Once you get past the silliness of the NYTimes, Time Mag-a-Rag, and the gobbledygook MSM in general, you should take a look at this blog entry from The New Liturgical Movement.
So happens that this is THE reason Benedict XVI is in Turkey.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The NYTimes, the Pope, and Turkey in the EU
Give me credit: I didn't write "Turkey in the Straw."
There's good reason to believe that the NYTimes' telling of the Pope's alleged remarks on Turkish membership in the EU is not completely accurate.
Get over your shock, folks.
The Pope's last public comments on Turkey's aspirations for EU membership were made in September 2004, when he was speaking not as Roman Pontiff but as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. At that time, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro he remarked that Turkey's Islamic culture put the country "in permanent contrast to Europe." To date, he explained, the European Union has been composed of nations that share a common Christian cultural background. Expanding the EU to include Turkey, he said, "would mean a loss of richness, the disappearance of the cultural for the benefit of the economic."
Now he becomes Pope and is about to travel to Turkey.
As he prepared for this week's visit, and questions about EU membership were raised again and again, his silence became conspicuous.
Was there any hint about the Vatican's position on Turkey's application, then? Yes, there was.
On November 27, the day before the Pope began his visit, the director of the Vatican press office addressed the issue directly, in an interview with Turkish journalists. Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, said since that Turkey's application was a political issue, the Holy See would not take a stand. However, he added, it would make sense for Turkey to join the EU, if— and note this condition carefully— if the Turkish government met the usual standards for EU membership, on questions such as human rights and religious freedom.
That part in red--you didn't see that in the NYTimes account, right? But it occurs to you that the language is significant, right?
Just hours after Father Lombardi made that statement, the Pope reportedly told Prime Minister Erdogan that although the Vatican will not take any formal stand, he would "wish for Turkey’s entry into the EU." If he did make such a statement— and remember, we have only Erdogan's word for it— the Pontiff would certainly not have made it unconditionally. Consistent with the statements he has made and the policies he has followed throughout his pontificate, he would have added the same sort of conditional clause that Father Lombardi had used, insisting on Turkish adherence to European norms on human rights. The Turkish premier, in all likelihood, was passing along only a portion of the Pope's message.
And of course, B-16 did not contradict the Prime Minister on the spot.
HT: Jumping Without a Chute
There's good reason to believe that the NYTimes' telling of the Pope's alleged remarks on Turkish membership in the EU is not completely accurate.
Get over your shock, folks.
The Pope's last public comments on Turkey's aspirations for EU membership were made in September 2004, when he was speaking not as Roman Pontiff but as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. At that time, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro he remarked that Turkey's Islamic culture put the country "in permanent contrast to Europe." To date, he explained, the European Union has been composed of nations that share a common Christian cultural background. Expanding the EU to include Turkey, he said, "would mean a loss of richness, the disappearance of the cultural for the benefit of the economic."
Now he becomes Pope and is about to travel to Turkey.
As he prepared for this week's visit, and questions about EU membership were raised again and again, his silence became conspicuous.
Was there any hint about the Vatican's position on Turkey's application, then? Yes, there was.
On November 27, the day before the Pope began his visit, the director of the Vatican press office addressed the issue directly, in an interview with Turkish journalists. Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, said since that Turkey's application was a political issue, the Holy See would not take a stand. However, he added, it would make sense for Turkey to join the EU, if— and note this condition carefully— if the Turkish government met the usual standards for EU membership, on questions such as human rights and religious freedom.
That part in red--you didn't see that in the NYTimes account, right? But it occurs to you that the language is significant, right?
Just hours after Father Lombardi made that statement, the Pope reportedly told Prime Minister Erdogan that although the Vatican will not take any formal stand, he would "wish for Turkey’s entry into the EU." If he did make such a statement— and remember, we have only Erdogan's word for it— the Pontiff would certainly not have made it unconditionally. Consistent with the statements he has made and the policies he has followed throughout his pontificate, he would have added the same sort of conditional clause that Father Lombardi had used, insisting on Turkish adherence to European norms on human rights. The Turkish premier, in all likelihood, was passing along only a portion of the Pope's message.
And of course, B-16 did not contradict the Prime Minister on the spot.
HT: Jumping Without a Chute
Family Influence on Sexual Orientation
Here's an interesting and well-founded study.
...from the peer reviewed Journal, Archives of Sexual Behavior, that indicates that lack of a healthy family environment during a child’s upbringing seems to lead to increased occurrence of same sex attraction dysfunction.
The study used a population-based sample of 2,000,355 native-born Danes between the ages of 18 and 49. Denmark — a country noted for its tolerance of a wide variety of alternative lifestyles, including homosexual partnerships — was the first country to legalize gay marriage. The researchers assessed detailed marriage records for all Danish-born men and women marrying a same-sex partner from the years 1989 through 2001.
With access to the “virtually complete registry coverage of the entire Danish population,” the study sample therefore lacked the problematic selection bias that has plagued many previous studies on sexual orientation.
Some conclusions:
Men who marry homosexually are more likely to have been raised in a family with unstable parental relationships — particularly, absent or unknown fathers and divorced parents.
Findings on women who marry homosexually were less pronounced, but were still associated with a childhood marked by a broken family. The rates of same-sex marriage “were elevated among women who experienced maternal death during adolescence, women with short duration of parental marriage, and women with long duration of mother-absent cohabitation with father.”
Men and women with “unknown fathers” were significantly less likely to marry a person of the opposite sex than were their peers with known fathers.
Men who experienced parental death during childhood or adolescence “had significantly lower heterosexual marriage rates than peers whose parents were both alive on their 18th birthday. The younger the age of the father’s death, the lower was the likelihood of heterosexual marriage.”
“The shorter the duration of parental marriage, the higher was the likelihood of homosexual marriage…homosexual marriage rates were 36% and 26% higher among men and women, respectively, who experienced parental divorce after less than six years of marriage, than among peers whose parents remained married for all 18 years of childhood and adolescence.”
“Men whose parents divorced before their 6th birthday were 39% more likely to marry homosexually than peers from intact parental marriages.”
“Men whose cohabitation with both parents ended before age 18 years had significantly (55% -76%) higher rates of homosexual marriage than men who cohabited with both parents until 18 years.”
The mother’s age was directly linked to the likelihood of homosexual marriage among men — the older the mother, the more likely her son was to marry another man. Also, “only children” were more likely to be homosexual.
Persons born in large cities were significantly more likely to marry a same-sex partner — suggesting that cultural factors might also affect the development of sexual orientation.
HT: Cosmos, Liturgy, Sex
...from the peer reviewed Journal, Archives of Sexual Behavior, that indicates that lack of a healthy family environment during a child’s upbringing seems to lead to increased occurrence of same sex attraction dysfunction.
The study used a population-based sample of 2,000,355 native-born Danes between the ages of 18 and 49. Denmark — a country noted for its tolerance of a wide variety of alternative lifestyles, including homosexual partnerships — was the first country to legalize gay marriage. The researchers assessed detailed marriage records for all Danish-born men and women marrying a same-sex partner from the years 1989 through 2001.
With access to the “virtually complete registry coverage of the entire Danish population,” the study sample therefore lacked the problematic selection bias that has plagued many previous studies on sexual orientation.
Some conclusions:
Men who marry homosexually are more likely to have been raised in a family with unstable parental relationships — particularly, absent or unknown fathers and divorced parents.
Findings on women who marry homosexually were less pronounced, but were still associated with a childhood marked by a broken family. The rates of same-sex marriage “were elevated among women who experienced maternal death during adolescence, women with short duration of parental marriage, and women with long duration of mother-absent cohabitation with father.”
Men and women with “unknown fathers” were significantly less likely to marry a person of the opposite sex than were their peers with known fathers.
Men who experienced parental death during childhood or adolescence “had significantly lower heterosexual marriage rates than peers whose parents were both alive on their 18th birthday. The younger the age of the father’s death, the lower was the likelihood of heterosexual marriage.”
“The shorter the duration of parental marriage, the higher was the likelihood of homosexual marriage…homosexual marriage rates were 36% and 26% higher among men and women, respectively, who experienced parental divorce after less than six years of marriage, than among peers whose parents remained married for all 18 years of childhood and adolescence.”
“Men whose parents divorced before their 6th birthday were 39% more likely to marry homosexually than peers from intact parental marriages.”
“Men whose cohabitation with both parents ended before age 18 years had significantly (55% -76%) higher rates of homosexual marriage than men who cohabited with both parents until 18 years.”
The mother’s age was directly linked to the likelihood of homosexual marriage among men — the older the mother, the more likely her son was to marry another man. Also, “only children” were more likely to be homosexual.
Persons born in large cities were significantly more likely to marry a same-sex partner — suggesting that cultural factors might also affect the development of sexual orientation.
HT: Cosmos, Liturgy, Sex
The Teachings of Christ
HT to Diogenes, from the author George MacDonald:
Our Lord never spoke hyperbolically, although, indeed, that is the supposition on which many unconsciously interpret His words, in order to be able to persuade themselves that they believe them.
Hhmnemenmennannnhhhhh.....
Our Lord never spoke hyperbolically, although, indeed, that is the supposition on which many unconsciously interpret His words, in order to be able to persuade themselves that they believe them.
Hhmnemenmennannnhhhhh.....
Erpenbach Plan Gets Worse
This morning, Sen. Erpenbach appeared on the Spinzoids' show and explained it all for us. But all he really did was show us how much "Madison Disease" he really has (it's a close relative of CWD, the brain-eater.)
Erpenbach stated that his bill would require the School Tax portion of property taxes be eliminated--zeroed out--and that the State's increased sales-tax revenues would be substituted. That's why he says that this is NOT a "tax increase." Overall, he expects that relief from the School Tax will approximately equal the increase in the sales taxes paid by Wisconsin citizens.
Even if that is true (and maybe it is...) Erpenbach's bill is a dose of cyanide wrapped in peppermint. Erpenbach hopes that no one will notice the malodorous and extremely malignant elephant in the room.
It's called "local control."
Frank Lasee thought of it, as did this blog a couple of days ago. Here's Lasee's commentary:
Another question that we need to ask about this proposal is: what will the effect be on local control? Under our current system if a school wants more money they have to ask their taxpayers first before they offer another French class, build a new school or add more personnel. The point is that the taxpayers have the final say.
Under Erpenbach’s proposal will the Department of Public Instruction or another government agency be given that power? So every time a school needs more of our money will they have to call Madison and beg? Our current referendum system is working (as I’ve outlined in past columns). Do you really want to give our local control of schools and school budgets to a state agency? Under Senator Erpenbach’s proposal will we end up with one large school district for the whole state controlled by Madison?
Some other questions: do you really think that Mineral Point and will be allowed to continue paying average Total Comp of $69,576 when Lake Country District pays $89,752? Or put another way, do you seriously think that Milwaukee Public Schools will be allowed to continue spending $10,375/student/year when Shawano only pays $8,302/student/year?
Erpenbach's proposal will have exactly TWO beneficiaries: the State's Department of Public Instruction, which will become the de-facto Emperor of Education in Wisconsin, and WEAC, which will have to negotiate with only one entity: DPI.
All decisions--classroom space, texts, acoutrements, athletics, testing, course-offerings--will be made by DPI/Wisconsin, directly or indirectly. ALL teacher and administrator compensation will be decided by The Emperor.
As will all "School Choice" matters.
Erpenbach is either a fool or an extraordinarily nefarious Machiavellian.
I don't know which is worse.
Erpenbach stated that his bill would require the School Tax portion of property taxes be eliminated--zeroed out--and that the State's increased sales-tax revenues would be substituted. That's why he says that this is NOT a "tax increase." Overall, he expects that relief from the School Tax will approximately equal the increase in the sales taxes paid by Wisconsin citizens.
Even if that is true (and maybe it is...) Erpenbach's bill is a dose of cyanide wrapped in peppermint. Erpenbach hopes that no one will notice the malodorous and extremely malignant elephant in the room.
It's called "local control."
Frank Lasee thought of it, as did this blog a couple of days ago. Here's Lasee's commentary:
Another question that we need to ask about this proposal is: what will the effect be on local control? Under our current system if a school wants more money they have to ask their taxpayers first before they offer another French class, build a new school or add more personnel. The point is that the taxpayers have the final say.
Under Erpenbach’s proposal will the Department of Public Instruction or another government agency be given that power? So every time a school needs more of our money will they have to call Madison and beg? Our current referendum system is working (as I’ve outlined in past columns). Do you really want to give our local control of schools and school budgets to a state agency? Under Senator Erpenbach’s proposal will we end up with one large school district for the whole state controlled by Madison?
Some other questions: do you really think that Mineral Point and will be allowed to continue paying average Total Comp of $69,576 when Lake Country District pays $89,752? Or put another way, do you seriously think that Milwaukee Public Schools will be allowed to continue spending $10,375/student/year when Shawano only pays $8,302/student/year?
Erpenbach's proposal will have exactly TWO beneficiaries: the State's Department of Public Instruction, which will become the de-facto Emperor of Education in Wisconsin, and WEAC, which will have to negotiate with only one entity: DPI.
All decisions--classroom space, texts, acoutrements, athletics, testing, course-offerings--will be made by DPI/Wisconsin, directly or indirectly. ALL teacher and administrator compensation will be decided by The Emperor.
As will all "School Choice" matters.
Erpenbach is either a fool or an extraordinarily nefarious Machiavellian.
I don't know which is worse.
Condi's State Department: Same Old, Same Old
HT the American Spectator blog:
The very same guy at State (Alberto Fernandez) who went on Al-Jazeera and said that Washington had been arrogant and stupid in Iraq has been named the winner of the Edgar R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy. Tufts University chooses the recipient FROM A LIST OF THREE FINALISTS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT. Read that again: State actually nominated this guy for this prestigious award and its $10,000 check.
Yup. A US employee appears on a foreign network, derides the US as 'stupid and arrogant,' and is THEN nominated by his employer (a US-taxpayer-supported entity, the State Department) for an award for "public diplomacy."
Michael Moore should be really pissed off...
The very same guy at State (Alberto Fernandez) who went on Al-Jazeera and said that Washington had been arrogant and stupid in Iraq has been named the winner of the Edgar R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Public Diplomacy. Tufts University chooses the recipient FROM A LIST OF THREE FINALISTS SUBMITTED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT. Read that again: State actually nominated this guy for this prestigious award and its $10,000 check.
Yup. A US employee appears on a foreign network, derides the US as 'stupid and arrogant,' and is THEN nominated by his employer (a US-taxpayer-supported entity, the State Department) for an award for "public diplomacy."
Michael Moore should be really pissed off...
Doyle Endorses Legislative Theft-by-Fraud
Can't say we're shocked.
DarthDoyle, notorious proponent of baby-killing, also endorses theft from taxpayers by Legislative slimeballs who pretend to never be sick and then convert the resulting moneys into free health insurance.
As we mentioned, this is the Black Market at work. Now DarthDoyle has volunteered to be a fence.
DarthDoyle, notorious proponent of baby-killing, also endorses theft from taxpayers by Legislative slimeballs who pretend to never be sick and then convert the resulting moneys into free health insurance.
As we mentioned, this is the Black Market at work. Now DarthDoyle has volunteered to be a fence.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Legislative Slime--Part 2547
First off, retired Members of Wisconsin's Legislature do not "buy" health insurance.
They steal money under the guise of 'not taking sick days,' and trade the stolen goods for another valuable.
This is also known as 'The Black Market.' No income is declared, no taxes are paid--it's no different from other forms of prostitution utilized by Leggies for their own benefit.
Now they find themselves in a situation which would embarass normal people: seems that the State's Auditor has found that UW-system employees (primarily professors) are pulling the same scam.
Oh, yes--a couple of the Leggies are ashamed. I suspect that they are more ashamed of the company they keep in Madison than anything else...but not to worry.
Huebsch and Robson will bury this. They'll keep what they stole. And they'll defy you to your face over the issue. Too bad the appropriate response from the taxpayers falls under the criminal code.
They steal money under the guise of 'not taking sick days,' and trade the stolen goods for another valuable.
This is also known as 'The Black Market.' No income is declared, no taxes are paid--it's no different from other forms of prostitution utilized by Leggies for their own benefit.
Now they find themselves in a situation which would embarass normal people: seems that the State's Auditor has found that UW-system employees (primarily professors) are pulling the same scam.
Oh, yes--a couple of the Leggies are ashamed. I suspect that they are more ashamed of the company they keep in Madison than anything else...but not to worry.
Huebsch and Robson will bury this. They'll keep what they stole. And they'll defy you to your face over the issue. Too bad the appropriate response from the taxpayers falls under the criminal code.
Mencken (!!!) On Latin in the Mass
HT to Ten Reasons, who reveals that he has reason to be concerned (he's a lawyer.)
He posts a quotation from Mencken, arguably the Icon of American curmudgeons, and an atheist--about the Mass.
The Latin Church, which I constantly find myself admiring, despite its occasional astounding imbecilities, has always kept clearly before it the fact that religion is not a syllogism, but a poem. [An echo of GKChesterton, by the way...]
...Rome indeed has not only preserved the original poetry of Christianity; it has also made capital additions to that poetry -- for example, the poetry of the saints, of Mary, and of the liturgy itself. A solemn high mass is a thousand times as impressive, to a man with any genuine religious sense in him, as the most powerful sermon ever roared under the big top by Presbyterian auctioneer of God. In the face of such overwhelming beauty it is not necessary to belabor the faithful with logic; they are better convinced by letting them alone.
[Here Mencken bewails the tendency for priests and Bishops to preach...excessively.]
... Let the reverend fathers go back to Bach. If they keep on spoiling poetry and spouting ideas, the day will come when some extra-bombastic deacon will astound humanity and insult God by proposing to translate the liturgy into American, that all the faithful may be convinced by it.
Well, the implementation was by an extra-bombastic Benedictine here in the USA. We only wish he'd remained a deacon...or sub-deacon...or just an acolyte.
He posts a quotation from Mencken, arguably the Icon of American curmudgeons, and an atheist--about the Mass.
The Latin Church, which I constantly find myself admiring, despite its occasional astounding imbecilities, has always kept clearly before it the fact that religion is not a syllogism, but a poem. [An echo of GKChesterton, by the way...]
...Rome indeed has not only preserved the original poetry of Christianity; it has also made capital additions to that poetry -- for example, the poetry of the saints, of Mary, and of the liturgy itself. A solemn high mass is a thousand times as impressive, to a man with any genuine religious sense in him, as the most powerful sermon ever roared under the big top by Presbyterian auctioneer of God. In the face of such overwhelming beauty it is not necessary to belabor the faithful with logic; they are better convinced by letting them alone.
[Here Mencken bewails the tendency for priests and Bishops to preach...excessively.]
... Let the reverend fathers go back to Bach. If they keep on spoiling poetry and spouting ideas, the day will come when some extra-bombastic deacon will astound humanity and insult God by proposing to translate the liturgy into American, that all the faithful may be convinced by it.
Well, the implementation was by an extra-bombastic Benedictine here in the USA. We only wish he'd remained a deacon...or sub-deacon...or just an acolyte.
Guess the Item
Here's a picture of the mystery-item. You get three guesses.
Give up?
Underneath the plywood screen are two iron pipes in the shape of a cross, about 6' high. This small monument is in the Mojave Desert, about 12 miles from the nearest well-traveled road.
It "offended" some jackass; the Anti-Christian-Lawsuit-Union intervened. This is the result.
Some excellent comments on this blogsite. I especially like the "tear down the plywood, again, and again, and again..."
HT: Relapsed Catholic
Give up?
Underneath the plywood screen are two iron pipes in the shape of a cross, about 6' high. This small monument is in the Mojave Desert, about 12 miles from the nearest well-traveled road.
It "offended" some jackass; the Anti-Christian-Lawsuit-Union intervened. This is the result.
Some excellent comments on this blogsite. I especially like the "tear down the plywood, again, and again, and again..."
HT: Relapsed Catholic
Heh
Stolen from Moonbattery:
And the rest of the post is just as good. (Hint: he quotes a LawProf. That should get you started...)
And the rest of the post is just as good. (Hint: he quotes a LawProf. That should get you started...)
The Blob (Our Government) Advances...
I couldn't resist the imagery of that old sci-fi movie, mostly because it fits to a "T".
Anti-tobacco forces are opening a new front in the war against smoking by banning it in private places such as homes and cars when children are present.
Starting Jan. 1, Texas will restrict smoking in foster parents' homes at all times and in cars when children are present, says Darrell Azar of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Vermont, Washington and other states and counties already prohibit foster parents from smoking around children in their homes and cars.
Arkansas and Louisiana passed laws this year forbidding anyone from smoking in cars carrying young children. Courts are ordering smoke-free environments in custody and visitation disputes.
Here's the tagline:
Anti-tobacco forces are opening a new front in the war against smoking by banning it in private places such as homes and cars when children are present.
Starting Jan. 1, Texas will restrict smoking in foster parents' homes at all times and in cars when children are present, says Darrell Azar of the Department of Family and Protective Services.
Vermont, Washington and other states and counties already prohibit foster parents from smoking around children in their homes and cars.
Arkansas and Louisiana passed laws this year forbidding anyone from smoking in cars carrying young children. Courts are ordering smoke-free environments in custody and visitation disputes.
Here's the tagline:
"There are times when it's appropriate to regulate what people can do in their home."
....these laws were made due to the large piles of dead children found inside the homes and cars of smokers.
HT: ClayCramer
Proof Reader Needed. Apply JSOnline
Found in today's JS:
Wage and benefit pacts for the teachers and support staff expired June 31.
No, they didn't.
Wage and benefit pacts for the teachers and support staff expired June 31.
No, they didn't.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
"Black Friday" Shopping Numbers Up? Maybe.
Here's a fact-based item which has potential implications:
"Retailers kicked off the holiday selling season in style as shoppers across the country set their alarms for the wee hours of the morning to catch doorbuster specials. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2006 Black Friday Weekend Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than 140 million shoppers hit the stores on Black Friday weekend, spending an average of $360.15, up 18.9 percent from last year’s $302.81.*" --National Retail Federation press release
Except for the asterisk. Here's the footnote:
"*Spending data includes Thursday, Friday, Saturday and projected spending for Sunday."
But even THAT is not true, according to "The Big Picture," an econo-blog:
First, this is not based upon actual sales data, but rather, is a survey of consumers. Not only that, but much of the survey results are self-reported projections of spending expectations -- not receipts. The survey dates are 11/23-11/25. This means survey interviews done on Thursday 11/23 are almost all forecasts of future behavior; depending what time of the day they are done on Friday 11/24, between 2 and 3 days of data are predictions, and perhaps one day is self-reported data.
In other words, it's not time to celebrate the Biggest Holiday Shopping Season since Whenever.
"Retailers kicked off the holiday selling season in style as shoppers across the country set their alarms for the wee hours of the morning to catch doorbuster specials. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2006 Black Friday Weekend Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than 140 million shoppers hit the stores on Black Friday weekend, spending an average of $360.15, up 18.9 percent from last year’s $302.81.*" --National Retail Federation press release
Except for the asterisk. Here's the footnote:
"*Spending data includes Thursday, Friday, Saturday and projected spending for Sunday."
But even THAT is not true, according to "The Big Picture," an econo-blog:
First, this is not based upon actual sales data, but rather, is a survey of consumers. Not only that, but much of the survey results are self-reported projections of spending expectations -- not receipts. The survey dates are 11/23-11/25. This means survey interviews done on Thursday 11/23 are almost all forecasts of future behavior; depending what time of the day they are done on Friday 11/24, between 2 and 3 days of data are predictions, and perhaps one day is self-reported data.
In other words, it's not time to celebrate the Biggest Holiday Shopping Season since Whenever.
"Assault Rifles" Not So Hot as Weapons
Despite the hand-wringing, sighing, and screeching delivered by the brain-dead MSM pundits on the topic of "Lethal!!!! Assault Rifles," (let's not get into definitions--that would strain the brains of those poor folks...)
It seems that "Assault Rifles" are simply not very lethal.
"...British examination of its Malaya experience determined that, to a range of thirty yards (27.4 meters), the probability of hitting a man-sized target with a shotgun was superior to that of all other weapons. The probability of hitting the intended target with an assault rifle was one in eleven. It was one in eight with a submachine gun firing a five-round burst. Shotguns had a hit probability ratio twice as good as rifles..."
I'll have a pair of 12-gage 3 1/2 inchers, please.
HT: John Lott
It seems that "Assault Rifles" are simply not very lethal.
"...British examination of its Malaya experience determined that, to a range of thirty yards (27.4 meters), the probability of hitting a man-sized target with a shotgun was superior to that of all other weapons. The probability of hitting the intended target with an assault rifle was one in eleven. It was one in eight with a submachine gun firing a five-round burst. Shotguns had a hit probability ratio twice as good as rifles..."
I'll have a pair of 12-gage 3 1/2 inchers, please.
HT: John Lott
Law? We ARE the Law!
The new Dimowit majority will simply bully their way to permanency through illegal votes.
A Mississippi Democrat in line to become chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee has warned the nation's largest uniform supplier it faces criminal charges if it follows a White House proposal to recheck workers with mismatched Social Security numbers and fire those who cannot resolve the discrepancy in 60 days.
Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter to Cintas Corp. it could be charged with "illegal activities in violation of state and federal law" if any of its 32,000 employees are terminated because they gave incorrect Social Security numbers to be hired.
This dumb SOB, Thompson, doesn't seem to understand Federal law. Cintas doesn't get a vote regarding its double-checking mismatched SSAN's. They must do it. And as you will note in reading the link, Cintas did not plan to fire the people--only suspend them.
But it's important to the Democrat Party to maintain a large presence of illegals-who-vote. Ol' Bennie-boy will do his best, yessirreebob!
A Mississippi Democrat in line to become chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee has warned the nation's largest uniform supplier it faces criminal charges if it follows a White House proposal to recheck workers with mismatched Social Security numbers and fire those who cannot resolve the discrepancy in 60 days.
Rep. Bennie Thompson said in a letter to Cintas Corp. it could be charged with "illegal activities in violation of state and federal law" if any of its 32,000 employees are terminated because they gave incorrect Social Security numbers to be hired.
This dumb SOB, Thompson, doesn't seem to understand Federal law. Cintas doesn't get a vote regarding its double-checking mismatched SSAN's. They must do it. And as you will note in reading the link, Cintas did not plan to fire the people--only suspend them.
But it's important to the Democrat Party to maintain a large presence of illegals-who-vote. Ol' Bennie-boy will do his best, yessirreebob!
Monday, November 27, 2006
Police Para-Military Raid Errors and Omissions
Here's the map showing all the "ooops" raid locations (keyed for type of damage, if any) and here's the place to go to purchase the pamphlet (Cato Institute) with more information.
Meantime, here's the Executive Summary:
Americans have long maintained that a man’s home is his castle and that he has the right to defend it from unlawful intruders. Unfortunately, that right may be disappearing. Over the last 25 years, America has seen a disturbing militarization of its civilian law enforcement, along with a dramatic and unsettling rise in the use of paramilitary police units (most commonly called Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT) for routine police work. The most common use of SWAT teams today is to serve narcotics warrants, usually with forced, unannounced entry into the home.
These increasingly frequent raids, 40,000 per year by one estimate, are needlessly subjecting nonviolent drug offenders, bystanders, and wrongly targeted civilians to the terror of having their homes invaded while they’re sleeping, usually by teams of heavily armed paramilitary units dressed not as police officers but as soldiers. These raids bring unnecessary violence and provocation to nonviolent drug offenders, many of whom were guilty of only misdemeanors. The raids terrorize innocents when police mistakenly target the wrong residence. And they have resulted in dozens of needless deaths and injuries, not only of drug offenders, but also of police officers, children, bystanders, and innocent suspects.
This paper presents a history and overview of the issue of paramilitary drug raids, provides an extensive catalogue of abuses and mistaken raids, and offers recommendations for reform.
Cato is interested in seriously reducing narcotics laws (yah--they're sort of a 'respectable' Cheech & Chong) so it's easy to figure out why Cato publishes this information.
On the other hand, drug raids or no, Stupid Cop Tricks should never include "wrong address" details which lead to killing civilians.
Peoplw who make such "errors" should be fired on the spot, and then prosecuted.
Meantime, here's the Executive Summary:
Americans have long maintained that a man’s home is his castle and that he has the right to defend it from unlawful intruders. Unfortunately, that right may be disappearing. Over the last 25 years, America has seen a disturbing militarization of its civilian law enforcement, along with a dramatic and unsettling rise in the use of paramilitary police units (most commonly called Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT) for routine police work. The most common use of SWAT teams today is to serve narcotics warrants, usually with forced, unannounced entry into the home.
These increasingly frequent raids, 40,000 per year by one estimate, are needlessly subjecting nonviolent drug offenders, bystanders, and wrongly targeted civilians to the terror of having their homes invaded while they’re sleeping, usually by teams of heavily armed paramilitary units dressed not as police officers but as soldiers. These raids bring unnecessary violence and provocation to nonviolent drug offenders, many of whom were guilty of only misdemeanors. The raids terrorize innocents when police mistakenly target the wrong residence. And they have resulted in dozens of needless deaths and injuries, not only of drug offenders, but also of police officers, children, bystanders, and innocent suspects.
This paper presents a history and overview of the issue of paramilitary drug raids, provides an extensive catalogue of abuses and mistaken raids, and offers recommendations for reform.
Cato is interested in seriously reducing narcotics laws (yah--they're sort of a 'respectable' Cheech & Chong) so it's easy to figure out why Cato publishes this information.
On the other hand, drug raids or no, Stupid Cop Tricks should never include "wrong address" details which lead to killing civilians.
Peoplw who make such "errors" should be fired on the spot, and then prosecuted.
Campaign Finance Reform--a Modest Proposal
DarthDoyle, who will shortly be signing State of Wisconsin checks to kill off embryos, now proposes "campaign finance reform."
Since Darth managed to submit his finance reports in a non-standard format, it was very difficult for reporters (and other interested parties) to figure out exactly who was sending all that money to Darth.
But not to worry. Darth to the Rescue!!
Doyle told reporters Tuesday that he will include money for some type of public fund to help pay for elections in the 2007-'09 budget he will give the Legislature in January. Doyle said one of the changes he wants to sign into law would require independent groups that run ads mentioning candidates in the final weeks of the election to register with the state Elections Board, name their largest contributors and abide by donation limits in Wisconsin law.
Let's make this simple, Darth.
We need is contemporaneous, on-line reporting of ALL gifts to ALL candidates --names, addresses, amounts. That way, the donations you got from the individuals who want your attention would be instantly visible.
We also need and want contemporaneous on-line directories of officers, directors, and donors for ALL organizations which contribute to candidates. ALL of them--in-State and out-of-State, unions, tribes, ...all of them...
The rest will be irrelevant. We don't need "limits." Why? If we know who's buying which candidate, we know what to do about it.
(HT: Jessica, JS All Politics Blog)
Since Darth managed to submit his finance reports in a non-standard format, it was very difficult for reporters (and other interested parties) to figure out exactly who was sending all that money to Darth.
But not to worry. Darth to the Rescue!!
Doyle told reporters Tuesday that he will include money for some type of public fund to help pay for elections in the 2007-'09 budget he will give the Legislature in January. Doyle said one of the changes he wants to sign into law would require independent groups that run ads mentioning candidates in the final weeks of the election to register with the state Elections Board, name their largest contributors and abide by donation limits in Wisconsin law.
Let's make this simple, Darth.
We need is contemporaneous, on-line reporting of ALL gifts to ALL candidates --names, addresses, amounts. That way, the donations you got from the individuals who want your attention would be instantly visible.
We also need and want contemporaneous on-line directories of officers, directors, and donors for ALL organizations which contribute to candidates. ALL of them--in-State and out-of-State, unions, tribes, ...all of them...
The rest will be irrelevant. We don't need "limits." Why? If we know who's buying which candidate, we know what to do about it.
(HT: Jessica, JS All Politics Blog)
Up Your Sales Tax!!
Didn't take long for the (D) types in Madistan to start painting pictures of their dreams, eh?
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) is developing a plan that he says would cancel many sales tax exemptions.
Erpenbach's plan would continue to exempt from the sales tax "necessities of life," including food; drugs and health care services; shelter and agricultural products.
He said the measure he will introduce in the next few weeks would cancel all other sales tax exemptions to raise enough new money to finally remove the financing of public schools from the property tax - a tax shift of more than $3 billion.
The Wisconsin Counties Association, a group of Professional Leeches of Taxpayer Blood, has its own list:
...computer services, $136 million; legal services, $113 million; advertising, $103 million; personnel services, $79.4 million; architectural, engineering and surveying services, $69.2 million; management consulting and public relations, $64.1 million; and accounting, $59.5 million.
The Twit-in-Charge of the Counties Ass'n doesn't even understand the basic concept:
"I'd be fascinated to hear" why hair salons, nail salons and barbershops deserve a tax break worth more than $29 million a year ...said Mark O'Connell.
Frankly, I'd be fascinated to hear where he learned Econ 101--or IF he learned it.
By the way--go back to Erpenbach's plan. Note the part highlighted in red. What Erpenbach is proposing is two major changes, not one. First, increase tax revenues to the State of Wisconsin. Second, have the State of Wisconsin write the checks which pay for the schools, in toto.
What Erpenbach, the Dems, and WEAC are really aiming for is State control, not local control.
They'll be happy with taking the money first--implementing the increased taxes. But they'll also be happy with taking control of all the schools.
Keep your eyes open, folks.
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton) is developing a plan that he says would cancel many sales tax exemptions.
Erpenbach's plan would continue to exempt from the sales tax "necessities of life," including food; drugs and health care services; shelter and agricultural products.
He said the measure he will introduce in the next few weeks would cancel all other sales tax exemptions to raise enough new money to finally remove the financing of public schools from the property tax - a tax shift of more than $3 billion.
The Wisconsin Counties Association, a group of Professional Leeches of Taxpayer Blood, has its own list:
...computer services, $136 million; legal services, $113 million; advertising, $103 million; personnel services, $79.4 million; architectural, engineering and surveying services, $69.2 million; management consulting and public relations, $64.1 million; and accounting, $59.5 million.
The Twit-in-Charge of the Counties Ass'n doesn't even understand the basic concept:
"I'd be fascinated to hear" why hair salons, nail salons and barbershops deserve a tax break worth more than $29 million a year ...said Mark O'Connell.
Frankly, I'd be fascinated to hear where he learned Econ 101--or IF he learned it.
By the way--go back to Erpenbach's plan. Note the part highlighted in red. What Erpenbach is proposing is two major changes, not one. First, increase tax revenues to the State of Wisconsin. Second, have the State of Wisconsin write the checks which pay for the schools, in toto.
What Erpenbach, the Dems, and WEAC are really aiming for is State control, not local control.
They'll be happy with taking the money first--implementing the increased taxes. But they'll also be happy with taking control of all the schools.
Keep your eyes open, folks.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The Grand Plan for Iraq
Here's a summation of the initial thought from the Administration as reported by Mark Danner in the NY Review of Books:
[Heritage Foundation's] DeMuth drafted an influential report, entitled "Delta of Terrorism," which concluded, in the author's paraphrase, that "the United States was in for a two-generation battle with radical Islam":
..."We concluded that a confrontation with Saddam was inevitable. He was a gathering threat—the most menacing, active and unavoidable threat.
...Behind the notion that an American intervention will make of Iraq "the first Arab democracy," as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz put it, lies a project of great ambition. It envisions a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq—secular, middle-class, urbanized, rich with oil—that will replace the autocracy of Saudi Arabia as the key American ally in the Persian Gulf, allowing the withdrawal of United States troops from the kingdom. The presence of a victorious American Army in Iraq would then serve as a powerful boost to moderate elements in neighboring Iran, hastening that critical country's evolution away from the mullahs and toward a more moderate course. Such an evolution in Tehran would lead to a withdrawal of Iranian support for Hezbollah and other radical groups, thereby isolating Syria and reducing pressure on Israel. This undercutting of radicals on Israel's northern borders and within the West Bank and Gaza would spell the definitive end of Yasir Arafat and lead eventually to a favorable solution of the Arab-Israeli problem.
Almost like on Miss America--you know, 'I wish for World Peace...'...
This is a vision of great sweep and imagination: comprehensive, prophetic, evangelical. In its ambitions, it is wholly foreign to the modesty of containment, the ideology of a status-quo power that lay at the heart of American strategy for half a century. It means to remake the world, to offer to a political threat a political answer. It represents a great step on the road toward President Bush's ultimate vision of "freedom's triumph over all its age-old foes."[6]
I don't see any mention of this little "religion" thing. Maybe an oversight?
Nope; it shows up later in the essay:
The central question of how power and resources should be divided in Iraq and what the country should look like, a question that was going to be settled peacefully by the nascent political institutions of the "first Arab democracy," has become the critical political issue dividing Kurd from Sunni and Sunni from Shia, and also dividing the sectarian political coalitions themselves. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the leader of the "unity government," on whom President Bush repeatedly calls to "dismantle the militias," is in fact dependent for his own political survival on Moqtada al-Sadr, the creator and leader of the largest militia, the Mahdi Army. Indeed, the two most important militias are controlled by the two most powerful parties in parliament.
Increasingly the "unity government" itself, quarreling vituperatively within the Green Zone, serves as an impotent echo of the savage warfare raging beyond the walls. The partitioning of Iraq is now openly advocated by many—including such prominent American politicians as Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—desperate to find "a solution," however illusory, to the war, anything that will allow the Americans to withdraw, while avoiding any admission of defeat.
Backwards a bit in time:
Inherent in the War of Imagination were certain rather obvious contradictions: Donald Rumsfeld's dream of a "demonstration model" war of quick, overwhelming victory did not foresee an extended occupation—on the contrary, the defense secretary abjured, publicly and vociferously, any notion that his troops would be used for "nation-building." Rumsfeld's war envisioned rapid victory and rapid departure. [Rummy was right on this score and in the success of the project.] Wolfowitz and the other Pentagon neoconservatives, on the other hand, imagined a "democratic transformation," a thoroughgoing social revolution that would take a Baathist Party–run autocracy, complete with a Baathist-led army and vast domestic spying and security services, and transform it into a functioning democratic polity—without the participation of former Baathist officials.
"Trouble in River City" was the name of that tune. It's the reason that some of us kept hearing two different exegeses of the Iraq conflict--there were two!
Our President has yet to explain precisely how "establishing democracy" will quash terrorist impulses midst Muslim extremists.
Perhaps that's why it will be a "two-generation-long" war?
[Heritage Foundation's] DeMuth drafted an influential report, entitled "Delta of Terrorism," which concluded, in the author's paraphrase, that "the United States was in for a two-generation battle with radical Islam":
..."We concluded that a confrontation with Saddam was inevitable. He was a gathering threat—the most menacing, active and unavoidable threat.
...Behind the notion that an American intervention will make of Iraq "the first Arab democracy," as Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz put it, lies a project of great ambition. It envisions a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq—secular, middle-class, urbanized, rich with oil—that will replace the autocracy of Saudi Arabia as the key American ally in the Persian Gulf, allowing the withdrawal of United States troops from the kingdom. The presence of a victorious American Army in Iraq would then serve as a powerful boost to moderate elements in neighboring Iran, hastening that critical country's evolution away from the mullahs and toward a more moderate course. Such an evolution in Tehran would lead to a withdrawal of Iranian support for Hezbollah and other radical groups, thereby isolating Syria and reducing pressure on Israel. This undercutting of radicals on Israel's northern borders and within the West Bank and Gaza would spell the definitive end of Yasir Arafat and lead eventually to a favorable solution of the Arab-Israeli problem.
Almost like on Miss America--you know, 'I wish for World Peace...'...
This is a vision of great sweep and imagination: comprehensive, prophetic, evangelical. In its ambitions, it is wholly foreign to the modesty of containment, the ideology of a status-quo power that lay at the heart of American strategy for half a century. It means to remake the world, to offer to a political threat a political answer. It represents a great step on the road toward President Bush's ultimate vision of "freedom's triumph over all its age-old foes."[6]
I don't see any mention of this little "religion" thing. Maybe an oversight?
Nope; it shows up later in the essay:
The central question of how power and resources should be divided in Iraq and what the country should look like, a question that was going to be settled peacefully by the nascent political institutions of the "first Arab democracy," has become the critical political issue dividing Kurd from Sunni and Sunni from Shia, and also dividing the sectarian political coalitions themselves. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, the leader of the "unity government," on whom President Bush repeatedly calls to "dismantle the militias," is in fact dependent for his own political survival on Moqtada al-Sadr, the creator and leader of the largest militia, the Mahdi Army. Indeed, the two most important militias are controlled by the two most powerful parties in parliament.
Increasingly the "unity government" itself, quarreling vituperatively within the Green Zone, serves as an impotent echo of the savage warfare raging beyond the walls. The partitioning of Iraq is now openly advocated by many—including such prominent American politicians as Senator Joseph Biden of Delaware, the incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—desperate to find "a solution," however illusory, to the war, anything that will allow the Americans to withdraw, while avoiding any admission of defeat.
Backwards a bit in time:
Inherent in the War of Imagination were certain rather obvious contradictions: Donald Rumsfeld's dream of a "demonstration model" war of quick, overwhelming victory did not foresee an extended occupation—on the contrary, the defense secretary abjured, publicly and vociferously, any notion that his troops would be used for "nation-building." Rumsfeld's war envisioned rapid victory and rapid departure. [Rummy was right on this score and in the success of the project.] Wolfowitz and the other Pentagon neoconservatives, on the other hand, imagined a "democratic transformation," a thoroughgoing social revolution that would take a Baathist Party–run autocracy, complete with a Baathist-led army and vast domestic spying and security services, and transform it into a functioning democratic polity—without the participation of former Baathist officials.
"Trouble in River City" was the name of that tune. It's the reason that some of us kept hearing two different exegeses of the Iraq conflict--there were two!
Our President has yet to explain precisely how "establishing democracy" will quash terrorist impulses midst Muslim extremists.
Perhaps that's why it will be a "two-generation-long" war?
Tridentine Rite Milwaukee Change
Beginning next Sunday, Church's New Year (12/3/06) and first Sunday of Advent, the authorized Old Rite Mass for the Milwaukee Archdiocese will begin at:
10:30 AM.
This will continue for the foreseeable future. As usual, Confessions will be held before the Mass, likely beginning at 9:50 AM, and following the Mass, if the need is present.
In February, the location of the Old Rite Mass will change.
A Couple of Days Hunting
It's a nice place...100+ acres outside of Black River Falls by about 3 miles. The sandy land doesn't support much agriculture, really, unless you count growing white pines as 'agriculture;' there's a stream running through the acreage with a lot of birch and oak bordering the water. The planted white pines are 6+ years old and provide a lot of cover for the deer.
It's quiet. So much so that the reports of gunfire and their 6 echoes from more than a mile away are easily heard, just like the hammering going on perhaps 1000+ yards distant, and the dog barking. Squirrels at play on the dried oak-leaves within 50 yards are very audible, and a .300 WinMag report at less than a quarter-mile is a real wake-up. But it's not from our party.
All the hunting is done from a number of well-placed stands. Most of them are near the stream and offer lanes to the cleared field near the center of the "L"-shaped property. The owners don't "drive" for deer--usually there are only 2 or 3 hunters.
Earlier in the season, four deer were sighted and two does were taken. That provided an excellent meal on Friday night. The steaks were not 'gamey,' at all; the preparation included an hours' marination in oil and red wine, plus a liberal dose of herb-seasonong.
The weather couldn't have been better...no heavy clothing was required, making the walks to the stands (and climbing into them) a breeze. Friday morning was perfectly clear. Wish I'd spent more time with a basic astronomy book, for then I'd have been able to identify 6 of the 7 visible constellations (I got the Little Dipper, no problem.) The Milky Way was sharp for the first 30 minutes. A very high-flying plane (probably out of Minneapolis, but perhaps further west) crossed but there was no noise later. A dangerously-curious chickadee stopped by to get a closer look at the pumpkin-esque critter in the tree-stand, landing perhaps 2 feet from my face, on the stand's plywood half-wall.
Saw no deer. Neither did the others.
Friday afternoon we did manage to scare up a deer near the stream as we crossed it. I heard the rattle-and-crunch and called my PH about the same time he heard it; my position was right, and the tail flashed and bobbed a couple of times before the deer disappeared. The deer never came out, and we had it surrounded, more or less, each of us at opposite ends of the stream's shallow gully.
The only TV station that came in clearly was an NBC affiliate from Eau Claire, which apparently had only three 'on-air' personalities who worked Friday from the early news at 0500 through the 6PM news show; a different anchor showed up at 10PM but the weather-kid soldiered through that broadcast as well. Evidently nothing happened in Iraq, DC, Milwaukee or Madison on Friday which merited attention from the news department...but it was reassuring to know that shoppers were out in Eau Claire I guess. That, and the story about a body of a young mother found in the woods, took up the 'news hole.'
The mother's baby is an orphan, permanently--but there was nothing about the baby in the stories. Wasn't really much of anything in the stories--video of yellow tape, a Sheriff's car, and a couple of men carrying a litter towards a small truck, plus a shot of the tavern where she was last seen. Kind of a lousy epitaph.
The Nick Cage movie was an inverse-play on It's A Wonderful Life. Reasonably well-done but not really cohesive. Cage does very well with the mouth-hanging-open double take.
Leaving town--how does someone actually make a living being a psychic palm-reader in Black River Falls? What's to become of the old-style WallyWorld directly across from the new-style WallyWorld?
Delightful, altogether. And there's a red squirrel who got a reprieve from becoming dinner until at least next year. Haven't figured out how he eluded the 1000 fps .17 missile. Maybe the kids played with the sights, eh?
It's quiet. So much so that the reports of gunfire and their 6 echoes from more than a mile away are easily heard, just like the hammering going on perhaps 1000+ yards distant, and the dog barking. Squirrels at play on the dried oak-leaves within 50 yards are very audible, and a .300 WinMag report at less than a quarter-mile is a real wake-up. But it's not from our party.
All the hunting is done from a number of well-placed stands. Most of them are near the stream and offer lanes to the cleared field near the center of the "L"-shaped property. The owners don't "drive" for deer--usually there are only 2 or 3 hunters.
Earlier in the season, four deer were sighted and two does were taken. That provided an excellent meal on Friday night. The steaks were not 'gamey,' at all; the preparation included an hours' marination in oil and red wine, plus a liberal dose of herb-seasonong.
The weather couldn't have been better...no heavy clothing was required, making the walks to the stands (and climbing into them) a breeze. Friday morning was perfectly clear. Wish I'd spent more time with a basic astronomy book, for then I'd have been able to identify 6 of the 7 visible constellations (I got the Little Dipper, no problem.) The Milky Way was sharp for the first 30 minutes. A very high-flying plane (probably out of Minneapolis, but perhaps further west) crossed but there was no noise later. A dangerously-curious chickadee stopped by to get a closer look at the pumpkin-esque critter in the tree-stand, landing perhaps 2 feet from my face, on the stand's plywood half-wall.
Saw no deer. Neither did the others.
Friday afternoon we did manage to scare up a deer near the stream as we crossed it. I heard the rattle-and-crunch and called my PH about the same time he heard it; my position was right, and the tail flashed and bobbed a couple of times before the deer disappeared. The deer never came out, and we had it surrounded, more or less, each of us at opposite ends of the stream's shallow gully.
The only TV station that came in clearly was an NBC affiliate from Eau Claire, which apparently had only three 'on-air' personalities who worked Friday from the early news at 0500 through the 6PM news show; a different anchor showed up at 10PM but the weather-kid soldiered through that broadcast as well. Evidently nothing happened in Iraq, DC, Milwaukee or Madison on Friday which merited attention from the news department...but it was reassuring to know that shoppers were out in Eau Claire I guess. That, and the story about a body of a young mother found in the woods, took up the 'news hole.'
The mother's baby is an orphan, permanently--but there was nothing about the baby in the stories. Wasn't really much of anything in the stories--video of yellow tape, a Sheriff's car, and a couple of men carrying a litter towards a small truck, plus a shot of the tavern where she was last seen. Kind of a lousy epitaph.
The Nick Cage movie was an inverse-play on It's A Wonderful Life. Reasonably well-done but not really cohesive. Cage does very well with the mouth-hanging-open double take.
Leaving town--how does someone actually make a living being a psychic palm-reader in Black River Falls? What's to become of the old-style WallyWorld directly across from the new-style WallyWorld?
Delightful, altogether. And there's a red squirrel who got a reprieve from becoming dinner until at least next year. Haven't figured out how he eluded the 1000 fps .17 missile. Maybe the kids played with the sights, eh?
Thursday, November 23, 2006
"Cool" Church Music...Slapped
From "King of the Hill"
HANK: Can't you see you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock 'n' roll worse.
PASTOR K: You people are all alike. You look at us and think we're freaks. Come on, even Jesus had long hair.
HANK: Only because I wasn't his dad.
A dad after my own heart!
HANK: Can't you see you're not making Christianity better, you're just making rock 'n' roll worse.
PASTOR K: You people are all alike. You look at us and think we're freaks. Come on, even Jesus had long hair.
HANK: Only because I wasn't his dad.
A dad after my own heart!
Thanksgiving
The family is only part of the reason to be thankful...
There is a God, Who provides for us. There are loving and patient spouses. There are friends and benefactors. There is our health.
There are millions of reasons to be grateful. Said "thanks!!" lately?
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.--GKChesterton
"Cost-Cutting" from Wisconsin Bureaucrats
DarthDoyle asked his boyzzz what they would do if required to cut their budgets by 10%. Here are some of the ideas.
Public Service Commission: The agency that regulates utilities said it could save $735,400 by not replacing veteran employees expected to retire by June 2009.
Then it would be re-named "The Incredible Disappearing PSC." After only 10 more years, it would be gone!
Department of Corrections: Save $7.76 million over two years with unspecified cuts in "supplies and services."
Such as permanently-assigned automobiles for wardens who then use the cars to commute to work? And all the gasoline and maintenance thereof? Such as the workout equipment, TVs, and videos provided for Our Prisoners?
Corrections spends a LOT of money-per-prisoner; 40% above the national average!! Obviously, the Corrections Twit doesn't take things very seriously. Wanna get serious? Let's close two prisons (say, Oshkosh and Waupun) and ship the prisoners to the now-underused Iraqi prisons. Use the now-unemployed old-regime Iraqi prison guards. (Fire the Wisconsin staff.) And don't provide transportation back to Wisconsin at completion of sentence. I guaran-friggin-tee you that the crime rate will diminish, rapidly.
Public defender's office: Said it would save $1.2 million over the next two years, if state laws were changed so that first- offense possession of drug paraphernalia and the least-serious drugs were no longer misdemeanor crimes but would instead be violations of local ordinances.
For even more savings, simply eliminate ALL Wisconsin statutes. Another thought: require pro-se defenses from all who are charged with any misdemeanor crimes. Should be a great source of humor.
Revenue Secretary Mike Morgan recommended that he be allowed to hire seven more tax auditors and agents, who each would bring in an average of $1.2 million a year. He also proposed changes he says would boost lottery sales by $29 million.
First off, that smells like a "quota system" to me---$100K/month/agent. Interesting, eh? Secondly, until you've seen some of these folks in action, you have NO idea how much they add to the cost-of-doing-business in the State of Wisconsin--but that's not a concern for Darth's Boyzzz.
Better idea: eliminate DoR field agents altogether. Change Wisconsin tax law so that you simply pay 10% of your Federal tax as your Wisconsin tax. Send in just a copy of your 1040 and a check.
Transportation Department: In addition to no longer printing highway maps, [$232K annual savings] and requiring one license plate per vehicle, [$585K annual savings] DOT said it would cut $8.7 million in engineering contracts in the first year of the budget and nearly $20 million the second year. The department typically spends about $120 million a year on those contracts.
The maps are demanded by Legislators who then give them to constituents, hoping for votes. The reason the maps are printed annually is that Legislators spend BILLIONS to cover Wisconsin's natural ground with asphalt and concrete roads every year. Thus, you need new maps every year, just to find actual ground, trees, and grass in Wisconsin.
So here's the solution:
Make the Legislators personally pave any road they want paved. We can reduce DOT's budget by about 90% instead of piddling around with maps and license plates.
And of COURSE the front-license-plate requirement is a waste of time and money. But it's no worse than (say) the waste of time and money caused by legislators' Daily Allowance of Cash Just To Show Up at Work--also called the Per Diem.
Let's eliminate the front-plate AND the 'per diem' as well. If less Leggies show up to work, so much the better!! No stupid new laws, and no stupid new highways!
Public Service Commission: The agency that regulates utilities said it could save $735,400 by not replacing veteran employees expected to retire by June 2009.
Then it would be re-named "The Incredible Disappearing PSC." After only 10 more years, it would be gone!
Department of Corrections: Save $7.76 million over two years with unspecified cuts in "supplies and services."
Such as permanently-assigned automobiles for wardens who then use the cars to commute to work? And all the gasoline and maintenance thereof? Such as the workout equipment, TVs, and videos provided for Our Prisoners?
Corrections spends a LOT of money-per-prisoner; 40% above the national average!! Obviously, the Corrections Twit doesn't take things very seriously. Wanna get serious? Let's close two prisons (say, Oshkosh and Waupun) and ship the prisoners to the now-underused Iraqi prisons. Use the now-unemployed old-regime Iraqi prison guards. (Fire the Wisconsin staff.) And don't provide transportation back to Wisconsin at completion of sentence. I guaran-friggin-tee you that the crime rate will diminish, rapidly.
Public defender's office: Said it would save $1.2 million over the next two years, if state laws were changed so that first- offense possession of drug paraphernalia and the least-serious drugs were no longer misdemeanor crimes but would instead be violations of local ordinances.
For even more savings, simply eliminate ALL Wisconsin statutes. Another thought: require pro-se defenses from all who are charged with any misdemeanor crimes. Should be a great source of humor.
Revenue Secretary Mike Morgan recommended that he be allowed to hire seven more tax auditors and agents, who each would bring in an average of $1.2 million a year. He also proposed changes he says would boost lottery sales by $29 million.
First off, that smells like a "quota system" to me---$100K/month/agent. Interesting, eh? Secondly, until you've seen some of these folks in action, you have NO idea how much they add to the cost-of-doing-business in the State of Wisconsin--but that's not a concern for Darth's Boyzzz.
Better idea: eliminate DoR field agents altogether. Change Wisconsin tax law so that you simply pay 10% of your Federal tax as your Wisconsin tax. Send in just a copy of your 1040 and a check.
Transportation Department: In addition to no longer printing highway maps, [$232K annual savings] and requiring one license plate per vehicle, [$585K annual savings] DOT said it would cut $8.7 million in engineering contracts in the first year of the budget and nearly $20 million the second year. The department typically spends about $120 million a year on those contracts.
The maps are demanded by Legislators who then give them to constituents, hoping for votes. The reason the maps are printed annually is that Legislators spend BILLIONS to cover Wisconsin's natural ground with asphalt and concrete roads every year. Thus, you need new maps every year, just to find actual ground, trees, and grass in Wisconsin.
So here's the solution:
Make the Legislators personally pave any road they want paved. We can reduce DOT's budget by about 90% instead of piddling around with maps and license plates.
And of COURSE the front-license-plate requirement is a waste of time and money. But it's no worse than (say) the waste of time and money caused by legislators' Daily Allowance of Cash Just To Show Up at Work--also called the Per Diem.
Let's eliminate the front-plate AND the 'per diem' as well. If less Leggies show up to work, so much the better!! No stupid new laws, and no stupid new highways!
Head Armor: 1 La Z Boy
So get one of these things!
A man sitting in his easy chair was shot in the head by his wife, but the sturdy recliner absorbed most of the bullet's force and left him virtually unscathed.
The couple had been arguing at home on Sunday evening, said Contra Costa County sheriff's Lt. Charles Skuce. Then Jan Kamp stood behind her seated husband and fired a gun at the back of his head, Skuce said.
Because she fired through the recliner, the bullet only slightly wounded Norman Kamp, 57, Skuce said.
People who talk about using .22LR weapons as "self-defense" guns are deluded. Can't even push a slug through a La Z Boy headrest.
A man sitting in his easy chair was shot in the head by his wife, but the sturdy recliner absorbed most of the bullet's force and left him virtually unscathed.
The couple had been arguing at home on Sunday evening, said Contra Costa County sheriff's Lt. Charles Skuce. Then Jan Kamp stood behind her seated husband and fired a gun at the back of his head, Skuce said.
Because she fired through the recliner, the bullet only slightly wounded Norman Kamp, 57, Skuce said.
People who talk about using .22LR weapons as "self-defense" guns are deluded. Can't even push a slug through a La Z Boy headrest.
In Case Your Turkey Burns...
Here's an idea! And Jib, I told you there are alternatives!
Fried Squirrel
medium to large squirrel
flour, garlic powder, or cloves
Lawry seasoned salt
vegetable oil
2 cans Campbell cream of mushroom soup
water
To prepare: cover skinned, quartered pieces of squirrel with flour, pepper, garlic powder and seasoned salt. Place squirrel in a large cast iron skillet with one half inch vegetable oil, and fry until brown on both sides. Add 1/4 Cup hot water and simmer, covered, for four hours or until tender. Add cream of mushroom soup and simmer an additional 30 minutes
Serve with Hungry Jack biscuits and coleslaw
Fried Squirrel
medium to large squirrel
flour, garlic powder, or cloves
Lawry seasoned salt
vegetable oil
2 cans Campbell cream of mushroom soup
water
To prepare: cover skinned, quartered pieces of squirrel with flour, pepper, garlic powder and seasoned salt. Place squirrel in a large cast iron skillet with one half inch vegetable oil, and fry until brown on both sides. Add 1/4 Cup hot water and simmer, covered, for four hours or until tender. Add cream of mushroom soup and simmer an additional 30 minutes
Serve with Hungry Jack biscuits and coleslaw
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Never Enough Laws & Regs
Anent Joe Sobran's comment that Liberals can never have enough Gummint, the following:
Let's see... Massachusetts has police permit requirements for obtaining any guns, including rifles, storage requirements, effectively a long waiting period (it takes weeks to get the permit), a year's mandatory imprisonment for first-offense carrying without a permit or with an expired permit, limits on large magazines, etc., etc.
But Brady Campaign hasn't folded its tent there and proclaimed it's gotten enough. Instead, it's calling for more.
"Dan Vice, a staff attorney with the Brady Campaign, which advocates for gun control, said Massachusetts needs to establish a statewide registry of legally owned guns. He also urged the state to restrict gun purchases to one per month.
Why not a Statewide registry of legally-owned cold tablets? Cigarettes? Alcoholic beverages? McDonald's coupons?
HT: Of Arms and the Law
Let's see... Massachusetts has police permit requirements for obtaining any guns, including rifles, storage requirements, effectively a long waiting period (it takes weeks to get the permit), a year's mandatory imprisonment for first-offense carrying without a permit or with an expired permit, limits on large magazines, etc., etc.
But Brady Campaign hasn't folded its tent there and proclaimed it's gotten enough. Instead, it's calling for more.
"Dan Vice, a staff attorney with the Brady Campaign, which advocates for gun control, said Massachusetts needs to establish a statewide registry of legally owned guns. He also urged the state to restrict gun purchases to one per month.
Why not a Statewide registry of legally-owned cold tablets? Cigarettes? Alcoholic beverages? McDonald's coupons?
HT: Of Arms and the Law
JB VanHollen's Boyzzz
OK. They're not all "Boys." But you get the idea. This is VanHollen's transition team. See if you can identify the focus of this group:
Raymond P. Taffora: attorney, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP since February, 1991. He is
currently the co-chair of the firm’s Government and Public Policy practice.
J. Douglas Haag: career special prosecutor. Appointed Assistant Attorney General by AG
Robert W. Warren 1972. Handled criminal cases in the majority of Wisconsin’s 72 counties for
29 years. Prosecutions crossed the sociological spectrum from con-artists, dope dealers, rapists,
murderers, child molesters and political terrorists to business executives and public officials.
Director of the Justice Department’s Criminal Litigation Unit from 1989 to 1993 under Attorneys General Hanaway and Doyle.
Donald Leo Bach: attorney; DeWitt Ross & Stevens. Legal Counsel and Advisor to former Gov. Thompson (1986).
Ave M. Bie: attorney, Quarles and Brady. Partner in the public utilities and government relations practice groups where she works on state and federal issues. Former Chairwoman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin (1998-2004)
Gary Hamblin: Dane County Sheriff. A professional law enforcement officer for 39 years.
Appointed Sheriff by Gov. Thompson in 1997 and reelected in 1998, 2000, and in 2002 to the
first four year term for sheriffs. Served in the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) of the
DOJ for 29 where he worked organized crime investigations, white collar crime investigations
and murder investigations. He served as DCI’s administrative officer for eight years before
heading up DCI’s drug enforcement program and then establishing DCI’s Gaming Enforcement
Bureau.
Nobody with cranberry-farmer prosecutorial experience.
Carrie Schneider – Outagamie County District Attorney. Elected in 2002, began work in the
District Attorney’s Office in 1997.
Raymond P. Taffora: attorney, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP since February, 1991. He is
currently the co-chair of the firm’s Government and Public Policy practice.
J. Douglas Haag: career special prosecutor. Appointed Assistant Attorney General by AG
Robert W. Warren 1972. Handled criminal cases in the majority of Wisconsin’s 72 counties for
29 years. Prosecutions crossed the sociological spectrum from con-artists, dope dealers, rapists,
murderers, child molesters and political terrorists to business executives and public officials.
Director of the Justice Department’s Criminal Litigation Unit from 1989 to 1993 under Attorneys General Hanaway and Doyle.
Donald Leo Bach: attorney; DeWitt Ross & Stevens. Legal Counsel and Advisor to former Gov. Thompson (1986).
Ave M. Bie: attorney, Quarles and Brady. Partner in the public utilities and government relations practice groups where she works on state and federal issues. Former Chairwoman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin (1998-2004)
Gary Hamblin: Dane County Sheriff. A professional law enforcement officer for 39 years.
Appointed Sheriff by Gov. Thompson in 1997 and reelected in 1998, 2000, and in 2002 to the
first four year term for sheriffs. Served in the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) of the
DOJ for 29 where he worked organized crime investigations, white collar crime investigations
and murder investigations. He served as DCI’s administrative officer for eight years before
heading up DCI’s drug enforcement program and then establishing DCI’s Gaming Enforcement
Bureau.
Nobody with cranberry-farmer prosecutorial experience.
Carrie Schneider – Outagamie County District Attorney. Elected in 2002, began work in the
District Attorney’s Office in 1997.
Assassinations, Yes. Robbery-- Nope.
The Secret Service keeps GWB's daughters safe from great physical harm.
But not from petty larceny.
First Daughter Barbara Bush had her purse and cell phone stolen as she had dinner in a restaurant in Buenos Aires, Argentina, even though she was being guarded by a detail of Secret Service agents, according to law enforcement reports made available to ABC News.
The purse snatching took place on Barbara's first night in town while she was dining in the picturesque San Telmo neighborhood. According to the reports, the Secret Service agents failed to notice the incident.
The Secret Service would not comment on the purse snatching, and the First Lady’s office said they would not comment on any personal trip made by the daughters.
Oh, yah.
But not from petty larceny.
First Daughter Barbara Bush had her purse and cell phone stolen as she had dinner in a restaurant in Buenos Aires, Argentina, even though she was being guarded by a detail of Secret Service agents, according to law enforcement reports made available to ABC News.
The purse snatching took place on Barbara's first night in town while she was dining in the picturesque San Telmo neighborhood. According to the reports, the Secret Service agents failed to notice the incident.
The Secret Service would not comment on the purse snatching, and the First Lady’s office said they would not comment on any personal trip made by the daughters.
Oh, yah.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Sobran the Controversialist
A while back, Joe Sobran was invited to town--and was subsequently dis-invited pursuant to charges that Sobran is anti-Semitic.
But that doesn't mean that his speech will never be examined, because it's right here on this very blog, courtesy of a friend (no, not Sobran.)
Note that he's a controversialist. He argues that the Constitution allows secession. A local attorney thinks otherwise--that in fact, there's plenty of room for disagreement. In the end, these are not questions which are resolved by attorneys. They are resolved through conflict.
You figure it out.
Nowadays, in startling contrast to my youth, it's very fashionable to claim to be a conservative. Back in the Sixties, conservatism was still rather a fugitive thing, and the fashion was liberalism or even radicalism. By the late Eighties, "liberal" had become "the L-word,"and liberals were looking for less alarming euphemism, such as"progressive." As I say, the change is startling.
But have things really changed that much? Or is the change really superficial? I'm afraid the latter is the case. The airwaves are clogged with the clamorous voices of talk radio, or "squawk radio," asI like to call it – people claiming to be conservative, though they don't sound much like the great conservatives I grew up admiring –Bill Buckley, Frank Meyer, James Burnham, Russell Kirk, Willmoore Kendall, and Barry Goldwater, to name a few.
In fact many of today's so-called conservatives seem to me to be liberals without knowing it, no matter how much they say they detest liberalism. Rush Limbaugh, to name only the most audible of them, seems to have no real philosophy, no awareness of conservative literature outside journalism. His premises are hard to distinguish from liberalism's. Apparently he equates favoring war with conservatism. He likes big government just fine, as long as it's shooting something. He says the Republican Party will save Social Security and Medicare, huge liberal programs which a real conservative thinks shouldn't have existed in the first place. Sometimes, after listening to him for a half hour, I want to beg him, "Rush, how about equal time for real conservatism?"
Well, just what is "real" conservatism? This is an old question, much debated. Dictionaries define it in such terms as "preference for tradition" and "resistance to change," but these are too general to take us very far. After all, nearly everyone wants to preserve some tradition and opposes some kinds of change, and people we call conservatives often want to do away with certain traditions and bring about important changes.
And all of life is in flux at all times. You can never conserve everything. We are forced to face the question of which things we should conserve, which we should discard or even destroy, and which we should let pass away. When a house catches fire, we may have to decide very quickly what we can rescue from the flames and abandon all the rest.
And conservatism isn't just passivity. It's active maintenance. An old house needs repair and painting, a garden need weeding, trees and shrubs need pruning. To conserve is to renew. Conservatism can't mean neglect.
And conservatism varies from place to place, from people to people. The great Russian novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn, even under the Soviet regime, wanted to preserve tsarism and the Russian Orthodox Church. Islam is in many ways deeply conservative, but we have also seen it take radical and revolutionary forms. Mormonism was once seen as radical, but today it seems a very conservative religion. The same might be said of Christianity in various forms. And as G.K.Chesterton says, "It is futile to discuss reform without reference to form."
The word "conservatism" came into general use after the French Revolution of 1789, its first and most eloquent spokesman being Edmund Burke in his Reflections on the Revolution in France . Burke argued for the traditional liberties of the English against the "abstract" Rights of Man advocated by the revolutionaries, predicting correctly that such abstract rights, with no force of custom behind them, would perish in a reign of terror. The revolutionaries, he said, were so obsessed with man's rights that they had forgotten man's nature.
History has vindicated Burke's warning, but many have doubted that his kind of conservatism fully applies to America . We don't have the sort of history England and France had, a feudal ancien regime with a social hierarchy and inherited status. It is even argued that our only tradition is a liberal one, of legal equality for everyone. After all, we are not divided into peasants versus noblemen, or anything of the sort. We even take pride in our social fluidity and more or less equal opportunity.
This brings us to a paradox. The most eloquent of our own Founding Fathers was Thomas Jefferson, who welcomed the French Revolution and had no use for Burke. Yet most American conservatives look to Jefferson as their intellectual patriarch, he who wrote the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed that "all men are created equal."
Today "conservatism" has become a confusing term. It can refer to a Jeffersonian vision of limited government and strict construction of the U.S. Constitution, or it can be equated with President Bush's militarism and what has been called his "big-government conservatism." And of course the title is also claimed by "neoconservatives" who share Bush's enthusiasm for war and are, when it comes to social policy, more like liberals than Jeffersonian conservatives.
Both Bush and the "neocons" favor an undefined war and speak of a "global democratic revolution." But what is conservative about war and revolution? It has often been pointed out that this sort of talk is more akin to Leon Trotsky than to Edmund Burke. Bush even speaks of eliminating tyranny from the face of the earth – a neat trick, if you can do it.
Here I think we should keep in mind Burke's opposition between "the abstract rights of man" and man's actual nature. Conservatives tend to believe in Original Sin, or something like it, that will forever prevent man from achieving perfection. This attitude produces a disposition that tends to be both skeptical and tolerant, deeply dubious about overhauling society. Societies and traditions can't be built from scratch; as Burke said, we must build out of existing materials – that is, real human beings and their habits, rooted inhistory.
Liberals, on the other hand, speak freely of "ideals," imagined perfections that we can achieve if only we have the will. "I have a dream," as Martin Luther King said. Hence liberals typically talk of abolishing evils – "eliminating poverty," "eradicating racism," "doing away with prejudice," "ending exploitation," and so forth. This usually means strenuous government action, massive coercion and bureaucracy, because these things don't just evaporate of themselves.
Conservatives don't speak much of "ideals." They think, more modestly, in terms of norms, which are never perfectly realized, but only approximated by sinful man. Consider homosexuality. Whereas the liberal wants to impose "gay rights," by law and coercion, the conservative sees homosexuality as a defect, which to some extent can and must be tolerated, because it can't be "eradicated," but it can't rationally be exalted to the plane of normality; and he knows that all talk of "same-sex marriage" is nonsense, like trying to breed calves from a pair of bulls. But to the liberal, the only issue is equal rights; human nature and normality have nothing to say to him. What the conservative sees as life's mysteries, the liberal sees as mere irrationality.
One word is notably absent from the liberal vocabulary: "enough." For the liberal, there is hardly such a thing as "too much"government. There is no point at which liberals say, "Well, we've done it. We've realized our dreams. We have all the government we need, and we should stop now." No, they always want more government. There is no such thing as enough government.
Again, Chesterton sums up liberalism in a phrase: "the modern and morbid habit of always sacrificing the normal to the abnormal." We see this again in the grisly business of abortion. To the typical conservative it is an ugly thing, something that may not be entirely"eliminated" but must be contained, condemned, and above all must never be accepted as normal. But to the typical liberal it is a right-- even "a fundamental human and constitutional right"!
Consider Abraham Lincoln, claimed by both liberals and conservatives. Most Americans consider him our greatest president – a view I emphatically reject. But both sides have a point in claiming him. In some respects he was rather conservative – for example, in his willingness to compromise on slavery before the Civil War. He doubted that he had the constitutional authority to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which he finally justified only as a wartime measure, applying only to the seceding states.
But he finally became an all-out abolitionist, and he had a radical dream of colonizing all free blacks outside the United States ; in his 1862 State of the Union message, he called for a constitutional amendment authorizing such colonization! In addition, Lincoln was a high-handed centralizer of power, who suspended habeas corpus and crushed freedom of speech and press throughout the North. Like most liberals, he talked of freedom – "a new birth of freedom," in fact –but the reality was power. Under the Constitution, he insisted, no state could withdraw from the Union for any reason. This was a view Jefferson did not share. The United States had begun in secession. Lincoln himself had once called secession "a most sacred right, which we believe is to liberate mankind."
A more recent conservative, Willmoore Kendall, who died in 1967, argued that American conservatism is rooted in its own constitutional tradition, best understood in the light of The Federalist Papers,where the limits of the Federal Government are clearly set forth. As far as I can tell, Lincoln was entirely ignorant of The Federalist Papers, as well as of the Articles of Confederation – a point I'll return to.
An even more recent conservative, Michael Oakeshott, who died in 1990, was English rather than American, but he had much to teach us. Oakeshott, like Burke, decried "rationalism in politics" – by which he chiefly meant what we call liberalism. He observed that some people(liberals) see government as "a vast reservoir of power," to be mobilized for whatever purposes they imagine would benefit mankind. By contrast, Oakeshott argued, the conservative sees governing as "a specific and limited activity," chiefly concerned with civility and the rule of law, not with "dreams" and "projects." I consider Oakeshott the most eloquent expositor of conservatism and the conservative temperament since Burke.
I have already said that Lincoln was poorly acquainted with the Founding Fathers. By contrast, Jefferson Davis was thoroughly familiar with them, and in his history of the Confederacy (too little read nowadays) he makes a powerful, I would say irrefutable, case that every state has a constitutional right to withdraw – to secede -- from the Union .
In the North, secession is still seen as a regional "Southern" issue, inseparable from, and therefore discredited by, slavery. But this is not so at all. At various times, Northern states had threatened to secede for various reasons. On one occasion, Thomas Jefferson said they should be allowed to "go in peace." After all, the whole point of the Declaration of Independence was that these "are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states." Not, as Lincoln later said, a single "new nation," but (to quote Kendall ) "a baker's dozen of new sovereignties."
And the Articles of Confederation reinforced the point right at the beginning: "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence." And at the end of the Revolutionary War, the British specifically recognized the sovereignty of all thirteen states! This is flatly contrary to Lincoln 's claim that the states had never been sovereign.
But didn't the Constitution transfer sovereignty from the states to the Federal Government, outlawing secession? Not at all. The Constitution says nothing of the kind. And as Davis wrote, sovereignty cannot be surrendered by mere implication. In fact, several states ratified the Constitution on the express condition that they reserved the right to "resume" the powers they were "delegating"– that is, secede. And if one state could secede, so could the others. A "state" was not a mere province or subdivision of a larger entity; it was sovereign by definition.
Claiming sovereignty for the Federal Government, Lincoln felt justified in violating the Constitution in order to "save the Union " –by which he meant "saving" Federal sovereignty. One of the best-kept secrets of American history is that many if not most Northerners thought the Southern states had the right to secede. This is whyLincoln shut down hundreds of newspapers and arrested thousands of critics of his war. He had to wage a propaganda war against the North itself.
Were you told this in your history classes? Neither was I. We are still being told that Lincoln 's cause was the cause of liberty; just as we are told that he was the friend of the black man, though he wanted the freed slaves to be sent abroad, leaving an all-whiteAmerica . Lincoln had a dream too, but it wasn't Martin Luther King's.
Lincoln achieved what the Princeton historian James MacPherson calls"the Second American Revolution," giving the Federal Government virtually full authority over the internal affairs of the states. Columbia 's George Fletcher credits him with creating "a new Constitution." A third historian, Garry Wills of Northwestern University, says he "changed America ," transforming our understanding of the Constitution.
Mind you, these are not Lincoln 's critics – they are his champions! Do they listen to themselves? They are saying exactly what Jefferson Davis said: that Lincoln was abandoning the original Constitution! But they think this is a high compliment. Lincoln himself claimed he was "saving" the old Constitution. His admirers, without realizing it, are telling us a very different story.
Peaceful secession was a state's ultimate constitutional defense against Federal tyranny. Without it, the Federal Government has been able to claim new powers for itself while stripping the states of their powers. Lincoln neither foresaw nor intended this when he crushed secession. But today the states are helpless when, for example, the Federal Courts suddenly declare that no state may constitutionally protect unborn children from violent death in the womb. If even one state had been able to secede, the U.S. Supreme Court would never have dared provoke it to do so by issuing such an outrageous ruling, with no support in the Constitution.
But Lincoln has been deified as surely as any Roman emperor. Today he is widely ranked as one of our "greatest presidents," along with another bold usurper of power, Franklin Roosevelt. And as I say, even conservatives, so called, join in his praise. President Bush and his supporters invoke both Lincoln and Roosevelt to justify the war in Iraq and any powers he chooses to claim in its prosecution. In the old days, Americans told the government what our rights were; now it tells us. And we meekly obey.
If Bush and his right-wing supporters are conservatives, what on earth would a liberal be like? In these last six years, the Federal Government has vastly increased in power, with a corresponding diminution of our freedoms. Every American child is now born $150,000 in debt – his estimated share of the national debt, which he had no say in incurring. And of course the figure will be much higher when he is old enough to vote.
Meanwhile, he will go to a school, where he will be taught that he enjoys "self-government," thanks to great men like Lincoln , Roosevelt , and Bush.
What passes for "conservatism" now is a very far cry indeed from even the limited-government conservatism of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan just a generation ago. It is merely a variant of the liberalism it pretends to oppose.
How do these pseudo-conservatives differ from liberals? Chiefly, for some reason, in their reflexive enthusiasm for war. Ponder that. War is the most destructive and least conservative of all human activities. It is big government par excellence; it breeds tyranny and, often, revolution. Yet most Americans now identify it with conservatism!
I am very much afraid that the next generation will have forgotten what real conservatism means: moral stability, piety, private property, and of course the rule of law (as distinct from the mad multiplication of regulations).
But genuine conservatism will reassert itself, even if it has to find another name and new spokesmen. If the Bushes and Limbaughs have usurped and discredited the word conservatism for the time being, we must try to take it back. If we can't, we'll just have to find a label they can't steal.
But that doesn't mean that his speech will never be examined, because it's right here on this very blog, courtesy of a friend (no, not Sobran.)
Note that he's a controversialist. He argues that the Constitution allows secession. A local attorney thinks otherwise--that in fact, there's plenty of room for disagreement. In the end, these are not questions which are resolved by attorneys. They are resolved through conflict.
You figure it out.
Nowadays, in startling contrast to my youth, it's very fashionable to claim to be a conservative. Back in the Sixties, conservatism was still rather a fugitive thing, and the fashion was liberalism or even radicalism. By the late Eighties, "liberal" had become "the L-word,"and liberals were looking for less alarming euphemism, such as"progressive." As I say, the change is startling.
But have things really changed that much? Or is the change really superficial? I'm afraid the latter is the case. The airwaves are clogged with the clamorous voices of talk radio, or "squawk radio," asI like to call it – people claiming to be conservative, though they don't sound much like the great conservatives I grew up admiring –Bill Buckley, Frank Meyer, James Burnham, Russell Kirk, Willmoore Kendall, and Barry Goldwater, to name a few.
In fact many of today's so-called conservatives seem to me to be liberals without knowing it, no matter how much they say they detest liberalism. Rush Limbaugh, to name only the most audible of them, seems to have no real philosophy, no awareness of conservative literature outside journalism. His premises are hard to distinguish from liberalism's. Apparently he equates favoring war with conservatism. He likes big government just fine, as long as it's shooting something. He says the Republican Party will save Social Security and Medicare, huge liberal programs which a real conservative thinks shouldn't have existed in the first place. Sometimes, after listening to him for a half hour, I want to beg him, "Rush, how about equal time for real conservatism?"
Well, just what is "real" conservatism? This is an old question, much debated. Dictionaries define it in such terms as "preference for tradition" and "resistance to change," but these are too general to take us very far. After all, nearly everyone wants to preserve some tradition and opposes some kinds of change, and people we call conservatives often want to do away with certain traditions and bring about important changes.
And all of life is in flux at all times. You can never conserve everything. We are forced to face the question of which things we should conserve, which we should discard or even destroy, and which we should let pass away. When a house catches fire, we may have to decide very quickly what we can rescue from the flames and abandon all the rest.
And conservatism isn't just passivity. It's active maintenance. An old house needs repair and painting, a garden need weeding, trees and shrubs need pruning. To conserve is to renew. Conservatism can't mean neglect.
And conservatism varies from place to place, from people to people. The great Russian novelist Alexander Solzhenitsyn, even under the Soviet regime, wanted to preserve tsarism and the Russian Orthodox Church. Islam is in many ways deeply conservative, but we have also seen it take radical and revolutionary forms. Mormonism was once seen as radical, but today it seems a very conservative religion. The same might be said of Christianity in various forms. And as G.K.Chesterton says, "It is futile to discuss reform without reference to form."
The word "conservatism" came into general use after the French Revolution of 1789, its first and most eloquent spokesman being Edmund Burke in his Reflections on the Revolution in France . Burke argued for the traditional liberties of the English against the "abstract" Rights of Man advocated by the revolutionaries, predicting correctly that such abstract rights, with no force of custom behind them, would perish in a reign of terror. The revolutionaries, he said, were so obsessed with man's rights that they had forgotten man's nature.
History has vindicated Burke's warning, but many have doubted that his kind of conservatism fully applies to America . We don't have the sort of history England and France had, a feudal ancien regime with a social hierarchy and inherited status. It is even argued that our only tradition is a liberal one, of legal equality for everyone. After all, we are not divided into peasants versus noblemen, or anything of the sort. We even take pride in our social fluidity and more or less equal opportunity.
This brings us to a paradox. The most eloquent of our own Founding Fathers was Thomas Jefferson, who welcomed the French Revolution and had no use for Burke. Yet most American conservatives look to Jefferson as their intellectual patriarch, he who wrote the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed that "all men are created equal."
Today "conservatism" has become a confusing term. It can refer to a Jeffersonian vision of limited government and strict construction of the U.S. Constitution, or it can be equated with President Bush's militarism and what has been called his "big-government conservatism." And of course the title is also claimed by "neoconservatives" who share Bush's enthusiasm for war and are, when it comes to social policy, more like liberals than Jeffersonian conservatives.
Both Bush and the "neocons" favor an undefined war and speak of a "global democratic revolution." But what is conservative about war and revolution? It has often been pointed out that this sort of talk is more akin to Leon Trotsky than to Edmund Burke. Bush even speaks of eliminating tyranny from the face of the earth – a neat trick, if you can do it.
Here I think we should keep in mind Burke's opposition between "the abstract rights of man" and man's actual nature. Conservatives tend to believe in Original Sin, or something like it, that will forever prevent man from achieving perfection. This attitude produces a disposition that tends to be both skeptical and tolerant, deeply dubious about overhauling society. Societies and traditions can't be built from scratch; as Burke said, we must build out of existing materials – that is, real human beings and their habits, rooted inhistory.
Liberals, on the other hand, speak freely of "ideals," imagined perfections that we can achieve if only we have the will. "I have a dream," as Martin Luther King said. Hence liberals typically talk of abolishing evils – "eliminating poverty," "eradicating racism," "doing away with prejudice," "ending exploitation," and so forth. This usually means strenuous government action, massive coercion and bureaucracy, because these things don't just evaporate of themselves.
Conservatives don't speak much of "ideals." They think, more modestly, in terms of norms, which are never perfectly realized, but only approximated by sinful man. Consider homosexuality. Whereas the liberal wants to impose "gay rights," by law and coercion, the conservative sees homosexuality as a defect, which to some extent can and must be tolerated, because it can't be "eradicated," but it can't rationally be exalted to the plane of normality; and he knows that all talk of "same-sex marriage" is nonsense, like trying to breed calves from a pair of bulls. But to the liberal, the only issue is equal rights; human nature and normality have nothing to say to him. What the conservative sees as life's mysteries, the liberal sees as mere irrationality.
One word is notably absent from the liberal vocabulary: "enough." For the liberal, there is hardly such a thing as "too much"government. There is no point at which liberals say, "Well, we've done it. We've realized our dreams. We have all the government we need, and we should stop now." No, they always want more government. There is no such thing as enough government.
Again, Chesterton sums up liberalism in a phrase: "the modern and morbid habit of always sacrificing the normal to the abnormal." We see this again in the grisly business of abortion. To the typical conservative it is an ugly thing, something that may not be entirely"eliminated" but must be contained, condemned, and above all must never be accepted as normal. But to the typical liberal it is a right-- even "a fundamental human and constitutional right"!
Consider Abraham Lincoln, claimed by both liberals and conservatives. Most Americans consider him our greatest president – a view I emphatically reject. But both sides have a point in claiming him. In some respects he was rather conservative – for example, in his willingness to compromise on slavery before the Civil War. He doubted that he had the constitutional authority to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which he finally justified only as a wartime measure, applying only to the seceding states.
But he finally became an all-out abolitionist, and he had a radical dream of colonizing all free blacks outside the United States ; in his 1862 State of the Union message, he called for a constitutional amendment authorizing such colonization! In addition, Lincoln was a high-handed centralizer of power, who suspended habeas corpus and crushed freedom of speech and press throughout the North. Like most liberals, he talked of freedom – "a new birth of freedom," in fact –but the reality was power. Under the Constitution, he insisted, no state could withdraw from the Union for any reason. This was a view Jefferson did not share. The United States had begun in secession. Lincoln himself had once called secession "a most sacred right, which we believe is to liberate mankind."
A more recent conservative, Willmoore Kendall, who died in 1967, argued that American conservatism is rooted in its own constitutional tradition, best understood in the light of The Federalist Papers,where the limits of the Federal Government are clearly set forth. As far as I can tell, Lincoln was entirely ignorant of The Federalist Papers, as well as of the Articles of Confederation – a point I'll return to.
An even more recent conservative, Michael Oakeshott, who died in 1990, was English rather than American, but he had much to teach us. Oakeshott, like Burke, decried "rationalism in politics" – by which he chiefly meant what we call liberalism. He observed that some people(liberals) see government as "a vast reservoir of power," to be mobilized for whatever purposes they imagine would benefit mankind. By contrast, Oakeshott argued, the conservative sees governing as "a specific and limited activity," chiefly concerned with civility and the rule of law, not with "dreams" and "projects." I consider Oakeshott the most eloquent expositor of conservatism and the conservative temperament since Burke.
I have already said that Lincoln was poorly acquainted with the Founding Fathers. By contrast, Jefferson Davis was thoroughly familiar with them, and in his history of the Confederacy (too little read nowadays) he makes a powerful, I would say irrefutable, case that every state has a constitutional right to withdraw – to secede -- from the Union .
In the North, secession is still seen as a regional "Southern" issue, inseparable from, and therefore discredited by, slavery. But this is not so at all. At various times, Northern states had threatened to secede for various reasons. On one occasion, Thomas Jefferson said they should be allowed to "go in peace." After all, the whole point of the Declaration of Independence was that these "are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states." Not, as Lincoln later said, a single "new nation," but (to quote Kendall ) "a baker's dozen of new sovereignties."
And the Articles of Confederation reinforced the point right at the beginning: "Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence." And at the end of the Revolutionary War, the British specifically recognized the sovereignty of all thirteen states! This is flatly contrary to Lincoln 's claim that the states had never been sovereign.
But didn't the Constitution transfer sovereignty from the states to the Federal Government, outlawing secession? Not at all. The Constitution says nothing of the kind. And as Davis wrote, sovereignty cannot be surrendered by mere implication. In fact, several states ratified the Constitution on the express condition that they reserved the right to "resume" the powers they were "delegating"– that is, secede. And if one state could secede, so could the others. A "state" was not a mere province or subdivision of a larger entity; it was sovereign by definition.
Claiming sovereignty for the Federal Government, Lincoln felt justified in violating the Constitution in order to "save the Union " –by which he meant "saving" Federal sovereignty. One of the best-kept secrets of American history is that many if not most Northerners thought the Southern states had the right to secede. This is whyLincoln shut down hundreds of newspapers and arrested thousands of critics of his war. He had to wage a propaganda war against the North itself.
Were you told this in your history classes? Neither was I. We are still being told that Lincoln 's cause was the cause of liberty; just as we are told that he was the friend of the black man, though he wanted the freed slaves to be sent abroad, leaving an all-whiteAmerica . Lincoln had a dream too, but it wasn't Martin Luther King's.
Lincoln achieved what the Princeton historian James MacPherson calls"the Second American Revolution," giving the Federal Government virtually full authority over the internal affairs of the states. Columbia 's George Fletcher credits him with creating "a new Constitution." A third historian, Garry Wills of Northwestern University, says he "changed America ," transforming our understanding of the Constitution.
Mind you, these are not Lincoln 's critics – they are his champions! Do they listen to themselves? They are saying exactly what Jefferson Davis said: that Lincoln was abandoning the original Constitution! But they think this is a high compliment. Lincoln himself claimed he was "saving" the old Constitution. His admirers, without realizing it, are telling us a very different story.
Peaceful secession was a state's ultimate constitutional defense against Federal tyranny. Without it, the Federal Government has been able to claim new powers for itself while stripping the states of their powers. Lincoln neither foresaw nor intended this when he crushed secession. But today the states are helpless when, for example, the Federal Courts suddenly declare that no state may constitutionally protect unborn children from violent death in the womb. If even one state had been able to secede, the U.S. Supreme Court would never have dared provoke it to do so by issuing such an outrageous ruling, with no support in the Constitution.
But Lincoln has been deified as surely as any Roman emperor. Today he is widely ranked as one of our "greatest presidents," along with another bold usurper of power, Franklin Roosevelt. And as I say, even conservatives, so called, join in his praise. President Bush and his supporters invoke both Lincoln and Roosevelt to justify the war in Iraq and any powers he chooses to claim in its prosecution. In the old days, Americans told the government what our rights were; now it tells us. And we meekly obey.
If Bush and his right-wing supporters are conservatives, what on earth would a liberal be like? In these last six years, the Federal Government has vastly increased in power, with a corresponding diminution of our freedoms. Every American child is now born $150,000 in debt – his estimated share of the national debt, which he had no say in incurring. And of course the figure will be much higher when he is old enough to vote.
Meanwhile, he will go to a school, where he will be taught that he enjoys "self-government," thanks to great men like Lincoln , Roosevelt , and Bush.
What passes for "conservatism" now is a very far cry indeed from even the limited-government conservatism of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan just a generation ago. It is merely a variant of the liberalism it pretends to oppose.
How do these pseudo-conservatives differ from liberals? Chiefly, for some reason, in their reflexive enthusiasm for war. Ponder that. War is the most destructive and least conservative of all human activities. It is big government par excellence; it breeds tyranny and, often, revolution. Yet most Americans now identify it with conservatism!
I am very much afraid that the next generation will have forgotten what real conservatism means: moral stability, piety, private property, and of course the rule of law (as distinct from the mad multiplication of regulations).
But genuine conservatism will reassert itself, even if it has to find another name and new spokesmen. If the Bushes and Limbaughs have usurped and discredited the word conservatism for the time being, we must try to take it back. If we can't, we'll just have to find a label they can't steal.
"Actuosa Participatio" to Guardini
Romano Guardini was a well-known liturgical scholar. The majority of his work preceded the Second Vatican Council; and he wrote some things which the Pragmata-Activists obviously ignored:
The liturgical act can be realized by looking. This does not merely mean that the sense of vision takes note of what is going on in front, but it is in itself a living participation in the act. I once experienced this in Palermo Cathedral when I could sense the attention with which the people were following the blessings on Holy Saturday for hours on end without books or any words of 'explanation'. Much of this was, of course, an external 'gazing', but basically it was far more. The looking by the people was an act in itself; by looking they participated in the various actions. However, cinema, radio and television-not to forget the flood of tourists-will have destroyed this remainder of old contemplative forces.
Only if regarded in this way can the liturgical-symbolical action be properly understood: for instance, the washing of hands by the celebrant, but also liturgical gestures like the stretching out of hands over the chalice. It should not be necessary to have to add in words of thought, 'this means such and such', but the symbol should be 'done' by the celebrant as a religious act and the faithful should 'read' it by an analogous act; they should see the inner sense in the outward sign. Without this everything would be a waste of time and energy and it would be better simply to 'say' what was meant. But the 'symbol' is in itself something corporal-spiritual, an expression of the inward through the outward, and must as such be co-performed through the act of looking.
...The active presence of the people of Palermo was based on the fact that they did not merely look up in the book what the various actions 'meant', but they actually 'read' them by simply looking-an after-effect of antique influences, probably paid for by a lack of primary education. Our problem is to rise above reading and writing and learn really to look with understanding.
This is the present task of liturgical education. If it is not taken in hand, reforms of rites and texts will not help much.
An imperfect analogy would be attending a concert. The orchestra plays--but the music has to be heard or it is not a "concert." I.E., it takes two to tango... Further, the presumption is that the audience understands the music just by hearing it. The orchestra credits its audience with "understanding".
A local Archbishop who was also a leader in the liturgical 'reform' emphasized (in his lectures, anyway) the importance of "symbol," echoing the Guardini piece. But either it was too late, too little, or his lectures were only 'for consumption;' it is clear that many priests in this Archdiocese do not credit their congregations with any understanding at all.
Perhaps that's related to the general Liberal conceit...
HT: In Illo Tempore.
The liturgical act can be realized by looking. This does not merely mean that the sense of vision takes note of what is going on in front, but it is in itself a living participation in the act. I once experienced this in Palermo Cathedral when I could sense the attention with which the people were following the blessings on Holy Saturday for hours on end without books or any words of 'explanation'. Much of this was, of course, an external 'gazing', but basically it was far more. The looking by the people was an act in itself; by looking they participated in the various actions. However, cinema, radio and television-not to forget the flood of tourists-will have destroyed this remainder of old contemplative forces.
Only if regarded in this way can the liturgical-symbolical action be properly understood: for instance, the washing of hands by the celebrant, but also liturgical gestures like the stretching out of hands over the chalice. It should not be necessary to have to add in words of thought, 'this means such and such', but the symbol should be 'done' by the celebrant as a religious act and the faithful should 'read' it by an analogous act; they should see the inner sense in the outward sign. Without this everything would be a waste of time and energy and it would be better simply to 'say' what was meant. But the 'symbol' is in itself something corporal-spiritual, an expression of the inward through the outward, and must as such be co-performed through the act of looking.
...The active presence of the people of Palermo was based on the fact that they did not merely look up in the book what the various actions 'meant', but they actually 'read' them by simply looking-an after-effect of antique influences, probably paid for by a lack of primary education. Our problem is to rise above reading and writing and learn really to look with understanding.
This is the present task of liturgical education. If it is not taken in hand, reforms of rites and texts will not help much.
An imperfect analogy would be attending a concert. The orchestra plays--but the music has to be heard or it is not a "concert." I.E., it takes two to tango... Further, the presumption is that the audience understands the music just by hearing it. The orchestra credits its audience with "understanding".
A local Archbishop who was also a leader in the liturgical 'reform' emphasized (in his lectures, anyway) the importance of "symbol," echoing the Guardini piece. But either it was too late, too little, or his lectures were only 'for consumption;' it is clear that many priests in this Archdiocese do not credit their congregations with any understanding at all.
Perhaps that's related to the general Liberal conceit...
HT: In Illo Tempore.
"Stablilzed" Iraqi Government?
P-Mac quotes a Hanson column in the course of dissing Kissinger (an eminently diss-able guy, but not entirely bereft of reason and instinct.)
"So we are at a crossroads of all places in Iraq. The war there has metamorphosized from a successful effort to remove a mass-murdering dictator into the frontlines of the entire struggle between Islamic radicalism and Western liberality. If we withdraw before the elected government stabilizes, the consequences won't just be the loss of the perceptions of power, but perhaps the loss of real power. What follows won't be the impression that we are weak, but the fact that we are--as we convince ourselves we cannot win against such horrific enemies, and so should never again try."
Well, yah, sorta.
Hanson's wording deserves some examination.
First off, he uses sleight-of-hand text to give us the impression that "Islamic radicalism" is a force akin to "a unified Muslim world." Not true, unless Our President's repeated averrals that the majority of Muslims are not "radicals" are a lie. Of course, if the majority of Muslims are radicals, we do have a problem. But that contention has not been proven. Not even close. Egypt, anyone? Saudi Arabia? Kuwait?
Hanson's point of reference is the period between (say) 1000 AD and 1600 AD--during which a unified Muslim caliphate attempted to invade and conquer Europe. They didn't get too far. Although there is a significant Muslim presence in the Balkans, that's about it--except for the growing "guest worker" population in France and Germany.
But the "guest workers," by and large, are not "radicals," are they? If so, where's the bloodbath in Germany? France has problems, but France's Government is pusillanimous in the extreme; it is not resolved to apply remedy.
Secondly, the battle is not between "Western Liberalism" and "Muslim radicals." It is between two worldviews: one informed by Christianity, the other by a major heresy, Mohammedanism. The most significant battle on that front is being waged by Benedict XVI, whose Regensburg speech drew a rational response and will likely result in productive discussions--albeit the timeline will be excruciatingly slow.
Finally, Hanson tells us that 'we cannot withdraw until there is a "stabilized" Iraqi Government.'
We can agree on that, but first Hanson should tell us what "stabilized" actually means, in his view.
It would be helpful if Our President would also define the term "stabilized." Otherwise, we could well be seeking (at some cost) a goal which is a chimera.
"So we are at a crossroads of all places in Iraq. The war there has metamorphosized from a successful effort to remove a mass-murdering dictator into the frontlines of the entire struggle between Islamic radicalism and Western liberality. If we withdraw before the elected government stabilizes, the consequences won't just be the loss of the perceptions of power, but perhaps the loss of real power. What follows won't be the impression that we are weak, but the fact that we are--as we convince ourselves we cannot win against such horrific enemies, and so should never again try."
Well, yah, sorta.
Hanson's wording deserves some examination.
First off, he uses sleight-of-hand text to give us the impression that "Islamic radicalism" is a force akin to "a unified Muslim world." Not true, unless Our President's repeated averrals that the majority of Muslims are not "radicals" are a lie. Of course, if the majority of Muslims are radicals, we do have a problem. But that contention has not been proven. Not even close. Egypt, anyone? Saudi Arabia? Kuwait?
Hanson's point of reference is the period between (say) 1000 AD and 1600 AD--during which a unified Muslim caliphate attempted to invade and conquer Europe. They didn't get too far. Although there is a significant Muslim presence in the Balkans, that's about it--except for the growing "guest worker" population in France and Germany.
But the "guest workers," by and large, are not "radicals," are they? If so, where's the bloodbath in Germany? France has problems, but France's Government is pusillanimous in the extreme; it is not resolved to apply remedy.
Secondly, the battle is not between "Western Liberalism" and "Muslim radicals." It is between two worldviews: one informed by Christianity, the other by a major heresy, Mohammedanism. The most significant battle on that front is being waged by Benedict XVI, whose Regensburg speech drew a rational response and will likely result in productive discussions--albeit the timeline will be excruciatingly slow.
Finally, Hanson tells us that 'we cannot withdraw until there is a "stabilized" Iraqi Government.'
We can agree on that, but first Hanson should tell us what "stabilized" actually means, in his view.
It would be helpful if Our President would also define the term "stabilized." Otherwise, we could well be seeking (at some cost) a goal which is a chimera.
Third-Party Server Records? Think Hard...
Grim references a podcast which is troubling:
Two paraphrases:
'Because the Internet is entirely made of private property, things like the First and Fourth Amendments do not necessarily apply.
''Since we are now keeping so much of our data -- calendars, emails, etc. -- on third-party servers, we are essentially erasing the Fourth Amendment."
The trick here, I think, is that American courts used to recognize that new technologies deserved the same protections as the old technologies. When we started having telephones, the ability to wire-tap those phones became covered under the Fourth Amendment. The courts of the day simply held that the principle was the same.
Now, as the fellow points out, the courts have decided to side with power instead of protection. That same interpretation was available to them, but the courts have instead chosen to rule that the applicable rules were the a different set of rulings concerning third-party custody of your records. That is not to say the court's reasoning is wrong. What it is to say is that we need to amend the Constitution to make clear that new technologies must be incorporated into the Fourth going forward. "Your person and papers" should mean your ideas and records, whether they're stored on your hard drive or in your desk, or on a server across town. They're still yours, and the government should be required to prove a lawful interest in them -- as for example by obtaining a warrant -- before helping itself.
Although my business records are utterly boring, I'd hate to think that (if they were stored on a 3rd-party's machine) that they were subject to search without a warrant.
Your mileage may vary, but this is a fair warning.
Two paraphrases:
'Because the Internet is entirely made of private property, things like the First and Fourth Amendments do not necessarily apply.
''Since we are now keeping so much of our data -- calendars, emails, etc. -- on third-party servers, we are essentially erasing the Fourth Amendment."
The trick here, I think, is that American courts used to recognize that new technologies deserved the same protections as the old technologies. When we started having telephones, the ability to wire-tap those phones became covered under the Fourth Amendment. The courts of the day simply held that the principle was the same.
Now, as the fellow points out, the courts have decided to side with power instead of protection. That same interpretation was available to them, but the courts have instead chosen to rule that the applicable rules were the a different set of rulings concerning third-party custody of your records. That is not to say the court's reasoning is wrong. What it is to say is that we need to amend the Constitution to make clear that new technologies must be incorporated into the Fourth going forward. "Your person and papers" should mean your ideas and records, whether they're stored on your hard drive or in your desk, or on a server across town. They're still yours, and the government should be required to prove a lawful interest in them -- as for example by obtaining a warrant -- before helping itself.
Although my business records are utterly boring, I'd hate to think that (if they were stored on a 3rd-party's machine) that they were subject to search without a warrant.
Your mileage may vary, but this is a fair warning.
Really, Folkbum? Really?
Ol' Jay asks for it:
If the state paid less for its employees' health care (and all the local units of government, too--not to mention you, the consumer/ citizen/ taxpayer), the projected cost of running the place would fall and there would be more money in your pocket, too.
OK. Let's dump all the WEAC insurance and zero-premium/zero-co-pay/zero deductible plans given to the teachers.
Or, if you don't like that formulation, let's just design all public employee health-plans to reflect the average plan for private-sector employees in the State--complete with similar premium contributions, copays, deductibles, and limits.
Jay will claim that I mischaracterize his post.
If the state paid less for its employees' health care (and all the local units of government, too--not to mention you, the consumer/ citizen/ taxpayer), the projected cost of running the place would fall and there would be more money in your pocket, too.
OK. Let's dump all the WEAC insurance and zero-premium/zero-co-pay/zero deductible plans given to the teachers.
Or, if you don't like that formulation, let's just design all public employee health-plans to reflect the average plan for private-sector employees in the State--complete with similar premium contributions, copays, deductibles, and limits.
Jay will claim that I mischaracterize his post.
The Good News
Sykes quotes Morris:
As Bill Clinton discovered when he reached D.C. in 1993, House Democrats are splintered into micro-caucuses, each of which must be courted separately for their votes. When their demands conflict, no one can rally anything close to a working majority on the House floor. Each caucus is a body unto itself: blue dogs (moderate and largely southern), Blacks, Hispanics, women, Democratic Leadership Council, environmentalists and gays.
Gridlock is your friend.
As Bill Clinton discovered when he reached D.C. in 1993, House Democrats are splintered into micro-caucuses, each of which must be courted separately for their votes. When their demands conflict, no one can rally anything close to a working majority on the House floor. Each caucus is a body unto itself: blue dogs (moderate and largely southern), Blacks, Hispanics, women, Democratic Leadership Council, environmentalists and gays.
Gridlock is your friend.
Pubbie Porker
The Porker of the Month
(ta-da!!) is John Thune (R), S Dakota.
Not only did he secure a $2BN+ loan guarantee for a former lobbying client of his, he also increased a Federal Agency budget to provide for his pals.
The loan guarantee from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) would allow the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) to expand and improve a rail line that is used primarily to transport coal from Wyoming to Minnesota. In apparent anticipation of the loan, Sen. Thune was instrumental in increasing the FRA’s loan guarantee authority from $3.5 billion to $35 billion in the 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act. DM&E paid Thune $220,000 in 2003 and 2004 to lobby for the loan before his election to the Senate.
There is a slight problem:
According to BearingPoint (a strategic consulting firm), the loan would require an annual payment of $246 million on top of the $15 million from another loan. Even if the rail upgrade increases DM&E’s current annual revenue of $200 million, the deal presents a poor credit risk to taxpayers, who will be forced to foot the bill if the company defaults. A senior manager at BearingPoint stated, “This loan finances a project with many financial uncertainties, ultimately calling into question whether or not DM&E can repay the loan.”
Just for comparison: this is a $2.2BN loan guarantee.
Chrysler only got $1.5BN in 1980.
HT: Captain's Quarters
(ta-da!!) is John Thune (R), S Dakota.
Not only did he secure a $2BN+ loan guarantee for a former lobbying client of his, he also increased a Federal Agency budget to provide for his pals.
The loan guarantee from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) would allow the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) to expand and improve a rail line that is used primarily to transport coal from Wyoming to Minnesota. In apparent anticipation of the loan, Sen. Thune was instrumental in increasing the FRA’s loan guarantee authority from $3.5 billion to $35 billion in the 2005 Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act. DM&E paid Thune $220,000 in 2003 and 2004 to lobby for the loan before his election to the Senate.
There is a slight problem:
According to BearingPoint (a strategic consulting firm), the loan would require an annual payment of $246 million on top of the $15 million from another loan. Even if the rail upgrade increases DM&E’s current annual revenue of $200 million, the deal presents a poor credit risk to taxpayers, who will be forced to foot the bill if the company defaults. A senior manager at BearingPoint stated, “This loan finances a project with many financial uncertainties, ultimately calling into question whether or not DM&E can repay the loan.”
Just for comparison: this is a $2.2BN loan guarantee.
Chrysler only got $1.5BN in 1980.
HT: Captain's Quarters
Monday, November 20, 2006
A Little Humor
Hey, Giuseppe!! Who's gonna tell them we only have 12 Playstations for sale?---Stolen from Young Fogeys----
Bill Gates: Marxist? or Just a Bit Greedy?
Well, he's a "redistributist," anyway.
Bill Gates stated his theory of worldwide economic redistribution. It sounds like something Karl Marx would espouse.
``The United States has been spoiled by being a global leader for so long that there may be an adjustment,'' Gates told the audience of nearly 2,000, a mix of suit-and-tie executives and college students in hooded sweatshirts.
``We've got to get used to the fact that our relative share of everything -- our ability to exercise unilateral decisionmaking, military power, and economic power -- won't be as out of line with our 5 percent share of world population as it is today.''
P.J. O'Rourke, an American satirist, writer, and journalist warned of thiskind of utopian thinking: "The poor of the world cannot be made rich byredistribution of wealth. Poverty can't be eliminated by punishing peoplewho've escaped poverty, taking their money and giving it as a reward topeople who have failed to escape."
So what was the occasion for Mr. Gates' economics lecture? The "Innovation" Summit at Stanford U.
The entire summit was nothing but a transparent excuse to push for moreH-1Bs and to promote the Skil Bill. This is a clever bit of propaganda that doesn't stand up under scrutiny because Sergey Brin and Andy Grove didn't come to the U.S. on H-1B visas. Andy Grove came to the U.S. at the age of 20 as a refugee from the Hungarian revolution while Sergey Brin immigrated from Russia at the age of 6 with his family.
Brin and Grove are respectively a co-founder of Google and former CEO of Intel. But you've heard the line--that these guys would have been "shut out" of America were we to limit immigration.
The facts: Gates likes cheap labor. The "Skil Bill" provides cheap labor.
(Source: Zazona.com)
Bill Gates stated his theory of worldwide economic redistribution. It sounds like something Karl Marx would espouse.
``The United States has been spoiled by being a global leader for so long that there may be an adjustment,'' Gates told the audience of nearly 2,000, a mix of suit-and-tie executives and college students in hooded sweatshirts.
``We've got to get used to the fact that our relative share of everything -- our ability to exercise unilateral decisionmaking, military power, and economic power -- won't be as out of line with our 5 percent share of world population as it is today.''
P.J. O'Rourke, an American satirist, writer, and journalist warned of thiskind of utopian thinking: "The poor of the world cannot be made rich byredistribution of wealth. Poverty can't be eliminated by punishing peoplewho've escaped poverty, taking their money and giving it as a reward topeople who have failed to escape."
So what was the occasion for Mr. Gates' economics lecture? The "Innovation" Summit at Stanford U.
The entire summit was nothing but a transparent excuse to push for moreH-1Bs and to promote the Skil Bill. This is a clever bit of propaganda that doesn't stand up under scrutiny because Sergey Brin and Andy Grove didn't come to the U.S. on H-1B visas. Andy Grove came to the U.S. at the age of 20 as a refugee from the Hungarian revolution while Sergey Brin immigrated from Russia at the age of 6 with his family.
Brin and Grove are respectively a co-founder of Google and former CEO of Intel. But you've heard the line--that these guys would have been "shut out" of America were we to limit immigration.
The facts: Gates likes cheap labor. The "Skil Bill" provides cheap labor.
(Source: Zazona.com)
It's "For Many" at Mass
The official letter from Cd. Arinze was sent October 2006:
The Bishops’ Conferences of those countries where the formula “for all” or its equivalent is currently in use are therefore requested to undertake the necessary catechesis of the faithful on this matter in the next one or two years to prepare them for the introduction of a precise vernacular translation of the formula pro multis (e.g, “for many”, “per molti”, etc.) in the next translation of the Roman Missal that the Bishops and the Holy See will approve for use in their country
and the translation will be "for many."
Good stuff at the link to Dom, who has the letter.
The Bishops’ Conferences of those countries where the formula “for all” or its equivalent is currently in use are therefore requested to undertake the necessary catechesis of the faithful on this matter in the next one or two years to prepare them for the introduction of a precise vernacular translation of the formula pro multis (e.g, “for many”, “per molti”, etc.) in the next translation of the Roman Missal that the Bishops and the Holy See will approve for use in their country
and the translation will be "for many."
Good stuff at the link to Dom, who has the letter.
Election Poetry
From a friend:
Elections do not always go our way. However, I have found that the sun still comes up the next morning & we are all still able to sit up & take nourishment.
Now I do not know which side of the political aisle you are on, but this little ditty sums up my feelings. Take it in the context with which I send it......Please!
"The election is over, the talking is done,
my party lost, your party won,
so let us be friends & let arguments pass
I'll hug my elephant, you kiss your ..."
God bless America
The soul of wit is brevity. And the poem's elegant, too.
Elections do not always go our way. However, I have found that the sun still comes up the next morning & we are all still able to sit up & take nourishment.
Now I do not know which side of the political aisle you are on, but this little ditty sums up my feelings. Take it in the context with which I send it......Please!
"The election is over, the talking is done,
my party lost, your party won,
so let us be friends & let arguments pass
I'll hug my elephant, you kiss your ..."
God bless America
The soul of wit is brevity. And the poem's elegant, too.
Another Cost Center in WI: Corrections
Playground scores a couple of anti-Pubbie points here, but the thesis is worthwhile.
Combined, Census Bureau and Justice Department data, reveal that in fiscal years 2000-04, the Wisconsin state government spent $48,773 annually per inmate (adjusted for inflation).
No one doubts that prisons are expensive to operate, but it is not clear why this needed to be 40 percent above the national average and 44 percent higher than the state's per capita income. If Wisconsin had spent the same as the national average, the state would have saved $301 million annually. (Quoting a WSJ article by P. Trostel.)
For those of you who think that the "R" label is some sign of fiscal sanity--you're wrong (again):
Of course, part of the reason Republicans are unwilling to be tough on DOC is that they were largely responsible for corrections costs going through the roof in the '90s. The problem escalated quickly when King Tommy and his pals in the Legislature started seeing prisons as economic development tools for rural communities where no business in its right mind would ever locate. So we built in Boscobel and New Lisbon, and purchased a private facility in Stanley for far more than we ever should have paid for it.
Like the Stadium, another Gift from Tommy. The "law and order" Pubbies have handsomely rewarded prison guards and a horrifically over-stuffed DoC bureaucracy, just as they rewarded the Milwaukee Police Ass'n with ridiculous "pay 'em until they're in jail" laws.
Combined, Census Bureau and Justice Department data, reveal that in fiscal years 2000-04, the Wisconsin state government spent $48,773 annually per inmate (adjusted for inflation).
No one doubts that prisons are expensive to operate, but it is not clear why this needed to be 40 percent above the national average and 44 percent higher than the state's per capita income. If Wisconsin had spent the same as the national average, the state would have saved $301 million annually. (Quoting a WSJ article by P. Trostel.)
For those of you who think that the "R" label is some sign of fiscal sanity--you're wrong (again):
Of course, part of the reason Republicans are unwilling to be tough on DOC is that they were largely responsible for corrections costs going through the roof in the '90s. The problem escalated quickly when King Tommy and his pals in the Legislature started seeing prisons as economic development tools for rural communities where no business in its right mind would ever locate. So we built in Boscobel and New Lisbon, and purchased a private facility in Stanley for far more than we ever should have paid for it.
Like the Stadium, another Gift from Tommy. The "law and order" Pubbies have handsomely rewarded prison guards and a horrifically over-stuffed DoC bureaucracy, just as they rewarded the Milwaukee Police Ass'n with ridiculous "pay 'em until they're in jail" laws.
We're Buying the Rope for OECD
Another fine example of Globaloney stupidity:
An international organization that proposes a global taxation system and is critical of the U.S. tax structure receives nearly one-fourth of its $400 million budget from the American taxpayer, a situation one Republican senator hopes to end.
"It's ridiculous that we would support such a group," Sen. Jim Inhofe said Friday of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based grouping of 30 of the world's most developed nations.
...the Oklahoma senator said the OECD "receives 25 percent of its budget from the U.S." and has used that money "to encourage and support higher taxes on the American taxpayer."
He's introducing legislation to stop funding these brie-and-tea bozos.
Surely our Democrat Congress will agree!
An international organization that proposes a global taxation system and is critical of the U.S. tax structure receives nearly one-fourth of its $400 million budget from the American taxpayer, a situation one Republican senator hopes to end.
"It's ridiculous that we would support such a group," Sen. Jim Inhofe said Friday of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a Paris-based grouping of 30 of the world's most developed nations.
...the Oklahoma senator said the OECD "receives 25 percent of its budget from the U.S." and has used that money "to encourage and support higher taxes on the American taxpayer."
He's introducing legislation to stop funding these brie-and-tea bozos.
Surely our Democrat Congress will agree!
Don't Like School Closings? Start Your Own District
That's how they handled it Up North, hey... for a 100-student high school.
To the people of Gresham, the school in their small, northeastern Wisconsin community is more than just a place for learning. It is the common thread of their daily life.
So when talk on the Shawano-Gresham School Board turned once again to closing the village's high school program and busing the students to Shawano, residents organized an effort to stop it.
They accomplished that this month when the communities of Gresham, Red Spring, Herman and Richmond voted to secede and form the Gresham School District.
Sure, it'll cost a bit--but hey! the State of Wisconsin will pay more than 60% of the costs, so who cares?
To the people of Gresham, the school in their small, northeastern Wisconsin community is more than just a place for learning. It is the common thread of their daily life.
So when talk on the Shawano-Gresham School Board turned once again to closing the village's high school program and busing the students to Shawano, residents organized an effort to stop it.
They accomplished that this month when the communities of Gresham, Red Spring, Herman and Richmond voted to secede and form the Gresham School District.
Sure, it'll cost a bit--but hey! the State of Wisconsin will pay more than 60% of the costs, so who cares?
Odor of Pandering in McCain Speech
John McCain seems to have a clear idea--but he's only a couple of steps from crazy (if that far.)
John McCain, a front-runner among GOP presidential contenders for said Sunday the U.S. must send an overwhelming number of troops to stabilize Iraq or face the possibility of more attacks in the region and on American soil.
"I believe the consequences of failure are catastrophic. It will spread to the region. You will see Iran more emboldened. Eventually, you could see Iran pose a greater threat to the state of Israel,"
Gen. Abizaid sees it differently:
Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that believes troop levels should remain steady for now. He said it was possible to add 20,000 troops for a short time, but it would be unrealistic to raise troop levels as proposed by McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
In the meantime, Henry Kissinger also had some thoughts.
"If you mean by 'military victory' an Iraqi government that can be established and whose writ runs across the whole country, that gets the civil war under control and sectarian violence under control in a time period that the political processes of the democracies will support, I don't believe that is possible," he told the British Broadcasting Corp.
John McCain's prescription, which seems to be a "shoot until there's no shootin' from the other guys" strategy, is one way, of course. It's a bit more sophisticated than the postings seen on FreeRepublic after 9/11, demanding that the US military 'turn Iraq into a sheet of glass' with nukes.
It's also inane. John McCain is arguing backwards from a goal of Zero Muslim Extremists Worldwide--and that's not gonna happen. Of course, he's hiding behind the rhetoric of 'protecting our own cities' and 'protecting Israel' in order to make this seem rational--but painting this piggy doesn't make it pretty.
In other words, McCain wants us to believe that the US military can eradicate Muslim extremists. I don't think so. First off, they will never be "eradicated." Secondly, to the extent the extremists are 'controlled,' it will be by their Muslim neighbors.
Of course, if McCain really believed that radical Muslims would be causing trouble within the US, maybe he should have voted for the House Immigration Plan--you know, the one which makes it hard to get in here in the first place...
Another posturing ego--John McCain.
John McCain, a front-runner among GOP presidential contenders for said Sunday the U.S. must send an overwhelming number of troops to stabilize Iraq or face the possibility of more attacks in the region and on American soil.
"I believe the consequences of failure are catastrophic. It will spread to the region. You will see Iran more emboldened. Eventually, you could see Iran pose a greater threat to the state of Israel,"
Gen. Abizaid sees it differently:
Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander for the Middle East, told the Senate Armed Services Committee last week that believes troop levels should remain steady for now. He said it was possible to add 20,000 troops for a short time, but it would be unrealistic to raise troop levels as proposed by McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
In the meantime, Henry Kissinger also had some thoughts.
"If you mean by 'military victory' an Iraqi government that can be established and whose writ runs across the whole country, that gets the civil war under control and sectarian violence under control in a time period that the political processes of the democracies will support, I don't believe that is possible," he told the British Broadcasting Corp.
John McCain's prescription, which seems to be a "shoot until there's no shootin' from the other guys" strategy, is one way, of course. It's a bit more sophisticated than the postings seen on FreeRepublic after 9/11, demanding that the US military 'turn Iraq into a sheet of glass' with nukes.
It's also inane. John McCain is arguing backwards from a goal of Zero Muslim Extremists Worldwide--and that's not gonna happen. Of course, he's hiding behind the rhetoric of 'protecting our own cities' and 'protecting Israel' in order to make this seem rational--but painting this piggy doesn't make it pretty.
In other words, McCain wants us to believe that the US military can eradicate Muslim extremists. I don't think so. First off, they will never be "eradicated." Secondly, to the extent the extremists are 'controlled,' it will be by their Muslim neighbors.
Of course, if McCain really believed that radical Muslims would be causing trouble within the US, maybe he should have voted for the House Immigration Plan--you know, the one which makes it hard to get in here in the first place...
Another posturing ego--John McCain.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
"Duh!" For The Wi State Journal
Here's the first 'graf:
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., reveled in a hero's welcome Saturday, drawing an overflow crowd of more than 700 to a foreign-policy speech despite competition from the Badgers' final home football game and the opening day of Wisconsin's gun deer season.
Somehow, I never thought that Badgers fans and deer hunters would comprise a large segment of a Feinie (D-AlQuaeda) audience.
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., reveled in a hero's welcome Saturday, drawing an overflow crowd of more than 700 to a foreign-policy speech despite competition from the Badgers' final home football game and the opening day of Wisconsin's gun deer season.
Somehow, I never thought that Badgers fans and deer hunters would comprise a large segment of a Feinie (D-AlQuaeda) audience.
Peace Sign
Stolen from Malkin:
She stole it from Fumento (see the copyright)--
It's allegedly from Camp Ramadi.
She stole it from Fumento (see the copyright)--
It's allegedly from Camp Ramadi.
John Wirth's Excellent Idea
John Wirth is a Mequon alderman and (were it not for Jim Ott) would also be in Kurt Gielow's old seat come 2007.
He draws our attention to Mequon's quitting of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities (a "give us the money" lobbying group.)
Here's the core of the argument:
The use of tax dollars for lobbying is wrong on so many levels. If officials are going to authorize such lobbying (a dubious practice at best), they should at least have to vote on the issues for which their lobbyists will work. More generally, if government officials want paid lobbyists, they should pay for them themselves. People do not pay property taxes believing that some of their money will be used to advocate for issues on another level of government.
In other words--it's one level of Gummint taking your dollars (at gunpoint) to get all fuzzy, warm, and wet with ANOTHER level of Gummint--which also takes your dollars (at gunpoint.)
Note the commonality--"taking dollars at gunpoint."
Maybe the City of Brookfield will follow suit. Then again, maybe not.
He draws our attention to Mequon's quitting of the League of Wisconsin Municipalities (a "give us the money" lobbying group.)
Here's the core of the argument:
The use of tax dollars for lobbying is wrong on so many levels. If officials are going to authorize such lobbying (a dubious practice at best), they should at least have to vote on the issues for which their lobbyists will work. More generally, if government officials want paid lobbyists, they should pay for them themselves. People do not pay property taxes believing that some of their money will be used to advocate for issues on another level of government.
In other words--it's one level of Gummint taking your dollars (at gunpoint) to get all fuzzy, warm, and wet with ANOTHER level of Gummint--which also takes your dollars (at gunpoint.)
Note the commonality--"taking dollars at gunpoint."
Maybe the City of Brookfield will follow suit. Then again, maybe not.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
For Domestic Terrorists, See Blogroll
I think the question really is 'Which disease causes this mental disorder?' when dealing with Olbermann. He might do well to visit his physician and ask.
On Tuesday's Countdown, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann devoted an entire segment ...to discussing links between a man arrested for domestic terrorism and "far right-wing blogs," describing the man as a "gushing online admirer" of conservative commentators Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingraham, and Ann Coulter, as the Countdown host suggested conservatives had inspired the man to commit terrorism.
We must be closer to GWB than we all thought, too:
Olbermann, who recently linked President Bush to domestic terrorism against Bush critics...
See, GWB signals Coulter, who uses CalvinCode to blog the formula to Malkin. Then all the rightist bloggers, when clicking on the Malkin site, have auto-generated blog entries which (when viewed with 3-D glasses and a key overlay) produce the formulas necessary to create portable nuclear devices and mustard gas. Only common household tools and kitchen ingredients are necessary to execute the plans and create the weapons.
OK, Keith.
On Tuesday's Countdown, MSNBC host Keith Olbermann devoted an entire segment ...to discussing links between a man arrested for domestic terrorism and "far right-wing blogs," describing the man as a "gushing online admirer" of conservative commentators Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingraham, and Ann Coulter, as the Countdown host suggested conservatives had inspired the man to commit terrorism.
We must be closer to GWB than we all thought, too:
Olbermann, who recently linked President Bush to domestic terrorism against Bush critics...
See, GWB signals Coulter, who uses CalvinCode to blog the formula to Malkin. Then all the rightist bloggers, when clicking on the Malkin site, have auto-generated blog entries which (when viewed with 3-D glasses and a key overlay) produce the formulas necessary to create portable nuclear devices and mustard gas. Only common household tools and kitchen ingredients are necessary to execute the plans and create the weapons.
OK, Keith.
China Is Our Friend!! Part 489220
Here's an interesting conversation-starter:
"China is the greatest culture on the planet, and in the 21st Century will become the greatest power as well. It all depends upon the diaspora of Chinese money and influence. We live here in Taiwan as free Chinese, but there is actually only one China -- all Chinese belong to Mother China, and in time, will all be together again as China becomes The Great World Power.
It will be easy, and the world won't understand until it is too late. We will put our money into every economy and become necessary to those economies' survival. With economic power will come political influence.
Sometime before the year 2050, the world will kneel before Mother China!"
Why not? WallyWorld worships there now.
Military buildup, spying on US defense secrets, IP theft, slave labor, murder-for-profit in body parts, brutal suppression of religious believers...
The 'Greatest Culture on the Planet,' eh?
Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton still have to explain their MFN/PNTR concessions to this monster.
HT: JunkYardBlog
"China is the greatest culture on the planet, and in the 21st Century will become the greatest power as well. It all depends upon the diaspora of Chinese money and influence. We live here in Taiwan as free Chinese, but there is actually only one China -- all Chinese belong to Mother China, and in time, will all be together again as China becomes The Great World Power.
It will be easy, and the world won't understand until it is too late. We will put our money into every economy and become necessary to those economies' survival. With economic power will come political influence.
Sometime before the year 2050, the world will kneel before Mother China!"
Why not? WallyWorld worships there now.
Military buildup, spying on US defense secrets, IP theft, slave labor, murder-for-profit in body parts, brutal suppression of religious believers...
The 'Greatest Culture on the Planet,' eh?
Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton still have to explain their MFN/PNTR concessions to this monster.
HT: JunkYardBlog
If DarthDoyle Wants Embryos Killed...
Then the Republicans (as well as anyone else with common sense) should repeat, repeat, repeat:
...embryonic stem cell research has produced absolutely no major cures or treatements while adult stem cell research (that does not destroy embryos) has produced over 60.
Embryonic SCR, in addition to reminding us of "Dr." Mengele, is damn near useless.
So the question for Darth: Who the Hell is benefitting from this expenditure of taxpayer dollars?
HT: The Triumvirate
...embryonic stem cell research has produced absolutely no major cures or treatements while adult stem cell research (that does not destroy embryos) has produced over 60.
Embryonic SCR, in addition to reminding us of "Dr." Mengele, is damn near useless.
So the question for Darth: Who the Hell is benefitting from this expenditure of taxpayer dollars?
HT: The Triumvirate
Secular Liberals Fail Charity Test
A new book from Arthur Brooks claims:
...conservatives who practice religion, live in traditional nuclear families and reject the notion that the government should engage in income redistribution are the most generous Americans, by any measure.
Conversely, secular liberals who believe fervently in government entitlement programs give far less to charity. They want everyone’s tax dollars to support charitable causes and are reluctant to write checks to those causes, even when governments don’t provide them with enough money.
And the book has the statistical analysis to back it up.
It's not news. But the proofs were anecdotal, until now.
More at BloggerBeer and at The Warrior
...conservatives who practice religion, live in traditional nuclear families and reject the notion that the government should engage in income redistribution are the most generous Americans, by any measure.
Conversely, secular liberals who believe fervently in government entitlement programs give far less to charity. They want everyone’s tax dollars to support charitable causes and are reluctant to write checks to those causes, even when governments don’t provide them with enough money.
And the book has the statistical analysis to back it up.
It's not news. But the proofs were anecdotal, until now.
More at BloggerBeer and at The Warrior
Milton Friedman on Politicians
More elegant than Will Rogers, I suppose:
"Those of us who are repeatedly frustrated by the failure of elected representatives to fit the deed to the word are asking for a barking cat."
Here's a Rogers offering:
This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.
But a more, ah, satisfying Rogers quote is this one:
There ought to be one day-- just one-- when there is open season on senators.
"Those of us who are repeatedly frustrated by the failure of elected representatives to fit the deed to the word are asking for a barking cat."
Here's a Rogers offering:
This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.
But a more, ah, satisfying Rogers quote is this one:
There ought to be one day-- just one-- when there is open season on senators.
SNL's Competition: The Legislature
It won't be as fast-paced, but this show will be a comic riot:
WisconsinEye has been cleared by the state Department of Administration to begin installing equipment so that C-SPAN-style coverage of state government can begin by mid-May.
Cameras will be installed in the state Senate and Assembly chambers, the Capitol rotunda, the governor's conference room, the attorney general's conference room and the state Supreme Court hearing room. The non-profit network is expected to broadcast legislative sessions, committee hearings, news conferences and other Capitol events over the Internet and on cable TV.
Watch for the Kate Falk Stalk!
WisconsinEye has been cleared by the state Department of Administration to begin installing equipment so that C-SPAN-style coverage of state government can begin by mid-May.
Cameras will be installed in the state Senate and Assembly chambers, the Capitol rotunda, the governor's conference room, the attorney general's conference room and the state Supreme Court hearing room. The non-profit network is expected to broadcast legislative sessions, committee hearings, news conferences and other Capitol events over the Internet and on cable TV.
Watch for the Kate Falk Stalk!
Kate Falk: It's REALLY Time to Concede
Class? What class?
After all, Kate Falk is entitled. She ran as a liberal Democrat. It's a given that she won, right?
Wisconsin attorney general hopeful Kathleen Falk can stop wondering if Waukesha County vote tallies will swing the Nov. 7 election in her favor.
Falk has refused to concede the race [as of 11/16/06] to opponent J.B. Van Hollen because election night returns showed her trailing by fewer than 10,000 votes out of 2 million cast statewide.
S'pose she'll show up that the swearing-in ceremony and elbow JB VanHollen out of the way?
More and more, it's clear that Shakespeare must have met her...
After all, Kate Falk is entitled. She ran as a liberal Democrat. It's a given that she won, right?
Wisconsin attorney general hopeful Kathleen Falk can stop wondering if Waukesha County vote tallies will swing the Nov. 7 election in her favor.
Falk has refused to concede the race [as of 11/16/06] to opponent J.B. Van Hollen because election night returns showed her trailing by fewer than 10,000 votes out of 2 million cast statewide.
S'pose she'll show up that the swearing-in ceremony and elbow JB VanHollen out of the way?
More and more, it's clear that Shakespeare must have met her...
A Few Bucks Extra for Marvin Pratt
Were you 'redlined'? Better speak up now, or your settlement may be gone.
The U.S. attorney in Milwaukee has launched an investigation into the improper distribution of $300,000 worth of settlement money in a landmark redlining case.
According to court documents, trustee Harold B. Jackson wrote checks to himself and others without authorization. Among those who received checks were former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt and longtime NAACP President Felmers Chaney, who each were paid $60,000 earlier this year.
In 1990, the NAACP and seven African-American homeowners sued the insurance company, accusing it of discrimination. ...American Family did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay a $16.5 million settlement.
The settlement called for the original named plaintiffs [Pratt among them] to receive $10,000 each. Jackson was not authorized by the court to give them more, nor was he authorized to give any money to Chaney, who was not a plaintiff.
When fewer class members than expected came forward to claim settlements, a "class committee" consisting of the named plaintiffs and others decided it should be put in a trust fund. Money from that fund was to be distributed to a list of 20 approved community groups whose missions support the African-American community.
Although the attorneys who obtained the settlement stated that they have asked Pratt (and others) to return the unauthorized payments, Pratt said that he had not been asked to return the money.
The U.S. attorney in Milwaukee has launched an investigation into the improper distribution of $300,000 worth of settlement money in a landmark redlining case.
According to court documents, trustee Harold B. Jackson wrote checks to himself and others without authorization. Among those who received checks were former Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt and longtime NAACP President Felmers Chaney, who each were paid $60,000 earlier this year.
In 1990, the NAACP and seven African-American homeowners sued the insurance company, accusing it of discrimination. ...American Family did not admit wrongdoing but agreed to pay a $16.5 million settlement.
The settlement called for the original named plaintiffs [Pratt among them] to receive $10,000 each. Jackson was not authorized by the court to give them more, nor was he authorized to give any money to Chaney, who was not a plaintiff.
When fewer class members than expected came forward to claim settlements, a "class committee" consisting of the named plaintiffs and others decided it should be put in a trust fund. Money from that fund was to be distributed to a list of 20 approved community groups whose missions support the African-American community.
Although the attorneys who obtained the settlement stated that they have asked Pratt (and others) to return the unauthorized payments, Pratt said that he had not been asked to return the money.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Ratzinger on Liturgical Reform
An excellent lecture given by Dr. Alcuin Reed, linked here. HT: The New Liturgical Movement
Excerpts that the Liturgeists should read (but likely won't) are below. (It would also be useful for priests to read this--especially the pastor who recently left St Sebastian's for a Greendale parish...)
"We must be far more resolute than heretofore in opposing rationalistic relativism, confusing claptrap, and pastoral infantilism. These things degrade the Liturgy to a level of a parish tea party, and the intelligibility of a popular newspaper."
No gentle lamb, he!
"The Liturgical Movement had in fact been attempting...to teach us to understand the Liturgy as a living network of Tradition that had taken concrete form, that cannot be torn apart into little pieces, but that has to be seen and experienced as a living whole. Anyone who, like me, was moved by this perception in the time of the Liturgical Movement on the eve of the Second Vatican Council, can only stand, deeply sorrowing, before the ruins of the very things they were concerned for."
Yes. The 'infantilism' and 'rationalistic relativism' demonstrated by the Modern Manicheans, led by "Bugsy" Bugnini---and aided by a locally-famous Benedictine...
These are brief quotations from a 14-page PDF document.
In the rest of it, Reid hints strongly that B-16's program for "Reform of the Reform" will not only include a wider and more available celebration of the Old Rite (Tridentine) Mass, but a re-Latinization of the New Rite, along with some changes to the Offertory prayers, a reversal of the "versus populum" innovation, and a standardization on Canon I (the Roman Canon.)
Celeriter, Domine! Adjuvanda Nos!!
Excerpts that the Liturgeists should read (but likely won't) are below. (It would also be useful for priests to read this--especially the pastor who recently left St Sebastian's for a Greendale parish...)
"We must be far more resolute than heretofore in opposing rationalistic relativism, confusing claptrap, and pastoral infantilism. These things degrade the Liturgy to a level of a parish tea party, and the intelligibility of a popular newspaper."
No gentle lamb, he!
"The Liturgical Movement had in fact been attempting...to teach us to understand the Liturgy as a living network of Tradition that had taken concrete form, that cannot be torn apart into little pieces, but that has to be seen and experienced as a living whole. Anyone who, like me, was moved by this perception in the time of the Liturgical Movement on the eve of the Second Vatican Council, can only stand, deeply sorrowing, before the ruins of the very things they were concerned for."
Yes. The 'infantilism' and 'rationalistic relativism' demonstrated by the Modern Manicheans, led by "Bugsy" Bugnini---and aided by a locally-famous Benedictine...
These are brief quotations from a 14-page PDF document.
In the rest of it, Reid hints strongly that B-16's program for "Reform of the Reform" will not only include a wider and more available celebration of the Old Rite (Tridentine) Mass, but a re-Latinization of the New Rite, along with some changes to the Offertory prayers, a reversal of the "versus populum" innovation, and a standardization on Canon I (the Roman Canon.)
Celeriter, Domine! Adjuvanda Nos!!
The Friedman Whom the Pubbies Ignored
HT Dreher:
I was googling around tonight for information on the great economist Milton Friedman, who just passed away, and found this passage from an interview he did with Peter Robinson in March of 2000:
Milton Friedman: ...The reason you have a surplus today, in my opinion, the credit for that has to be given overwhelmingly to gridlock.
Peter Robinson: To gridlock?
Milton Friedman: If you had had a Democratic House and Senate, as well as a Democratic president, you would not have a surplus today in my opinion. They would have spent it. Similarly if you had had a Republican president as well as a Republican House and Senate, I doubt that there would have been a surplus today. Because they would either have spent it or had tax reductions.
Peter Robinson: So when President Clinton steps forward to take his bows, you don't applaud at all?
Milton Friedman: Well, I applaud. He provided gridlock.
Yah, hey. Who knows? This might work out well for Wisconsin...
I was googling around tonight for information on the great economist Milton Friedman, who just passed away, and found this passage from an interview he did with Peter Robinson in March of 2000:
Milton Friedman: ...The reason you have a surplus today, in my opinion, the credit for that has to be given overwhelmingly to gridlock.
Peter Robinson: To gridlock?
Milton Friedman: If you had had a Democratic House and Senate, as well as a Democratic president, you would not have a surplus today in my opinion. They would have spent it. Similarly if you had had a Republican president as well as a Republican House and Senate, I doubt that there would have been a surplus today. Because they would either have spent it or had tax reductions.
Peter Robinson: So when President Clinton steps forward to take his bows, you don't applaud at all?
Milton Friedman: Well, I applaud. He provided gridlock.
Yah, hey. Who knows? This might work out well for Wisconsin...
Turnabout: Love It, Conservatives!!
Mitch McConnell, speaking to the Federalist Society:
Senator McConnell pointedly noted [I paraphrase here] that "49 is not a bad number of Senators to have, in a chamber that requires 60 to control [smile]. And I can assure you that our Democratic friends will give President Bush's judicial nominees a floor vote - if they want to get anything done, in a chamber that requires 60 to control. [very big smile and much applause]"
Harry Reid (D-Land Deals) will live to regret his obstreperous obnoxity.
HT: RedState
Senator McConnell pointedly noted [I paraphrase here] that "49 is not a bad number of Senators to have, in a chamber that requires 60 to control [smile]. And I can assure you that our Democratic friends will give President Bush's judicial nominees a floor vote - if they want to get anything done, in a chamber that requires 60 to control. [very big smile and much applause]"
Harry Reid (D-Land Deals) will live to regret his obstreperous obnoxity.
HT: RedState
China Is Our Friend!! Part 49639
Oh, yeah. They're a shining example of...
China has demonstrated that it understands many of its obligations to the 149 other members of the World Trade Organization. ...But China is falling short on its implementation of those new laws and regulations and is failing to adequately enforce laws already on its books. One glaring example: China’s obligation under the WTO to combat the illegal piracy of intellectual property.
While China's economic reformation has brought its population considerable material benefits, the nation has serious and growing economic disparities between rich and poor. It has also lagged in creating full opportunities for its citizens to reach their full potential by continuing to violate basic human rights, workers rights, basic political freedoms, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.
But it's a great place to buy stuff from. Ask the Waltons.
HT: Random 10
China has demonstrated that it understands many of its obligations to the 149 other members of the World Trade Organization. ...But China is falling short on its implementation of those new laws and regulations and is failing to adequately enforce laws already on its books. One glaring example: China’s obligation under the WTO to combat the illegal piracy of intellectual property.
While China's economic reformation has brought its population considerable material benefits, the nation has serious and growing economic disparities between rich and poor. It has also lagged in creating full opportunities for its citizens to reach their full potential by continuing to violate basic human rights, workers rights, basic political freedoms, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press.
But it's a great place to buy stuff from. Ask the Waltons.
HT: Random 10
The Dems: Only 2 Years' Control?
Perhaps Ms. Pelosi shouldn't plan on a long stay as Speaker-ette:
The ink has barely dried on the bill that was to create a fence along 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. Already the incoming Congressional leadership is apparently discussing the possibility of not constructing that fence that would impede the flow of potential terrorists across the land border that is often crossed by drug traffickers and illegal aliens. Rep. Bennie Thompson, currently ranking member on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, is seen as the probable new chairman of that critical committee
...He is quoted as saying that perhaps we need to construct a "virtual fence" along the border with Mexico. I have also heard a number of leaders of the incoming Congress claim that they want to make the implementation of the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission their highest priority. Simply stated, you cannot have it both ways.
The bottom line, as articulated by the 9-11 Commission, is that in order for the terrorists to attack our nation, they first needed to be able to enter our nation. The first priority is to prevent that illegal entry in the first place, to prevent terrorists, criminals, gang members, drug traffickers and others who would do us harm from gaining access to our country. This is a basic, yet critical job that must be done effectively.
Don't build the fence. All it takes is one incident, Nancy.
The ink has barely dried on the bill that was to create a fence along 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. Already the incoming Congressional leadership is apparently discussing the possibility of not constructing that fence that would impede the flow of potential terrorists across the land border that is often crossed by drug traffickers and illegal aliens. Rep. Bennie Thompson, currently ranking member on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, is seen as the probable new chairman of that critical committee
...He is quoted as saying that perhaps we need to construct a "virtual fence" along the border with Mexico. I have also heard a number of leaders of the incoming Congress claim that they want to make the implementation of the recommendations of the 9-11 Commission their highest priority. Simply stated, you cannot have it both ways.
The bottom line, as articulated by the 9-11 Commission, is that in order for the terrorists to attack our nation, they first needed to be able to enter our nation. The first priority is to prevent that illegal entry in the first place, to prevent terrorists, criminals, gang members, drug traffickers and others who would do us harm from gaining access to our country. This is a basic, yet critical job that must be done effectively.
Don't build the fence. All it takes is one incident, Nancy.
Charlie's Column Worth a Read
Most of you have already seen this. Highlights:
The deeper problem for the GOP, according to the polls, was that voters had turned away from them because:
*Republicans failed to deliver on fiscal conservatism
*Republicans failed to be the champion of middle class economics
*Republicans failed to be reformers, particularly on ethical matters
*Republicans became the party of big corporations
When Republicans lost their credibility on taxes and government spending, they were left vulnerabilities to attacks on their motives. "Voters came to believe that we were not solving middle class economic problems like the cost of housing, health care, education, energy and taxes - and they saw not just inaction, but coziness with what they perceive to be the 'villains' of middle class economics -- big corporations."
Gee--only yesterday we posted some other problematic items here. One specific which is common:
This is part of the problem I have talked about for a decade. We can't have the leadership of the party meet in the country club while our voters shop at Fleet Farm. Doesn't happen.
The Pubbie addiction to road-builder dollars (not to mention the FreeTrade silliness) has hurt them again and again with middle-income people and small-business owners. I remain convinced that Michels could have defeated Feingold if he'd simply walked away from some of GWB's globaloney economics positions.
But he didn't and lost. And the 2006 elections are simply a continuation.
The deeper problem for the GOP, according to the polls, was that voters had turned away from them because:
*Republicans failed to deliver on fiscal conservatism
*Republicans failed to be the champion of middle class economics
*Republicans failed to be reformers, particularly on ethical matters
*Republicans became the party of big corporations
When Republicans lost their credibility on taxes and government spending, they were left vulnerabilities to attacks on their motives. "Voters came to believe that we were not solving middle class economic problems like the cost of housing, health care, education, energy and taxes - and they saw not just inaction, but coziness with what they perceive to be the 'villains' of middle class economics -- big corporations."
Gee--only yesterday we posted some other problematic items here. One specific which is common:
This is part of the problem I have talked about for a decade. We can't have the leadership of the party meet in the country club while our voters shop at Fleet Farm. Doesn't happen.
The Pubbie addiction to road-builder dollars (not to mention the FreeTrade silliness) has hurt them again and again with middle-income people and small-business owners. I remain convinced that Michels could have defeated Feingold if he'd simply walked away from some of GWB's globaloney economics positions.
But he didn't and lost. And the 2006 elections are simply a continuation.
BreckBoy Edwards: WallyWorld Hypocrite
Just love this stuff:
Yesterday, a staff person for former Sen. Edwards contacted a Wal-Mart electronics manager in Raleigh, North Carolina to obtain a Sony PlayStation3 on behalf of the Senator's family. Later that night, Sen. Edwards reportedly re-told a homespun story to participants of a United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union-sponsored call about how his son had chided a fellow student for purchasing shoes at Wal-Mart.
So he 1) shops at WallyWorld; 2) tries to "skip the line" by making a management contact instead of waiting; and 3) tells the UFCW that shopping at WallyWorld is a bad thing.
What a guy!
HT: Betsy
Yesterday, a staff person for former Sen. Edwards contacted a Wal-Mart electronics manager in Raleigh, North Carolina to obtain a Sony PlayStation3 on behalf of the Senator's family. Later that night, Sen. Edwards reportedly re-told a homespun story to participants of a United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) union-sponsored call about how his son had chided a fellow student for purchasing shoes at Wal-Mart.
So he 1) shops at WallyWorld; 2) tries to "skip the line" by making a management contact instead of waiting; and 3) tells the UFCW that shopping at WallyWorld is a bad thing.
What a guy!
HT: Betsy
USCC Invited to Condemn Pro-Abort Politicians
Well, it's about time that someone tells IRS to go stuff it:
A religious liberties attorney Thursday issued an open challenge to the Internal Revenue Service, daring the tax agency to take church leaders to court for violating restrictions against religious involvement in political campaigns.
Kevin Hasson, founder and chairman of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, reissued a two-year-old offer to church leaders -- the organization would defend them against the IRS for free if they are charged with violating laws that prohibit non-profit, tax-exempt organizations from advocating for or against political candidates.
The USCC's legal counsel has told Catholic churches not to speak up about specific candidates (the abortion issue is pre-eminent) for fear of IRS' involvement. The USCC's position has disturbed some Catholics, to say the least.
USCC's political inclinations are well-known: the organization has often been called 'the Democrat Party at prayer.' This inclination extends back at least to the FDR era, when USCC was known as the National Catholic Welfare Conference.
But only in the last 30 years has the abortion question been on the table--and during that period, USCC's management and staffing has largely been influenced by (now-deceased) Jos. Cardinal Bernardin and his disciples.
Hasson said he believes the restrictions imposed on non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c) 3 organizations should not apply to churches because of the First Amendment freedom of religion.
He said restrictions on church involvement in political campaigning - instituted in 1954 by then Speaker of the House Lyndon Johnson - were never meant to prohibit "political preaching," but instead were only meant to prevent churches from intervening in political campaigns.
As one might expect, the Left reacted:
Elliot Mincberg, vice president and legal director of the liberal People for the American Way, disputed Hasson's argument, saying churches should be treated the same as other non-profit groups in the name of "fundamental fairness and equality."
It's possible that the USCC will 'grow a spine' in the next couple of years. A major re-org of the institution is underway and the Leftward tilt of member-Bishops has noticeably changed.
So--bring it on!!
A religious liberties attorney Thursday issued an open challenge to the Internal Revenue Service, daring the tax agency to take church leaders to court for violating restrictions against religious involvement in political campaigns.
Kevin Hasson, founder and chairman of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, reissued a two-year-old offer to church leaders -- the organization would defend them against the IRS for free if they are charged with violating laws that prohibit non-profit, tax-exempt organizations from advocating for or against political candidates.
The USCC's legal counsel has told Catholic churches not to speak up about specific candidates (the abortion issue is pre-eminent) for fear of IRS' involvement. The USCC's position has disturbed some Catholics, to say the least.
USCC's political inclinations are well-known: the organization has often been called 'the Democrat Party at prayer.' This inclination extends back at least to the FDR era, when USCC was known as the National Catholic Welfare Conference.
But only in the last 30 years has the abortion question been on the table--and during that period, USCC's management and staffing has largely been influenced by (now-deceased) Jos. Cardinal Bernardin and his disciples.
Hasson said he believes the restrictions imposed on non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c) 3 organizations should not apply to churches because of the First Amendment freedom of religion.
He said restrictions on church involvement in political campaigning - instituted in 1954 by then Speaker of the House Lyndon Johnson - were never meant to prohibit "political preaching," but instead were only meant to prevent churches from intervening in political campaigns.
As one might expect, the Left reacted:
Elliot Mincberg, vice president and legal director of the liberal People for the American Way, disputed Hasson's argument, saying churches should be treated the same as other non-profit groups in the name of "fundamental fairness and equality."
It's possible that the USCC will 'grow a spine' in the next couple of years. A major re-org of the institution is underway and the Leftward tilt of member-Bishops has noticeably changed.
So--bring it on!!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
The Religion of Modernity
Anent an earlier post, Benedict XVI's address to Swiss bishops, excerpts:
Modern society is not simply without morality, but it has, so to speak, “discovered” and professes a part of morality that, in the Church’s proclamation over the past few decades and even farther back than that, perhaps hasn’t been presented sufficiently.
These are the great themes of peace, non-violence, justice for all, concern for the poor, and respect for creation.
This has become an ethical complex that, precisely as a political force, has great power and constitutes for many the substitute for religion, or its successor.
In place of religion, which is seen as something metaphysical and otherworldly – and perhaps also as an individualistic thing – the great moral themes enter in as the essential reality that then confers dignity and commitment upon man.
B-16 foes on to say that this 'societal morality' is constructed without a foundation of absolute respect for life--thus we get abortion, ESCR, and other horrific manipulations, all in the name of 'morality.'
The morality of marriage and the family is also situated in this context.
Marriage is being increasingly marginalized. We are familiar with the example of some countries where the law has been modified to define marriage no longer as a bond between a man and a woman, but as a bond between persons. This obviously destroys the essential concept [of marriage], and society, from its very roots, becomes something totally different.
The awareness that sexuality, eros, and marriage as a union between man and woman go together – “The two shall be one flesh,” says Genesis – this awareness is continually weakening. Any sort of bond seems absolutely normal, and this is all presented as a sort of morality of non-discrimination and a form of freedom that is due to man. With this, naturally, the indissolubility of marriage has become an almost utopian idea that appears to be disowned, even by many people in public life. In this way, the family itself is gradually falling apart.
In these areas, therefore, our [the Church's] proclamation clashes with a contrary awareness within society, with a sort of antimorality that bases itself upon a conception of freedom as the ability to choose autonomously and without predefined guidelines, as non-discrimination, and therefore as the approval of any sort of possibility, situating itself as ethically correct by its own authority.
HT: What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Modern society is not simply without morality, but it has, so to speak, “discovered” and professes a part of morality that, in the Church’s proclamation over the past few decades and even farther back than that, perhaps hasn’t been presented sufficiently.
These are the great themes of peace, non-violence, justice for all, concern for the poor, and respect for creation.
This has become an ethical complex that, precisely as a political force, has great power and constitutes for many the substitute for religion, or its successor.
In place of religion, which is seen as something metaphysical and otherworldly – and perhaps also as an individualistic thing – the great moral themes enter in as the essential reality that then confers dignity and commitment upon man.
B-16 foes on to say that this 'societal morality' is constructed without a foundation of absolute respect for life--thus we get abortion, ESCR, and other horrific manipulations, all in the name of 'morality.'
The morality of marriage and the family is also situated in this context.
Marriage is being increasingly marginalized. We are familiar with the example of some countries where the law has been modified to define marriage no longer as a bond between a man and a woman, but as a bond between persons. This obviously destroys the essential concept [of marriage], and society, from its very roots, becomes something totally different.
The awareness that sexuality, eros, and marriage as a union between man and woman go together – “The two shall be one flesh,” says Genesis – this awareness is continually weakening. Any sort of bond seems absolutely normal, and this is all presented as a sort of morality of non-discrimination and a form of freedom that is due to man. With this, naturally, the indissolubility of marriage has become an almost utopian idea that appears to be disowned, even by many people in public life. In this way, the family itself is gradually falling apart.
In these areas, therefore, our [the Church's] proclamation clashes with a contrary awareness within society, with a sort of antimorality that bases itself upon a conception of freedom as the ability to choose autonomously and without predefined guidelines, as non-discrimination, and therefore as the approval of any sort of possibility, situating itself as ethically correct by its own authority.
HT: What Does the Prayer Really Say?
Vatican "Celibacy Meeting" Results
Ho hum.
PRESS OFFICE OF THE HOLY SEE
This morning, Nov. 16, in the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father presided over one of the periodic meetings of the Heads of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, for a common reflection.
The participants in the meeting received detailed information about the requests for dispensation from the obligation of celibacy received in recent years, as well as the possibility of readmission to the exercise of ministry from priests who at present find themselves in the conditions prescribed by the Church.
The value of the choice of priestly celibacy according to Catholic tradition was reaffirmed, and the exigency of a solid human and Christian formation was underlined, both for seminarians and for priests already ordained.
There may be a couple of bits and bytes' more info--like what to do about Milingo in specific--but we thought we'd provide this release (11/16, 0930 Rome time) just in case it doesn't make the daily MSM.
PRESS OFFICE OF THE HOLY SEE
This morning, Nov. 16, in the Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father presided over one of the periodic meetings of the Heads of Dicasteries of the Roman Curia, for a common reflection.
The participants in the meeting received detailed information about the requests for dispensation from the obligation of celibacy received in recent years, as well as the possibility of readmission to the exercise of ministry from priests who at present find themselves in the conditions prescribed by the Church.
The value of the choice of priestly celibacy according to Catholic tradition was reaffirmed, and the exigency of a solid human and Christian formation was underlined, both for seminarians and for priests already ordained.
There may be a couple of bits and bytes' more info--like what to do about Milingo in specific--but we thought we'd provide this release (11/16, 0930 Rome time) just in case it doesn't make the daily MSM.
Banks' "Fear": Fair or Not?
Today's JSOnline runs an interesting article. But it's not just about the Banks, and it is NOT a black-and-white issue.
Wisconsin bankers have some misgivings about their relationship with Gov. Jim Doyle's administration and the Democrat-controlled state Senate after an election campaign in which they backed the governor's opponent and were portrayed as tax dodgers.
Particularly perturbing to bankers was a television ad run by Doyle supporters - not the Doyle campaign itself - that brought up their use of Nevada subsidiaries as tax shelters.
But it's not just the Banks. IIRC, a manufacturing firm in East-Central Wisconsin and a retailer have also used Nevada subsidiaries to reduce Wisconsin tax liability.
Bankers have been proclaiming their innocence ever since the state Department of Revenue began cracking down in 2003 on the transfer of income-earning bank assets to no-tax states like Nevada. Bankers contend the practice is legal and even had the blessing of state tax collectors - in writing - before Doyle became governor. Banks have been using Nevada subsidiaries for years to shield some of their income from Wisconsin's 7.9% corporate income tax. Before moving assets such as loans and bonds to their Nevada investment subsidiaries, many banks asked for and received letters from the Department of Revenue that they believed served as approval.
Yah. In the case of the manufacturer, it was patents; with the retailer, it was their logo and their "formula" for successful store operations.
"All corporations - everyone - should be paying their fair share. That's what the ad was about," said Michelle McGrorty, [Greater Wisconsin Committee's] executive director. "For me it's just a common sense issue."
Obviously, placing assets in Nevada is not do-able for most of us. Evidently at least a few of the Banks have some reservations, too:
Many banks, hoping to put the issue behind them and avoid future risk, have signed confidential settlements with the Department of Revenue. So far, 175 settlements have generated almost $28 million in back taxes.
As we said, this is not "black-and-white."
Wisconsin bankers have some misgivings about their relationship with Gov. Jim Doyle's administration and the Democrat-controlled state Senate after an election campaign in which they backed the governor's opponent and were portrayed as tax dodgers.
Particularly perturbing to bankers was a television ad run by Doyle supporters - not the Doyle campaign itself - that brought up their use of Nevada subsidiaries as tax shelters.
But it's not just the Banks. IIRC, a manufacturing firm in East-Central Wisconsin and a retailer have also used Nevada subsidiaries to reduce Wisconsin tax liability.
Bankers have been proclaiming their innocence ever since the state Department of Revenue began cracking down in 2003 on the transfer of income-earning bank assets to no-tax states like Nevada. Bankers contend the practice is legal and even had the blessing of state tax collectors - in writing - before Doyle became governor. Banks have been using Nevada subsidiaries for years to shield some of their income from Wisconsin's 7.9% corporate income tax. Before moving assets such as loans and bonds to their Nevada investment subsidiaries, many banks asked for and received letters from the Department of Revenue that they believed served as approval.
Yah. In the case of the manufacturer, it was patents; with the retailer, it was their logo and their "formula" for successful store operations.
"All corporations - everyone - should be paying their fair share. That's what the ad was about," said Michelle McGrorty, [Greater Wisconsin Committee's] executive director. "For me it's just a common sense issue."
Obviously, placing assets in Nevada is not do-able for most of us. Evidently at least a few of the Banks have some reservations, too:
Many banks, hoping to put the issue behind them and avoid future risk, have signed confidential settlements with the Department of Revenue. So far, 175 settlements have generated almost $28 million in back taxes.
As we said, this is not "black-and-white."
What Went Wrong? Interesting Points...
From WiDigest, published by conservatives:
It is interesting what happened to the Democrats under Howard Dean. Many Democrat officeholders ripped Dean for his expenditures to rebuild the grass roots... leaving the party broke just before the election. Guess who was right?
FWIW, the Waukesha County Green campaign manager made it very clear that he was short a large number of volunteeers. Having an organization counts!
The six year slump in the presidents popularity. It seems that there isn't any spunk left in Washington. There aren't any new ideas, we aregoing nowhere in Iraq and nobody seems to know what we are going to do for the next two years. It is not enough to stand up and say "watch out for Nancy Pelosi".
Not only is it insufficient, it is an insult to the intelligence of ANY voter, (R) or (D).
Jim Sensenbrenner brought up a good point, something that nobody else including myself thought of before the elections. These referenda brought out the Reagan democrats to vote against gay marriages and for the death penalty At the same time they decided that they should vote democratic again instead of following the GOP line. They did not accept the GOP platform. This is part of the problem I have talked about for a decade. We can't have the leadership of the party meet in the country club while our voters shop at Fleet Farm. Doesn't happen.
Absolutely true. There are a lot more voters than there are Bank Presidents.
The Iraqi war and referendums at the level of the municipality helped bring out more liberals and the anti-war gang. ...In Wauwatosa it was especially important as the vote was about 12,000 to 9,000 to pull out. Green lost the city by about 1,000 and Reynolds by about 2,000. That referendum was critical.
Very interesting point, in line with the analysis by Sensenbrenner (above.)
Failure to have candidates for key offices reduces the total vote
Herb Kohl may be un-beatable, but that's not an excuse. Of course, with the national Senatorial campaign being run by the RINOs, what's the diff?
It is interesting what happened to the Democrats under Howard Dean. Many Democrat officeholders ripped Dean for his expenditures to rebuild the grass roots... leaving the party broke just before the election. Guess who was right?
FWIW, the Waukesha County Green campaign manager made it very clear that he was short a large number of volunteeers. Having an organization counts!
The six year slump in the presidents popularity. It seems that there isn't any spunk left in Washington. There aren't any new ideas, we aregoing nowhere in Iraq and nobody seems to know what we are going to do for the next two years. It is not enough to stand up and say "watch out for Nancy Pelosi".
Not only is it insufficient, it is an insult to the intelligence of ANY voter, (R) or (D).
Jim Sensenbrenner brought up a good point, something that nobody else including myself thought of before the elections. These referenda brought out the Reagan democrats to vote against gay marriages and for the death penalty At the same time they decided that they should vote democratic again instead of following the GOP line. They did not accept the GOP platform. This is part of the problem I have talked about for a decade. We can't have the leadership of the party meet in the country club while our voters shop at Fleet Farm. Doesn't happen.
Absolutely true. There are a lot more voters than there are Bank Presidents.
The Iraqi war and referendums at the level of the municipality helped bring out more liberals and the anti-war gang. ...In Wauwatosa it was especially important as the vote was about 12,000 to 9,000 to pull out. Green lost the city by about 1,000 and Reynolds by about 2,000. That referendum was critical.
Very interesting point, in line with the analysis by Sensenbrenner (above.)
Failure to have candidates for key offices reduces the total vote
Herb Kohl may be un-beatable, but that's not an excuse. Of course, with the national Senatorial campaign being run by the RINOs, what's the diff?
Fox6 Milwaukee Goes All Global Warming
It had to happen sooner or later. With a 1-hour hole to fill at the 9:00 PM slot, Fox6 Milwaukee made the decision to unleash their Junior Meteorologist, who told us all about how Global Warming will affect Wisconsin.
We got pictures of a relatively-treeless savanna, and were told that the lakes would largely recede or dry up. We're told that deer-hunters will have to go to Canada. And on and on and on and on....
Then the anchor pops back in to advise that 'fewer and fewer scientists disagree with the theory of Global Warming.' Evidently, that's "fair and balanced."
Somehow, they forgot to mention this:
For the second consecutive month, temperatures across the continental United States were cooler-than-average, according to scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Drought conditions improved in some areas, but large parts of the nation remained in moderate to extreme drought. October ranked as the 12th wettest October when compared with historical precipitation records for the month.
The October 2006 temperature for the contiguous United States (based on preliminary data) was 0.9 degrees F (0.5 degrees C) below the 20th century average of 54.8 degrees F (12.7 degrees C). After a record warm January through August period, this was the second consecutive month of below average temperatures.
The combination of a cooler-than-average September and October dropped the year-to-date national temperature from record warmest to third warmest for the January through October 2006 period. The record warmest January through October occurred in 1934.
So after all these decades of Global Warming, how come is it that the record warmest North American summer was in 1934?
We got pictures of a relatively-treeless savanna, and were told that the lakes would largely recede or dry up. We're told that deer-hunters will have to go to Canada. And on and on and on and on....
Then the anchor pops back in to advise that 'fewer and fewer scientists disagree with the theory of Global Warming.' Evidently, that's "fair and balanced."
Somehow, they forgot to mention this:
For the second consecutive month, temperatures across the continental United States were cooler-than-average, according to scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Drought conditions improved in some areas, but large parts of the nation remained in moderate to extreme drought. October ranked as the 12th wettest October when compared with historical precipitation records for the month.
The October 2006 temperature for the contiguous United States (based on preliminary data) was 0.9 degrees F (0.5 degrees C) below the 20th century average of 54.8 degrees F (12.7 degrees C). After a record warm January through August period, this was the second consecutive month of below average temperatures.
The combination of a cooler-than-average September and October dropped the year-to-date national temperature from record warmest to third warmest for the January through October 2006 period. The record warmest January through October occurred in 1934.
So after all these decades of Global Warming, how come is it that the record warmest North American summer was in 1934?
SCOWI: The Early Line
HT to GOP3.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court's balance is in play and there are two contenders emerging for the seat of conservative Justice Wilcox.
In one corner, you have Linda Clifford, a Madison lawyer with ties to Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, who has already poured $140,000 of her own money into her Supreme Court campaign war chest and collected another $60,000. [A lifelong Democrat, Clifford resigned from the party not long ago but concedes that she’s still a friend and strong supporter of Doyle. Since 1996, she and her husband, Keith Clifford, have donated about $18,000 to his campaign fund.]
Facing her is Washington County Judge Annette Ziegler, a conservative jurist who has little in her campaign account but has access to a lot of cash as a member of the family that launched the investment firm The Ziegler Cos. Inc. “I’m on the more conservative end of the spectrum,” said Ziegler, a 42-year-old former prosecutor who was initially appointed to the bench by then-Gov. Tommy Thompson. “I have a very high regard for Justice Wilcox.”
Although the SpiceBoyzz column from which this is taken is a bit old (3/06,) the campaign war-chests have likely grown a bit. This will be important; one wonders how the campaign messages will be shaped.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court's balance is in play and there are two contenders emerging for the seat of conservative Justice Wilcox.
In one corner, you have Linda Clifford, a Madison lawyer with ties to Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, who has already poured $140,000 of her own money into her Supreme Court campaign war chest and collected another $60,000. [A lifelong Democrat, Clifford resigned from the party not long ago but concedes that she’s still a friend and strong supporter of Doyle. Since 1996, she and her husband, Keith Clifford, have donated about $18,000 to his campaign fund.]
Facing her is Washington County Judge Annette Ziegler, a conservative jurist who has little in her campaign account but has access to a lot of cash as a member of the family that launched the investment firm The Ziegler Cos. Inc. “I’m on the more conservative end of the spectrum,” said Ziegler, a 42-year-old former prosecutor who was initially appointed to the bench by then-Gov. Tommy Thompson. “I have a very high regard for Justice Wilcox.”
Although the SpiceBoyzz column from which this is taken is a bit old (3/06,) the campaign war-chests have likely grown a bit. This will be important; one wonders how the campaign messages will be shaped.
Pubbies May Lose ANOTHER Seat in Congress
It ain't over yet, folks.
Despite being outspent nearly 5 to 1, Democrat Larry Kissell has battled to a virtual dead heat with the third richest Congressperson in the country, four-term Republican incumbent Robin Hayes.
...On Friday November 17th, each of the ten North Carolina counties within the eighth congressional district will report their provisional vote totals. The vote will then be certified. If the race is within 1% point at that time (which it will be), the trailing party may request a recount.
It's a North Carolina district in which NAFTA/Free Trade arguments were prominent due to the presence (shrinking) of the textile industry.
Despite being outspent nearly 5 to 1, Democrat Larry Kissell has battled to a virtual dead heat with the third richest Congressperson in the country, four-term Republican incumbent Robin Hayes.
...On Friday November 17th, each of the ten North Carolina counties within the eighth congressional district will report their provisional vote totals. The vote will then be certified. If the race is within 1% point at that time (which it will be), the trailing party may request a recount.
It's a North Carolina district in which NAFTA/Free Trade arguments were prominent due to the presence (shrinking) of the textile industry.
Captain's Quarters in Rebellion
CQ is a very influential blogsite whose author also writes for another (print) national conservative publication.
Commenting on the resurrection of Trent (Pig) Lott, and the prominence of John (Shut Up!!) McCain as we swing towards 2008, he says something startling:
It may be time to take Mark Tapscott's advice, offered over the summer, and look outside the GOP for alternate methods of pursuing conservativism. All we find there is a nest of those who want to manipulate federal power as an engine for their own agendas, instead of reducing its reach and its intrusiveness. We have at least a year to see whether we can be more effective outside the party -- because the Republicans seem intent on proving that we have no place inside it any more.
Although CQ did not mention the Martinez nomination, it's another good reason to look around.
Commenting on the resurrection of Trent (Pig) Lott, and the prominence of John (Shut Up!!) McCain as we swing towards 2008, he says something startling:
It may be time to take Mark Tapscott's advice, offered over the summer, and look outside the GOP for alternate methods of pursuing conservativism. All we find there is a nest of those who want to manipulate federal power as an engine for their own agendas, instead of reducing its reach and its intrusiveness. We have at least a year to see whether we can be more effective outside the party -- because the Republicans seem intent on proving that we have no place inside it any more.
Although CQ did not mention the Martinez nomination, it's another good reason to look around.
Charities Rebound in Milwaukee
Well, taxes or no, the picture in 2005 was pretty good.
Local charities appear to have rebounded from the slump that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and subsequent economic downturn, reporting a $60 million surge in giving - the largest one-year increase ever measured by an annual analysis of area philanthropy.
The 64 bellwether organizations in the Milwaukee area raised $265.5 million in 2005, according to the Report Card on Charitable Giving prepared by the Public Policy Forum. Contributions had dropped from $223.2 million in 2001 to $205 million in 2004, the report states.
That little event in NYC on 9/11 really had its echoes.
Local charities appear to have rebounded from the slump that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and subsequent economic downturn, reporting a $60 million surge in giving - the largest one-year increase ever measured by an annual analysis of area philanthropy.
The 64 bellwether organizations in the Milwaukee area raised $265.5 million in 2005, according to the Report Card on Charitable Giving prepared by the Public Policy Forum. Contributions had dropped from $223.2 million in 2001 to $205 million in 2004, the report states.
That little event in NYC on 9/11 really had its echoes.
GWB Insulting Base Again, with Martinez
Yah. I'm beginning to wonder if the Dems weren't right after all--maybe GWB is the dumbest guy to ever have graduated from college.
With the resignation of Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman, President Bush intends to fill the post with Florida's Mel Martinez, a Hispanic who led the battle in the U.S. Senate for amnesty for illegal aliens.
"Martinez is going to lead the fight for amnesty that Bush could not win when Republicans controlled the Congress," one angry RNC member told the Washington Times' Ralph Hallow.
Unable to extract an amnesty bill from Denny Hastert and Co. in the House like the McCain-Kennedy bill he supports, Bush is looking to cut a deal with San Francisco Nancy.
Amnesty is to be the Bush legacy, and Martinez is to be the face of the party on the most explosive domestic issue of our era. For that, GOP precinct workers walked the line to hold Congress for the party.
Never mind the fact that Hispanics voted 70% Democratic this last election. Notwithstanding that, even the Dimmies understand that a "comprehensive" (read: amnesty) bill is a Third Rail:
"In the days after the election, Democratic leaders surprised pro-immigration groups by not including the issue on their list of immediate priorities. Experts said the issue is so complicated, so sensitive and so explosive that it could easily blow up in the Democrats' faces and give control of Congress back to Republicans in the next election two years from now. And a number of Democrats who took a hard line on immigration were also elected to Congress." (WaPost)
GWB is notorious for being stubborn, and when fighting terrorists, that's a good thing. Too bad he sees Americans who like secure borders as merely another variant of 'terrorists'.
With the resignation of Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman, President Bush intends to fill the post with Florida's Mel Martinez, a Hispanic who led the battle in the U.S. Senate for amnesty for illegal aliens.
"Martinez is going to lead the fight for amnesty that Bush could not win when Republicans controlled the Congress," one angry RNC member told the Washington Times' Ralph Hallow.
Unable to extract an amnesty bill from Denny Hastert and Co. in the House like the McCain-Kennedy bill he supports, Bush is looking to cut a deal with San Francisco Nancy.
Amnesty is to be the Bush legacy, and Martinez is to be the face of the party on the most explosive domestic issue of our era. For that, GOP precinct workers walked the line to hold Congress for the party.
Never mind the fact that Hispanics voted 70% Democratic this last election. Notwithstanding that, even the Dimmies understand that a "comprehensive" (read: amnesty) bill is a Third Rail:
"In the days after the election, Democratic leaders surprised pro-immigration groups by not including the issue on their list of immediate priorities. Experts said the issue is so complicated, so sensitive and so explosive that it could easily blow up in the Democrats' faces and give control of Congress back to Republicans in the next election two years from now. And a number of Democrats who took a hard line on immigration were also elected to Congress." (WaPost)
GWB is notorious for being stubborn, and when fighting terrorists, that's a good thing. Too bad he sees Americans who like secure borders as merely another variant of 'terrorists'.
Welcome to the Reich!
The Smoking Nazis have taken over a town in California.
Belmont is set to make history by becoming the first city in the nation to ban smoking on its streets and almost everywhere else.
The Belmont City Council voted unanimously last night to pursue a strict law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences. Smoking on the street, in a park and even in one’s car will become illegal and police would have the option of handing out tickets if they catch someone
Don't tell the City of Madistan, which would like to be 1st...
Belmont is set to make history by becoming the first city in the nation to ban smoking on its streets and almost everywhere else.
The Belmont City Council voted unanimously last night to pursue a strict law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences. Smoking on the street, in a park and even in one’s car will become illegal and police would have the option of handing out tickets if they catch someone
Don't tell the City of Madistan, which would like to be 1st...
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Spending Pig WIS DOT Wants More Money: the Setup
Well, it was a certainty that DOT wanted more money.
Only question: how much, and extracted from what part of your anatomy...
The state Department of Transportation is recommending raising the annual registration fees to $80 for cars, a 46% increase, and hikes of up to 65% for light trucks.
The department also recommends increasing the cost of driver's licenses by $10, from $24 to $34, to cover the cost of new federal requirements to make identification cards more secure.
What if they gave a party and no one came? How long would it take the State Patrol to arrest every single licensed driver in the State? Stop every car?
FU, DarthDoyle.
Having said that, here's how this will work.
DOT's request is exorbitant, and we all know it. Busalacchi did what DarthDoyle told him to do: first, hold off the announcement until after the election; secondly, make the numbers high.
Now Darth and his newfound pal, the Wisconsin Senate, will "moderate" the increases. Then they'll be passed into law. Car registration will be $70.00, D/L's will be $30.00.
By the way, if you're interested in exactly how DOT pisses your money down the drain, be sure to drive out Hy. 151 from Madistan to Iowa some day. Don't worry about getting into a traffic jam.
Only question: how much, and extracted from what part of your anatomy...
The state Department of Transportation is recommending raising the annual registration fees to $80 for cars, a 46% increase, and hikes of up to 65% for light trucks.
The department also recommends increasing the cost of driver's licenses by $10, from $24 to $34, to cover the cost of new federal requirements to make identification cards more secure.
What if they gave a party and no one came? How long would it take the State Patrol to arrest every single licensed driver in the State? Stop every car?
FU, DarthDoyle.
Having said that, here's how this will work.
DOT's request is exorbitant, and we all know it. Busalacchi did what DarthDoyle told him to do: first, hold off the announcement until after the election; secondly, make the numbers high.
Now Darth and his newfound pal, the Wisconsin Senate, will "moderate" the increases. Then they'll be passed into law. Car registration will be $70.00, D/L's will be $30.00.
By the way, if you're interested in exactly how DOT pisses your money down the drain, be sure to drive out Hy. 151 from Madistan to Iowa some day. Don't worry about getting into a traffic jam.
Spending Pig Lott Now Minority Whip
Yah, ol' Trent, who absolutely hates the PorkBusters (for good reason) is #2 in the Pubbie Senate leadership.
Maybe it'll be longer than 2 years in the minority for the Pubbies, who just don't get it...
Maybe it'll be longer than 2 years in the minority for the Pubbies, who just don't get it...
Once Again: The Pill is NOT "Safe"
Chemicals have consequences:
“According to Johnson & Johnson’s third quarter SEC filing for 2006, there are over ‘1,000 claimants who have filed lawsuits or have made claims regarding injuries allegedly due to Ortho Evra.’”
“Serious health problems have been associated with Ortho Evra including fatal and non-fatal blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and death. From April 2002 to December 2004, over 27,974 ‘adverse effects’ were reported by users of Ortho Evra. Many of the complaints are serious, and the patch is alleged to be responsible for over 23 deaths, including the death of 14 year old Alycia Brown.”
“It’s interesting to find out that the FDA, ‘big pharma’, and medical professionals consider non-fatal and fatal blood clots as ‘acceptable risks’ of oral contraception.... One has to wonder how many women have been told by their OB/GYNs that their potential death from a fatal blood clot is an ‘acceptable risk’ of using hormone based contraceptives?” said Ruben Obregon, President of the No Room for Contraception Campaign.
Whereas energy-consumption in the West should have ZERO 'acceptable risks.'
“According to Johnson & Johnson’s third quarter SEC filing for 2006, there are over ‘1,000 claimants who have filed lawsuits or have made claims regarding injuries allegedly due to Ortho Evra.’”
“Serious health problems have been associated with Ortho Evra including fatal and non-fatal blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and death. From April 2002 to December 2004, over 27,974 ‘adverse effects’ were reported by users of Ortho Evra. Many of the complaints are serious, and the patch is alleged to be responsible for over 23 deaths, including the death of 14 year old Alycia Brown.”
“It’s interesting to find out that the FDA, ‘big pharma’, and medical professionals consider non-fatal and fatal blood clots as ‘acceptable risks’ of oral contraception.... One has to wonder how many women have been told by their OB/GYNs that their potential death from a fatal blood clot is an ‘acceptable risk’ of using hormone based contraceptives?” said Ruben Obregon, President of the No Room for Contraception Campaign.
Whereas energy-consumption in the West should have ZERO 'acceptable risks.'
The Vatican Meeting is NOT ABOUT "Dropping Celibacy for Priests"
Despite the 9 PM News (Channel 6) and 10 PM News (Channel 4) talking heads' errors, the meeting in Rome is not really to discuss 'dropping celibacy' as a requirement for priests.
The Thursday meeting appears to be a response to Archbishop Milingo’s repeated public calls for a change in the Church’s discipline requiring priestly celibacy. Although the Vatican announced the excommunication of the African archbishop after he presided at the unauthorized episcopal ordination of four married men, Pope Benedict may be anxious to forestall any possibility that Archbishop Milingo could provoke a major schism.
It has to do with one specific case (Milingo) and perhaps 1000 other cases.
The Thursday meeting appears to be a response to Archbishop Milingo’s repeated public calls for a change in the Church’s discipline requiring priestly celibacy. Although the Vatican announced the excommunication of the African archbishop after he presided at the unauthorized episcopal ordination of four married men, Pope Benedict may be anxious to forestall any possibility that Archbishop Milingo could provoke a major schism.
It has to do with one specific case (Milingo) and perhaps 1000 other cases.
Crime, Terrorism, Morals, and the Heresy of the Left
Earlier we mentioned Sheriff Clarke's disappointing endorsement of the concept that 'gun crime is a public-health problem.'
The position is, of course, inane. Clarke is a good guy in general terms, but he swallowed some mighty potent brain-fart material before he spoke on this issue. He was also influenced by some distinctly Leftist reductionism--popular with the Clintons and the intellectualoids of the Left, such as Steve Hargarten, MD. (There are a lot of others, by the way.)
There's a precedent to this, found in the Bill Clinton/Janet Reno approach to terrorism.
The Left, generally, tries to ignore or grossly reduce the moral content of decisions. One can only speculate on the reasons for this; perhaps it's because the Left simply does not wish to recognize morality in general. Perhaps it's because they prefer to think (as did the early heretics, the Manicheans) that men's otherwise-pristine souls are trapped within their evil-inclined eartly bodies. Perhaps it's because of their aversion to Natural Law. It certainly constitutes a denial of the Fall. Whatever the cause, it leads to 'solutions' which are not remedies.
This reductionism is what led X42 to treat terrorism as a 'criminal offense,' rather than as an act of war (albeit an act of a non-State entity.) It's why Clinton refused to pull the trigger when Osama was literally in the sights of a drone over Afghanistan. In other words, instead of treating OBL as what he was (an active enemy of the State,) he wished to reduce him to a 'criminal,' punishable under some portion of the US Code.
Strikes you as fatuous, no?
The smaller-scale application is what we saw this morning (again, earlier proposed by the Clinton Administration): that gun-violence is a 'medical' pathology, not a moral one. In other words, the remedy for random acts of gun-violence and the consequent death-toll and medical costs is some sort of medical protocol instead of criminal charges, trial, conviction, and incarceration.
Same fatuity, different face.
This same theological misunderstanding applies in reverse: where the moral imperative is to treat all men as you would like to be treated, the Left proposes EEOC, No-Smoking Cities, and Handicapped Parking spaces. Where the moral imperative is to respect the persons of others, the Left proposes "sexual harassment" and no-fault divorce. Where the moral imperative is 'good stewardship' of the Earth, the Left proposes Kyoto, the EPA, and DNR.
As GKC so aptly observed, "When you break the Big Laws, all you get is a lot of Little Laws."
GKC was never wrong.
The position is, of course, inane. Clarke is a good guy in general terms, but he swallowed some mighty potent brain-fart material before he spoke on this issue. He was also influenced by some distinctly Leftist reductionism--popular with the Clintons and the intellectualoids of the Left, such as Steve Hargarten, MD. (There are a lot of others, by the way.)
There's a precedent to this, found in the Bill Clinton/Janet Reno approach to terrorism.
The Left, generally, tries to ignore or grossly reduce the moral content of decisions. One can only speculate on the reasons for this; perhaps it's because the Left simply does not wish to recognize morality in general. Perhaps it's because they prefer to think (as did the early heretics, the Manicheans) that men's otherwise-pristine souls are trapped within their evil-inclined eartly bodies. Perhaps it's because of their aversion to Natural Law. It certainly constitutes a denial of the Fall. Whatever the cause, it leads to 'solutions' which are not remedies.
This reductionism is what led X42 to treat terrorism as a 'criminal offense,' rather than as an act of war (albeit an act of a non-State entity.) It's why Clinton refused to pull the trigger when Osama was literally in the sights of a drone over Afghanistan. In other words, instead of treating OBL as what he was (an active enemy of the State,) he wished to reduce him to a 'criminal,' punishable under some portion of the US Code.
Strikes you as fatuous, no?
The smaller-scale application is what we saw this morning (again, earlier proposed by the Clinton Administration): that gun-violence is a 'medical' pathology, not a moral one. In other words, the remedy for random acts of gun-violence and the consequent death-toll and medical costs is some sort of medical protocol instead of criminal charges, trial, conviction, and incarceration.
Same fatuity, different face.
This same theological misunderstanding applies in reverse: where the moral imperative is to treat all men as you would like to be treated, the Left proposes EEOC, No-Smoking Cities, and Handicapped Parking spaces. Where the moral imperative is to respect the persons of others, the Left proposes "sexual harassment" and no-fault divorce. Where the moral imperative is 'good stewardship' of the Earth, the Left proposes Kyoto, the EPA, and DNR.
As GKC so aptly observed, "When you break the Big Laws, all you get is a lot of Little Laws."
GKC was never wrong.
Patriot Act Foils...aaaaahhhh...well.....
I can't tell you, but you can read it here.
I'd like to know which provision of the Patriot Act the US Attorney interpreted for this, because, frankly, that US Attorney is making asses out of a lot of people--those who voted for it, and signed it come to mind...
I'd like to know which provision of the Patriot Act the US Attorney interpreted for this, because, frankly, that US Attorney is making asses out of a lot of people--those who voted for it, and signed it come to mind...
Anti-Gun Mayor, Pal of Bloomberg (NYC)...
Goes on trial for illegally carrying a concealed weapon!
In Jackson, Mississippi, Mayor Frank Melton is scheduled to go on trial for illegally carrying his concealed firearm inside a church, a school, and a park.
We can debate whether or not the law is right, but one thing is certain: Prosecutors believe Melton broke the law.
Melton was one of the first mayors to sign up with Bloomberg's anti-gun group, and he followed his meeting at Gracie Mansion with a call to ban all gun shows in Jackson.
I guess that's enough to keep him in Bloomberg's good graces, because as of this writing, he’s still on the list of mayors fighting for New York-style gun-control laws... even in Mississippi.
Yah--that's the same meeting Tom Barrett attended. Happy to know that Melton didn't pull out his gun to show it off there, eh?
In Jackson, Mississippi, Mayor Frank Melton is scheduled to go on trial for illegally carrying his concealed firearm inside a church, a school, and a park.
We can debate whether or not the law is right, but one thing is certain: Prosecutors believe Melton broke the law.
Melton was one of the first mayors to sign up with Bloomberg's anti-gun group, and he followed his meeting at Gracie Mansion with a call to ban all gun shows in Jackson.
I guess that's enough to keep him in Bloomberg's good graces, because as of this writing, he’s still on the list of mayors fighting for New York-style gun-control laws... even in Mississippi.
Yah--that's the same meeting Tom Barrett attended. Happy to know that Melton didn't pull out his gun to show it off there, eh?
Lebanon: Next to Go
Little Green Footballs thinks Hezbollah's going to take down the Beirut government soon.
As predicted since July 12, (and posted on the Counterterrorism Blog), the aim of Hezbollah’s summer war with Israel, was to provoke a “strike-back” at the Lebanese Government and reshape the balance of power in Lebanon to the advantage of the Teheran-Damascus axis. Nasrallah and his allies across the sectarian divide aimed at shifting the issue of disarming Hezbollah and militias (according to UNSCR 1559) to crumbling the government, which is supposed to implement this disarming process.
...The perceived results of the midterm elections in the U.S. were read as positive by Tehran and its allies, in the sense that it froze vigorous reactions by the U.S. against any Iranian-Syrian move in Lebanon via Hezbollah. The feelings in Tehran and Damascus, have been that if in the next weeks and months a “thrust” takes place in Lebanon to the advantage of the pro-Syrian camp, Washington will be in no position to react or counter. Ahmedinijad and Assad believe (or have been advised to believe) that “lobbies” are moving in Washington and Brussels to restrain any strong deterrence by the U.S. against the “axis.” The theory is that the Bush Administration is too busy “negotiating” with the new leadership in Congress to “dare” a mass move in the Middle East.
...The projected scenario is as follows: Hezbollah and Amal movement ministers will resign from the Government calling for the resignation of the Government. The next move is to have Hezbollah, Amal, and their allies in the Parliament also resign, thus creating “conditions” for what they will coin as new elections and a collapse of the cabinet. Most of these moves have already been accomplished or are on the eve of being implemented. The pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud will declare the Government and the Parliament as “illegitimate,” and call for early legislative elections. The latter, if they take place will be under the smashing influence of Hezbollah’s weapons (a show of force was performed in the summer) and of the cohorts of militias and security agencies. Result: a pro-Syrian-Iranian majority in parliament, followed by the formation of an “axis” government in Lebanon. The rest is easy to predict: A terrorism victory.
That will also be the beginning of the end of Catholicism in Lebanon.
As predicted since July 12, (and posted on the Counterterrorism Blog), the aim of Hezbollah’s summer war with Israel, was to provoke a “strike-back” at the Lebanese Government and reshape the balance of power in Lebanon to the advantage of the Teheran-Damascus axis. Nasrallah and his allies across the sectarian divide aimed at shifting the issue of disarming Hezbollah and militias (according to UNSCR 1559) to crumbling the government, which is supposed to implement this disarming process.
...The perceived results of the midterm elections in the U.S. were read as positive by Tehran and its allies, in the sense that it froze vigorous reactions by the U.S. against any Iranian-Syrian move in Lebanon via Hezbollah. The feelings in Tehran and Damascus, have been that if in the next weeks and months a “thrust” takes place in Lebanon to the advantage of the pro-Syrian camp, Washington will be in no position to react or counter. Ahmedinijad and Assad believe (or have been advised to believe) that “lobbies” are moving in Washington and Brussels to restrain any strong deterrence by the U.S. against the “axis.” The theory is that the Bush Administration is too busy “negotiating” with the new leadership in Congress to “dare” a mass move in the Middle East.
...The projected scenario is as follows: Hezbollah and Amal movement ministers will resign from the Government calling for the resignation of the Government. The next move is to have Hezbollah, Amal, and their allies in the Parliament also resign, thus creating “conditions” for what they will coin as new elections and a collapse of the cabinet. Most of these moves have already been accomplished or are on the eve of being implemented. The pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud will declare the Government and the Parliament as “illegitimate,” and call for early legislative elections. The latter, if they take place will be under the smashing influence of Hezbollah’s weapons (a show of force was performed in the summer) and of the cohorts of militias and security agencies. Result: a pro-Syrian-Iranian majority in parliament, followed by the formation of an “axis” government in Lebanon. The rest is easy to predict: A terrorism victory.
That will also be the beginning of the end of Catholicism in Lebanon.
If You Think Milwaukee's Murder/Shooting Crisis is Bad...
Well, move to Chicago.
See, in Chicago, the Cop Shop has covered up over 80 murders by calling them something else.
At least Mayor Tom Milk-Carton hasn't gone THAT far.
HT: John Lott
See, in Chicago, the Cop Shop has covered up over 80 murders by calling them something else.
At least Mayor Tom Milk-Carton hasn't gone THAT far.
HT: John Lott
Abramoff's Further Testimony--on Dem Senators
Maybe this won't make all the usual news outlets:
Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to report to federal prison tomorrow, over the objections of federal prosecutors who say they still need his help to pursue leads on officials he allegedly bribed.
Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to "dozens of members of Congress and staff," including what Abramoff has reportedly described as "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators."
The sources say Abramoff was about to provide information about Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, "accepting things of value" from Abramoff.
Won't bother me if ALL of them go directly to jail, including Rove, if found guilty.
Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to report to federal prison tomorrow, over the objections of federal prosecutors who say they still need his help to pursue leads on officials he allegedly bribed.
Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to "dozens of members of Congress and staff," including what Abramoff has reportedly described as "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators."
The sources say Abramoff was about to provide information about Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, "accepting things of value" from Abramoff.
Won't bother me if ALL of them go directly to jail, including Rove, if found guilty.
Economic Planning at the Speed of ...Molasses
Public Policy Forum released a report stating (in effect) that Milwaukee's "economic development" expenditures basically pay for pretty tulips, bushes, and sidewalks.
Sheehy, of MMAC, says "not so."
MMAC President Tim Sheehy said the study neglects efforts to groom Milwaukee as the anchor of the southeastern Wisconsin economy under a strategy to create a cohesive seven-county bloc large enough to be globally competitive. That effort, called the Milwaukee 7, seeks strategies to retain, expand and attract industry to the region.
And the City's plan? Why, it'll begin right quick:
Sheehy noted that Milwaukee is at work on a citywide plan, due by 2010,
Maybe there'll be someone around in 2010 to implement the report.
Sheehy, of MMAC, says "not so."
MMAC President Tim Sheehy said the study neglects efforts to groom Milwaukee as the anchor of the southeastern Wisconsin economy under a strategy to create a cohesive seven-county bloc large enough to be globally competitive. That effort, called the Milwaukee 7, seeks strategies to retain, expand and attract industry to the region.
And the City's plan? Why, it'll begin right quick:
Sheehy noted that Milwaukee is at work on a citywide plan, due by 2010,
Maybe there'll be someone around in 2010 to implement the report.
Stadium Tax to Run Forever. We TOLD You So!!
Yah.
...members of the Miller Park stadium board faced a new reality Tuesday: The stadium tax might not end in 2014 as originally anticipated.
Buffeted by changes in demographics and personal income in the five-county region where the 0.1% tax is collected, and the loss of sales-tax revenue when people shop on the Internet, the board is beginning to look at its options.
And it gets worse:
To retire the stadium debt, the district relies largely on the sales-tax revenue, its own investment performance and to some extent its ability to cut its own expenses.
You know--like not paying for repairs & maintenance, or not buying shiny new advertising signage, or BS like that.
"Cut expenses"? Really!
Well, what about all those fancy-Dan projections, made by really expensive consultants, paid for by (guess who?)--and relied upon by "Stick It To 'Em" Thompson in his package of neat deceptions? Huh? What about those, hey?
Berry said sales taxes are largely driven by demographics. If there are more people, and personal income is up, there is more discretionary income and people buy more goods and materials. But in the five-county region, he said, the population has dipped, and personal income in some recent years has dropped. That is at odds with growth in the rest of the state, he said.
Duuuhhhh. $3,500.00 gets you a new HDTV. You want that with or without 5.5% sales tax ($192.50) Repeat: Duuuuhhhhh.
...members of the Miller Park stadium board faced a new reality Tuesday: The stadium tax might not end in 2014 as originally anticipated.
Buffeted by changes in demographics and personal income in the five-county region where the 0.1% tax is collected, and the loss of sales-tax revenue when people shop on the Internet, the board is beginning to look at its options.
And it gets worse:
To retire the stadium debt, the district relies largely on the sales-tax revenue, its own investment performance and to some extent its ability to cut its own expenses.
You know--like not paying for repairs & maintenance, or not buying shiny new advertising signage, or BS like that.
"Cut expenses"? Really!
Well, what about all those fancy-Dan projections, made by really expensive consultants, paid for by (guess who?)--and relied upon by "Stick It To 'Em" Thompson in his package of neat deceptions? Huh? What about those, hey?
Berry said sales taxes are largely driven by demographics. If there are more people, and personal income is up, there is more discretionary income and people buy more goods and materials. But in the five-county region, he said, the population has dipped, and personal income in some recent years has dropped. That is at odds with growth in the rest of the state, he said.
S'pose taxes, taxes, and more taxes might have had some effect on that "population" and their jobs?
In addition, more people apparently are buying more goods and services over the Internet. And in many cases, there is no sales tax paid, Berry said.Duuuhhhh. $3,500.00 gets you a new HDTV. You want that with or without 5.5% sales tax ($192.50) Repeat: Duuuuhhhhh.
Sheriff Clarke's Strange Bedfellow
Now enter from stage Left (not Moonbat, but Lefty) Dr. Steve Hargarten:
Hargarten suggested that Milwaukee and other cities could tackle gun violence by treating it in the same way car crashes were addressed.
They should be made so that no one but the authorized owner can use them. That could be done in a number of ways, such as with electronics that recognize an owner's palm print or with a radio frequency signal, he said.
Of course, reliability is an issue with doodads and gizmos, but that's an argument for another day.
"Once a gun becomes an electronic device, safety features will be huge," he said. "Think of the safety features that have been added to cars."
Right. And think of that Allstate ad in which the company spokesman says that "the driver" is still the single most significant problem with cars...
Also needed are tough measures to limit unauthorized access to guns, said Hargarten, who studies gun violence as a public health issue.
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. agreed with Hargarten's view of looking at shootings as an illness, calling it "a public health crisis."
I will politely opine that the Sheriff is utterly mad--crazy--wickiwickibonzo if he actually believes this crap.
Murder and mayhem are not polio, nor TB, nor head-lice.
Murder and mayhem are moral failings.
There's no "health issue" here except the health of souls.
Clarke's been seduced by Hargarten's passion and commitment--Steve's an enjoyable guy and he's very persuasive. Too bad he got his religious training from the Jesuits--otherwise he'd understand Moral Theo 101.
(By the way, the "health issue" angle's been tried before, during the Clinton Administration. Besides being an excellent vehicle for getting Federal grants, it's a method by which to side-step settled law on the topic of gun ownership. Think I'm kidding? You recall how another very powerful Western government used "psychiatric disturbances" as a method of imprisoning resisters, don't you??)
Hargarten suggested that Milwaukee and other cities could tackle gun violence by treating it in the same way car crashes were addressed.
They should be made so that no one but the authorized owner can use them. That could be done in a number of ways, such as with electronics that recognize an owner's palm print or with a radio frequency signal, he said.
Of course, reliability is an issue with doodads and gizmos, but that's an argument for another day.
"Once a gun becomes an electronic device, safety features will be huge," he said. "Think of the safety features that have been added to cars."
Right. And think of that Allstate ad in which the company spokesman says that "the driver" is still the single most significant problem with cars...
Also needed are tough measures to limit unauthorized access to guns, said Hargarten, who studies gun violence as a public health issue.
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. agreed with Hargarten's view of looking at shootings as an illness, calling it "a public health crisis."
I will politely opine that the Sheriff is utterly mad--crazy--wickiwickibonzo if he actually believes this crap.
Murder and mayhem are not polio, nor TB, nor head-lice.
Murder and mayhem are moral failings.
There's no "health issue" here except the health of souls.
Clarke's been seduced by Hargarten's passion and commitment--Steve's an enjoyable guy and he's very persuasive. Too bad he got his religious training from the Jesuits--otherwise he'd understand Moral Theo 101.
(By the way, the "health issue" angle's been tried before, during the Clinton Administration. Besides being an excellent vehicle for getting Federal grants, it's a method by which to side-step settled law on the topic of gun ownership. Think I'm kidding? You recall how another very powerful Western government used "psychiatric disturbances" as a method of imprisoning resisters, don't you??)
The Trouble with Illegals
It's not just a matter of sneaking across the border to make a couple of bucks. Heather MacDonald, an excellent researcher, writes a lengthy article in City Journal.
Nearly half of the children born to Hispanic mothers in the U.S. are born out of wedlock, a proportion that has been increasing rapidly with no signs of slowing down. Given what psychologists and sociologists now know about the much higher likelihood of social pathology among those who grow up in single-mother households, the Hispanic baby boom is certain to produce more juvenile delinquents, more school failure, more welfare use, and more teen pregnancy in the future.
MacDonald writes a bit about the growth of the Hispanic community in the USA.
The Hispanic birthrate is twice as high as that of the rest of the American population. That high fertility rate—even more than unbounded levels of immigration—will fuel the rapid Hispanic population boom in the coming decades. By 2050, the Latino population will have tripled, the Census Bureau projects. One in four Americans will be Hispanic by mid-century, twice the current ratio.
Of course, Anglos are too busy buying McMansions and matching Bimmer SUV's to actually have children. This impacts the Anglo fertility rate, no? And it is good to remember that the Social Security system desperately needs a lot of young taxpayers. However:
...it’s the fertility surge among unwed Hispanics that should worry policymakers. Hispanic women have the highest unmarried birthrate in the country—over three times that of whites and Asians, and nearly one and a half times that of black women, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
You think that's something? Get this:
The rate of childbirth for Mexican teenagers, who come from by far the largest and fastest-growing immigrant population, greatly outstrips every other group. The Mexican teen birthrate is 93 births per every 1,000 girls, compared with 27 births for every 1,000 white girls, 17 births for every 1,000 Asian girls, and 65 births for every 1,000 black girls. To put these numbers into international perspective, Japan’s teen birthrate is 3.9, Italy’s is 6.9, and France’s is 10.
Many of my acquaintances carry on about the "family values" of Hispanics, and how the Republican Party could capitalize on those values, yada yada yada.
In fact, the worst possible environment for children is a fatherless home (curiously, the only exception is when the father died prematurely.) There's no better way to produce gang-bangers, criminals, and even more illegitimacy.
Nearly half of the children born to Hispanic mothers in the U.S. are born out of wedlock, a proportion that has been increasing rapidly with no signs of slowing down. Given what psychologists and sociologists now know about the much higher likelihood of social pathology among those who grow up in single-mother households, the Hispanic baby boom is certain to produce more juvenile delinquents, more school failure, more welfare use, and more teen pregnancy in the future.
MacDonald writes a bit about the growth of the Hispanic community in the USA.
The Hispanic birthrate is twice as high as that of the rest of the American population. That high fertility rate—even more than unbounded levels of immigration—will fuel the rapid Hispanic population boom in the coming decades. By 2050, the Latino population will have tripled, the Census Bureau projects. One in four Americans will be Hispanic by mid-century, twice the current ratio.
Of course, Anglos are too busy buying McMansions and matching Bimmer SUV's to actually have children. This impacts the Anglo fertility rate, no? And it is good to remember that the Social Security system desperately needs a lot of young taxpayers. However:
...it’s the fertility surge among unwed Hispanics that should worry policymakers. Hispanic women have the highest unmarried birthrate in the country—over three times that of whites and Asians, and nearly one and a half times that of black women, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
You think that's something? Get this:
The rate of childbirth for Mexican teenagers, who come from by far the largest and fastest-growing immigrant population, greatly outstrips every other group. The Mexican teen birthrate is 93 births per every 1,000 girls, compared with 27 births for every 1,000 white girls, 17 births for every 1,000 Asian girls, and 65 births for every 1,000 black girls. To put these numbers into international perspective, Japan’s teen birthrate is 3.9, Italy’s is 6.9, and France’s is 10.
Many of my acquaintances carry on about the "family values" of Hispanics, and how the Republican Party could capitalize on those values, yada yada yada.
In fact, the worst possible environment for children is a fatherless home (curiously, the only exception is when the father died prematurely.) There's no better way to produce gang-bangers, criminals, and even more illegitimacy.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
It's All Sykes' Fault
Bruce Murphy, who occasionally makes a good point:
It was Gard who pushed the Republicans in both legislative houses to attack Gov. Jim Doyle from the moment he took office and repeatedly send him bills he’d already vetoed and had made clear he would continue to oppose. This was not about governing; it was about scoring political points for the next election, and it didn’t work.
I can't disagree too much with the above in general terms. There are specifics which could or should go either way, but there's no question that Gard's style was to load bills with hand grenades for Doyle--and it was Doyle's style to throw the hand grenades right back at Gard.
With base politics in mind, the Republicans made sure the marriage amendment was on the ballot for November, to ensure a big turnout of social conservatives. The turnout happened all right, but some voted for the amendment while voting against Green, rewarding a fiscal conservative like Doyle who had cut the deficit he inherited. Meanwhile, the amendment also triggered a big turnout of college kids and other liberals who overwhelmingly rejected Green
More arguable here. Doyle did not "cut" the deficit--he merely moved it to the next budget. And the chicanery with the highway fund is inexcusable. However, others have commented that when Gard forced the marriage amendment to the November ballot that he cut his own throat.
...The height of this folly was Sykes’ attack on former Republican Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus, calling him a RINO for opposing a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Sykes went further, attacking Dreyfus for raising taxes while serving as governor.
Here Murphy simply goes off the track. Dreyfus' rejection of spending controls was wrong, period. And the tax that Sykes attacked was the infamous "Taxation Without Representation" ever-increasing, never-ending, no-vote gas tax. This was a gaffe comparable with GWB's signing the Campaign Reform act which repealed portions of the 1st Amendment.
There is no doubt that Dreyfus is a moderate Republican.
Yah hey.
Traditional Republicans view Dreyfus with great fondness. Dreyfus and Panzer were exactly the kind of politicians Republicans thought of when touting their “big tent.” The “big tent” philosophy was both an embrace of electoral pragmatism and a rebuke of Democratic political correctness. But the Rove and Gard idea, enforced mercilessly by talk radio, was to make the GOP tent ever smaller. Last week, they achieved their goal.
"Traditional Republicans?" Name a few....oh, never mind. We know who they are.
As to Talk Radio--it's all Charlie's fault, eh?
Exactly WHICH metropolitan area had the largest 2001-2005 percentage job-losses, Bruce?
It was Gard who pushed the Republicans in both legislative houses to attack Gov. Jim Doyle from the moment he took office and repeatedly send him bills he’d already vetoed and had made clear he would continue to oppose. This was not about governing; it was about scoring political points for the next election, and it didn’t work.
I can't disagree too much with the above in general terms. There are specifics which could or should go either way, but there's no question that Gard's style was to load bills with hand grenades for Doyle--and it was Doyle's style to throw the hand grenades right back at Gard.
With base politics in mind, the Republicans made sure the marriage amendment was on the ballot for November, to ensure a big turnout of social conservatives. The turnout happened all right, but some voted for the amendment while voting against Green, rewarding a fiscal conservative like Doyle who had cut the deficit he inherited. Meanwhile, the amendment also triggered a big turnout of college kids and other liberals who overwhelmingly rejected Green
More arguable here. Doyle did not "cut" the deficit--he merely moved it to the next budget. And the chicanery with the highway fund is inexcusable. However, others have commented that when Gard forced the marriage amendment to the November ballot that he cut his own throat.
...The height of this folly was Sykes’ attack on former Republican Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus, calling him a RINO for opposing a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Sykes went further, attacking Dreyfus for raising taxes while serving as governor.
Here Murphy simply goes off the track. Dreyfus' rejection of spending controls was wrong, period. And the tax that Sykes attacked was the infamous "Taxation Without Representation" ever-increasing, never-ending, no-vote gas tax. This was a gaffe comparable with GWB's signing the Campaign Reform act which repealed portions of the 1st Amendment.
There is no doubt that Dreyfus is a moderate Republican.
Yah hey.
Traditional Republicans view Dreyfus with great fondness. Dreyfus and Panzer were exactly the kind of politicians Republicans thought of when touting their “big tent.” The “big tent” philosophy was both an embrace of electoral pragmatism and a rebuke of Democratic political correctness. But the Rove and Gard idea, enforced mercilessly by talk radio, was to make the GOP tent ever smaller. Last week, they achieved their goal.
"Traditional Republicans?" Name a few....oh, never mind. We know who they are.
As to Talk Radio--it's all Charlie's fault, eh?
Exactly WHICH metropolitan area had the largest 2001-2005 percentage job-losses, Bruce?
Elton John--Harbinger?
CourageMan posted a lengthy essay on SirElton's remark that 'all religion should be banned.' Here's an interesting excerpt:
...Sir Elton HASN'T thought these topics through (which isn't particularly damnable in itself), and this is what comes out of a him. Most people, and all non-intellectuals, DON'T think things through -- they absorb what the world around them thinks or tells them they should think, thoughtlessly or with minimal thought. The thoughtless man is a better barometer of his society than the thoughtful man for that very reason. I think a serious persecution of Christians is coming, because sentiments like these are becoming much more commonly expressed as natural and normal than before. While there has always been The Village Atheist around, he has been an exception. Sir Elton indicates TVA might be becoming the norm.
He's not the first to predict a new persecution in recent times. Cdl. George of Chicago mentioned this about 6 months ago.
CourageMan also passes on some comparos between the Pope and SirElton, which are more fun:
...Sir Elton HASN'T thought these topics through (which isn't particularly damnable in itself), and this is what comes out of a him. Most people, and all non-intellectuals, DON'T think things through -- they absorb what the world around them thinks or tells them they should think, thoughtlessly or with minimal thought. The thoughtless man is a better barometer of his society than the thoughtful man for that very reason. I think a serious persecution of Christians is coming, because sentiments like these are becoming much more commonly expressed as natural and normal than before. While there has always been The Village Atheist around, he has been an exception. Sir Elton indicates TVA might be becoming the norm.
He's not the first to predict a new persecution in recent times. Cdl. George of Chicago mentioned this about 6 months ago.
CourageMan also passes on some comparos between the Pope and SirElton, which are more fun:
- About the role of Husserl and phenomenology in Karol Wojtyla's personalist philosophy -- Elton John don't know shit
- The Pope never wrote a song to the World Team Tennis league
- The Pope has the stronger fashion sense, with more modest hats and better Prada shoes
- Everyone knows the pope's born name
- "Deus Caritas Est" is in a real dead language, unlike "Solar Prestige a Gammon"³ And a bit meatier than "Believe"
- Pope doesn't depend on Bernie Taupin to write words for him
- Pope hasn't had a career trajectory that started with Kiki Dee as a duet partner and went on to RuPaul and (on another song) George Michael
Umnnnnhhhh....yah.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Buh Bye, BB Guns
You can't make this stuff up:
You might think that Massachusetts can't become any more anti-gun.
Well, think again. Now there's a proposal to ban BB guns in Massachusetts. Complete with a BB gun amnesty period. And a BB gun buyback program.
Millions of kids have grown up with BB and pellet guns. I don't know of any that were turned into criminals by their Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. But that doesn't matter to the politicians in Massachusetts. They think BB guns are bad, and they want them outlawed.
In fact, these politicians not only plan to ban BB guns in Massachusetts, they're sending letters to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island to ask those states to do the same. In the words of one of these anti-gun politicians, their goal is to make "New England an area free of pellet guns and BB guns."
So reports LaPierre of the NRA.
I suppose it makes sense. They've banned dodge-ball, a highly dangerous sport which caused the hospitalization, disfigurement or dismembering of millions of children, right? Well, BB guns are at least twice as worse, or more so--even if those millions of injuries were never reported.
This should have been an update to Folkie's list.
You might think that Massachusetts can't become any more anti-gun.
Well, think again. Now there's a proposal to ban BB guns in Massachusetts. Complete with a BB gun amnesty period. And a BB gun buyback program.
Millions of kids have grown up with BB and pellet guns. I don't know of any that were turned into criminals by their Daisy Red Ryder BB gun. But that doesn't matter to the politicians in Massachusetts. They think BB guns are bad, and they want them outlawed.
In fact, these politicians not only plan to ban BB guns in Massachusetts, they're sending letters to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island to ask those states to do the same. In the words of one of these anti-gun politicians, their goal is to make "New England an area free of pellet guns and BB guns."
So reports LaPierre of the NRA.
I suppose it makes sense. They've banned dodge-ball, a highly dangerous sport which caused the hospitalization, disfigurement or dismembering of millions of children, right? Well, BB guns are at least twice as worse, or more so--even if those millions of injuries were never reported.
This should have been an update to Folkie's list.
On Kneeling for Communion, Community, and the Sacred
From an essay by Anthony Esolen in Crisis Magazine:
...And as you watched the priest and the altar boy come toward you, you’d see others receiving: old ladies, children, carpenters, secretaries, musclemen, strangers and friends, and sometimes enemies. But there you were all together, kneeling, perhaps saying a silent prayer. It’s hard to persist in a grudge against the fellow who is kneeling beside you, and who dare not touch with his hand the body of Christ.
That rail was removed, as so many were, in the assault of the new puritans of the 1970s. Nothing should separate the laymen from the altar; we were to focus on ourselves as a community of faith, rather than on the Eucharist as an object of cultic worship.
Those who instigated the change ...said they wanted to foster the spirit of community among us.
...It may be hard for us American alienists to imagine, but a true community is not exactly chosen. You are born into it; you stumble upon it; it reaches out to get you, and you yield to its embrace.
Now we return to the concept of 'the sacred,' ignored by the Revolutionaries of the '70's and by many today (and unknown by many children and young adults--criminally deprived of this knowledge by the Revolutionaries and their running-dogs.):
It is hard to fathom how we Catholics can have forgotten that a community is defined by what it holds sacred [the definition of culture is drawn from "cult"]—and that it honors the sacred by keeping it separate from common life. The sacred compels distinctions; we stand before it at a reverent distance, that we may better behold its beauty. Without those distinctions, without that distance, we have familiarity but no intimacy. We walk brazenly over the ground that Moses feared to tread, even after he had taken the sandals off his feet.
Sometimes the sacred limits who may or may not see, or hear, or touch—the deep meaning of the veils that women used to wear. Sometimes it may be approached only on certain days, as in the Temple where the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies but once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Sometimes it demands proper attire: Try to go to a traditional black church in America wearing shorts. Sometimes it forbids certain otherwise ordinary actions: You do not walk over the military grave in the town commons. Sometimes it prescribes the extraordinary: gun-salutes, the blare of 50 trumpets. It may cordon the young from the old, or men from women, as at an Orthodox synagogue. In all cases it commands reverence in the form of ritual laws that a people understand and obey. In so doing it organizes them into a community—as there never would have been the Twelve were it not for the One.
OK, I'll drill this again: sacred time, sacred space, sacred language, sacred music...
Now consider how many rules of the sacred we Catholics have tossed aside, and how much we have lost thereby in community. Take away that communion rail. What follows?
We obscure the ground of our union, Christ. So does our vision blur as we hastily draw too near to what surpasses our comprehension. We cannot see the whole Vine, so we turn to a few of the branches—or treat the Vine as if He were but a branch. We shunt His tent to the side, relocating it in a cloakroom, as if it were a tacky armchair of Grandpa’s that no longer matches our decor, but that we haven’t yet made up our minds to get rid of. The space between ourselves and the sacred is breached, not by the grace of Christ who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist, but by ourselves, heedlessly.
Brings to mind the term "my space;" only a few are allowed (or brought) so close to our bodies without explicit permission--those who intrude without it will find us moving further away...
On the dropping of the Communion fast (from wakening to reception at Mass):
The result weakened the bonds of community. As the scholar Eamon Duffy has pointed out, for at least one morning every week the Catholic felt a hint of the hunger his poorer brothers might feel every day.
On what George Weigel mocked as "Ascension Thursday Sunday":
Or consider the holy days of obligation. What true American would want to celebrate the Fifth of July?
On the buildings themselves--those which remain un-Revolutionized, anyway:
So it is with those mountainous symbols—with all the vertiginous heights of art and liturgy; the strangeness of a girl’s veil, the variegated light streaming from a stained-glass St. Patrick, blessing a rough shepherd who kneels on the green land before him; the pelican hymned in the ancient tongue; the purple of Lent; the hoods over the crowd of saints in Passiontide; the red days and fish on the calendar; the hushed places where no one goes, the objects no one touches; the sunburst monstrance, held by the priest beneath the folds of his garment; the Host within it, familiar and faraway, simple and incomprehensible; the water poured upon the child’s head, with his wail echoing to the silent trumpeting angels above.
These things knit the knot of community among us.
The first time my (then)-5-year-old daughter walked into St. Anthony's on 9th/Mitchell, she remarked to her mother "Mom, this place is beautiful!!" She could only compare to St. Mary/Elm Grove at the time...
She articulated in only a few words what Esolen eloquently essays.
...And as you watched the priest and the altar boy come toward you, you’d see others receiving: old ladies, children, carpenters, secretaries, musclemen, strangers and friends, and sometimes enemies. But there you were all together, kneeling, perhaps saying a silent prayer. It’s hard to persist in a grudge against the fellow who is kneeling beside you, and who dare not touch with his hand the body of Christ.
That rail was removed, as so many were, in the assault of the new puritans of the 1970s. Nothing should separate the laymen from the altar; we were to focus on ourselves as a community of faith, rather than on the Eucharist as an object of cultic worship.
Those who instigated the change ...said they wanted to foster the spirit of community among us.
...It may be hard for us American alienists to imagine, but a true community is not exactly chosen. You are born into it; you stumble upon it; it reaches out to get you, and you yield to its embrace.
Now we return to the concept of 'the sacred,' ignored by the Revolutionaries of the '70's and by many today (and unknown by many children and young adults--criminally deprived of this knowledge by the Revolutionaries and their running-dogs.):
It is hard to fathom how we Catholics can have forgotten that a community is defined by what it holds sacred [the definition of culture is drawn from "cult"]—and that it honors the sacred by keeping it separate from common life. The sacred compels distinctions; we stand before it at a reverent distance, that we may better behold its beauty. Without those distinctions, without that distance, we have familiarity but no intimacy. We walk brazenly over the ground that Moses feared to tread, even after he had taken the sandals off his feet.
Sometimes the sacred limits who may or may not see, or hear, or touch—the deep meaning of the veils that women used to wear. Sometimes it may be approached only on certain days, as in the Temple where the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies but once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Sometimes it demands proper attire: Try to go to a traditional black church in America wearing shorts. Sometimes it forbids certain otherwise ordinary actions: You do not walk over the military grave in the town commons. Sometimes it prescribes the extraordinary: gun-salutes, the blare of 50 trumpets. It may cordon the young from the old, or men from women, as at an Orthodox synagogue. In all cases it commands reverence in the form of ritual laws that a people understand and obey. In so doing it organizes them into a community—as there never would have been the Twelve were it not for the One.
OK, I'll drill this again: sacred time, sacred space, sacred language, sacred music...
Now consider how many rules of the sacred we Catholics have tossed aside, and how much we have lost thereby in community. Take away that communion rail. What follows?
We obscure the ground of our union, Christ. So does our vision blur as we hastily draw too near to what surpasses our comprehension. We cannot see the whole Vine, so we turn to a few of the branches—or treat the Vine as if He were but a branch. We shunt His tent to the side, relocating it in a cloakroom, as if it were a tacky armchair of Grandpa’s that no longer matches our decor, but that we haven’t yet made up our minds to get rid of. The space between ourselves and the sacred is breached, not by the grace of Christ who gives Himself to us in the Eucharist, but by ourselves, heedlessly.
Brings to mind the term "my space;" only a few are allowed (or brought) so close to our bodies without explicit permission--those who intrude without it will find us moving further away...
On the dropping of the Communion fast (from wakening to reception at Mass):
The result weakened the bonds of community. As the scholar Eamon Duffy has pointed out, for at least one morning every week the Catholic felt a hint of the hunger his poorer brothers might feel every day.
On what George Weigel mocked as "Ascension Thursday Sunday":
Or consider the holy days of obligation. What true American would want to celebrate the Fifth of July?
On the buildings themselves--those which remain un-Revolutionized, anyway:
So it is with those mountainous symbols—with all the vertiginous heights of art and liturgy; the strangeness of a girl’s veil, the variegated light streaming from a stained-glass St. Patrick, blessing a rough shepherd who kneels on the green land before him; the pelican hymned in the ancient tongue; the purple of Lent; the hoods over the crowd of saints in Passiontide; the red days and fish on the calendar; the hushed places where no one goes, the objects no one touches; the sunburst monstrance, held by the priest beneath the folds of his garment; the Host within it, familiar and faraway, simple and incomprehensible; the water poured upon the child’s head, with his wail echoing to the silent trumpeting angels above.
These things knit the knot of community among us.
The first time my (then)-5-year-old daughter walked into St. Anthony's on 9th/Mitchell, she remarked to her mother "Mom, this place is beautiful!!" She could only compare to St. Mary/Elm Grove at the time...
She articulated in only a few words what Esolen eloquently essays.
Almost Musical Terms
You should look carefully at the capitalized terms. Some are not what they seem at first!
ALLREGRETTO: When you're 16 measures into the piece and realize you took too fast a tempo
ANGUS DEI: To play with a divinely beefy tone
A PATELLA: Accompanied by knee-slapping
APPOLOGGIATURA: A composition that you regret playing
APPROXIMATURA: A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an "I meant to do that" attitude
APPROXIMENTO: A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch
CACOUGHANY: A composition incorporating many people with chest colds
CORAL SYMPHONY: A large, multi-movement work from Beethoven's Caribbean Period
DILL PICCOLINI: An exceedingly small wind instrument that plays only sour notes
FERMANTRA: A note held over and over and over and over and . . .
FERMOOTA: A note of dubious value held for indefinite length
FIDDLER CRABS: Grumpy string players
FLUTE FLIES: Those tiny mosquitoes that bother musicians on outdoor gigs
FRUGALHORN: A sensible and inexpensive brass instrument
GAUL BLATTER: A French horn player
GREGORIAN CHAMP: The title bestowed upon the monk who can hold a note the longest
GROUND HOG: Someone who takes control of the repeated bassline and won't let anyone else play it
PLACEBO DOMINGO: A faux tenor
SCHMALZANDO: A sudden burst of music from the Guy Lombardo band
THE RIGHT OF STRINGS: Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Violists
SPRITZICATO: An indication to string instruments to produce a bright and bubbly sound
TEMPO TANTRUM: What an elementary school orchestra is having when it's not following the conductor (also common in municipal bands and community orchestras)
TROUBLE CLEF: Any clef one can't read: e.g., alto clef for pianists
VESUVIOSO: An indication to build up to a fiery conclusion
VIBRATTO: Child prodigy son of the concertmaster
AN-DANTE: A tempo that's infernally slow
ANTIPHONAL: Referring to the prohibition of cell phones in the concert hall
BAR LINE: What musicians form after the concert
BASSO CONTINUO: When musicians are still fishing long after the legal season has ended
BEN SOSTENUTO: First cousin of the second trombonist
CADENZA: Something that happens when you forget what the composer wrote
CANTABILE: To achieve a complaining sound, as if you have a sour stomach
COL LEGNO: An indication to cellists to hold on tight with their lower extremities
CON SORDINO: An indication to string players to bow in a slashing, rapier motion
ESPRESSIVO: Used to indicate permission to take a coffee break
L'ISTESSO TEMPO: An indication to play listlessly; e.g., as if youdon't care
MAESTRO: A person who, standing in front of the orchestra and/orchorus, is able to follow them precisely
OPERA BUFFA: A musical stage production performed by nudists
PASTORALE: The beverage to drink in the country when listening to Beethoven with a member of the clergy
PESANTE: An effect distinctly non-upper-class
PISSICATO: Too much coffee -- time to take a break
RUBATO: A cross between a rhubarb and a tomato
STRINGENDO: An unpleasant effect produced by the violin section when it doesn't use vibrato
VIBRATO: A device to assist female performers who have trouble when the music is marked "con espressivo"
Stolen from ChristusVincit
ALLREGRETTO: When you're 16 measures into the piece and realize you took too fast a tempo
ANGUS DEI: To play with a divinely beefy tone
A PATELLA: Accompanied by knee-slapping
APPOLOGGIATURA: A composition that you regret playing
APPROXIMATURA: A series of notes not intended by the composer, yet played with an "I meant to do that" attitude
APPROXIMENTO: A musical entrance that is somewhere in the vicinity of the correct pitch
CACOUGHANY: A composition incorporating many people with chest colds
CORAL SYMPHONY: A large, multi-movement work from Beethoven's Caribbean Period
DILL PICCOLINI: An exceedingly small wind instrument that plays only sour notes
FERMANTRA: A note held over and over and over and over and . . .
FERMOOTA: A note of dubious value held for indefinite length
FIDDLER CRABS: Grumpy string players
FLUTE FLIES: Those tiny mosquitoes that bother musicians on outdoor gigs
FRUGALHORN: A sensible and inexpensive brass instrument
GAUL BLATTER: A French horn player
GREGORIAN CHAMP: The title bestowed upon the monk who can hold a note the longest
GROUND HOG: Someone who takes control of the repeated bassline and won't let anyone else play it
PLACEBO DOMINGO: A faux tenor
SCHMALZANDO: A sudden burst of music from the Guy Lombardo band
THE RIGHT OF STRINGS: Manifesto of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Violists
SPRITZICATO: An indication to string instruments to produce a bright and bubbly sound
TEMPO TANTRUM: What an elementary school orchestra is having when it's not following the conductor (also common in municipal bands and community orchestras)
TROUBLE CLEF: Any clef one can't read: e.g., alto clef for pianists
VESUVIOSO: An indication to build up to a fiery conclusion
VIBRATTO: Child prodigy son of the concertmaster
AN-DANTE: A tempo that's infernally slow
ANTIPHONAL: Referring to the prohibition of cell phones in the concert hall
BAR LINE: What musicians form after the concert
BASSO CONTINUO: When musicians are still fishing long after the legal season has ended
BEN SOSTENUTO: First cousin of the second trombonist
CADENZA: Something that happens when you forget what the composer wrote
CANTABILE: To achieve a complaining sound, as if you have a sour stomach
COL LEGNO: An indication to cellists to hold on tight with their lower extremities
CON SORDINO: An indication to string players to bow in a slashing, rapier motion
ESPRESSIVO: Used to indicate permission to take a coffee break
L'ISTESSO TEMPO: An indication to play listlessly; e.g., as if youdon't care
MAESTRO: A person who, standing in front of the orchestra and/orchorus, is able to follow them precisely
OPERA BUFFA: A musical stage production performed by nudists
PASTORALE: The beverage to drink in the country when listening to Beethoven with a member of the clergy
PESANTE: An effect distinctly non-upper-class
PISSICATO: Too much coffee -- time to take a break
RUBATO: A cross between a rhubarb and a tomato
STRINGENDO: An unpleasant effect produced by the violin section when it doesn't use vibrato
VIBRATO: A device to assist female performers who have trouble when the music is marked "con espressivo"
Stolen from ChristusVincit
Gibbon's History--A Warning
“In the end more than they wanted freedom, they wanted security. When the Athenians finally wanted not to give to society but for society to give to them, when the freedom they wished for was freedom from responsibility, then Athens ceased to be free.” —Edward Gibbon
Today's PatriotPost.
Today's PatriotPost.
Folkbum Goes Out on a Limb--But Not Far Enough
It's safe to say that Jay Bullock does not like Pat McIlheran's opinions.
But Folkie is taking his dislikes and building a castle on what should be called a very sandy foundation in this post. He asserts that the recent election:
1) Proves that conservative ideas are wrong;
2) Shows that using intel assets to monitor AlQuaeda overseas phone calls is wrong;
3) Proves that illegal immigration is fine-and-dandy with Americans;
4) Demonstrates that an amendment to limit State and local spending is wrong;
5) Shows that excessive Estate Taxing is just fine;
6) Mandates the continuing validity of Roe v Wade; and
7) Shows that taxpayers WANT to finance the campaigns of politicians.
Hell, Jay--that's hardly a comprehensive list.
Here are some other mandates and proofs contained in the election's results:
1) Wisconsin weather should moderate, with rain only at night, and temps between 50-80 degrees;
2) All public employees should receive a 60% boost in income and a 100% increase in pensions, immediately, with "20-and-out" retirement plans and free lifetime healthcare;
3) All conservative radio and newspaper figures should be exported to the South Pole;
4) All living US citizens' resumes should be examined and those whose backgrounds or inclinations are in disfavor should either self-immolate or be executed;
5) All parking spaces should be reserved for the handicapped;
6) All earned and un-earned income in excess of $100K/year (of non-public-servant citizens) of Wisconsin should be confiscated by the State;
7) There will be no smoking. Anywhere. Ever.;
8) The Republican caucus rooms and offices in the Legislature will be moved to Hurley and they will no longer have telephones, computers, or electricity; and
9) The First, Second, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments to the US Constitution shall be repealed forthwith.
You can get those results by examining the exit-polls, Jay. Work on it for a while.
But Folkie is taking his dislikes and building a castle on what should be called a very sandy foundation in this post. He asserts that the recent election:
1) Proves that conservative ideas are wrong;
2) Shows that using intel assets to monitor AlQuaeda overseas phone calls is wrong;
3) Proves that illegal immigration is fine-and-dandy with Americans;
4) Demonstrates that an amendment to limit State and local spending is wrong;
5) Shows that excessive Estate Taxing is just fine;
6) Mandates the continuing validity of Roe v Wade; and
7) Shows that taxpayers WANT to finance the campaigns of politicians.
Hell, Jay--that's hardly a comprehensive list.
Here are some other mandates and proofs contained in the election's results:
1) Wisconsin weather should moderate, with rain only at night, and temps between 50-80 degrees;
2) All public employees should receive a 60% boost in income and a 100% increase in pensions, immediately, with "20-and-out" retirement plans and free lifetime healthcare;
3) All conservative radio and newspaper figures should be exported to the South Pole;
4) All living US citizens' resumes should be examined and those whose backgrounds or inclinations are in disfavor should either self-immolate or be executed;
5) All parking spaces should be reserved for the handicapped;
6) All earned and un-earned income in excess of $100K/year (of non-public-servant citizens) of Wisconsin should be confiscated by the State;
7) There will be no smoking. Anywhere. Ever.;
8) The Republican caucus rooms and offices in the Legislature will be moved to Hurley and they will no longer have telephones, computers, or electricity; and
9) The First, Second, Ninth, and Tenth Amendments to the US Constitution shall be repealed forthwith.
You can get those results by examining the exit-polls, Jay. Work on it for a while.
JSOnline's Dan Benson: Doesn't Get It
Evidently Mr. Benson was assigned to write a story for those who understand Dr. Suess (but not much more than that.)
When you read a newspaper article, note the Tone and Content of the last few graphs. In most cases, the T&C indicates that the article is coming to a Conclusion With Which All Should Agree. In some few cases, the last graphs present facts which are very significant and which someone wants buried.
In this article, we have the "Conclusion With Which All Should Agree" formula:
Stability in the tax rate is the key, Hartford Mayor Scott Henke said.
"The tax rate is the easiest barometer for a local official to use," Henke said. "If your rate is stable, your community is in a stable financial situation. If they go up and down, the taxpayers are in a peak and valley situation."
Henke said his goal is to keep the tax rate within 5 cents - up or down - year to year.
With the real estate market beginning to flatten, local officials who have touted low tax rates as a measure of their effectiveness may have a hard time explaining higher rates in years to come, Berry said.
"They're setting the stage to be criticized, perhaps unfairly. They could freeze their budget and the rate would still have to go up," Berry said. "It's going to happen because of what's happening in the real estate market."
Oh, yes, there's the mandatory 'naysayer' quote:
Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas in September hailed his 2007 budget as the "most significant tax decrease" in the county since it adopted a county executive form of government 15 years ago, despite a $3 million spending increase and a $1.2 million increase in the total tax levy.
The proposed tax rate, however, is $1.83 per $1,000 of equalized value, down from $1.97 this year. That means the owner of a $250,000 house would save about $35 on the tax bill from the previous year.
"(Vrakas) is calling it a tax decrease because the impact on some homeowners is that their tax bill may go down a couple bucks," said Christine Lufter, president of the Waukesha Taxpayers League.
Focusing on tax rates is "the most deceptive way of selling a budget. It's not an indicator of government efficiency," she said.
Obviously, Lufter's position is correct. Vrakas' pronouncement is a lie.
But now that we've gone through that nasty patch, we can go to our conclusion (above)--that a "stable rate" is a "good thing."
It's particularly good for politicians who enjoy spending a lot of Someone Else's Money. Too bad the JS reporter doesn't get that.
When you read a newspaper article, note the Tone and Content of the last few graphs. In most cases, the T&C indicates that the article is coming to a Conclusion With Which All Should Agree. In some few cases, the last graphs present facts which are very significant and which someone wants buried.
In this article, we have the "Conclusion With Which All Should Agree" formula:
Stability in the tax rate is the key, Hartford Mayor Scott Henke said.
"The tax rate is the easiest barometer for a local official to use," Henke said. "If your rate is stable, your community is in a stable financial situation. If they go up and down, the taxpayers are in a peak and valley situation."
Henke said his goal is to keep the tax rate within 5 cents - up or down - year to year.
With the real estate market beginning to flatten, local officials who have touted low tax rates as a measure of their effectiveness may have a hard time explaining higher rates in years to come, Berry said.
"They're setting the stage to be criticized, perhaps unfairly. They could freeze their budget and the rate would still have to go up," Berry said. "It's going to happen because of what's happening in the real estate market."
Oh, yes, there's the mandatory 'naysayer' quote:
Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas in September hailed his 2007 budget as the "most significant tax decrease" in the county since it adopted a county executive form of government 15 years ago, despite a $3 million spending increase and a $1.2 million increase in the total tax levy.
The proposed tax rate, however, is $1.83 per $1,000 of equalized value, down from $1.97 this year. That means the owner of a $250,000 house would save about $35 on the tax bill from the previous year.
"(Vrakas) is calling it a tax decrease because the impact on some homeowners is that their tax bill may go down a couple bucks," said Christine Lufter, president of the Waukesha Taxpayers League.
Focusing on tax rates is "the most deceptive way of selling a budget. It's not an indicator of government efficiency," she said.
Obviously, Lufter's position is correct. Vrakas' pronouncement is a lie.
But now that we've gone through that nasty patch, we can go to our conclusion (above)--that a "stable rate" is a "good thing."
It's particularly good for politicians who enjoy spending a lot of Someone Else's Money. Too bad the JS reporter doesn't get that.
On-Line Real-Time Crime Busting
Yah, so Wauwatosa's cop-shop has a genuinely 21st-century technology onstream.
Internet-based cameras are nothing new. But Wauwatosa police believe they are the first law-enforcement agency in Wisconsin to link them to their dispatch computers, allowing dispatchers and patrol officers to see what's going on inside an address en route to a 911 call.
"If there's a robbery with a gun, the dispatcher can send that image to the squad," said Wauwatosa police Capt. Jeff Reit, who has spearheaded the department's technology advances. "In a fire, we can see if it's flames or smoke."
For those of you who enjoy irony of the first water, get this:
Owner Linda Burg isn't expecting trouble at the Little Read Book store at 7603 W. State St. But she, and the police, are ready if it shows.
Burg and the Wauwatosa Police Department are testing a new camera and surveillance system that lets the shopkeeper check in from anywhere, anytime over the Internet...
Heh. She's bright--the name of the store (pronounced correctly) tells you a lot about the nature of the books she sells there. Yup. Lefty. REALLY Lefty. So all that "personal privacy and freedom" stuff...where'd that go?
Internet-based cameras are nothing new. But Wauwatosa police believe they are the first law-enforcement agency in Wisconsin to link them to their dispatch computers, allowing dispatchers and patrol officers to see what's going on inside an address en route to a 911 call.
"If there's a robbery with a gun, the dispatcher can send that image to the squad," said Wauwatosa police Capt. Jeff Reit, who has spearheaded the department's technology advances. "In a fire, we can see if it's flames or smoke."
For those of you who enjoy irony of the first water, get this:
Owner Linda Burg isn't expecting trouble at the Little Read Book store at 7603 W. State St. But she, and the police, are ready if it shows.
Burg and the Wauwatosa Police Department are testing a new camera and surveillance system that lets the shopkeeper check in from anywhere, anytime over the Internet...
Heh. She's bright--the name of the store (pronounced correctly) tells you a lot about the nature of the books she sells there. Yup. Lefty. REALLY Lefty. So all that "personal privacy and freedom" stuff...where'd that go?
China Is Our Friend!! Part 385946
Gingrich and Clinton declared PRChina a "Most Favored Nation."
So PRChina went out and bought itself a present:
A Chinese submarine stalked a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in the Pacific last month and surfaced within firing range of its torpedoes and missiles before being detected, The Washington Times has learned.
That means PRC has pretty damn good cavitation-suppression technology--not to mention really good bearing and gear smarts.
The surprise encounter highlights China's continuing efforts to prepare for a future conflict with the U.S., despite Pentagon efforts to try to boost relations with Beijing's communist-ruled military.
The submarine encounter with the USS Kitty Hawk and its accompanying warships also is an embarrassment to the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Adm. William J. Fallon, who is engaged in an ambitious military exchange program with China aimed at improving relations between the two nations' militaries.
And it turns out that Admiral Fallon is a disciple of the Jimmuh Carter/Billy Clinton school of dipso-diplomacy:
...military intelligence officials said Adm. Fallon has restricted U.S. intelligence-gathering activities against China, fearing that disclosure of the activities would upset relations with Beijing. The restrictions are hindering efforts to know more about China's military buildup, the officials said.
Pentagon intelligence officials say China's military buildup in recent years has produced large numbers of submarines and surface ships, seeking to control larger portions of international waters in Asia, a move U.S. officials fear could restrict the flow of oil from the Middle East to Asia in the future.
Really? Not that long ago, we were told by the D.C. crowd that 'China doesn't have a Navy.' Maybe all those WalMart dollars are going someplace?
The Pentagon's latest annual report on Chinese military power stated that China is investing heavily in weapons designed "to interdict, at long ranges, aircraft carrier and expeditionary strike groups that might deploy to the western Pacific."
One guess which '...carrier and ...strike groups' those might be.
The son of a friend of ours graduated from Annapolis and took a duty-assignment in the Pacific a few years ago. I'll have to find him and have a conversation, no?
Malkin's contributors from the Submarine Service are not too worried.
So PRChina went out and bought itself a present:
A Chinese submarine stalked a U.S. aircraft carrier battle group in the Pacific last month and surfaced within firing range of its torpedoes and missiles before being detected, The Washington Times has learned.
That means PRC has pretty damn good cavitation-suppression technology--not to mention really good bearing and gear smarts.
The surprise encounter highlights China's continuing efforts to prepare for a future conflict with the U.S., despite Pentagon efforts to try to boost relations with Beijing's communist-ruled military.
The submarine encounter with the USS Kitty Hawk and its accompanying warships also is an embarrassment to the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, Adm. William J. Fallon, who is engaged in an ambitious military exchange program with China aimed at improving relations between the two nations' militaries.
And it turns out that Admiral Fallon is a disciple of the Jimmuh Carter/Billy Clinton school of dipso-diplomacy:
...military intelligence officials said Adm. Fallon has restricted U.S. intelligence-gathering activities against China, fearing that disclosure of the activities would upset relations with Beijing. The restrictions are hindering efforts to know more about China's military buildup, the officials said.
Pentagon intelligence officials say China's military buildup in recent years has produced large numbers of submarines and surface ships, seeking to control larger portions of international waters in Asia, a move U.S. officials fear could restrict the flow of oil from the Middle East to Asia in the future.
Really? Not that long ago, we were told by the D.C. crowd that 'China doesn't have a Navy.' Maybe all those WalMart dollars are going someplace?
The Pentagon's latest annual report on Chinese military power stated that China is investing heavily in weapons designed "to interdict, at long ranges, aircraft carrier and expeditionary strike groups that might deploy to the western Pacific."
One guess which '...carrier and ...strike groups' those might be.
The son of a friend of ours graduated from Annapolis and took a duty-assignment in the Pacific a few years ago. I'll have to find him and have a conversation, no?
Malkin's contributors from the Submarine Service are not too worried.
Religious Utilitarian Minimalism
Another short essay on the absence of "smells and bells" with a familiar theme:
Paul VI’s idea that the church could move “as far as possible” in the direction of Calvinist-style worship without detriment to Catholic souls so long as the traditional orthodoxy slept between the covers of the Catechism, is a conception essentially “angelist”. It’s shared by a great many Catholics today, in whom a tenuous, theoretical orthodoxy coexists with indifference, if not aversion, to the traditional formulations of faith and worship. This is evident in a kind of crass “validitareanism”, which prides itself in emancipation from anything beyond the bare requirements of sacramental validity. “Oh, I don’t need all that…God doesn’t care about all that…”
The author goes on to demonstrate how one might proceed...
Point A - God isn't concerned about that
Point B - That's trivial - God doesn't care...
Point C - Come on - I don't think God minds very much...
These were all pretty minor things...
...We've established a principle: that we can construct, reconstruct or discard according to our own perceived needs, without detriment to anything theoretically "essential". We've also started to alter somewhat the way our religious practice and beliefs look and "feel", because all those little minor changes of "unimportant" things, taken together, add up to something suggesting a real shift.
And, of course, the result:
By now we're well on the way to re-constructing a truly “spiritual” religion entirely in our own image and likeness; but what was once, in our dim, distant and superstitious past something that brought to life the vision of Isaias or St John in the Apocalypse now consists largely of being read at by middle-class people in nice knitwear. Where did everybody go?
(This article is excerpted from an email sent by a friend who did not include the name of the author...)
Paul VI’s idea that the church could move “as far as possible” in the direction of Calvinist-style worship without detriment to Catholic souls so long as the traditional orthodoxy slept between the covers of the Catechism, is a conception essentially “angelist”. It’s shared by a great many Catholics today, in whom a tenuous, theoretical orthodoxy coexists with indifference, if not aversion, to the traditional formulations of faith and worship. This is evident in a kind of crass “validitareanism”, which prides itself in emancipation from anything beyond the bare requirements of sacramental validity. “Oh, I don’t need all that…God doesn’t care about all that…”
The author goes on to demonstrate how one might proceed...
Point A - God isn't concerned about that
Point B - That's trivial - God doesn't care...
Point C - Come on - I don't think God minds very much...
These were all pretty minor things...
...We've established a principle: that we can construct, reconstruct or discard according to our own perceived needs, without detriment to anything theoretically "essential". We've also started to alter somewhat the way our religious practice and beliefs look and "feel", because all those little minor changes of "unimportant" things, taken together, add up to something suggesting a real shift.
And, of course, the result:
By now we're well on the way to re-constructing a truly “spiritual” religion entirely in our own image and likeness; but what was once, in our dim, distant and superstitious past something that brought to life the vision of Isaias or St John in the Apocalypse now consists largely of being read at by middle-class people in nice knitwear. Where did everybody go?
(This article is excerpted from an email sent by a friend who did not include the name of the author...)
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Lasee's Reminder
Frank Lasee still gets it:
...According to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, we have already lost nearly $5 billion in net worth from businesses and high net worth individuals moving out of state.
Wisconsin has NOT always been a high taxing state. In fact, in 1961 (45 years ago) Wisconsin’s taxes ranked 18th highest in the nation. And for many decades prior, our taxing rates were in the middle of the pack.
The donkeys-with-tails here are the locals and the school districts (specifically, the City, School District, and County of Milwaukee--recall that the Milwaukee Dems ran the show in the early 1960's):
Following record increases in the sales and income tax in order to provide property tax relief -- the Badger state’s low taxing trend ended abruptly in 1964 when we became the highest taxed state in the nation. Wisconsin has ranked among the top ten taxing states nearly every year since. In fact, we have been among the top five most taxed states 25 out of the last 40 years.
That would be about 40 years' worth of built-up and built-in "spend, spend, spend." And yes, Folkbum, Tommy Thompson accounted for almost half of that. He was wrong, too...
The problem is that unlike most states which choose to spend more on one government program and less on another (more on higher education and less on prisons or more on Medicare and less on roads) in Wisconsin we spend more on nearly everything government related. If a state does it, then Wisconsin does it, and it is likely we spend more on it than most other states.
Instead of prioritizing our spending, we spend more on nearly every government service offered. And we offer more government services than most other states.
For instance, we are one of the top three states for rails and trails. I like them. But, do we have to lead the nation?
Well, the trails replace all those nasty factories! Makes us 'green,' if bankrupt...
Lasee cites a national (CNN) poll:
When asked about the role of government, 54% of respondents said that our government is “doing too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses.”
Here, the number should be higher.
...According to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, we have already lost nearly $5 billion in net worth from businesses and high net worth individuals moving out of state.
Wisconsin has NOT always been a high taxing state. In fact, in 1961 (45 years ago) Wisconsin’s taxes ranked 18th highest in the nation. And for many decades prior, our taxing rates were in the middle of the pack.
The donkeys-with-tails here are the locals and the school districts (specifically, the City, School District, and County of Milwaukee--recall that the Milwaukee Dems ran the show in the early 1960's):
Following record increases in the sales and income tax in order to provide property tax relief -- the Badger state’s low taxing trend ended abruptly in 1964 when we became the highest taxed state in the nation. Wisconsin has ranked among the top ten taxing states nearly every year since. In fact, we have been among the top five most taxed states 25 out of the last 40 years.
That would be about 40 years' worth of built-up and built-in "spend, spend, spend." And yes, Folkbum, Tommy Thompson accounted for almost half of that. He was wrong, too...
The problem is that unlike most states which choose to spend more on one government program and less on another (more on higher education and less on prisons or more on Medicare and less on roads) in Wisconsin we spend more on nearly everything government related. If a state does it, then Wisconsin does it, and it is likely we spend more on it than most other states.
Instead of prioritizing our spending, we spend more on nearly every government service offered. And we offer more government services than most other states.
For instance, we are one of the top three states for rails and trails. I like them. But, do we have to lead the nation?
Well, the trails replace all those nasty factories! Makes us 'green,' if bankrupt...
Lasee cites a national (CNN) poll:
When asked about the role of government, 54% of respondents said that our government is “doing too many things that should be left to individuals and businesses.”
Here, the number should be higher.
Erpenbach: Another Moonbat
Well, there's evidence which tends to affirm.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, is drafting a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would ban discrimination and open the way for state-sanctioned civil unions.
...his proposal would honor the ban on gay marriages, but rectify potential problems in the second sentence of the referendum, which he said stripped legal rights from straight and same-sex unmarried couples. Those protections include the right to receive domestic partner benefits and have legally binding contracts, including wills.
That's not really true, Jon, but we know you have a constituency...
HERE'S the part that is enjoyable:
Erpenbach said he does not understand how the state can expect same-sex couples to continue paying taxes and being lawful citizens when they are denied protections and benefits afforded to married couples.
Let's re-write that THIS way (and see who screeches):
Erpenbach said he does not understand how the State can expect law-abiding gun-owners to continue paying taxes and being lawful citizens when they are denied the benefit of self-protection afforded to a few privileged license-holders.
November 19th
What? You don't KNOW?
It's National Ammo Day!!
Preceded (of course) by National Ammo Week.
A few hundred more rounds in storage is always a good idea.
It's National Ammo Day!!
Preceded (of course) by National Ammo Week.
A few hundred more rounds in storage is always a good idea.
Chickens, Eggs, Land, Jobs--All the Same to Rocky
If you're looking for an "emblematic statement" which kinda sums up the problem, look here:
Marcoux added that the city engaged in real estate development "for its own sake" under previous mayors, but Barrett has changed those priorities. Marcoux cited several industrial expansion projects that will create jobs through land deals, involving such companies such as Manpower Inc., Direct Supply Inc. and DRS Technologies Inc. "Real estate creates jobs," he said.
"Real estate creates jobs,"
...Rocky Marcoux, City of Milwaukee DCD Commissioner.
OK, here's the context of the statement. It doesn't make it all that much better, but we're fair:
The city has never had a comprehensive plan in its history, Marcoux said. But such a plan is under way and will be ready by 2010, he said.
Marcoux added that the city engaged in real estate development "for its own sake" under previous mayors, but Barrett has changed those priorities. Marcoux cited several industrial expansion projects that will create jobs through land deals, involving such companies such as Manpower Inc., Direct Supply Inc. and DRS Technologies Inc. "Real estate creates jobs," he said.
Rocky, baby--take your common-sense pill.
Neither you nor Tom Barrett are "creating jobs through land deals." You're merely attempting to pull the jobs into the City of Milwaukee (or keep them there in the first place.) "Land deals" did not "create jobs" at Manpower, nor Direct Supply, nor DRS.
Demand for the product or service is usually followed by increased profitable sales, then some combination of payroll growth and capital investment to meet the growth in demand at a profit.
Oh, well.
There will be more on this story.
Twit Chirps: Elton John's Ideal World
Here's a guy whose mind has stripped its gears:
"From my point of view, I would ban religion completely."
--Elton John
"From my point of view, I would ban religion completely."
--Elton John
Saturday, November 11, 2006
G K Chesterton on Liberalism
The guy is simply terrific:
....liberalism has been described (by G.K. Chesterton) as ‘the modern and morbid habit of always sacrificing the normal to the abnormal.’”
Stolen from the header of "The Fighting Faith," a blog just discovered.
....liberalism has been described (by G.K. Chesterton) as ‘the modern and morbid habit of always sacrificing the normal to the abnormal.’”
Stolen from the header of "The Fighting Faith," a blog just discovered.
"We Aren't Perfect!!"
If you've been a parent, you've heard that from the Little Darlings (or you will...)
Here's John Paul II on the topic:
"...since Baptism is a true entry into the holiness of God through incorporation into Christ and the indwelling of his Spirit, it would be a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity." --Novo Millennio Inuente [Apostolic Letter] , 31
Of course, he also spoke to parents, drat it all...
Here's John Paul II on the topic:
"...since Baptism is a true entry into the holiness of God through incorporation into Christ and the indwelling of his Spirit, it would be a contradiction to settle for a life of mediocrity, marked by a minimalist ethic and a shallow religiosity." --Novo Millennio Inuente [Apostolic Letter] , 31
Of course, he also spoke to parents, drat it all...
Bp. Sklba in the National Limelight
When CNS quotes you, a lot of people know what you've said.
Thus it's helpful if what you've said demonstrates you understand the munus of teaching.
Sklba typically uses the plastic Playskool wrench from his depleted theological tool-kit to loosen some of the hex nuts at the junctural points of Catholic doctrine, then never quite gets around to snugging them up again in the space of his essay.
...The questions Sklba raises point to perfectly kosher theological problems. But they have perfectly kosher doctrinal answers, and these are not forthcoming. Reading his remarks from the viewpoint of the Catholic faithful, do you feel you've been given something, or do you feel you've had something taken away?
In Milwaukee, unfortunately, that's not a rhetorical question--it gets a sad, affirmative nod.
Thus it's helpful if what you've said demonstrates you understand the munus of teaching.
Sklba typically uses the plastic Playskool wrench from his depleted theological tool-kit to loosen some of the hex nuts at the junctural points of Catholic doctrine, then never quite gets around to snugging them up again in the space of his essay.
...The questions Sklba raises point to perfectly kosher theological problems. But they have perfectly kosher doctrinal answers, and these are not forthcoming. Reading his remarks from the viewpoint of the Catholic faithful, do you feel you've been given something, or do you feel you've had something taken away?
In Milwaukee, unfortunately, that's not a rhetorical question--it gets a sad, affirmative nod.
George Weigel, Benedict XVI, and Latin
George Weigel appeared in Milwaukee at a benefit dinner, entertaining and engaging his audience with not only his prepared remarks but with a delightful Q&A session. By all reports, he is a very down-to-earth and enjoyable individual with whom to pass the time. He's also a theologian, a very smart dude, and he has written extensively about affairs Catholique.
During his remarks, he outlined the agenda of Benedict XVI--it's not a minor-league plattter. B-16 wants to re-awaken the West to the fact that there is a truth, and that it is knowable, and that it does not contradict reason. When that's out of the way, he wants the West to understand that the Cult of Consumption, fueled by the Disease of Relativism, is utterly self-destructive.
These are not issues which are likely to be cleaned up within the American attention span of 60 minutes-less-commericals, but somebody's got to try, and if anyone has the intellectual firepower and fortitude necessary to man the ramparts, it's Benedict.
In 'domestic affairs,' B-16 wants to Reform the Reform of the Liturgy, which was launched in 1967. The "Vatican II Reforms" have lurched ever since, sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes straight down, but rarely Heavenward. That's been B-16's opinion since at least the mid-1980's when I began reading his works (both papers and books) on the topic.
It was at this point in his remarks that Weigel disappointed, for he stated that 'a better translation will be sufficient' in the reform project.
Obviously, Weigel could not (nor did he) answer the question which immediately popped up: so WHY is Benedict about to release a document which (hearsay has it) will allow celebration of the Old Rite (all-Latin) Mass worldwide with few-holds-barred? Or why all the Masses at St. Peter's are now said primarily in Latin? Or why (as Cdl. Jos. Ratzinger) this man celebrated John Paul II's funeral Mass with a noticeable emphasis on Latin prayers and song? If "a new translation" is really the ticket, why arm-wrestle the Bishops of France over Latin? Heaven knows the Pope doesn't need to pick fights unless they are worthwhile!
The short answer is that Weigel's assessment is deficient and B-16 knows that. As we noted earlier, a Jewish lady pointed out that:
For the power of liturgy to lift us out of our narrow practical and material pursuits is not dependent on our understanding of every actual word we are saying, any more than our emotional submission to classical music's soaring magic is dependent on our ability to read the score that produced it. The power of liturgy to stir and inspire us isn't even dependent on our commitment to the beliefs and doctrines from which the liturgy sprang.
Reading the rest of her remarks at the link is very enlightening--but there's another point which Weigel and other pragmatists miss and that is the concept of 'good fences.' Weigel understands at least one of those 'fences,' given his widely-circulated column on dreadful hymnody...but not all of the 'fences.'
Surrounding the Mass, the font and summit of worship, are sacred time, sacred space, sacred language, and sacred music. Where one of these 'fences' are missing, the nasties are allowed to attack. And attack they have done--with ferocity.
Thus, an offhand dismissal of Latin should be questioned carefully. Certainly, "a good translation" could become 'sacred language;' the English of the KJV Bible (albeit deficient in some regards) is more sacral than the banality we endure. And "a good translation" would demonstrate the night/day differences between the original Latin of the New Mass' orations and the English renditions--which are actually renderings (as in rent-asunder.) But Latin already IS a 'sacred language.' As the Jewish lady also pointed out, it is a source of 'community.'
For Catholics and Jews, that 'community' is not merely those who surround us during Mass or synagogue-services--it is also trans-national and trans-temporal. For what more 'community' can one ask than that afforded by the hundreds of millions of our spiritual ancestors? Or of the hundreds of millions of our neighbors-in-Faith around the world?
Further, we read the following:
"...His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, at that time Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, affirms that ‘to the ordinary churchgoer, the two most obvious effects of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council seem to be the disappearance of Latin and the turning of the altars towards the people. Those who read the relevant texts will be astonished to learn that neither is in fact found in the decrees of the Council. The use of the vernacular is certainly permitted, especially for the Liturgy of the Word, but the preceding general rule of the Council text says, “Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 36.1). There is nothing in the Council text about turning altars towards the people; that point is raised only in post-conciliar instructions.’” (From the Introduction to the book Turning Towards the Lord. The Introduction was written by then-Cdl. Jos. Ratzinger.)
No, George, we will not so easily dismiss Latin. Nor should you.
During his remarks, he outlined the agenda of Benedict XVI--it's not a minor-league plattter. B-16 wants to re-awaken the West to the fact that there is a truth, and that it is knowable, and that it does not contradict reason. When that's out of the way, he wants the West to understand that the Cult of Consumption, fueled by the Disease of Relativism, is utterly self-destructive.
These are not issues which are likely to be cleaned up within the American attention span of 60 minutes-less-commericals, but somebody's got to try, and if anyone has the intellectual firepower and fortitude necessary to man the ramparts, it's Benedict.
In 'domestic affairs,' B-16 wants to Reform the Reform of the Liturgy, which was launched in 1967. The "Vatican II Reforms" have lurched ever since, sometimes left, sometimes right, sometimes straight down, but rarely Heavenward. That's been B-16's opinion since at least the mid-1980's when I began reading his works (both papers and books) on the topic.
It was at this point in his remarks that Weigel disappointed, for he stated that 'a better translation will be sufficient' in the reform project.
Obviously, Weigel could not (nor did he) answer the question which immediately popped up: so WHY is Benedict about to release a document which (hearsay has it) will allow celebration of the Old Rite (all-Latin) Mass worldwide with few-holds-barred? Or why all the Masses at St. Peter's are now said primarily in Latin? Or why (as Cdl. Jos. Ratzinger) this man celebrated John Paul II's funeral Mass with a noticeable emphasis on Latin prayers and song? If "a new translation" is really the ticket, why arm-wrestle the Bishops of France over Latin? Heaven knows the Pope doesn't need to pick fights unless they are worthwhile!
The short answer is that Weigel's assessment is deficient and B-16 knows that. As we noted earlier, a Jewish lady pointed out that:
For the power of liturgy to lift us out of our narrow practical and material pursuits is not dependent on our understanding of every actual word we are saying, any more than our emotional submission to classical music's soaring magic is dependent on our ability to read the score that produced it. The power of liturgy to stir and inspire us isn't even dependent on our commitment to the beliefs and doctrines from which the liturgy sprang.
Reading the rest of her remarks at the link is very enlightening--but there's another point which Weigel and other pragmatists miss and that is the concept of 'good fences.' Weigel understands at least one of those 'fences,' given his widely-circulated column on dreadful hymnody...but not all of the 'fences.'
Surrounding the Mass, the font and summit of worship, are sacred time, sacred space, sacred language, and sacred music. Where one of these 'fences' are missing, the nasties are allowed to attack. And attack they have done--with ferocity.
Thus, an offhand dismissal of Latin should be questioned carefully. Certainly, "a good translation" could become 'sacred language;' the English of the KJV Bible (albeit deficient in some regards) is more sacral than the banality we endure. And "a good translation" would demonstrate the night/day differences between the original Latin of the New Mass' orations and the English renditions--which are actually renderings (as in rent-asunder.) But Latin already IS a 'sacred language.' As the Jewish lady also pointed out, it is a source of 'community.'
For Catholics and Jews, that 'community' is not merely those who surround us during Mass or synagogue-services--it is also trans-national and trans-temporal. For what more 'community' can one ask than that afforded by the hundreds of millions of our spiritual ancestors? Or of the hundreds of millions of our neighbors-in-Faith around the world?
Further, we read the following:
"...His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, at that time Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, affirms that ‘to the ordinary churchgoer, the two most obvious effects of the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council seem to be the disappearance of Latin and the turning of the altars towards the people. Those who read the relevant texts will be astonished to learn that neither is in fact found in the decrees of the Council. The use of the vernacular is certainly permitted, especially for the Liturgy of the Word, but the preceding general rule of the Council text says, “Particular law remaining in force, the use of the Latin language is to be preserved in the Latin rites” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 36.1). There is nothing in the Council text about turning altars towards the people; that point is raised only in post-conciliar instructions.’” (From the Introduction to the book Turning Towards the Lord. The Introduction was written by then-Cdl. Jos. Ratzinger.)
No, George, we will not so easily dismiss Latin. Nor should you.
Jack Palance--Not Just Another Pretty Face
HT to Grim on this one:
There was more to the man than that, however: he was a heavyweight fighter, under the name Jack Brazzo, with twelve knockouts and fifteen wins in his career. And, yes, he was a veteran:
With the outbreak of World War II, Palance's boxing career ended and his military career began. Palance's rugged face, which took many beatings in the boxing ring, was disfigured when he bailed out of his burning B-24 Liberator while on a training flight over southern Arizona, where he was a student pilot. Plastic surgeons repaired as much of the damage that they could, but he was left with a distinctive, somewhat gaunt, look. After much reconstructive surgery, he was discharged in 1944.
Palance died recently, RIP...
There was more to the man than that, however: he was a heavyweight fighter, under the name Jack Brazzo, with twelve knockouts and fifteen wins in his career. And, yes, he was a veteran:
With the outbreak of World War II, Palance's boxing career ended and his military career began. Palance's rugged face, which took many beatings in the boxing ring, was disfigured when he bailed out of his burning B-24 Liberator while on a training flight over southern Arizona, where he was a student pilot. Plastic surgeons repaired as much of the damage that they could, but he was left with a distinctive, somewhat gaunt, look. After much reconstructive surgery, he was discharged in 1944.
Palance died recently, RIP...
Alternative Minimum Tax and Wisconsin Voters
If you don't already know about the Alternative Minimum Tax, you will, and likely soon.
It won't be a pleasant experience. The AMT was designed to tax those whose incomes were large, but who played all the games (legally) to avoid Federal income taxes. At the time it was passed, incomes were lower, and there has been little (if any) inflation-adjustment.
By 2010, "the AMT will become the de facto tax system for filers in the $200,000 to $500,000 income range, 94 percent of whom will face the tax," says a report by the Tax Policy Center. About half of tax filers making $75,000 to $100,000 will have to pay the tax, including 89 percent of married couples in that bracket who have at least two children.
The Republican majority in Congress simply did not address this issue--instead, they passed tax-reduction. As it turns out, the Democrats (!!!), led by Rangel, WILL address this issue in January.
Oh, well. The Pubbies lost for a reason, eh?
Anyway, Charlie pointed out a Wisconsin CNN exit-poll which may tell us why the AMT is on the front burner. Under "Vote By Income," note that 35% of Wisconsin voters earned over $75K (the trip-wire for AMT in a lot of cases) and that Doyle took almost half of the voters in the $75-150K earnings range.
If the Wisconsin numbers are an indication of the national numbers, that means that the Dems are seeing a very noticeable group of supporters who WILL be affected by the AMT in the near future.
It won't be a pleasant experience. The AMT was designed to tax those whose incomes were large, but who played all the games (legally) to avoid Federal income taxes. At the time it was passed, incomes were lower, and there has been little (if any) inflation-adjustment.
By 2010, "the AMT will become the de facto tax system for filers in the $200,000 to $500,000 income range, 94 percent of whom will face the tax," says a report by the Tax Policy Center. About half of tax filers making $75,000 to $100,000 will have to pay the tax, including 89 percent of married couples in that bracket who have at least two children.
The Republican majority in Congress simply did not address this issue--instead, they passed tax-reduction. As it turns out, the Democrats (!!!), led by Rangel, WILL address this issue in January.
Oh, well. The Pubbies lost for a reason, eh?
Anyway, Charlie pointed out a Wisconsin CNN exit-poll which may tell us why the AMT is on the front burner. Under "Vote By Income," note that 35% of Wisconsin voters earned over $75K (the trip-wire for AMT in a lot of cases) and that Doyle took almost half of the voters in the $75-150K earnings range.
If the Wisconsin numbers are an indication of the national numbers, that means that the Dems are seeing a very noticeable group of supporters who WILL be affected by the AMT in the near future.
The Dims: DC Gets a Vote?
Apparently, Ms. Pelosi is now tinkering with the Constitution:
One of the issues the Democrats have been pushing for years - a vote in the House of Representatives for the District of Columbia - looks like it will come to pass under their leadership in Congress.
The Norton-Davis bill links the D.C. vote to an additional congressional seat in Utah, raising the total number of House members from 435 to 437. Pelosi did not favor legislation that included redistricting in Utah, a move that some lawmakers feared would jeopardize that state's only Democrat representative. Pelosi later signed on to the bill after Utah made the congressional seat a statewide position.
One hopes that Our President will exercise his veto pen for the Very First Time.
HT: Betsy
One of the issues the Democrats have been pushing for years - a vote in the House of Representatives for the District of Columbia - looks like it will come to pass under their leadership in Congress.
The Norton-Davis bill links the D.C. vote to an additional congressional seat in Utah, raising the total number of House members from 435 to 437. Pelosi did not favor legislation that included redistricting in Utah, a move that some lawmakers feared would jeopardize that state's only Democrat representative. Pelosi later signed on to the bill after Utah made the congressional seat a statewide position.
One hopes that Our President will exercise his veto pen for the Very First Time.
HT: Betsy
Levin on Flake, the WSJ, and the Weekly Standard
A two-sentence slap-a-thon:
Jeff Flake is good on many issues, but he is an open-borders advocate. And despite the best efforts of the Weekly Standard/Wall Street Journal wing of the party, which carries few votes, this is and remains a fundamental issue in conservative ranks outside of Washington and New York.
I love this guy Levin.
And although it goes un-mentioned, the WSJ wing's economic policies (free-trade) also got a solid slap in Virginia, as Senator-elect Webb campaigned on America-First economics--not Globaloney.
Jeff Flake is good on many issues, but he is an open-borders advocate. And despite the best efforts of the Weekly Standard/Wall Street Journal wing of the party, which carries few votes, this is and remains a fundamental issue in conservative ranks outside of Washington and New York.
I love this guy Levin.
And although it goes un-mentioned, the WSJ wing's economic policies (free-trade) also got a solid slap in Virginia, as Senator-elect Webb campaigned on America-First economics--not Globaloney.
Journalism at the Milwaukee J-S: Kevin Barrett's Class
So the Milwaukee JS sent a reporter to check on John Wiley's newest UW sensation:
Barrett began Thursday's lecture by reviewing the work of several Muslim writers who believe the Sept. 11 attacks were the work of terrorists. One argues that the attacks reveal broader clashes within Islam; another believes they indicate a blossoming clash between the Muslim world and the West. The writings were among works that had been assigned to Barrett's students to read.
Barrett then moved on to an essay by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, who argues that the Sept. 11 attackers were part of a broad network of terrorism sponsored by the United States and other Western intelligence agencies. Ahmed argues that the U.S. has used terrorism to destabilize other countries and gain control over their resources.
In his lecture, Barrett sprinkled in the phrase 'according to this analysis' periodically at the end of his sentences. But he stated much of Ahmed's argument as fact and offered up his own views or observations to bolster the claims.
On the conventional idea that terrorists were motivated by their belief in Islam, Barrett said: "That's simply not true. That story gets blown out of the water."
On Ahmed's writings, he said at one point: "This is all standard narrative. What he's said so far, no one disputes."
Right. No one. Not one single solitary person.
Ahmed ends his essay by arguing that the U.S. is attempting "to exacerbate the deterioration of security by penetrating, manipulating, and arming the terrorist insurgency, thus legitimizing permanent Anglo-American military involvement in Iraq purportedly to promote security."
It was while discussing this argument that Barrett made his comment about American tax dollars being used to fund the killing of American soldiers, [specifically:]
"Your tax dollars are paying for the killing of American soldiers in Iraq. The CIA is paying for resistance in Iraq."
Well, Hell's Bells!!
Perhaps Ms. Pelosi & Co. will delete the CIA funding for this!
Barrett began Thursday's lecture by reviewing the work of several Muslim writers who believe the Sept. 11 attacks were the work of terrorists. One argues that the attacks reveal broader clashes within Islam; another believes they indicate a blossoming clash between the Muslim world and the West. The writings were among works that had been assigned to Barrett's students to read.
Barrett then moved on to an essay by Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed, who argues that the Sept. 11 attackers were part of a broad network of terrorism sponsored by the United States and other Western intelligence agencies. Ahmed argues that the U.S. has used terrorism to destabilize other countries and gain control over their resources.
In his lecture, Barrett sprinkled in the phrase 'according to this analysis' periodically at the end of his sentences. But he stated much of Ahmed's argument as fact and offered up his own views or observations to bolster the claims.
On the conventional idea that terrorists were motivated by their belief in Islam, Barrett said: "That's simply not true. That story gets blown out of the water."
On Ahmed's writings, he said at one point: "This is all standard narrative. What he's said so far, no one disputes."
Right. No one. Not one single solitary person.
Ahmed ends his essay by arguing that the U.S. is attempting "to exacerbate the deterioration of security by penetrating, manipulating, and arming the terrorist insurgency, thus legitimizing permanent Anglo-American military involvement in Iraq purportedly to promote security."
It was while discussing this argument that Barrett made his comment about American tax dollars being used to fund the killing of American soldiers, [specifically:]
"Your tax dollars are paying for the killing of American soldiers in Iraq. The CIA is paying for resistance in Iraq."
Well, Hell's Bells!!
Perhaps Ms. Pelosi & Co. will delete the CIA funding for this!
"Sucking Sound" Sucks Perot
Irony, thy name is Ross Perot:
On Friday, the outsourcing company [Perot Systems] founded by Perot, where he serves as chairman emeritus, disclosed that it's opening a new service center in Mexico.
Perot Systems said the center will be based in Guadalajara, and will provide a range of outsourced tech services to companies in the U.S., including desktop support, infrastructure management, and engineering services. The facility will take up several floors of the Guadalajara World Trade Business Center and contain about 270 desks from which Mexican workers will provide computer support to American businesses. Perot says it's already begun recruiting workers for the center. "We are reaching out to the best infrastructure services professionals in Mexico," the company said in a statement.
Perot desperately needs to maintain its profitability.
On Friday, the outsourcing company [Perot Systems] founded by Perot, where he serves as chairman emeritus, disclosed that it's opening a new service center in Mexico.
Perot Systems said the center will be based in Guadalajara, and will provide a range of outsourced tech services to companies in the U.S., including desktop support, infrastructure management, and engineering services. The facility will take up several floors of the Guadalajara World Trade Business Center and contain about 270 desks from which Mexican workers will provide computer support to American businesses. Perot says it's already begun recruiting workers for the center. "We are reaching out to the best infrastructure services professionals in Mexico," the company said in a statement.
Perot desperately needs to maintain its profitability.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Hastert to Resign the House?
This blogger is VERY well-informed:
...a rumor has been bubbling up that should be recorded…even if it’s knocked down later as more information comes due. The rumor, substantiated by a number of people I’ve talked to who know the Denny Hastert people personally is this: Denny Hastert has determined to resign before his term as Speaker expires-for one reason only. When you step down as Speaker your pension is calculated on your level of pay and Speaker’s pay is a lot more than that of an ordinary member of Congress. Somebody who’s a lot fresher than I am at this hour of the night can check Denny’s salary but I think it’s in the neighborhood of, say, $200,000 plus.
And he'll do that "for the good of the Country," or whatever, right?
...a rumor has been bubbling up that should be recorded…even if it’s knocked down later as more information comes due. The rumor, substantiated by a number of people I’ve talked to who know the Denny Hastert people personally is this: Denny Hastert has determined to resign before his term as Speaker expires-for one reason only. When you step down as Speaker your pension is calculated on your level of pay and Speaker’s pay is a lot more than that of an ordinary member of Congress. Somebody who’s a lot fresher than I am at this hour of the night can check Denny’s salary but I think it’s in the neighborhood of, say, $200,000 plus.
And he'll do that "for the good of the Country," or whatever, right?
The Wrapup on Brit and K-Fed
From the MORE curmudgeonly Catholic Caveman:
The Queen of the Trailer Park is expected to continue her tenure of being the motivational inspiration of 13-year old girls everywhere to:
1. Be a huge disappointment to their families
2. Get pregnant
3. Marry an asshole
4. Try to out-skank Christine Aguilera
5. French kiss an even skankier Madonna
6. Do steps 4 and 5 on national TV
7. Be the first kid on her block to get an STD
Who says little girls can't dream?
We could talk about "safe driving," ....but why?
The Queen of the Trailer Park is expected to continue her tenure of being the motivational inspiration of 13-year old girls everywhere to:
1. Be a huge disappointment to their families
2. Get pregnant
3. Marry an asshole
4. Try to out-skank Christine Aguilera
5. French kiss an even skankier Madonna
6. Do steps 4 and 5 on national TV
7. Be the first kid on her block to get an STD
Who says little girls can't dream?
We could talk about "safe driving," ....but why?
Source That Quote!!
Terry Berres reads a lot of interesting stuff. Then he blogs the info, and I steal the best parts and put them here!!
"Some people see things as they are and ask 'why?', I dream things that never were and ask 'why not?'"
Great line, eh? Bobby Kennedy stole it from GBShaw--and Shaw (no surprise here) gave the line to The Serpent in Back to Methuselah.
The Serpent. Hmmmm.
"Some people see things as they are and ask 'why?', I dream things that never were and ask 'why not?'"
Great line, eh? Bobby Kennedy stole it from GBShaw--and Shaw (no surprise here) gave the line to The Serpent in Back to Methuselah.
The Serpent. Hmmmm.
Thanks, Charlie!
Despite our disagreements over a few issues, the Eminento of CheddarBlogs, Charlie Sykes, has retained me on his abbreviated blogroll.
For at least a week.
We'll do our best to keep up the entertainment.
For at least a week.
We'll do our best to keep up the entertainment.
Homosex "Marriage" Voting
From Fair Wisconsin's own site, the list of counties and the percentage voting "No."
Astute observers who know where UW-System schools are located will notice the pattern:
Dane - 67%
La Crosse - 50%
Iowa - 49%
Portage - 48%
Eau Claire - 48%
Menominee - 47%
Green - 46%
Milwaukee - 45%
Rock - 44%
Sauk - 43%
Winnebago -42%
Bayfield - 42%
Dunn - 41%
Oneida - 41%
Kenosha - 41%
Door - 41%
Umnnnhh...Door County doesn't have a UW campus--but---
Astute observers who know where UW-System schools are located will notice the pattern:
Dane - 67%
La Crosse - 50%
Iowa - 49%
Portage - 48%
Eau Claire - 48%
Menominee - 47%
Green - 46%
Milwaukee - 45%
Rock - 44%
Sauk - 43%
Winnebago -42%
Bayfield - 42%
Dunn - 41%
Oneida - 41%
Kenosha - 41%
Door - 41%
Umnnnhh...Door County doesn't have a UW campus--but---
Retraction on Michael Fox
An alert Anonymous detected that my post indicating that Michael Fox was involved with The DaVinci Code movie is inaccurate.
Anony is correct. Fox was not involved with that movie.
Anony also advised us that 'Fox...seems to be a good father,' and that perhaps Dad29 should emulate him.
Wrong.
Dad29 does not believe in killing babies for "research." That's a Mengele position. No "good father" agrees with either Mengele, Fox, or Darth Doyle on that issue, period.
Anony is correct. Fox was not involved with that movie.
Anony also advised us that 'Fox...seems to be a good father,' and that perhaps Dad29 should emulate him.
Wrong.
Dad29 does not believe in killing babies for "research." That's a Mengele position. No "good father" agrees with either Mengele, Fox, or Darth Doyle on that issue, period.
It's Over, But........
Seems that Acorn has drawn the attention of the US Attorney General's office for its voter "registration" drives nationally.
Awwwwww.....
Evidently both Burns and Allen (heh...) were, ah, burned due to this. Doesn't seem that Wisconsin had the same level of problems that we experienced in '04, but the local US Attorney is notoriously tight-lipped about what's on his plate.
Stay tuned.
HT: John Lott
Awwwwww.....
Evidently both Burns and Allen (heh...) were, ah, burned due to this. Doesn't seem that Wisconsin had the same level of problems that we experienced in '04, but the local US Attorney is notoriously tight-lipped about what's on his plate.
Stay tuned.
HT: John Lott
It's Over, But........
Seems that Acorn has drawn the attention of the US Attorney General's office for its voter "registration" drives nationally.
Awwwwww.....
Evidently both Burns and Allen (heh...) were, ah, burned due to this. Doesn't seem that Wisconsin had the same level of problems that we experienced in '04, but the local US Attorney is notoriously tight-lipped about what's on his plate.
Stay tuned.
HT: John Lott
Awwwwww.....
Evidently both Burns and Allen (heh...) were, ah, burned due to this. Doesn't seem that Wisconsin had the same level of problems that we experienced in '04, but the local US Attorney is notoriously tight-lipped about what's on his plate.
Stay tuned.
HT: John Lott
Levin Hits the Target
Mark Levin on The Election:
My view: For six years the White House has either refused to or is incapable of leading the conservative movement. It has benefited from the conservative movement. It has turned to conservatives when it needed support on certain issues (like judges) and in four elections (2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006). But this time, for a variety of reasons, conservatives didn't respond as needed.
Even many among the conservative elite and pundit class, while arguing for adherence to conservative principles, condescendingly sneered at segments of the conservative base when efforts were made to pass a federal marriage amendment. I believe they called it a distraction. Yet time and again, when voters are asked to pass judgment on this issue, they vote for traditional marriage in large numbers. You cannot continue to ignore social conservatives, which make-up about one-third of the Republican base, and expect to win elections.
Luminaries at the Weekly Standard were demeaning opponents of open-borders as racist. I believe the word they used was “xenophobic.” Yet this issue cuts across numerous conservative constituencies. It involves law-and-order, national security, assimilation, and fiscal responsibility.
Dead-on, Mark.
My view: For six years the White House has either refused to or is incapable of leading the conservative movement. It has benefited from the conservative movement. It has turned to conservatives when it needed support on certain issues (like judges) and in four elections (2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006). But this time, for a variety of reasons, conservatives didn't respond as needed.
Even many among the conservative elite and pundit class, while arguing for adherence to conservative principles, condescendingly sneered at segments of the conservative base when efforts were made to pass a federal marriage amendment. I believe they called it a distraction. Yet time and again, when voters are asked to pass judgment on this issue, they vote for traditional marriage in large numbers. You cannot continue to ignore social conservatives, which make-up about one-third of the Republican base, and expect to win elections.
Luminaries at the Weekly Standard were demeaning opponents of open-borders as racist. I believe the word they used was “xenophobic.” Yet this issue cuts across numerous conservative constituencies. It involves law-and-order, national security, assimilation, and fiscal responsibility.
Dead-on, Mark.
Grow Up, Kate
Kate, you're finished. Just can't admit it...
In an election where Democrats did very well in Wisconsin, Kate Falk, who dreamed of becoming Wisconsin's first Female Governor, has been shot down.
Decisively.
Finally.
Firmly.
And Kate, following the example of her Shakespearean ('Midsummer's Night', anyone?)namesake, will NOT admit it.
"Given it's so extremely close, I just think the prudent course of action is to make sure the official canvass shows (the) same kind of numbers,"
OK, Kate.
Or should be just be blatantly sexist and make some remarks about "taking it like a man..."??
In an election where Democrats did very well in Wisconsin, Kate Falk, who dreamed of becoming Wisconsin's first Female Governor, has been shot down.
Decisively.
Finally.
Firmly.
And Kate, following the example of her Shakespearean ('Midsummer's Night', anyone?)namesake, will NOT admit it.
"Given it's so extremely close, I just think the prudent course of action is to make sure the official canvass shows (the) same kind of numbers,"
OK, Kate.
Or should be just be blatantly sexist and make some remarks about "taking it like a man..."??
Sensenbrenner, SpiceBoys, Correct
On Wednesday morning Charlie Sykes interviewed Jim Sensenbrenner, who is an astute politician as well as an excellent representative of his District. This occurred while I was taking my sick new computer to the computer-hospital (drat you, SBC.)
And Sensenbrenner said, out loud, that 'putting the Gay Marriage and Death Penalty referendums on the November ballot contributed to the defeat of a number of Republican candidates.'
Almost drove off the road, computer and all...
The SpiceBoys got the same quote.
Get the proposed same-sex marriage constitutional amendment on the November ballot to drive up the Republican vote while driving Democrats out of office.
"The timing ended up backfiring," said U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Menomonee Falls Republican. "I think the opposite worked out this time."
So happens a couple of Little Birdies from the Legislature told me that they REALLY wanted the Gay Marriage and DP questions on a Spring or early-Fall ballot--separated from the general election. Both those Little Birdies are conservative stalwarts.
In what can only be called a Delicious Irony, the Pubbie Pol responsible for forcing these items onto the November ballot was none other than:
John Gard.
The very same John Gard who fought to keep Taxation Without Representation gas-taxes. The very same John Gard who had his ass handed to him by a political novice (and a not-too-bright one, at that.)
Other VERY interesting material from the SpiceBoys:
Before the election, [Republican] data concluded that Green needed 940,000 votes to unseat Doyle. In the end, Green topped that goal by 36,000 votes, yet he will soon be out of work.
"Usually, if you exceed your vote goal," said Republican Party executive director Rick Wiley, "you win."
So much for conventional wisdom.
The turnout was most impressive on college campuses.
Wiley said he witnessed this firsthand at UW-Milwaukee on election day. Some 30 UWM students waited in line to register to vote while he was there, he said, and more than 1,000 ended up signing up to cast ballots Tuesday.
According to the left-leaning Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, 16,837 people voted this week in the 10 wards in and around the UW-Madison campus, compared with 10,140 in the same wards in 2002 - a whopping 66% increase.
Here's something that I can personally confirm, at least anecdotally:
By putting the same-sex marriage and death penalty measures on the same ballot, Sensenbrenner said, Republican leaders in the Legislature ended up drawing the wrong type of voter to the polls - Democrats, especially conservative ones. Those people voted for the ballot proposals but against Republican candidates.
His proof: About 275,000 people cast ballots for the ban on same-sex marriages but not for Green.
I was a poll-watcher in a north-central Waukesha County district. My job was to keep track of "our" voters--the reliable Republican/conservatives--so that if they had NOT voted, the Party could call 'em up and get them out to vote.
In this district, there were 1300 eligible voters. By 6:15PM, the District had well over 800 electors cast votes, a rate of 64%. But only 50% of the people on our 'list' had showed up to vote.
In other words, the "turnout" which defeated Gay Marriage was NOT just the "turnout" which elects Republicans. They elect Democrats, too.
I'm sure that Mark Green will meet John Gard in a coffeeshop in the next few weeks--after all, neither of them has a lot to do--
It should be a very strained conversation.
And Sensenbrenner said, out loud, that 'putting the Gay Marriage and Death Penalty referendums on the November ballot contributed to the defeat of a number of Republican candidates.'
Almost drove off the road, computer and all...
The SpiceBoys got the same quote.
Get the proposed same-sex marriage constitutional amendment on the November ballot to drive up the Republican vote while driving Democrats out of office.
"The timing ended up backfiring," said U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Menomonee Falls Republican. "I think the opposite worked out this time."
So happens a couple of Little Birdies from the Legislature told me that they REALLY wanted the Gay Marriage and DP questions on a Spring or early-Fall ballot--separated from the general election. Both those Little Birdies are conservative stalwarts.
In what can only be called a Delicious Irony, the Pubbie Pol responsible for forcing these items onto the November ballot was none other than:
John Gard.
The very same John Gard who fought to keep Taxation Without Representation gas-taxes. The very same John Gard who had his ass handed to him by a political novice (and a not-too-bright one, at that.)
Other VERY interesting material from the SpiceBoys:
Before the election, [Republican] data concluded that Green needed 940,000 votes to unseat Doyle. In the end, Green topped that goal by 36,000 votes, yet he will soon be out of work.
"Usually, if you exceed your vote goal," said Republican Party executive director Rick Wiley, "you win."
So much for conventional wisdom.
The turnout was most impressive on college campuses.
Wiley said he witnessed this firsthand at UW-Milwaukee on election day. Some 30 UWM students waited in line to register to vote while he was there, he said, and more than 1,000 ended up signing up to cast ballots Tuesday.
According to the left-leaning Wisconsin Public Interest Research Group, 16,837 people voted this week in the 10 wards in and around the UW-Madison campus, compared with 10,140 in the same wards in 2002 - a whopping 66% increase.
Here's something that I can personally confirm, at least anecdotally:
By putting the same-sex marriage and death penalty measures on the same ballot, Sensenbrenner said, Republican leaders in the Legislature ended up drawing the wrong type of voter to the polls - Democrats, especially conservative ones. Those people voted for the ballot proposals but against Republican candidates.
His proof: About 275,000 people cast ballots for the ban on same-sex marriages but not for Green.
I was a poll-watcher in a north-central Waukesha County district. My job was to keep track of "our" voters--the reliable Republican/conservatives--so that if they had NOT voted, the Party could call 'em up and get them out to vote.
In this district, there were 1300 eligible voters. By 6:15PM, the District had well over 800 electors cast votes, a rate of 64%. But only 50% of the people on our 'list' had showed up to vote.
In other words, the "turnout" which defeated Gay Marriage was NOT just the "turnout" which elects Republicans. They elect Democrats, too.
I'm sure that Mark Green will meet John Gard in a coffeeshop in the next few weeks--after all, neither of them has a lot to do--
It should be a very strained conversation.
Economic Globaloney Bounced, Too
GlobaloneyII's 'planting Democracy' (below) was not a successful re-election device. Neither is his benign neglect of American industrial jobs:
Almost no embattled Republican could be found taking the Bush line that NAFTA, or CAFTA with Central America, or MFN for China, or globalization was good for America and a reason he or she should be re-elected. But in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, attacks on free trade were central elements of Democratic strategy.
By the way--Webb campaigned against 'economic Globaloney' too...
What is ahead is not difficult to predict.
The Doha Round of global trade negotiations is dead. Even if Bush cuts a deal with Europe, it could not pass the new Congress. In mid-2007, when Bush asks for renewal of his fast-track authority – presidential power to negotiate trade deals, while cutting Congress out of any role save a yes-or-no vote – it will be amended drastically or batted down handily.
But if the free-trade era is over, what will succeed it?
...A rising spirit of nationalism is evident everywhere in this election, not simply in the economic realm. Americans are weary of sacrificing their soldier-sons for Iraqi democracy. They are weary of shelling out foreign aid to regimes that endlessly hector America at the United Nations. They are tired of sacrificing the interests of American workers on the altar of an abstraction called the Global Economy. They are fed up with allies long on advice and short on assistance.
PJB declares that 'American nationalism' is returning, signaled by this election. While PJB overstates the case, (as did Spectral Specter by stating that the Pubbie Party was 'too close' to Christians,) the Economic Globaloney types should pay attention.
After all, if one wants to create the Good Life for Chinese oligarchs, perhaps one should run for offices in PRC.
Almost no embattled Republican could be found taking the Bush line that NAFTA, or CAFTA with Central America, or MFN for China, or globalization was good for America and a reason he or she should be re-elected. But in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, attacks on free trade were central elements of Democratic strategy.
By the way--Webb campaigned against 'economic Globaloney' too...
What is ahead is not difficult to predict.
The Doha Round of global trade negotiations is dead. Even if Bush cuts a deal with Europe, it could not pass the new Congress. In mid-2007, when Bush asks for renewal of his fast-track authority – presidential power to negotiate trade deals, while cutting Congress out of any role save a yes-or-no vote – it will be amended drastically or batted down handily.
But if the free-trade era is over, what will succeed it?
...A rising spirit of nationalism is evident everywhere in this election, not simply in the economic realm. Americans are weary of sacrificing their soldier-sons for Iraqi democracy. They are weary of shelling out foreign aid to regimes that endlessly hector America at the United Nations. They are tired of sacrificing the interests of American workers on the altar of an abstraction called the Global Economy. They are fed up with allies long on advice and short on assistance.
PJB declares that 'American nationalism' is returning, signaled by this election. While PJB overstates the case, (as did Spectral Specter by stating that the Pubbie Party was 'too close' to Christians,) the Economic Globaloney types should pay attention.
After all, if one wants to create the Good Life for Chinese oligarchs, perhaps one should run for offices in PRC.