No babbling Brooks ?

I'm always looking for ways to streamline and improve my life, and one step I've adopted lately is to cut way back on the amount of time I spend reading conservative columnists. It's amazing how much time can be saved by simply ignoring every fucking word written by Jonah Goldberg and Charles Krauthammer. Not to mention a whole bunch of unnecessary aggravation.

There's one conservative pundit whose commentary I'll still check out occasionally. David Brooks avoids being as repugnant as most of his colleagues by sometimes writing something that I agree with, or voicing an opinion contrary to the majority right-wing viewpoint. This column is a good example of what I'm talking about.

On false courage

I'm not sure why I enjoy reading the things that Joe Queenan writes, but I do. I stumbled upon him by chance when I found his book about Dan Quayle, Imperial Caddy, on the remainder table at an Austin bookstore, thumbed through it, and decided it would be interesting. I think Queenan appeals to me because he's mastered the art of sarcasm.

At any rate, I came across his essay on the topic of false courage and considered it timely considering its constant exhibitions we see these days.