Month: July 2005

This week’s RINO Roundup has been posted by Countertop, who begins with a look at one of history’s greatest RINOs. I don’t want to spoil it, so go read it. Otherwise, you’ll miss it, and you’ll also be missing out on posts like these: ATTENTION: If you don’t read anything else, if you really want…

According to Variety, Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film — now to be (re)named Munich — is generating controversy over whether it is based on a book many consider inaccurate (if not apologetic to terrorism): The Tony Kushner script is under such a lockdown that a Mossad agent would be hard-pressed to infiltrate its cover page. But…

As if we needed another reminder right now that police make mistakes, the front page of today’s Philadelphia Inquirer features yet another article (this one written by three authors) about the bumbling police in Camden, New Jersey. How could 150 law enforcement officers, armed with search dogs, all-terrain vehicles, mounted equestrian units and thermal-imaging equipment,…

Here are three photos taken in desolate places, without much by way of a common theme, I’m afraid. I don’t know what this tiny building was ever for, or why it was painted as it is: Pollen production in full bore here: And an unlabeled church which looked awfully vacant for a Sunday: I’m afraid…

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but I never thought I’d be called “anti-development.” But I woke up this morning and there it was. I am now counted among the ranks of the (usually leftist) NIMBY folks who oppose private property rights in favor of vague concepts like “OPEN SPACE.” How…

I was completely appalled yesterday when I heard (via Glenn Reynolds, GayPatriot, and Michael Demmons) about the execution of two teenagers for homosexuality. I reacted with anger I still consider appropriate had the facts been as I read them. (Nick Packwood was similarly outraged.) But as I noted in an update, the story kept changing.…

Last night, at an undisclosed location, two thirds (debatably, maybe three quarters) of the Classical Values staff met for beer and dinner. I took my camera along, and the camera took a few pictures of Dennis. I am not quite sure how to interpret these pictures, and in order to maintain utmost confidentiality I’ll just…

The Independent online has an interview with Roger Scruton (with a corny journalistic ending) that I find most interesting for Roger’s own assessment of the rift between the left and the right: “One of the great distinctions between the left and the right in the intellectual world,” says Scruton, who has held chairs in aesthetics…

This story about ex-CIA agents alleging a constitutional crisis is busy making the rounds: In a hearing held by Senate and House Democrats examining the implications of exposing Valerie Plame’s identity, the former intelligence officers said Bush’s silence has hampered efforts to recruit informants to help the United States fight the war on terror. Federal…

Via Glenn Reynolds, GayPatriot, and Michael Demmons comes word of more sickening Islamic atrocities: the hanging of two gay teenagers for the “crime” of having sex. They were also tortured by their savage captors (who have no respect for the most basic laws of civilization): LONDON, July 21 ? Two gay teenagers were publicly executed…

The other day, I was offered some of the best tasting lemon/limeade I can ever remember drinking, although it seemed to me that it was loaded with sugar. While I consume quite a bit of sugar and have no particular prejudice against it, I recognize that it has unnecessary calories so I’ll do things like…

Recently brought to light were some rather odd political views expressed by War of the Worlds screenplay author David Koepp (highlighted by Glenn Reynolds and Mickey Kaus): ….the Martians in the movie represent “American military forces,” while Tom Cruise and the embattled Earthlings represent Iraqi civilians… Uhhh, OK! But I’ll still see the film, because…

Via Glenn Reynolds, I see that Tom Maguire has some good questions for the “Meet The Pravda” crowd relating to the Plame matter: …what did these reporters say, and when did they say it. Did they cooperate but promise their silence? Why? Or, was their contact so tame that Fitzgerald was not interested – tell…

Blogging is supposed to be fun, right? Bloggers are supposed to quit when it no longer is, right? I hope these are not absolute rules, because blogging is no fun at all when I am subjected to a relentless barrage of media bullshit. Why? Because, much as I’m glad to have this blog as a…

The format of this week’s Carnival of the Vanities is one of the wittiest I’ve seen. Host Matt Barr has ingeniously managed to enliste the help of the Supreme Court, by dividing the vast carnival into nine categories, each one presided over one of the justices. I so much enjoyed Matt’s characterizations of the justices…

More bombings in London? Bombers have again targeted London’s transport system – with up to four explosions reported. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair said the bombs appeared to be smaller than used in the attacks two weeks ago but advised people to “stay where you are”. Passengers reported one blast at Warren Street station…

The wonderful pictures from the Scopes “Monkey Trial” era (linked by Glenn Reynolds) triggered an outburst of pit bull nostalgia. Perhaps out of fear of boring readers, I don’t indulge myself in such antics as often as I might like, but I just think these dogs are an incredibly cool part of forgotten American history.…

I’ve been having a tough time making sense of an account of an apparently senseless murder: Police have arrested a 16-year-old in Johnson’s murder. As to motive, homicide Capt. Richard Ross said, “It appears that this was just some stupid little encounter… brought on by the fact that an individual was armed with a weapon……

Here’s an update on the tragic deaths of the three small boys who died of asphyxiation after being trapped in a car trunk in Camden, New Jersey. It turns out they were alive for quite some time, while police searched everywhere except the car in the yard where they’d last been seen playing. The Camden…

I don’t know whether it’s my responsibility to blog about such things, but I’ve noticed that a split seems to be developing between Atrios and Bill Clinton. Things have reached the point where the latter has been called a “wanker” by the former. Where’s the wank? It seems Bill Clinton has been telling the Democrats…