Negotiation and compromise are only possible with civilized people, because on the civilized can understand the concept of sacrificing something now for something better later. It is a triumph of virtue and imagination. Savages are of course, a different story.

"It is difficult to deal with terrorism through non-violence," the Tibetan spiritual leader said delivering the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture here.

He termed terrorism as the worst kind of violence which is not carried by a few mad people but by those who are very brilliant and educated.

"They (terrorists) are very brilliant and educated...but a strong ill feeling is bred in them. Their minds are closed," the Dalai Lama said.

The Dalai Lama enlightens us to the modern nature of savages. Brutes yes. Unsophisticated? No.

Now I know why I feel like a Roman watching the Visigoths sack the city...

Britney Spear's career resurrection required a little something extra, and since its clearly not talent, her "people" instead relied on what worked in the past--controversy.

If that doesn’t spell trouble, then pay a little more attention to Britney’s snappy lyric, as she claims “All of the boys and all of the girls are begging to If You Seek Amy.” This lyric doesn’t make any grammatical sense, until you read it phonetically. She’s spelling out the F-bomb.

That's it? Sounds like she's reformed if anything, considering that the last controversial thing she did was flash her genitalia for the paparazzi. Frankly, I think a return to innuendo would be a good sign for the culture right now. Have you listened to any rap music lately? Innuendo is infinitely preferable to frontal assault.

In making his concession speech, Democratic governor Jon Corzine was consoling his followers when he said, “My mother is probably the only one that’s happy tonight. She’s a Republican. She’s 93 years old so, we’re not going to worry too much about that.”

The line got a big laugh.

h/t Stephanie Guttman

PETA harasses and threatens a figure skater.

"All these crazy fur people. Security-wise, to stay in a hotel would be very difficult. There have been threats against me. I didn't want to get hurt."

Off to Guantanamo with them...