If you are in need of some mindless amusement, check out this piece in The Los Angeles Times -- it's a review of Blog, by Hugh Hewitt.

In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that Hugh has been a remarkably kind friend and mentor to me. That said, his book is a good one, and deserved more serious treatment than the sloppy condescension emanating from The Los Angeles Times. The review stands yields yet another insight into why Times' circulation is plummeting.

More than anything, it's clear that the reviewer approached his task, not with the idea of critiquing "Blog," but of criticizing it. Aside from the petty slaps directed at Hugh's radio show and political leanings, the biggest criticism this guy can muster is the following: "Hewitt considers the blog revolution in an America-centric fashion that ignores the fact that the Internet is not the sole property of Americans alone."

Whatever. It's a laughably facile criticism to hurl -- he didn't discuss everything; he should have written a different book.

The article is entertaining, however. It's clear that the reviewer's never heard Hugh's show, and has no clue about his personality -- reminiscent of an NPR (I think) clip played on Hugh's show from time to time, identifying the most cerebral (and polite) talk show host on the air as "shock jock Hugh Hewitt."

The best line in the review? The assertion that Hugh's "fanatical fervor leads him down the path of triumphalist bombast." Yep, that's "shock jock" Hugh Hewitt -- a bombastic fanatic. Tee hee.

It only reinforces the message that too many Californians have already: You just can't trust The Los Angeles Times." But it is worth a good laugh.