The White Report

I can understand why Lions for Lambs, Robert Redford’s recent movie, received mixed reviews; in fact, I can completely understand why many people would hate it. It is incredibly preachy. Around one-third of the film shows a Republican senator (Tom Cruise’s character) preaching at a veteran reporter (Meryl Streep’s character) in backing the administration’s war [...]

There is an old joke that starts by asking you, “Have you stopped beating your wife yet?” Whether you answer yes or no it sounds like you are admitting to being a wife beater. It’s a practical joke based on the use of an implicit premise - that you beat your wife. The technique is [...]