Illustration by Eric @ Classical Values
It never ceases to amaze me what a quote machine we have in Instapundit (aka Glenn Reynolds). The man rolls out more memorable one-liners in a day than the President of the United States has managed to do in.... well, his whole life to date.
Some people think this is easy to do.... until they try it day in and day out year after year. They usually fade somewhere before noon on day one.
Giving the pith and giving the gag and whipping the quip are talents that are both God-given and self-generated through discipline and a playful habit of mind. Here's a selection from the current page of the last two and a half days of postings.
He's been rolling like this for ten years now. An amazing performance by any standards.
Just remember: You can’t live a million years if you don’t make it through the next twenty or thirty.
THEY TOLD ME IF I VOTED FOR JOHN MCCAIN WE’D SEE ENDLESS WAR. AND THEY WERE RIGHT! US troops may stay in Afghanistan until 2024.
The GOP doesn’t work the press well. Part of that is learned helplessness, but part of it is ineptitude.
Ordinary vacations are for the little people.
BEWARE THE BEARS. Make ‘em into rugs, as an example to the others.
CAN DRIVERLESS POD CARS solve the “last mile” problem? I dunno, but you’re gonna need a better name than “pod cars,” which sounds like transportation for “pod people.”
WHO IS BEHIND THE U.S “DAY OF RAGE” AGAINST WALL STREET? The usual suspects. But if they’re not burning Barack Obama and Tim Geithner in effigy, then they’re not really angry at Wall Street and its tools, they’re just putting on a show.
FROM LINGERIE MODEL to NASCAR driver. Well, either way you have a lot of male fans.
THIS YEAR’S BACK-TO-SCHOOL TREND: Higher Prices.
Obama’s attacks hurt his likability, which at this point is all he’s got left.
Posted by Vanderleun at August 20, 2011 3:01 PM
We remain awed by the professor. We are not worthy, but that will not keep us from trying.
Posted by: Michael Gersh at August 20, 2011 3:55 PMAll hail The Prince Of Pith! Then do the laundry.
Posted by: David McKinnis at August 20, 2011 5:47 PMGagdad Bob is his stand in.
Posted by: Jewel at August 20, 2011 5:50 PMWhen the inventors of Twitter were coming up with their idea, they must have used Instapundit as the standard.
Posted by: Jewel at August 21, 2011 12:45 AM"THEY TOLD ME IF I VOTED FOR JOHN MCCAIN WE’D SEE ENDLESS WAR. AND THEY WERE RIGHT!"
I knew a Staff Sergeant who once told me, "They said that if I voted for Goldwater, I'd be drafted and sent off to Vietnam. I did and, sure as sh*t, I was."
Posted by: BillT at August 21, 2011 11:37 AMWell, just look at the material with which Glenn has to work. The Left hands it to him. He just molds it to fit the moment; that's the only difficult part.
Posted by: Peccable at August 21, 2011 12:11 PMUnderstatement and restraint are definitely two of his best features. Because of them, he passes on too obvious lines. Like his post today:
ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: Where is Monica Lewinsky now?
Possible comment: With fellacious headlines on Yahoo such as "Unsung heroes of Libya war", you have to ask?
Posted by: ken at August 22, 2011 6:10 PM
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