Month: August 2005

  • What to do when there’s not much you can do . . .

    I spent most of the afternoon in New Jersey, but I got back in time to contemplate the utter devastation in New Orleans. There’s not much I can do except give money, and fortunately, Glenn Reynolds made it easier by providing lots of links to the various charities. I decided to give to Catholic Charities,…

  • Taking demonization seriously

    I’m taking a bit of time not thinking about the Hurricane to address this delinking campaign against Glenn Reynolds. While I hate having to take something like this seriously (especially at such a time), I can’t ignore it — especially because one of my posts might have helped start the fire. It’s tough to know…

  • I’m not an atheist, but I can’t see this as an act of God

    Paul at Wizbang reports that there are an estimated 100,000 people trapped in New Orleans (which is of course in imminent danger of destruction by flooding). “Biblical,” opines Paul. The 100,000 figure is confirmed here as well as in the Shreveport Times. I don’t know whether I’d use the expression “Biblical” (because of the emotional…

  • Brewing an Inciteful Carnival

    I’m a little embarrassed. That’s because John Beck (who’s hosting this week’s Carnival of the Vanities at his super blog Incite) ranked my post way too highly — giving me second billing only to Laurence Simon’s Carnival of the Cats! (This week’s Carnival of the Cats is hosted by the charmingly named Annoying Little Twerp…

  • Opportunistic homeland insecurity

    In an Editor & Pubisher article titled “Did New Orleans Catastrophe Have to Happen?” a series of Times Picayune editorials are cited for the proposition that the devastation caused by the Hurricane should be blamed on (“Bush’s”) war in Iraq: after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps…

  • Fever Dreams

    When I was twelve, I had a fever dream. I saw a few things that couldn?t be real, and they frightened me. Some background may be in order. What nobody knew when I first felt ill was that I was suffering from an infection of the meninges, the membranes that wrap around the brain and…

  • “And Now For Something Completely Different”

    An opposing point of view… I am a huge Leon Kass fan. He is a gentle, humble, kind and wise man. Knowing the he is a man of influence and significance is good for our human future. I sleep better knowing people like Dr. Kass are in this great debate of what it means to…

  • How dare I agree with you?

    The ACLU seems to be one of those hot button issues about which it’s riskier and riskier to speak one’s mind freely. The email sent to Glenn Reynolds, while civil in tone, reminded me of the far less civil criticism accorded Eugene Volokh, because they’re both evidence of an inability to disagree in a thinking…

  • Glad to be back

    Hey, the blog is back, and I’m really delighted! My blog’s server seemed to be down for most of the morning, but whatever it is, I’m glad they fixed it. Considering the horrible news like this (more here via Glenn Reynolds), I shouldn’t complain about anything so trifling as a slowdown in blog service. The…

  • “Why did you destroy my city?”

    As Hurricane Katrina rages through the Gulf Coast, the usual top scientists and assorted experts are in a rush to blame global warming: Warm ocean temperatures are a key ingredient for monster hurricanes, prompting some scientists to believe that global warming is exacerbating our storm troubles By JEFFREY KLUGER Posted Monday, Aug. 29, 2005 The…

  • ACLU selects its enemies?

    While I think a good case can be made for the proposition that there are many problems with the ACLU, couldn’t their opponents have found a better author to write this book (The ACLU vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values) than Alan Sears? The latter is a leading crusader against what he…

  • “Damn near everything”

    This week’s RINO Sightings Carnival is posted at Big Cat Chronicles. Host Roaring Tiger begins with the results of his research into RINOs — and rhinos: we RINOs get our moderate reputation because our animal counterpart is a gentle giant, despite his aggressive reputation. Don?t let his size fool you into thinking he?s slow, though,…

  • Intentionally not listening? (To history?)

    Si vis pacem para bellum. (If you want peace, prepare for war.) – Roman Maxim. Wars are caused by undefended wealth. – Ernest Hemingway, – Douglas MacArthur Not believing in force is the same as not believing in gravity. — Leon Trotsky In an earlier post, I was bothered by hidden implications I saw in…

  • Disaster in New Orleans

    New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, and I am shocked to see the scope of the disaster which is rapidly descending on it. A monstrous Hurricane Katrina barreled toward New Orleans on Sunday with 160-mph wind and a threat of a 28-foot storm surge, forcing a mandatory evacuation of the below-sea-level city and…

  • Human interest items

    After discussing the hoopla over the “new ruralism” and such things as the “fluffy mountain lion syndrome,” spoilsport Glenn Reynolds made the following insensitive remark: Nobody’s going to want to settle in a place where they’re worried about kids being eaten. Oh, come on, Glenn. Get with the program! Not only are we going to…

  • Can’t get no f—ing respect!

    Tom Lasseter’s reports from Iraq are frequently spiced with Vietnam references, and he really can’t be accused of making this stuff up — because he uses direct quotes from the soldiers themselves. From today’s Inquirer: “I don’t think of this in terms of winning,” said Col. Stephen Davis, who commands a task force of about…

  • Why did Curt Weldon use the word “sinister”?

    I don’t know what the hell is going on with the Able Danger matter, but posts like these (via Glenn Reynolds and Tom Maguire) make me very suspicious. Someone needs to take a close look at these tin foil sites, and see whether any of their allegations pan out. There are allegation that Michael Chertoff…

  • InstaBirthday Multi Kultur Kampfire celebration

    I thought I would write a simple little post in remembrance of Glenn’s birthday, but that proved quite impossible, because he has too many competing fans — in too many surprising places. Much as I try to be democratic and forward-thinking, I couldn’t hope to keep track of all the progressive forces round the world…

  • Disarming silence

    Anyone remember Janet Reno, the infamous Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and their pliant allies in the MSM? I had thought that stuff like harassing gun shows and shaking down people who’d broken no laws was mostly behind us, but this incident evokes memories: Annette Gelles, owner of gun show sponsor Showmasters.us, told…

  • “A boring, tedious part of my day that I can dread, or even put off…”

    Coco is very confused by a web site called Pitbull Clothing. There are no canine fashions whatsoever (much less attire designed for or about pit bulls) — just run-of-the-mill humanwear. She’s thinking of filing a complaint like this. While the complaint above was based on alleged plagiarism of a phrase — “Often exercising can be…