Lileks bleats particularly loudly these days; reading his site is better than taking ipecac if you feel the need to be sick. First, he goes on at length (unbelievable length) about actor Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard)’s statement that space exploration is the height of arrogance before we “get things right” on our own planet. Lileks feels Stewart is foolish to squander the goodwill he earned in his premier role, especially because Lileks admired how he “projected the values of Western Civ into the inky void while confronting the baffling nuances of worlds we have yet to imagine.” Yes, he does love the sound of his own voice. He goes on to suggest that, instead of stopping space exploration, we ban filmmaking and divert the resources to helping the unfortunate. He knows how impeachable an ignorant rant ignoring the value of artistic output is, so descends into some incoherent sputtering in his final paragraphs.

Then, if you still have the stomach to scroll down, you get to this reflection on the Kerry campaign, which seems to distress him because the Democrats are starting to say such cruel cruel things about his beloved President (having gone AWOL from his military obligation etc.) and because they have the temerity to quibble with the new religion of preemptive imperialism and permanent waronterrorism:

I?m waiting for an ad that simply puts the matter plainly: who do you think Al Qaeda wants to win the election? Who do you think will make Syria relax? Who do you think Hezbollah worries about more? Who would Iran want to deal with when it comes to its nuclear program ? Cowboy Bush or ?Send in the bribed French inspectors? Kerry? Which candidate would our enemies prefer?

I take it back. He’s too funny not to read merely because he makes me ill.