Month: May 2005

One of the things often forgotten in arguments between people (and bloggers as well as mainstream media are people) is the difference between problems with reporting (bad journalism) and reaction to the facts (often bad news for one “side” or another). Something can be reported quite accurately, but if the subject matter, the story, or…

The editors at the New Criterion have a good question for protest-minded environmentalists: But what we wish to know is, why are they so selective in their exhibition of outrage? A logging camp in Maine or the Pacific Northwest gets the full Green treatment: demonstrations, press conferences, sabotage. But what about a major university press…

The 139th Carnival of the Vanities has now been posted by John Behan at the Commonwealth Conservative, and I’m honored that my post on Kofi Annan at Penn was placed in John’s “Cream of the Crop” category. Because that post was also linked in today’s Blog Cabin column at the Philadelphia Inquirer, I want to…

According to what passes for wisdom in some circles, it “doesn’t matter” whether certain allegations are true, even if they later turn out to be false: After the Brawley hoax, an article in the Nation magazine argued that it “doesn’t matter” whether Brawley was lying, since the pattern of whites abusing blacks is true. And…

A commenter has alerted me to an interesting question of fact, the answer to which I do not know, as (despite my usual flippant attitude) I lack details. Is this man — one Michael Crook — really dead as this website claims? The Democratic Underground says he is, but according to the United States Marine…

“We cannot seal ourselves off from the world’s benefits – or the world’s curses.” So opines University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann on the selection of Kofi Annan to deliver the commencement address yesterday (where the university also honored him with a Doctor of Laws degree). As part of the buildup, President Gutmann had previously…

In honor of the 2nd Blogiversary of Classical Values, Karl Rove sent me a copy of Irving Kristol’s NeoConservativism: The Autobiography of an Idea. Continued funding for the site is now contingent upon certain proofs of allegiance to the neocon cause, and as our actual posts fail to offer such proof, Karl has asked me…

I just received the following email from Iranian writer Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi (recently interviewed by Jamie Glazov): Hello Everyone, Now NPR interviews assassins of innocent Iranians and airs their garbage as news worthy…Please listen to this broadcast ( http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4652644 ). If you are as offended by this rubbish, as I am, please contact NPR’s Ombudsman, Mr.…

This camera phone website reports a story from India, with implications anywhere: Nikhil Niranjan Alva, a documentary filmmaker who won a Green Oscar and who also is the son of an Indian government official, saw a traffic warden beating a taxi driver who refused to stop when asked to. Nikhil used his camera phone to…

In an amusing twist, Newsweek’s flushing-of-the-flushing story (discussed dismissively infra — and now I’m wondering whether should it be called “Korangate” or “Flushgate“) has not made the Philadelphia Inquirer’s front page. In its place, I find a story about huge story about new roles for virtual cadavers, AND this clever writeup linking Pajamas Media to…

Despite the fact that I have serious reservations about nepotism, I don’t see any reason why bloggers shouldn’t be allowed to utilize the services of family members — especially when a family member shows early and promising talent. And Coco is an exceptionally talented dog. As I demonstrated in a previous post, she understands basic…

Hey, I think Classical Values is two years old today. (Yup, I just checked.) I was startled to realize that it’s my blogiversary, and now that I’ve had a little time to think it over, well, I do feel very much like a two year old. I just thanked my blogfather Jeff Soyer, and I…

It was all because of what Glenn started. — Arianna Huffington (Via He Who Started It.) I’m amazed to have seen Arianna Huffington make that remark on Howard Kurtz’s Reliable Sources show on CNN. It might have been good politics, but for whatever reason I think was quite decent of her to say that, and…

disenfranchise v : deprive of voting rights [syn: disfranchise] [ant: enfranchise] In a Sunday front page article entitled “Many fear Iraqi vote escalated the violence” Hannah Allam (of the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Foreign Staff) claims that Iraqis have been disenfranchised: When the ballots were collected, about 58 percent of eligible voters had made it to the…

If, like millions of people, you enjoy performing simple home repairs, you better hope you don’t live in California. Beginning August 1, it will cost you — big time — to replace a two dollar light switch: At least when it comes to electrical things, do-it-your-selfers may find their craft considerably more expensive. Starting Aug.…

I saw a Yale professor change his mind recently. It was over on a milblog called Chapomatic, which I’m finding quite enjoyable. It brings back memories of my navy brat days, but it’s not all military. There are pictures of cute little mammals here. Some interesting links to water purification, etc. are here. But the…

Rosemary Esmay (via Michael Demmons) looks at the gay/straight pheromone study and observes: If it can finally be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that homosexuality is biological, then perhaps true equality for gays and lesbians can finally be achieved. Also, from a religious standpoint, the idea that homosexual behavior is sinful should be called to…

Is it more disrespectful to burn the Koran than the American flag? Worshippers in Pakistan poured on to the streets after prayers, chanting ?Death to America?, and burning American flags. In Jakarta, hundreds gathered noisily at a mosque. Thousands marched through the streets of a Palestinian refugee camp in Gaza. The unrest began this week…

Via Roger L. Simon, I found a very disturbing post by neo-neocon — “A mind is a difficult thing to change” — which attempts to grapple with some very stubborn, unsettled issues still surrounding the Vietnam War. All her points are well taken, but I want to focus on the issue of the draft: Then…

All this science fiction must be weakening my mind. I’ve been musing about Star Trek, of all things, and realizing just how much I dislike the Federation’s “Prime Directive.” Sure, it sounds all noble at first. Hands off the little guys. We don’t want to negatively influence them. Let them grow at their own unique…