A Small Thing

This is just niggling me, so I'm going to get it out there. I am reading Michael Barone's latest article.

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, who promised a health-care bill last month, still isn't delivering, and neither is the Health Committee's Christopher Dodd. They're both trying to nibble down cost estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, which has put the price tag at a trillion or more. But their latest ploys -- broad-based tax increases, transferring more of the Medicaid burden to the states -- sound like sputtering.

Meanwhile, Majority Leader Harry Reid says he's taken off the table one approach that has potential bipartisan support -- ending the tax preference for employer-provided insurance.

I don't know enough about the health-care proposals to know if this is a valid approach or not; I just am annoyed at the phrase "one approach that has potential bipartisan support." What that means in this context is that Reid has rejected the Republican plan.

The argument assumes that it's up to the Democrats to compromise and work with Republicans; Republicans are under no obligation to compromise with Democrats. If there is to be bi-partisan, it's up to the Democrats and the Democrats alone.

Bi-partisan on those grounds isn't bi-partisan. It's capitulation.

Acknowledging your Biases makes you a Slave of Them

Or such is the theme of Mario Diaz's latest article.

“Personal experiences affect the facts that judges choose to see. My hope is that I will take the good from my experiences and extrapolate them further into areas with which I am unfamiliar. I simply do not know exactly what that difference will be in my judging. But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage.” — Judge Sonia Sotomayor, October 26, 2001 speech at the University of California–Berkley.

Really? So now judges are supposed to ignore facts because they don’t comport with their heritage? As a Hispanic, I can proudly say Judge Sotomayor’s views do not represent my views or those of the Hispanic community in which I participate. Do you want to know what we believe in? We believe in justice, fairness, freedom, and equality. I have never met a Latino who thinks he is wiser than a white person because he is a Latino. Sotomayor stands alone on that one.

Although I proudly join her in celebrating her heritage, I strongly disagree with her judicial philosophy. I believe judges must look away from personal heritage and look to the rule of law. Judge Sotomayor’s own words indicate that she is incapable of doing this. Therefore, senators should not confirm her to the Supreme Court.

I have to Say Diaz sounds like kind of a twit for advancing this argument. She clearly is talking about how biases affect all of us, not saying that she would abandon facts or the law in favor of her biases. I mean this isn't even really an example of someone taking something out of context; this is Diaz quoting what Sotomayor said and pretending it means something else.

News From the Past - July 13, 1929

Wasn't feeling great this weekend and today is very busy, but I can't miss out on News from the Past for too long. Today's comes from the Edwardsville Intelligencer from Edwardsville Illinois. It's a somewhat shocking story, as it turns out the Governor's Wife's Negro chauffeur is a speeder.

GOVERNOR'S WIFE FINED
$7.50 FOR SPEEDING
Maishall, Mo., July 13—Mrs. Henry Caulfield, wife of Governor Caulfield, was forced to pay $7.50 fine for speeding here before she was allowed to continue from Jefferson City to Cariolton.
The ofticer who stopped the Caulfield machine at Halla Bend testified the Caulfield negro chauffeur was driving 58 miles per hour. The speed limit at that point is 20 miles per hour.

Not much to say about this one; except that reference to Negro Chauffeur kind of chafes, doesn't it?

News From the Past - July 10, 1929

Saw this story in a number of papers while I was looking around, but this particular one comes from the Hope Star, of Hope Arkansas. For some reason that sound seems familiar.

New Bills To Be In
Circulation Today
Make Effort To See If
Smaller Money Go As
Far As Other
The effort to see if the new small-sized paper money will go as far as the older and larger kind began in Hope at nine o'clock this morning and many an anxious - and proud - owner of a one-dollar William is trying to figure out the result.
The Federal Reserve bank shipped to each of the banks here an allotment of the new currency, based on number of depositors, and other shipments are scheduled to be showing up at regular intervals consigned to each of the three local institutions.
Efforts will be made to distribute the currency in the normal cource of business. Ray Anderson of the Arkansas Bank & Trust Co., said No Hard and Fast Rules have been laid down, but it is hoped that a general game of "please exchange this for that" will not ensue.
However for the satisfaction of the public generally, Star announces that it will accept the older currency on subscription just as readily as it will the new. There, there now, don't crowd.

I like the paper in general, particularly because they put in pictures of the actors in a local play. But this article does have some odd bits; like I'm not exactly sure how you read that sub-headline.

I-Pod Ten

1. "Adrian" Jewel
2. "Reel Around the Fountain" - The Smiths
3. "Last Word" - Johnny Fiasco
4. "The Moment of Truth (Ooriginal Radio Version)" - BT
5. "Roller Coaster (Moto Blanco Club Mix)" - Erika Jayne
6. "Retox (Getting Freqy with Fatboy)" - Fatboy Slim
7. "Good to See You" - Neil Young
8. "Sugar Boy" - Beth Orton
9. "Flight From Ashiya" - Kaleidoscope
10. "Sour Times" - Portishead

Weak Mix today, I have to admit. Although there are some good tracks in there (Real Around the Fountain, Sour Times, Flight from Ashiya among them) it doesn't really come together, and the house tracks in the middle are kind of weak.

American Workers vs. Machines

Jerry Bower's latest article is about how, essentially, the American worker has it too easy, has too many protections, and machines generally are better.

As long as we are pressing to less flexible labor markets, with higher minimum wages and more unionization, as long as we leave employers in the dark as to exactly what kind of government-mandated health insurance liabilities they're getting themselves into when they hire a human being, as long as we leave unemployment compensation as an unfunded mandate paid by employers with every growing durations of coverage, we will continue to tip the scale away from people toward machines.

. . . The micro-chip is the way the small-business class will survive Obamanomics. Unless and until Obama moves to the center or America chooses a successor who will the best advice I can give to you is this. Don't buy man-hours; buy machines.

I'm not sure how bad American Workers would have to have it before they would be more efficient than a machine. Slash salaries, end health-care, lower minimum wages, end unemployment compensation and it still seems like machines are a better deal, unless they are some very high maintenance machines.

But then again I'm not sure what jobs, exactly, machine are stealing. Certainly Bower doesn't speak to that; he just asserts that employers are buying machines rather than hiring people.

News From the Past - July 9, 1929

This is from The Daily Northwestern (Wisconsin's Greatest Family Newspaper) from Oshkosh, WI, Tuesday July 9.

JUDGE RAISES THE
SENTENCE WHEN MAN
BECOMES DRAMATIC
Fond du Lac. Wis. - (AP) - Words of gratitude may bring a penalty instead of a reward. It all depends on the way in which they are used.
Take the case of William Grauer, who was sentenced to five days in county jail on a charge of being drunk and disorderly yesterday. On hearing the sentence, he said "much obliged."
"Ten days more for contempt" counted Judge H. M. Vellenz, adding that the extra ten days were not so much because of what Grauer had said but because of how he had said it.
To add a touch of the dramatic, Grauer then offered to fight the judge. That raised the contempt sentence to sixty days and the total to sixty five.
Well, today is No. 1.

Love this article; from the goofy title, to the oddly sarcastic tone throughout.

I think offering to fight a judge is always a bad idea.

Government Behaving Badly

A pair of posts from other blogs that are well worth reading.

Let me repeat that: Gov. Rick Perry of Texas wants to put in charge of his state's public schools a woman who wants to destroy those schools.

Perry doesn't just want to hire the giggling firebug, he wants to make her the fire chief.

Slactivist

What Obama is saying is this: we'll give real trials only to those detainees we know in advance we will convict. For those we don't think we can convict in a real court, we'll get convictions in the military commissions I'm creating. For those we can't convict even in my military commissions, we'll just imprison them anyway with no charges ("preventively detain" them).

Glenn Greenwald

On the plus side Gov. Rick Perry may not appoint the giggling firebug. Hard to find an upside in the Greenwald story, though.

Sarah Palin, Again

I saw this article early on in my review, but kept looking around, hoping to find something else. But nothing else really piqued my interest; so here we are. Ross McKenzie's latest article starts with an an intriguing question, to wit, "Does it make any sense, what Sarah Palin has done?"

He concludes, unsurprisingly, that we don't really know why Palin did it, but he seems to hope that she did it in order to save the party.

With the Republican Party increasingly leaderless and seemingly on a descent into the maelstrom, the conservative/moderate remnant may require a galvanic force. A leader. An opposition on the British model, the sort of opposition rarely seen in America - if ever.

. . . with the ethics process in Alaska having been turned against her for partisan/ideological purposes, and proving crippling financially, and a disabling distraction, she may have decided that if she is even to try to serve as a catalytic agent for conservatives and moderates nationwide, she has to devote her energies to that task full-time.

So there you go; Sarah Palin has proven her leadership by resigning. Honestly the article seems a bit tentative; MacKenzie doesn't really want to crawl too far out on that particular limb, even if he is hopeful about Palin.

The Republicans aren't likely to be this demoralized forever, but it's enjoyable to watch for now.

News From the Past - July 8, 1929

Short one today, about an "Amazon." This is from the Chester Times out of Chester, Pennsylvania.

"AMAZON" ADMITS SLAYING
NAPJERVILLE. Ill., July 8—Laura Weaver, 21, described by police as possessing Amazonian strength, had confessed today she strangled her common-law husband, Wilbur Kitselman, 52, and then burned his body near Annawan, III.

Of course you have to look at this within the confines of the day - Amazon was not intended in anyway shape or form as a compliment. And it's possible that a 52 year old guy marrying a 21 year old woman was not as odd as it might be today.

Kathleen Parker is going to be Attacked Again

Parker was one of the first and few conservatives to point out that Sarah Palin may not really be the savior of the party. And she took a lot of heat from her fellow conservatives for failing to recognize the homespun greatness of Palin. Well, her latest article isn't likely to turn that around.

When you're up to your waders in barracuda, blame the media.

And quit your job.

And say you did it for the people.

And hire an agent.

And try to keep a straight face.

On your way to the bank.

Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public, H.L. Mencken once said. Terribly elitist fellow, that Mencken. If only he were alive to witness the phenomenon of Sarah Palin, whose biography validates every cynical thought that ever found expression in his prolific prose.

Let's just say, Palin is in no danger of going broke. From her book contract alone, she never has to worry about money again, according to one close insider.

Parker isn't wrong; but I doubt expressing these sorts of opinions is going to endear her to the conservative base.

News From the Past - July 7, 1929

A timely story, considering Ms. Charen's article earlier; this is from the San Antonio Light, for Sunday, July 7.

Turkish Women
Discard Veils 'N
'This and That'
CONSTANTINOPLE, July 6.— (INS) — Young Turkish women, caught in the whirlwind of modernism, have not only discarded the face veil, but some of them have discarded nearly everything else.
A new system of German exercises has been introduced throughout the republic and is being adopted generally. Some of the young women who have gone in for the exercises are practically nude, while taking part in the athletic drills.
Physical culture is taking such an important place in the education of young Turkish women that the government has decided to establish a director of physical culture at Angora, the seat of government.

A few points - apparently the young Turkish men were lazy slobs. But then again maybe they just preferred to watch?

I'm also curious about this "new system of German exercises."

From the "What the Hell" department

"I think on a national level, your department of law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we've been charged with and automatically throw them out." - Sarah Palin

Look I'm generally done with Sarah Palin; she ran for the Vice Presidency, made a less than strong showing, and now she's not even Governor of Alaska. Who cares? But sometimes you read a quote that just calls out to you.

This quote read like an onion/SNL parody, but it turns out to be genuine according to ABS. As the article notes, there is no Department of Law.

The Burqa

Mona Charen's latest article takes on the Burqa, and France's recent decision to ban it. For those who don't know what a Burqa is, well, she handily provides a description.

Unlike the headscarf, which covers a woman's hair but leaves her face visible, the burqa is a head-to-toe covering that makes walking draperies of women. Some, like the chador worn in Afghanistan, feature a mesh covering for the face. The Saudi version usually sports a slit for the eyes. . . . Available in your choice of Navy Blue, Brown, or Saudi Black." Yes "Saudi black." In a country where summertime temperatures often reach 120 Fahrenheit, the geniuses designed a garment for women that is stifling and black.

She says that it would probably be unconstitutional for the United States to ban the Burqa but that as individuals we can resist it.

The French approach would be constitutionally complicated in America. But as C.C. Colton observed, "The law allows what honor forbids." For all men and women who consider themselves enlightened, fighting off the burqa should be a matter of honor.

It seems to escape Charen's notice that some women might choose to wear the Burqa of their own free will. In which case, I'm not sure anybody but the woman involved should make the decision.

News From the Past - July 6, 1929

This is from a paper called, simply enough, The News, from Fredrick, Maryland

THREE MORE STREET CARS
BURNED IN NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans, July 6 (AP) - Three street cars were burned at the Canal street barn early today in addition to one destroyed at the food of Canal street yesterday. Other cars went out on the line were practically demolished before the City Council instructed that all attempts at operating cars be halted during the carmen's strike.
Police riot guns, tear bombs, and high pressure streams of water were used to quell the services and interrupt the almost continuous stoning of railway premises by union sympathizers in the crowd of several thousands. Police warned the union men they would take their lives in their hands if they sought to force entrance into the barn.

I'll just note that the "fair and balanced" way American Media treats Union matters has deep roots.

Bill O'Reilly - Language Nazi

Yep Bill O'Reilly has written a new article over at Townhall where he is angry that more people don't talk like him. He brings up 1 1/2 ones from his own world and then several hip hop phrases (old-timey hip hop phrases) that he doesn't like.

That cliche comes from the hip-hop world, which has done more to ruin the English language than Paris Hilton. But the rappers have won this lexicon battle.

In fairness the rappers outnumber Paris Hilton both in number and in actual talent.

For his next article, Bill O'Reilly should take on the pressing issue of why kids are always tramping through his lawn.

Oh I titled this article that just as a tweak; obviously as a freedom liker, O'Reilly presumably believes that only liberals strive to control speech.

News from the Past - July 5, 1929

A grim warning from The Pointer, from Riverdale Illinois, on Friday July 5, 1929.

Thistles and Weeds
Notice—All Canada Thistles and obnoxious weeds growing in the village of Riverdale must be cut and destroyed. Those failing to comply with the state law and village ordinance will be prosecuted.
WIEBE VANDERVEEN, Thistle Commissioner.

I wonder how you get to be thistle commissioner? Do you campaign for it? Or is it appointment? At any rate, Vanderveen certainly seems committed.

News from the Past - July 4, 1929

This is from the Waterloo Evening Courier, where they are concerned about the morals of Des Moines.

Des Moines Crazy
for Divorces; 52
Split in 2 Days
Des Moines, July 4.—(UP)—A divorce craze apparently has hit Des Moines.
In the past two days 53 divorces have been granted here, during which time no suits have been refused.
Tuesday was the banner day, when 28 couples severed their marital ties, and yesterday 24 more couples called it "quits."
In yesterday's actions, one woman was granted a divorce because her "husband insisted on dolling up every night and leaving home," while a man was declared victor when he testified that his wife "pulled my hair and scratched me."
A policeman won his suit for separation when he said that his wife was too hardbodied.

OK that last one seems a little sad.

News from the Past - July 3, 1929

This is from the Clovis New Mexico Evening News Journal - a very depressing newspaper.

WINNIPEG EXPLOSION
A MYSTERY OF NIGHT
(By The Associated Prigss)
WINNIPEG, Man., July 3 - A violent explosion, which, shook nearby buildings, caused injury to two persons and damage to the basement of the Jewish orphanage on Matheson Avenue, North Winnipeg last night.Children at the orphanage escaped injury.

Almost every other story involved death, so this is relatively upbeat.

Family of Six Wiped Out In An Ax Murder

Two Found Dead On a Kentucky Highway Today

Two Plunge Off Mountain Ledge To Their Death

Houston Youth Slain; Companion Seriously Hurt

Firemen Killed in Crash With Train

Engineer Falls To Death From His Locomotive

CITY MANAGER URGES CO-OPERATION OF CLUBS

OK that last one wasn't so bad.

News From the Past - July 2, 1929

This story is from the Lethbridge Herald, out of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

Banker Kidnapped
But Makes Escape
NUTLEY N.J. July 2—Reappearing as mysteriously as he disappeared last Wednesday, Willard H. Elliott Passaic banker walked into the Nutley police station early this morning and told of his having been kidnapped and held captive by three men. Except tor a several days growth of beard, the missing banker appearred none the worse for his experience. He said no threats had been made by his captors nor any ransom demanded, and could assign no reason for his abduction.
After telling his story to tho police and telephoning Joan J. Roegner president cf the Hobart Trust Company where he was vice-president and treasurer, he left for his home in East Orange. He later declined to talk to newspapermen who telephoned there. He said last night he started drinking with his captors, and when they became drunk, managed to get away.

Yeah this is almost a companion to yesterdays story; except it seems like the Banker might not be telling the truth which would, parodoxically, make it a lot less interesting story.

I am curious as to how the newspapers knew about him drinking with his captors if he refused to talk to them. Maybe they are psychic.

News from the Past - July 1, 1929

This is from the Fresno Bee, July 1, 1929. Odd story.

Wealthy Inventor
Denies He's Dead
SAN FRANCISCO, July 1 - (AP) - C.B. Huley, wealthy inventor, refused to admit he is dead even though his family has arranged for his funeral. The body of a well-dressed man, answering Haley's description, washed up on Brighton Beach and was identified by Haley's relatives. The inventor was on a business trip in Los Angeles and returned to halt funeral plans.

Yeah I think that would be awkward.

"That's not me."

"But Dad, you have to understand. He's so well dressed."

Yeah a bit awkward.

The Forgotten Wealthy

Michael Medved's latest article is a paean to the forgotten millionaire, the ones we have been making songs attacking for a long time (he quotes several of these songs). But is that really fair?

The presence of unimaginably wealthy people enriches our area in both tangible and intangible terms. Its not just the obvious addition to the tax base, or the lavish level of charitable giving with local museums, parklands, performing arts institutions, universities, sports stadiums and much more benefiting handsomely from the generosity of the Gates family, or of his idiosyncratic Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen. Theres also an energy, a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a sense of world class swagger, that comes to any community thats able to spawn and retain some of the most productive and powerful entrepreneurs in existence. Far from swallowing up limited resources that would otherwise nourish the middle class and the poor, a citys most successful businessmen generate and contribute resources that benefit everyone.

So far so good, but Medved does leave out a couple of points.

First of all, you have to ask how they made their millions; some people acquire money through base or immoral means. Yeah it's nice that a plutocrat might build a museum, but if he acquired the money to build that museum by exploiting the city's worker or polluting the city environment, well it might not be a net gain.

Secondly most wealthy who run industries don't choose to live in exactly the same communities as those industries. If you are wealthy, why would you want to live next to a manufacturing plant? Rather you move to a large urban center.

Thirdly he notes that people like it when a wealthy person moves into their neighborhood and dislike it when a poor person moves into their neighborhood. This proves we like wealthy people more. Or it proves that we are very sensitive about home values (this part of Medved's article is pretty nasty).

Finally, Medved's larger point is something that Conservatives believe generally, which is that the Wealthy's interests should be the interests of society in general. That whatever the wealthy want, the poor should want that as well. That has always struck me as faulty logic. While I am not keen on demonizing the wealthy as a class, it should be obvious to all that what is good for the wealthy is not necessarily good for the rest of us.

News From the Past - June 30, 1929

This is from the Salt Like Tribune - Sunday Morning Edition.

WOLVES WORRY ARKANSAS
LAVACA. Aik. (AP).—So numerous and dungerous have wolves become in this wpstern Arkansas region that R. A. McCafferty, United States trapper from Scott county, has been sent here as a wolf "Pied Piper." A litter of five wolves was found four miles from here recently.

I'm not sure what a wolf "Pied Piper" is but it doesn't sound good for wolves, does it?

Cal Thomas, Music Critic

Cal Thomas's latest article is on the media circus surrounding the deaths of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcette. And then he takes a moment to comment on Jackson's music.

Listening to the Michael Jackson tributes would make one think he had created something of lasting value. Some said his music will "live forever." No it won't. No one today hums Stephen Foster songs or ditties from World War I, or the Great Depression, which were better songs and understandable. Can anyone quote the lyrics from Gus Kahn's greatest hits? Somehow "Butterflies all flutter up and kiss each little buttercup at dawnin'") doesn't seem to have the ring it had in 1922.

Actually many people have heard a Stephen Foster song or two; and writers like George Gershwin and Cole Porter still have their songs listened to and enjoyed. Not to mention classical composers like Beethoven and Bach. Are Jackson's songs in the same category? Only time will tell, but I would suggest at least a few of them might well stand the test of time.

Also I'm not sure what Thomas means by Understandable; I've never had any particular difficulty understanding Micheal Jacksons songs.

Tony Bennett is a singer. His songs have a better chance of longevity than Jackson's because they are about love and relationships, which are common to every generation. Bennett and his contemporaries, including Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme and Ella Fitzgerald, are in a league far above the "pop" culture headed at one time by Jackson, whose biggest hit "Thriller" came before the younger generation was born.

Tony Bennet is quite good at interpreting other people's songs, I'll grant you. And a good entertainer. But I'm starting to think that Thomas has never heard a Michael Jackson song if he thinks he doesn't sing about love and relationships.

His larger point is that Celebrities are not good role models; something very few people disagree with in general (although individual Celebrities might be quite worthwhile people. I think his larger point that he never quite gets around to making is something about the transitory nature of our lives and the eternal nature of God, but, like I say, he never articulates it. So maybe I'm just reading into it.

News From the Past - June 29, 1929

I missed this over the weekend but here we go. This is an odd and truncated article from the Modesto News-Herald, dated June 2, but published June 29. Perhaps they just forgot the 9.

Germany's 'Steel Helmets'
Parade In Munich
One Hundred Thousand Veterans Tramp The Streets Of The
Bavarian Capital, Cheered By Countless Thousands That
Line Every Inch Of The March—The Declared Purpose
Of ' Der Stahlhelm' Is To Bring Back
Christianity As Well As A 'Free Germany'
—Beauty And Beer Still The Leading
Characteristics Of Munich

(By CHAS. K. McCLATCHY)
MUNICH, June 2, 1929.—Munich is alike the capital of Beauty and Beer. The Beauty is in her parks, her fountains, her tree-lined streets, her gardens, her statues; but more than all in the wonderful buildings and memorials erected by the so-called mad king, Ludwig II.
He scoured the earth, but principally Greece and Italy, for architects to recreate here in the Bavarian capital some of "the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome."
And he succeeded most admirably.
To-day, Munich is an inspiration in architecture, as she is an instructress in art and music.
Munich's Second Pride And Glory
Beer—the second pride and glory in Munich; or is it the first?— still holds its sway where so long it has reigned.
Breweries galore lower to the heavens, some of them architectural gems.
Nearly everyone has its beer garden attachment, and all are thronged these pleasent nights.
They Still Are O. K.
In correspondence written upon a previous visit to Munich, Yours Truly descanted at considerable
length in various letters upon alike the Beauty and the Beer of the place.
Suffice it to say he now found the beauty just as apparent - and the Beer just as good.
Trees are Beautiful Poems
Munich today is clothed in her garments of green. Everything about her is fresh and clean. Her trees are beautiful poems in the urban landscape.

What's odd about this article, from 1929, is how the extended headline clashes with the story underneath. Unfortunately the remainder of the article was on Page 11 which I am unable to access for less than $10 a month. So perhaps the bit about the helmet wearing veterans who wanted Christianity and a 'Free Germany' was expounded a bit down there.

Then again I might be reading this in the light of what I know is coming up in Germany; I can't really blame Mr. McClatchy for not knowing the future.

The Dog Whistle Approach

Of course for years Democrats have been noting that some Republicans and Conservatives use the Dog Whistle approach on some issues touching racism. Essentially they say things that some of their listeners will understand indicate a concern about the growing power of minorities and the shrinking power of white males, while the rest of the audience won't pick up on it. They can't be overtly racist; but they can signify to racists that they understand where they are coming from. With the rise of Barack Obama some are blowing on their dog whistles more than ever and others have carefully put them away.

Rush Limbaugh falls in the former camp; and has gone so far as to hook his dog whistle up to an air compressor.

My friends, despite what CNN and the rest are telling you, Barack Obama is nothing more than an old school African Colonial who is on his way to turning this country into one of the developing nations that you learn about on the National Geographic Channel," meaning he wants to turn this into a Third World country.

. . . Americans look at Obama, first black president, and they go, "Oh we're shedding some of our guilt here. Look at how enlightened we are, what a great country we are," when in fact we've elected somebody who is more African in his roots than he is American. Loves his father who was a Marxist, and is behaving like an African colonial despot and you can see it in his healthcare legislation, the stimulus bill, taking over automobile companies, the czars that he has that are not accountable to anybody but him and now the climate bill. All of this is about nothing other than the acquisition of power and the ability to further regulate your privacy and behavior.

That's not that far from Rush suggesting that Obama should go back to Africa.

News From the Past - June 26, 1929

This is from the Havre Daily News, from Havre Montana.

CHIVALROUS, BUT
FIRM WARNING TO
ALL BOOTLEGGERS
MEXIA, Tex., June 25. (AP) - Bootleggers of Thornton, a small town near here have a chivalrous but firm warning to
ponder over.
In a paid advertisement in this week's issue of the Thornton Hustler, Nat Hudson, justice of the peace, warns his
"bootlegging friends" that although "I still take a drink" they had better "stay out of our way."
The advertisement:
"Notice and warning: To my bootlegger friends by advice of a friend in one of the departments of justice in Washington. "Beginning with July 1, I am going to make it hard for any man to make or sell home brew or whiskey in precinct number 8.
"Boys, don't let us catch you for we will bind you over to the grand jury with enough evidence to convict you. I'm not on the water wagon. My great grandfather took a drink or two in our war with England. Grandpa had a drink in our war with Mexico. I was more or less drunk in three different armies. I will still take a drink. Boys, stay out of our way, we are your friends but have to do our duty.
Nat Hudson."

I do find it odd that people in Havre Montana were that concerned about interactions between the law and the bootleggers in Texas, two states a fair distance apart.

Also where does Nat Hudson get his alcohol? I mean if he still takes a drink, from who does he take it? Maybe that's his inspiration to go after the bootleggers.

The Joy of Marriage

Cal Thomas's latest article is pretty depressing; it is on fidelity in marriage in reaction to the Governor Sanford situation.

Psychiatrists explain that married people tire of one another after 10 or 20 years (it used to be seven years, as in that Marilyn Monroe/Tom Ewell film "The Seven Year Itch." Must be inflation.). Good marriages are the result of hard work. Forsaking all others is more than a wedding promise. It is a daily denial of one's lower instincts. Temptation is everywhere. The key to overcoming it is to realize you are fighting an adversarial force that wants to destroy you, embarrass you and cause ridicule to be heaped on the God you claim to worship.

So basically you have between seven to ten years of wedded happiness and then you spend the rest of your life fighting against the Devil's temptation? At which point you either succumb or triumph - but even the triumph seems pretty cold.

Pretty depressing view of marriage, but not being married myself I guess I won't comment.

Bill O'Rielly vs. Roger Ebert

Not really a fair fight. Ebert took on O'Rielly a few weeks ago on his blog; and it's well worth reading. That said Ebert does come across as a bit of wanting to live in the past.

The problem is that he weeps for a loss of a moral authority that the news-media once held. Once there was a national media that everybody listened to. But as we have gotten more voices and that moral authority has dissipated, one voice is as good as another. In some ways this is good, and in others it's bad.

News From the Past - June 25, 1929

This is from Waterloo Evening Courier from Waterloo Iowa. June 25 was a Tuesday as it turns out.

Veterans Indorse
Full Conscription
Detroit, Mich., June 25.——Universal conscription, restricted immigration, increased appropriations for civil military training camps and national guard units and adequate national defense were indorsed by the Disabled American Veterans of the World War today. The proposals were contained In a report made by the veterans' legislative committee at the ninth annual convention now in progress here.

I find myself wondering if this could have happened. I mean consider how history would have changed if in 1929 we had adopted universal conscription. It probably wasn't really a possibility even then, but it is interesting to consider.

Respecting other Religions

Ken Blackwell's latest article takes Obama to task for a certain phraseology he used in his recent speech in Cairo, where he said "So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed."

The liberal press may have been too deep in its collective salaam before Obama, their Expected One, to notice the critically important turn of phrase Obama employed in Cairo. He did not say the Middle East was the region where Islam began. No, he would say nothing so pedestrian as that. Nor did he say that it was there, in the shadow of the pyramids where millions first received their inspiration from the man they revere as the prophet of God. Nothing so poetic.

No, what he said was he was now visiting the region “where Islam was first revealed.” Could an informed Christian say that? Christians believe that Jesus Christ is “the alpa and the omega,” that Jesus is Lord. If you say that Islam was revealed, you are saying that Jesus is not Lord, that there was someone or something necessary to complete what Jesus failed to complete. And that something is Islam.

I think that Blackwell is reading too much into Obama's words. Obama was clearly crafting his speech to be palatable to his audience; approaching it with an attitude of Christian Dominionism would not have played. And of course it goes without saying that many Republicans believe that all Democratic/Liberal Christianity is suspect; one cannot be true to Jesus without being Republican/Conservative.

That said it does raise an interesting question; what does religious respect require? In this case, I'd say, it requires quite a bit. Obama was not speaking for himself but for America; he has a duty to represent us well. And whatever Blackwell's or Obama's position on Islam, America does not have and should not have a set position on the truth or falseness of any particular Religion.

News from the Past - June 24, 1929

An odd one today - well the article is rather pedestrian - from The Bee, published in Danville, Virginia, Monday June 24, 1929.

"Kid"Lilly Is
Now Accused
of New Murder
No further trace has been found in this section of "Kid" Lilly, negro desperado who escaped last week while being taken to Chatham in a bus. Despite the alertness of people in the Ingram section where he made his getaway no trace of him has been found Sheriff Murphy has deputized several people to act in the event the negro is found but all have been warned that if the negro is still there and has parted the handcuffs and secured a gun it will be a question of who shoots first.
At the present time there is reason to believe that 'Kid' Lilly long since vacated this section in fact the police at Alexandria where he was captured for Chatham authorities believe he is responsible for shooting and killing Detective Charles McClearly In that city last Thursday night.
The police detective followed the negro and accosted him. to question him when he was shot. Several people saw the murder and are positive the gunman was a negro. Of particular importance is the fact that the Alexandria police were "tipped" that Lilly had been seen in Alexandria two hours before the shooting and the fact that McCleary was the officer who arrested Lilly about two weeks ago for the Chatham authorities having some trouble with him at that time.

That last sentence I find baffling; McCleary arrested "Kid" Lilly because the Catham authorities were having trouble with him? But then it occurs to me that he might just have been "uppity."

Compare and Contrast

Or putting the lie to Conservative Talking Points.

"First, I’d like to say a few words about the situation in Iran. The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days. I strongly condemn these unjust actions, and I join with the American people in mourning each and every innocent life that is lost.

“I have made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and is not at all interfering in Iran’s affairs. But we must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the Iranian people, and to a remarkable opening within Iranian society. And we deplore violence against innocent civilians anywhere that it takes place.

President Barack Obama, June 23, 2009.

There’s never been a better time to be an enemy of the United States of America. Whether you’re a trained jihadist in US custody, a diminutive cult leader starving his own people while developing nukes, or part of a ruthless regime that murders dissidents in broad daylight, you can rest assured that the United States government is unlikely to act—or perhaps even speak—in a manner likely to disrupt your daily routine. While invoking “our values,” hailing the importance of American humility, and rejecting the “failed policies of the past,” the current administration is projecting a dangerous image to the world. This approach may be extolled as cautious pragmatism on the Beltway cocktail party circuit, but it’s most assuredly perceived as something entirely different by America’s current and emerging adversaries around the globe: Weakness.

Guy Benson, "Radicalism, Rewarded," June 24, 2009

Since events in Iran started taking an ugly turn Republicans and Conservatives have said, again and again, why doesn't the President strongly condemn what's going on there. Then they would regularly say something like we don't mean invade, we just mean condemnation. Now that was always not entirely true; of course they want us to invade Iran. If we, as a nation, make a strong statement in favor of those protesting the presumably stolen election, don't they also expect us to follow up that with action? And of course Guy Benson kind of underlines it; Obama's failure to engage Tehran militarily is, in Republican's eyes, weakness.

There's a phrase about what everything looks like when you have a hammer; fortunately the conservatives don't have the hammer for now.

News from the Past - June 23, 1929

This is from the Daily News Record of Miami, Oklahoma.

First Complaint of
Smoking in Plane
Received in West
OAKLAND, Cal, June 22— (UP) the first complaint against smoking on air liners has been made to the Boeing Transport system.
A Stockton man, leaving his signature off tho letter, wrote he was celebrating his seventy-eigth birthday with a ride over the Sierra Nevada mountains but that women smokers spoiled some of his fun.
It didn't look right, he said, and the company shouldn't tempt its passengers by putting ash trays near each seat of the airplane.

Not much to say about this one except I doubt those were literally the first complaints.

Mike S. Adams is Lazy Lazy Lazy

Mike S. Adams, poor tormented Mike S. Adams, has apparently been driven lazy by the persecution he's suffered from people like me. How else are we to explain his last two articles, which are carbon copies of each other.

Gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered students (GILBERTS) need to pay especially close attention.

First of all, GILBERTS will not be allowed to mention their status as gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, or trans-gendered. A few semesters ago, a gay student in one of my classes said – right in the middle of class, mind you – “I’m gay.” It offended me when he said that. That is why I am banning such statements for the duration of the semester. The simple awareness of the presence of gays in my classes offends me. No other reason need be offered. Just shut up and comply with the rule.

Get Back in the Closet

Feminist students need to pay especially close attention.

First of all, feminists will not be allowed to mention their status as feminists. A few semesters ago, a feminist student in one of my classes said – right in the middle of class, mind you – “I’m a feminist.” It offended me when she said that. That is why I am banning such statements for the duration of the semester. The simple awareness of the presence of feminists in my classes offends me. No other reason need be offered. Just shut up and comply with the rule.

Get back in the Kitchen

Poor Mr. Adams. Of course, he points out later in his article that these points of view are simply satire, based on something that happened to him (when he apparently noted that he was a Christian and was persecuted for it). So he personally would never harass gays or feminists (despite in the latter case at least writing dozens of articles attacking them).

News From the Past - June 22, 1929

Today's article is from the Piqua Daily Call, from Piqua Ohio.

COLLEGE PRESIDENT
CONDEMNS KILLINGS
Dry Activities Frowned
Upon — Says Bible
Does Not Forbid
Wine, Beer.
River Forest, Ill.; June 22, (UP)—Pointing out that the Bible does not forbid moderate use of beer and wines, Dr. W, C. Kohn, president of the Rivercrest Concordia College condemned the "criminal practice of prohibition officers in shooting down innocent citizens." In an address before the Missouri synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Chruch in session here.
"We do not believe in the principles that underlie the Volstead law," Dr. Kohn told the delegates "The Bible does not forbid moderate use of beer and wines. Why should a government or an individual do so? That is a personal matter.

Sort of an counter point to the article on the bootleggers a couple of days ago. I do find Kohn's rhetoric a bit overblown - the police were shooting gangsters not regular citizens. And the title is a bit odd; although I suppose we should all be opposed to killings.

An Odd Article

Apparently last week Congress issued a formal apology for Slavery. Allen Hunt, in his latest article, applauds the move, but feels it was lacking. What was it lacking?

Unfortunately, the Senate's apology leaves out the crucial component of a healthy apology. That component is not reparations. The missing component is far more important because it alone can bring the reconciliation we all yearn for and desire. The missing component? The transfer of power in the vulnerable words: “Please forgive me.”

. . . However, the Congress apologizes but never explicitly asks for forgiveness. To ask for forgiveness provides the one receiving the apology to offer reconciliation. A transfer of power takes place – from the offender to the wounded. It takes two to reconcile. An apology only begins the conversation. True acceptance of the apology brings reconciliation. One party can apologize, but the other party must receive and agree to release the pain and the hurt in order for all to be healthy.

I'm not sure what to make of this; except to observe that while it does transfer power it also transfers responsibility. If Congress had asked Blacks to forgive the United States, it would then be up to Blacks to forgive before we could move forward. It seems like we could then blame Blacks for racial tensions in America.

Yeah, I'm not sure I buy that. On the other hands his readers are furious at him for suggesting they have anything to apologize for. I guess you can't win for losing some days.

News from the Past - June 21, 1929

This one is somewhat goofy; it's from the The Daily Northwestern out of Oshkosh Wisconsin.

ROB FILLING STATION
Milwaukee - (AP) - Two men drove up to a filling station on fifteenth street last night
"Just how would you like to be robbed?" they asked the attendant Dan Allen.
Allen, a normal individual, said his only preference was not to be robbed in any manner or fashion.
But the bandits also had their preferences. They forced Allen to open a cash register and hand over the contents.

First of all that title reads like an instruction, not a description.

Secondly I find myself wondering why the AP reporter took the time to underline that Allen was a normal individual. I guess because of his question, which does seem sarcastic.

Thirdly, how many different fashions are their to rob a person?

News from the Past - June 20, 1929

Sorry to be posting this so late in the day - from the Constitution-Tribune of Chillicothe Missouri, apparently a fairly liberal paper.

FINED FOR SUNDAY MOVIES
But Independence Theatre
Will Appeal From Sentence
Independence Mo, June 20. — (U.P.)-In tho fight to set aside the 20- year-old Sunday showing ordinance, Sunday shows lost the first round here today. W.T. Boles, theater manager, was fined $50 and post by E. N. Parton, police judge, for operating the theater last Sunday.
The case will be appealed to the circuit court. Boles has announced he will keep his theater open again next Sunday.

Interesting to consider what was a big story in 1929 is nothing these days.

I-Pod Ten

1. Insignificance (Live) - Pearl Jam
2. I Can't See Your Face in my Mind - The Doors
3. I am in Love with You - Imogen Heap
4. Words I Must Say (Demo) - Buffalo Springfield
5. These Days - Joy Division
6. Somewhere They Can't Find Me - Simon and Garfunkle
7. Bankrobber - The Clash
8. Sheltered Life - Erlende Oye
9. The Shoes of the Fisherman's Wife are some Jive Ass Slippers - Charles Mingus
10. Think for a Minute - The Housemartins

Tianamen vs. Iran

Just for your consideration, a writer over at Salon writes comparing the events in Tiananmen square with what is going on Iran right now, with depressing results.

. . . we thought the same thing before the tanks rolled in in 1989. And then we realized that a mass movement melts away when the rulers are determined to open fire. And whether your weapon of choice is a fax machine or a re-tweet, there's not a whole lot you can do.

I don't think the two situations are parallel but I agree that the current regime in Iran isn't likely to go quietly.

News From the Past - June 19, 1929

This isn't as funny but it is kind of exciting.

Smugglers Open Fire on Customs
Boat in Detroit River Then
Retreat lnto Canada
Windsor, Ontario, June 19. (AP) After a swift moving revolver battle in Detroit river today rum runners of the East Windsor sector retreated into Canadian waters after shooting a hole in tho prow of a United States customs patrol cutter. There were no known casualties.
The rum runners deliberately opened fire without notice on the American boat, Walter B, Petty, acting collector of customs at Detroit, said. His men returned the volleys and chased the intruders back to the Canadian shore.
The battle started, Petty said, when the rum craft was about 100 feet off the foot of Joseph Campau avenue Detroit. The border patrol was gliding down stream and was about 50 feet from the runner when its crew of several men blazed away suddenly with revolvers, the bullets drumming against the government boat and blasting a hole above its water line.
"Our men returned the fire promptly," Pretty added. "The rum runners swung about and retreated toward Canada, maintaining a heavy fire at our boat;"
Petty charges that the firing from the rum boat continued long after it had reached Canadian waters The customs boat abandoned the chase at the International line.

I do find myself wondering what our relationship with Canada was back than? I mean these rum runners get into Canadian waters but feel free to just continue blazing away? Wouldn't Canada want to put a stop to that?

But then again maybe there weren't any Canucks around.

The Freedom to Fail

Lot of crap articles over at Townhall, mostly decrying President Obama for failing to attack the the Iranian leadership forcefully enough. What's hilarious is how regularly these articles deny the need to get militarily involved while setting up situations that will almost certainly get us involved militarily. I mean really, if Obama says to Tahran "Stop persecuting those protesters." And the Iranian government says "Nope," that our friends on the right are going to shrug and say "Well that's that." No, these articles strike me as attempting to build the foundation for a war with Iran.

But enough of that; lets move on to Jonah Goldberg's latest, in which he decries Big Business's willingness to get into bed with liberals.

While doctrinaire socialists might feel betrayed by liberalism's cozy embrace of big business, their betrayal pales in comparison to the bitterness of free-marketers who defend big business's freedom to operate, only to see these businesses use that freedom to hide behind the skirts of the nanny state. Real freedom means the freedom to fail as well as succeed. Big business wants to be protected from the former and deny competitors the latter. And their betrayal, more than anything, disheartens those who would defend both freedoms.

I agree with him to a certain extent. But it is odd that he is suggesting that Big Business should act according to some moral code in this particular area. Free marketers generally defend Big Business's core principal which is make money for the stockholders. If a company can make more money for their stockholders by hurting the environment or mistreating their workers, than that is the fiduciary duty.

Not to mention the longstanding complaint that CEOs are regularly shielded from their own mistakes; they negotiate such protections before taking the job. Presumably Goldberg is ok with that practice.

So it is odd that in this one particular area, Goldberg feels that Big Business should place principal above their stockholders. But I suppose harming capitalism is far worse than harming the environment or harming their workers.

News From the Past - June 18, 1929

This is from the Albuquerque Journal, which proudly proclaims itself New Mexico's leading paper. Not going to argue there. It also its home owned and home operated. June 18th 1929 was a Tuesday, incidentally, which perhaps explains this amusing story.

READ
TOO FAR
IN HIS BOOK;
WENT TO JAIL
Man Who Shows "Personal
Magnetism" by Walking
Los Angeles Streets in
Nude, Thinks It Over

LOS ANGELES, June 17 (UP). Wine tonic and the overpowering urge to radiate personal magnetism proved the undoing of Daniel Kovich, 36, here Monday when, unclothed, he tripped merrily down Washington boulevard. Kovich was reading "Instantaneous personal magnetism" and sipping the heavily laden tonic when the urge for self expression became so great. He slid from his room, through the hotel lobby, and out into the busy street.
"Ah, I am full of personal magnetism," Kovich, who is a painter, breathed. "No longer am I submerged in the crowd."
He even attracted the law, and after he had progressed about ten blocks, a burly policeman commandeered an automobile and took his unblushing charge to a police hospital for observation.
"I over did it," the student sighed. "I should have stopped at the third chapter."

So many jokes.

1. I guess chapter four was the one that suggested walking around naked.

2. I wouldn't mind having instantaneous personal magnetism, but if I did I hope I wouldn't feel the urge to say "I am full of personal magnetism."

3. I wonder what the tonic was laden with?

4. Yeah if I walked down the street naked, I suspect I would no longer be submerged in the crowd either. I think people would prefer to stand a good 10 to 15 yards away.

How to Understand Liberals

Or, more accurately, how to demonize people you disagree with. Today's example comes from Laura Hollis's latest article which seems awkwardly formatted.

Liberals profess to “love” all kinds of things: whales, polar bears, snail darters, the planet. Strangely, few of them are human. Or anything that makes humans’ lives better. What seems to drive most liberals is hatred and a need for control. What they control, they destroy. And there are few things they hate as much as American business.

Just let me point out, the planet does actually make humans lives better - without it where would we stand?

Of course one could argue that whales, polar bears, and snail darters also make life better for humans, but I'm guessing that Hollis doesn't see it that way.

At any rate it's a pretty lazy article, basically collecting stereotypes about liberals, the sorts of things Limbaugh and others have been repeating for decades. The best you can say for her is that she seems to believe what she's saying.

News From the Past - June 17, 1929

If I were giving these catch titles I would call this one "Non-Specific News."

ACCIDENTS RESULT
IN MANY DEATHS

CHICAGO, June 17 - Ten Per-person were dead today in the Chicago area as a result of automobile accidents. Eight persons were reported dying.

INDIANAPOLIS Ind. June 17 - At least four persons were killed and a dozen were injured in accidents over the weekend in Indiana. Practically all of them were the victims of automobile accidents.

The Ten Per Persons bit was probably an error on the type-setters fault. These stories are from the Logansport Pharos-Tribune. Well they are two stories with one headline. A generic one.

Lord Almighty

It's hard to know exactly what to say about this; presumably the makers of conservative shirts believe that a significant portion of their audience is eager to wear a shirt that proclaims their willingness, even eagerness, to simulate drowning in order to torture. Leaving aside the question of the potential innocence of some of these victims of torture, should we, as a nation or even a portion of a nation, be so gleeful about our torture of guilty suspects? Or what does that say about the people willing to buy these shirts?

I think the model there kind of gets it; there's something really sad and blank about her. Like she knows she's selling something ugly and is trying very hard not to think about it. Certainly some of the models this company uses seem much happier than she is.

Two points of view

Take a look at the Drudge Report, folks. Go to the front page, just the front page and you'll find a picture of one of the four Chinese Uighurs transferred from Guantanamo Bay to Bermuda swimming in the ocean. And there are stories accompanying these pictures saying that the Uighurs now have totally changed their mind about the United States. Now, Bermuda is British, and the UK was not informed that these four Uighurs -- these are Chinese Al-Qaedas, essentially -- were going to be in Bermuda. . . . The only thing missing is the pina coladas 'cause I know Uighurs don't consume alcohol. Well, they could be virgin coladas. They don't consume alcohol.

Rush Limbaugh

Refugees from Chinese communism, these Uighur men were swept up by US forces in 2001. They were sent to Guantanamo. But they were not terrorists and not our enemies. The military soon realized its mistake and quietly tried to resettle them abroad. The efforts failed: No one wanted to brook the Chinese for the sake of a few dissidents whom the United States would not accept itself.

Years later, after the Uighurs' plight emerged in court, the Bush administration formally admitted they were not enemies. A judge ordered their release.

. . . And so the Uighurs, cleared in every imaginable way, were stranded at the prison.

Bermudian Premier Ewart Brown saw the humanitarian crisis that lay beneath the politics. He offered to accept four of them into the island's guest worker program. At 3 a.m. on June 11, I watched on the Guantanamo airstrip as four innocent men were unshackled for the last time. They climbed aboard a charter aircraft. And when the sun rose, they stepped down to free soil in Bermuda, smiling broadly.

Sabin Willit

Maybe Rush Limbaugh isn't up on the facts of the case? But why should he be? Why waste precious seconds on Chinese al-Qaeda (even if they are totally innocent)? People accused of being Chinese al-Qaeda deserve no rights, even if they are completely innocent of those accusations.

Or that seems to be the way Limbaugh thinks. For a more rational view, read Sabin Willit's article, and see that Limbaugh isn't alone in his assessment of these innocent men.

News From the Past - June 16, 1929

This story appeared in the Miami Daily News Reporter, Sunday June 16, 1929, although it's dated June 15th. Weekends, what are you going to do?

80 Year Old War Veteran Hikes Miles for Pension
Joplin Mo. June 15.
—An 80 year old Civil War Veteran, stooped of shoulder and silver haired, trudged slowly through Joplin today, homeward bound to Dodge City, Kas., from Siloam Springs, Ark. where ha had walked to arrange an application for a pension. He is U. S. Sawyer.
Several weeks ago Sawyer started afoot from Dodge City, walking many dusty miles before reaching his destination. There the pension papers were arranged and now he is walking back to Dodge City.
Sawyer has refused many "lifts."
"I don't need to ride," he said. "I can make it all right so long as 1 take my time. 1 don't like to accept lifts anyway. People might think 1 was a bum. I'll be home in a little while."

Honestly, I find this story somewhat affecting, particularly that last line.

What Conservatives could do to get me to take them more Seriously

I am reading Michael Barone's latest article, in which he takes Obama to task for changing the way we fight the War on Terror.

The other problem is what I call the sloppy over-generosity of the American people. Except when aroused and alert, we have a tendency to be fat, dumb and happy, and to want to spread that happiness around. So, hey, let's give these detainees more rights than they're entitled to under the Geneva Conventions. It'll make us feel generous, and maybe it will make them like us.

OK come on, Barone. Do you really believe that Liberals support giving rights to suspected terrorists because then they will like us? One thing Conservatives could do to earn my respect is deal with what our arguments actually are.

That wasn't my main point though - my main point is I would love to see someone like Barone or Limbaugh deal with the reality of Khaled el-Masri (who Glenn Greenwald mentioned the other day) or others in a similar situation.

From the start, the rendition team suspected that his case was one of mistaken identity. But the C.I.A. officer in charge at Langley—the agency asked that the officer’s name be withheld—insisted that Masri be further interrogated. “She just looked in her crystal ball and it said that he was bad,” a colleague recalls. Masri says that he was chained in a freezing cell with no bed, and given water so putrid that he could smell it across the room. He was threatened and stripped, and could hear other detainees crying all around him. After several weeks, the C.I.A. officer in charge learned that Masri’s German passport was not a forgery, as was originally suspected, and that he was not the terror suspect the agency thought he was. (The names were similar.) Even so, the officer in charge refused to release him.

Eventually, Masri went on a hunger strike, losing sixty pounds. Skeptics in the agency went directly over the officer’s head to Tenet, who realized that his agency had been brutalizing an innocent man. Masri was released after a hundred and forty-nine days. But the officer in charge was not disciplined; in fact, a former colleague says, “she’s been promoted—twice.” Masri, meanwhile, has been unable to sue the U.S. government for either an apology or damages, because the courts consider the very existence of rendition a state secret—a position that the Obama Justice Department has so far supported.

El-Masri's situation is unfortunately not unique. One of the reasons to insist on actually gathering evidence against the people we imprison and having that evidence reviewed by people with some distance is to ensure that we aren't torturing or tormenting COMPLETELY INNOCENT PEOPLE!

But I do not recall Barone ever talking about the possibility of error. Let's be honest I got a problem with torturing guilty people, but I'd like to think we are all opposed to tormenting guys like Masri. I suppose saying that, though, would weaken Barone's position.

To Hell With Burt Prelutsky

For being a filthy liar. In his latest article he takes up the often and thoroughly debunked canard that President Obama is not actually eligible to be President of the United States.

We elect a new president who, for all we know, doesn’t even meet the few Constitutional qualifications of the office.

Seriously - anybody who repeats this canard, even if they wrap it around "for all we know" is a jackass. This has been reviewed and reviewed and reviewed and yet we still don't know enough to definitively say that Obama was born in the US?

It says more about Burt Prelutsky than it does about President Obama

News From the Past - June 15, 1929

The first in an ongoing look back at the news of the past, this one from the The Bismark Tribune, Saturday June 15, 1929, from Bismark North Dakota.

University Couple
Marry in Airplane
Grand Forks, N. D., June 15. Happy marriages, they say, are made in heaven, and that, naively explained Mr. and Mrs. Virgil E. Knight today is one of the many reasons why they are happy today.
For they were wed in the skies yesterday; married in an airplane soaring hundreds of feet above the noise of traffic in the town below.
The bridal couple, both students at the University of North Dakota, Leora Ellen Oliver. Grand Forks, and Virgil E. Knight, Flaxton, took off Orville Shupe. Miss Borchild Olsen of Fargo, was maid of honor, and Orville Shupe of Minot, pilot of the Plane, acted as best man. The marriage ceremony was read by the Rev. G. W. Ford, Crookston, Minn.

It's interesting that Ms. Borchild Olsen actually is the maid of honor while Orville Shupe is only acting as the best man. Maybe Virgil didn't have a lot of friends? But that had to be a bit of a blow to Orville - "You can act as the best man, I guess, but don't go thinking you are one?" Or possibly the actual best man was afraid of heights? So many mysteries.

Ending Radio Silence

I was on the road two weeks ago and quite busy last week; but I am rededicating myself to this blog. For the next few minutes anyway.

It turns out President Obama wants us to all accept Islam; it was in his Cairo Speech.

Bruce Bialosky's latest article declares that he will happily accept Islam once they change completely (in his mind). He decries all the bad things Islam has done (i.e. mistreating women and gays, being enemies with Israel, pretending to care about the Palestinian cause (he presents a particularly fictional version of history). He concludes with a nice statement about Islam.

Mr. Obama, it is nice that you want us to accept Islam, but would you have asked us to accept Nazism or Communism with their mass murders and mistreatment of people? I suggest you remember we did not elect you to be Brown-Noser-in-Chief or Apologist-in-Chief; we elected you as Commander-in-Chief. I respectfully suggest you start acting like it because these apologies to mass murderers and intolerant sons-of-bitches are really getting tiresome.

Yeah; well kind of non-sensical; I suspect Bialosky didn't read Obama's speech, but he doesn't need to I suppose. Any speech that deals with Muslims or Arabs as human beings isn't going to be very popular with him. Bialosky and others who believe in the "Muslim Menace" don't seem to see peace with the Islamic world as likely until we have thoroughly conquered it.

For a rational alternative let's turn back to President Bush's Cairo speech.

In Ankara, I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.

The situation in Afghanistan demonstrates America's goals, and our need to work together. Over seven years ago, the United States pursued al Qaeda and the Taliban with broad international support. We did not go by choice, we went because of necessity. I am aware that some question or justify the events of 9/11. But let us be clear: al Qaeda killed nearly 3,000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet Al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people, claimed credit for the attack, and even now states their determination to kill on a massive scale. They have affiliates in many countries and are trying to expand their reach. These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.

Make no mistake: we do not want to keep our troops in Afghanistan. We seek no military bases there. It is agonizing for America to lose our young men and women. It is costly and politically difficult to continue this conflict. We would gladly bring every single one of our troops home if we could be confident that there were not violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan determined to kill as many Americans as they possibly can. But that is not yet the case.

That's why we're partnering with a coalition of forty-six countries. And despite the costs involved, America's commitment will not weaken. Indeed, none of us should tolerate these extremists. They have killed in many countries. They have killed people of different faiths – more than any other, they have killed Muslims. Their actions are irreconcilable with the rights of human beings, the progress of nations, and with Islam. The Holy Koran teaches that whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind; and whoever saves a person, it is as if he has saved all mankind. The enduring faith of over a billion people is so much bigger than the narrow hatred of a few. Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism – it is an important part of promoting peace.

Good quote from Sonia Sotomayor

However, to understand takes time and effort, something that not all people are willing to give. For others, their experiences limit their ability to understand the experiences of others. Other simply do not care.

This is from a speech Sotomayor gave in 2002, one which is giving her a bit of grief, as a quote from it is taken out of context.

I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.

Within context it is still a bit overstated, although the meaning is clear; there is some value to having minorities and women serving on the bench; they bring something that their white male counterparts don't have. You might disagree with that, particularly if you believe that the law is always clear and easy to interpret.

At any rate, I advise reading the speech as a whole.

The Childish Conservatives

The nomination of Sonia Sotomayer has really brought out the childish side of Conservatives, as they try to pretend something that just manifestly isn't true. Take David Limbaugh's latest article.

Obama said a Supreme Court nominee's two most important qualities are her rigorous intellect and mastery of the law and her recognition of the limits of the judicial role -- that a judge's job is to interpret law, not to make it.

Then came the "but," the exception that imperceptibly swallowed the rule. He quoted former Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes as saying, "The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience." In other words: "Forget what I just said about how judges should interpret, not make, the law. I want my judges to have empathy. And don't tell anyone, but when I say 'empathy,' that's code for bending the law to achieve the results I want based on the selective empathy I have for certain victimized groups."

Or Thomas Sowell's latest article.

"Empathy" for particular groups can be reconciled with "equal justice under law"-- the motto over the entrance to the Supreme Court-- only with smooth words. But not in reality.

Here's the childishness; the assessment that the law has basically one honest interpretation. When a judge rules, there is one right answer, clearly stated in the laws. If Sotomayer fails to apply the clearly self evident law, because of empathy or reverse racism or anything, she is unfit to serve. Conveniently the law, if properly applied, is always conservative.

But of course that is childish. If the law were so self evident, as Anonymous Liberal points out, well, Courts of Appeal and Supreme Courts wouldn't really be necessary.

But in Simplistic Republican World, none of this actually happens. Good conservative judges don't "make policy," they simply enforce the law. The law is apparently always clear. Indeed it's a wonder that lawyers even bother to appeal cases in the Fourth Circuit. After all, they should know that the conservative jurists in that circuit will simply "enforce the law" (because they wouldn't dream of "making policy"), so the outcome should be very predictable.

And, finally, it goes without saying that it wouldn't matter who Obama put up, they were always going to be the most liberal person ever nominated to the supreme court.

More on Liberals Vs. Conservatives

I meant to publish that Adams piece yesterday by the way.

Anyway today's analysis of Liberals comes from John Hawkins who is somewhat less nuanced than Adams.

Liberals love to think of themselves as sophisticated, nuanced intellectuals, but the truth is they have a kindergartner’s view of the world. If it has been defined as "nice" to people they like, they're for it. If it has been defined as "mean" to people they like, they’re against it -- and that is about as deep as it gets.

Hilarious. Untrue, but hilarious.

I will note that he echoes Adams from yesterday on one point.

There is no dream more eternal in the liberal heart than completely remaking human nature. If we could all just care about the person across the world as much as we do our families, we could live in a utopia! Unfortunately, in practice, human nature tends to be quite a bit more difficult to subvert than in the liberal imagination. That's why, despite more than 5,000 years of human civilization, very little progress has been made in this area – but, oh, the Left is still trying.

I like the phrase remaking human nature - it kind of puts a creepy mind control spin on the idea people react to their environments. If people live in a crummy environment that they see little hope of getting out of, they will turn to almost anything that promises a way out or at least some dignity. If we can make people's environments less miserable and hopeless, the Osama Bin Ladin's of the world will not be quite so persuasive.

But wait, it turns out that thanks to conservatisms more accurate view of human nature, terrorists would be come terrorists no matter what, because they are just evil inside. So trying to make the world less crummy is a waste of time. Yeah, that's the more adult way of looking at things.

It's Human Nature

Mike S. Adams takes a break from complaining about how hard it is to be a conservative on campus to write about the differences between liberals and conservatives. He does correctly state that we see human nature differently.

The conservative sees man as born in a broken state. This tragic view of human nature sees man as selfish and hedonistic by design. Given his nature, it is no wonder a man chooses crime. It is a wonder he ever chooses conformity.

. . . the liberal sees things differently. Everyone is born “good” with a blank slate. To the extent that people become “bad” it is because “society” corrupted them. Nowhere does the liberal explain how combining many good people makes a bad society.

Fair enough as far as it goes; except that Adams misses a key factor in his analysis; Liberals see humans as changeable. If a human is mistreated or abused he might turn more towards extreme or evil ways of expressing himself. If a human is treated with respect or kindness he might turn more positive or good.

For Conservatives, it seems, the only salvation is that offered by Christianity; only Christ can purify a heart to make it good. Hence there's no point to trying to clean up slums and help poor inner city kids get into college. Unless they have been cleansed by Christ, such efforts accomplish nothing other than giving an already wicked and corrupt person more tools to pursue his wickedness and corruption.

Now when it comes to ultimate salvation, Christian Conservatives might be right. But when it comes to the here and now, they couldn't be more wrong or destructive in their beliefs. Because the assumption that bad people can't change leads to, as mentioned above, no reason to make life better for those struggling (of course when you combine it with the theory that those who are wealthy must have earned deserved their wealth and those who are poor are condemned by God or their own laziness, than you have twice the reason not to care about the poor).

Beyond that he specifically notes that Conservatives believe diplomacy to be a stupid waste of time. People who are our enemies are going to stay our enemies until we crush them (some how defeating our enemies and conquering their countries will make them our buddies).

At any rate it's not hard headed and rational to assume that humans cannot change; it's childish. The only constant in human nature is change. That change can be for better or worse, but it's only logical to figure out ways to encourage positive change.

Should we be Civil to One Another?

Yes! No! Maybe!

Just read Michael Gerson's latest article at Townhall in which he says that liberals in particular should be nicer to conservatives.

America doesn't need another scolding lecture on the importance of civility. Well, apparently it does. So here goes.

Well, only if you are really sure.

This is in relation to Wanda Sykes appearance at the White House Correspondents dinner. Frankly she had some funny bits, but the bit about Rush Limbaugh isn't funny. Or it's funny in the same way that Ann Coulter is funny; if you already hate the person she's talking about, it seems pretty plausible.

Once again it seems necessary to point out that Wanda Sykes isn't setting policy and has little power within the Democratic party - contrast to Rush Limbaugh who apparently does have considerable influence on his fellow conservatoids.

Find myself a City to live in

Having a hard time plowing through conservatoid writing today, so thought I would point you to this interesting article at Commondreams about redesigning our cities. The author has some alarmism in it, as most environmental articles do, but the basic ideas are really interesting.

Mordently funny

It's humorous to read Ben Shapiro's latest article in which he warns that attempts to shame critics of the Obama Administration are an early warning sign of Nazism or Leninism. Of course such attempts are far more unorganized and sporadic than they were under President Bush, attempts with Shapiro happily supported. Such as these lines from an article in 2006.

Americans may be unhappy with Republicans, but Republicans must make clear that the alternative is a country run by those who consistently side with enemies of the American people.

It is fairly simple though - to conservatives like Shapiro the conservative point of view is worth defending and the liberal viewpoint is to be stamped out if possible. So freedom of speech is great when a conservative is talking. When a liberal is talking? Well, it's at best a necessary evil.

There's No More Magic

So what makes absinthe absinthe? Essentially it is a neutral spirit infused with myriad herbs and botanicals, centering around anise, fennel and a specific type of wormwood, Artemisia absinthium, from which absinthe takes its name. This wormwood contains small amounts of thujone, a compound once thought to affect the mind. It’s understood now that hallucinations and other health issues attributed to overindulging in absinthe were more a result of alcohol poisoning due to the high alcohol content, typically 50 to 70 percent.

So much for the green fairy - this depressing news from the New York Times.

What is Conservatism?

I suppose after doing this blog for so long I should know the answer, but Conservatives keep confusing me. The latest is John Hawkins who encourages Republicans to take up the banner of "No" proudly.

The GOP has spent eight years fudging the differences between the Republican and Democrat parties. In large part, that's why the American people tossed the Republican Party out on its collective behind: given a choice between Democrats and Democrat-lite, they chose the real thing.

Now, after being referred to as "The Party of No," the GOP should embrace that label instead of running from it. Yes, we have plenty of solutions, but before they can be implemented, Barack Obama has to be stopped -- he has to fail. Wanting Barack Obama to fail is like wanting someone who's trying to beat your child to death with a shovel to fail. You want him to fail because you love your child and we want Barack Obama to fail because we love this country.

Pretty grim language there, incidentally. Obama's governance is like beating a child with a shovel? Yeah that might be beyond the pale.

But what I find baffling is the theory that Republicans haven't been conservative enough. I kind of get where they are coming from on the budget; Republicans spent money pretty good in their years. But then the very first issue Hawkins brings up for Republicans to say no to is the closing of Gitmo - aren't Republicans the party of Gitmo?

At any rate, with Cheney, Limbaugh, and articles like these, we have no shortage of conservatives encouraging Republicans to go all out on principles.

We're Doomed

According to Doug Giles, in his latest article, the ancient prophets of the Old Testament were like "Rush, Beck, Coulter, Miller or O’Reilly on steroids."

I think I just lost my religion.

He also says that we are pretty much screwed.

I’m guessin’ God hasn’t had an extreme makeover and that He is the same yesterday, today and forever, which could mean in our current culture—where evil is good and good is evil—that we might be in line for grave negative sanctions because, apparently, America’s new favorite pastime is whizzing on that which is holy, just and good.

Our new favorite pastime is whizzing on that which his holy just and good? Oh I see, kind of like comparing Old Testament prophets to Ann Coulter - yeah I guess that would get under God's skin.

It's possible that Doug Giles isn't really a theologian you should trust.

Sex Doesn't Sell

At least when it comes to computer games, according to an article at the Guardian. The article reviews the history of sexy video games, and notes that oddly, a number of games that feature prominent breasts (or boobies if you will), don't sell quite as well as you would expect them too.

Far from the porn-crazed sex ghouls they're frequently portrayed as, male videogame players appear to be developing quite a potent resistance to exploitative, sex-based marketing practices.

I think the key question is not whether or not a game is sexy or not but whether or not a game is fun or not. If a game is fun, well, the design sense, whether fun and light, heavy and dark, or, well, overly sexualized is icing on the cake. If the game is not fun, well, all the breasts in the world (which I calculate to be 6,722 million) won't make it fun.

What he said

Call me an alarmist, but we are witnessing the beginning of the most frightening period of government tyranny in our nation's history.

OK, you're an alarmist.

This is from David Limbaugh's latest article, in which he reviews Obama's mythical hatred of capitalism. To conservatives of Limbaugh's stripe, Capitalism is like virginity; the moment it is compromised through regulation or taxation, it is gone. It begs the question of whether or not we've had capitalism since the 1800s, but I gather they would say that we have had, at best, an incomplete capitalism since then.

All over the Map

David Limbaugh's latest article reads almost like a stream of consciousness. He starts out explaining that America is still, all signs to the contrary, a conservative nation. In order to win the Republicans need to be more Conservative. Fair enough, if a bit dependent on what I like to call "wishful thinking."

Limbaugh then moves to attack Obama in the standard way; familiar if you were around in the Clinton Era. Obama is a super liberal but pretends to be a moderate.

Obama tells us he's a disciple of capitalism while he gobbles up big chunks of the private sector and refuses to allow them out from under his government thumb when they try to refund their TARP money. He declares an end to earmarks as he signs a bill bloated with almost 9,000 of them. He boasts of his fiscal responsibility as he schemes to quadruple the deficit.

Yeah that's pretty familiar. But don't worry, Limbaugh sees hope on the horizon in the battle over the Supreme Court. After they trash the character of any candidate for the Supreme Court Obama puts up, well, they can paint Obama as a crazy liberal for having put him up in the first place.

We'll have to see how that works.

Obama's First Justice

Well Conservatives have already started working on Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court - a nomination he hasn't made yet, but one they know will be just awful. Carol Platt Liebau decries the possibility of Obama picking an empathetic justice, which she takes to me empathetic to unwed mothers and accused criminals. From this (and ignoring the rest of Obama's statement, she concludes that Obama wants a super legislator on the bench running roughshod over the constitution and decent Americans.

Instead, Obama wants a policymaker sitting on the Supreme Court – in fact, a super-lawmaker on steroids. He’s looking for a judge willing to engage in an enterprise that has nothing to do with the actual process of adjudication – that is, interpreting the laws that have been passed by a legislature and signed by an executive.

Of course the assumption Liebau makes here is that the conservative interpretation of the laws is the only reasonable one; the only way that a justice would rule in agreement with Kennedy or Ginsburg is if they were being essentially unreasonable. Empathy clouds their minds and they vote by something other than the law.

Poppycock. While I might strongly disagree with an Alito or a Scalia, I'm not going to pretend like they don't know the law. Nor am I going to pretend like they don't have legal rationales for why they vote the way they do; I simply disagree with their interpretation (or to be more precise, I agree with people who know far more about such issues than I do).

In other news, Kevin James suggests Daffy Duck as the ideal candidate for the Surpreme Court; largely because he is a minority, black, handicapped (speech impediment), and a perpetual victim. Because the only thing we liberals are looking for is minorities, not qualifications. Clearly this must be so because if we were interested in a qualified candidate we would select another White guy.