The good folks at the Advocates for Self-Government reposted a chunk of my USA Today Devil’s Dictionary piece last week. I learned via email this morning that Sharon Harris is retiring after 20 years as the president of the Advocates. Sharon has done great work – she is very savvy and is the incarnation of a […]
Tag Archives | Buffoonery
Reason’s J.D. Tuccille on the D.C. Devil’s Dictionary
Reason’s J.D. Tuccille, the author of the highly-recommended High Desert Barbeque, wrote the following on the USA Today D.C. Devil’s Dictionary piece: ‘Freedom — whatever rulers have not yet benevolently prohibited’ When discussing government, cynicism just can’t go far enough J.D. Tuccille|Apr. 14, 2015 1:51 pm That definition in the headline comes courtesy of occasional […]
My Ribald Speech to the Cogswell Society
I gave a speech last Friday at a luncheon of the Cogswell Society in Washington. This is a group of guys who meet once a month to denounce temperance and everything for which is stands. Several of the members gave humorous presentations at the start of the meeting and I was astounded at the high quality […]
USA Today: My Devil’s Dictionary
USA TODAY April 13, 2015 Tax-time devil’s dictionary of DC lingo by James Bovard Having trouble with the ‘Washingtonese’ around April 15? Look no further for a translation. April 15 is the day each year when Americans are most likely to slander Washington. Unfortunately, the city’s nebulous nomenclature deters citizens from recognizing exactly how well […]
D.C. Template for Spinning Govt. Debacles
Anyone who has relied on the DC subway station in recent years knows that they have become notorious for fires, delays, and lies. This great cartoon from Tom Toles captures the ritual response of government agencies to their debacles – spending more money on public relations campaigns. Local governments may have totally failed to provide […]
TSA – My Terrorist Tendencies Confirmed
The Intercept has a great story this morning with confidential documents revealing the official TSA warning signs. My favorite terrorist giveaway is “excessive complaints about the screening process.” Ya, that was the first trick my Al Qaeda buddies told me about how to finesse airport security prior to wreaking havoc aboard a flight. I […]
Hooligan Demolishing City Hall
Well, at least in theory. The picture to the left is an experiment – I’m playing around to see what I can do with some of my old quotes. I welcome any suggestions – I’m a novice at this type of finagling.