or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
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"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
July 02, 2008
Iran Air Flight 655 Shot Down By America 20 Years Ago Today
Iran Air Flight 655 was shot down over the Straight of Hormuz by the USS Vincennes 20 years ago today on July 3, 1988, killing all 290 people aboard, including 66 children.
When asked about the incident soon afterward, then-Vice President George H.W. Bush stated, "I'll never apologize for the United States of America. Ever. I don't care what the facts are."
While the US officially blames Libya for the subsequent bombing of Pan Am 103 in December, 1988, the preponderance of evidence suggests it was carried out by Iran in revenge for Flight 655.
In a strange series of events, the bombing of Pam Am 103 soon led to the death of my high school biology lab partner as well as three other teenagers.
Thanks, human propensity for mindless violence.
—Jonathan Schwarz
Posted at July 2, 2008 06:42 AM
