing her family.

I didn't mean to come across as disparaging to him/her… I just notice that same cynicism about American politics a lot around here, and while I understand it and I sympathize, I think it's usually a bit overstated.

I was surprised how long it lasted in the MSM that first week though. John Dickerson over at Slate (who is now also the new host of Face the Nation) had something about it pretty much every day, and it was all in the tone of "this really matters… this is a scandal."

Over on a certain image-sharing site whose name I can't use because it triggers the censor bot (I can say that it starts with an I and ends with an mgur), pics of him being uncomfortably close to various women became a meme. After awhile I decided that's just how he is… I wonder if anyone's even mentioned it to him.

Diamond Joe Biden!

Yeah I wasn't sure if Selmy and Grey Worm die in the books (I'm a filthy casual who hasn't gotten around to reading them, but I devour the wikis as much as I can). I haven't had the courage to check yet.

No, you didn't, but you're aware that it's the president who nominates judges, and while I'd agree the plutocratic elements of the nation's politics are discouraging, the idea that there is absolutely no difference between the only two major political parties can be belied in many ways, and their respective nominees…

Yeah, to look at just one other example, the makeup of the Supreme Court has proven to be so inconsequential.

I think it'll depend on how willing the press will be to continue to carry the GOP's water with the email scandal, and how plugged in the public will otherwise be to if it's really the firing offense the GOP wants to make it out to be.

I thought that Cersi backing them was undeveloped. In the books isn't it because the crown owes the sept money, and it's the High Sparrow's idea to forgive the debt in return for reinstating the Faith Militant? In the show (so far) there's no real indication why Cersi backs his ascension, other than she's desperate to…

They look fine to me. I'll rewatch them in high def, but it's not a deal-breaker.

I was thrilled to see when Jaqen revealed himself. The one downside for me is that episode 4 ended on that cliffhanger, and now it's a month before I'll get the next fix. Faustian bargain.

As someone who grew up around mostly (smug) Cards fans and works with mostly (smug) Cards fans, but is not himself a Cards fan, this warms my black little heart.

Irrelevant or not, that's one interesting article, and I think said dashing young linguist has a bright future ahead of him.

Typo. We've already been over this.

I empathize. What George Carlin said about how "If you scratch a cynic, you’ll find a disappointed idealist" has always hit home for me. I'm disappointed, and it's hard not to be cynical. I just think with time and perspective a lot of progressives who are critical of Obama and his administration now are eventually…

Ah, Garvey. We just left the Harlem Renaissance and the era that followed (1940 to 1960, in which the so-called Wright-Ellison-Baldwin triangle dominates in the literary histories). We're getting ready to enter the Black Arts Era (roughly 1960 to 1975) once the students come back from Spring Break. I had them read…