Nonpolitical Science?

Much has been made of the different approaches to science of George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Obama's is supposedly the more objective, unemotional, and, most importantly, non-political.

Oh, really? Check out the prior work of John Holdren, who advocates for forced abortions for those "undesirables".

I found the link on Michelle Malkin.

West Side Stories?

I loved the original West Side Story (hey, what's not to love about Leonard Bernstein's music?), particularly the outrageous Gee, Officer Krupke!

Here are two parodies that had me laughing.

The Worst Slide Story

and

West Site Story

This is How to Treat the Disabled

I found this video at First Things, in The Anchoress blog. The young man has the crowd on his side, and the sound of the crowd joining in, helping him finish is an example of the best that Americans can be.

Bad Politician! Bad, Bad, Politician!

Whoa! I don't know just what crawled into Ms. Parker's knickers, but she has a devilish itch for - something:

Undoubtedly and understandably, Palin is weary of the fray. The crucial turning point was the attacks on her family. No one can honestly make the case that the Palins didn't take more heat than other public families. That said, it isn't difficult to avoid media attention. All one has to do is go to Alaska and stay put. But Palin, like the giddy Icarus, seems drawn to heat and light.

Yeah!

If you don't like seeing your family savaged, investigated, smeared in every tabloid (and many tabloidish-conventional papers) - well, missy, you just get yourself back to Obscurity, AK, ASAP!

I'm So Evil

I really had a laugh over a phrase in PowerLine:

When Obama prefaces an observation with the command that we heed his words -- "make no mistake" -- a whopper is sure to follow. Here is Obama on the end of the Cold War:

[W]ithin a few short years, the world as it was ceased to be. Make no mistake: this change did not come from any one nation alone. The Cold War reached a conclusion because of the actions of many nations over many years, and because the people of Russia and Eastern Europe stood up and decided that its end would be peaceful.

You really ought to read the whole thing.

What Right to Free Speech?

You have to see this video. It shows several people being assaulted on public streets, simply for:

• Asking a question about Islam (they were invited to, by the banner over the booth)
• Taping the incident
• Not turning off the camera when told to, by festival security

A Jackson 5 Memorial You Have to Read

I know the Jackson 5 that's in the news this week is more famous (or, in some cases, infamous). But this Jackson 5 is more important.

I've Kinda Wondered That

Ace of Spades has an in to the Obama Decision-Making Process.

Christians and the Golden Rule

As usual, Francis Porretto knocks one out of the ballpark.

A short excerpt:

1. "Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You."

This is one of the most important things Jesus said during His time on Earth. It's also the most inaccurately applied.

How is Smith to know how Jones would like Smith to treat him? Is he to proceed solely from Jones's words, or is there "a more reliable authority?"

I would go by Jones's actions. An honest man's words and deeds will run in concert. A dishonest man will lie with his lips but speak truth with his hands. When words and actions disagree, the better course is to trust the actions.

For some years, the actions of the Left have been entirely aggressive and venal. Leftists are uninterested in rational discourse; they want power and will do whatever it takes to get it. Since the opposed movement of the Right is founded on rational discourse, they silence us when they can and shout us down when they can't. Since we're taught to respect the established "rules of the game," they seek to write the rules in a fashion that will predetermine our defeat. When that's not possible, they position themselves as enforcers, but with a blind eye toward offenses by their own camp and an infinite readiness to assume the worst about ours. When one of ours becomes prominent, and starts to win the admiration of the body politic, their jackals swarm around him and nip at his flanks until loss of blood should bring him down.

That's the way they treat us. Why not use the Golden Rule's inferential power? Why not conclude that it's how they'd like us to treat them?

This all started with a post about how to respond to the savaging of Sarah Palin.

It's not about vengeance; it's about the well-verified history of bullies. If you don't respond, they don't think "WOW! A Christian acts in this gentle way - I know, I'll do the same."

Instead, the bully thinks "WOW! A patsy! I can do anything, and they won't defend themselves or others." And then, the bully proceeds to beat up on everyone in sight.

Until someone hits back. The bully then whines "you HIT me! I can't believe that a Christian would HIT someone! You're not a real Christian! You don't follow the Golden Rule."

What Makes a Person a Hypocrite?

I'm fascinated by the outrage and disgust expressed by many media types, and the politicians of both parties, to Mark Sanford's extramarital antics.

First, I do agree that Sanford acted in a boneheaded, adolescent, and irresponsible fashion. He left the country; he failed to notify his people of his whereabouts; he turned off his cell phone; and, he may have used public money for some part of the trip.

However, let's look at the facts:

• His wife had just kicked him out - we might reasonably assume that he was disturbed by that action, and may not have been thinking clearly
• He had just gone through a major fight with the legislature about a principled issue, and been handed a defeat by the courts
• He was, it seems, in love - and we all know how love makes people act goofy

Given all that, it's not surprising that his actions weren't sensible.

Second, the issue of the adultery.



Y'all remember the words that match this picture?

Didn't think so.

If Sanford needs to go, then I want a do-over on the Clinton mess. The same people that voted to keep the Slime-in-Chief in office need to take back their vote, and kick his sorry self to the curb, retroactively.

Who can forget that time when Bob Livingston, then Speaker of the House, resigned over disclosure that he had an affair? What I want to know (and did at the time wonder) - who sat on the information until just the right moment, then released it? We know the Clintons had extensive files on many people, which, SOMEHOW, were released to friendly media types.

Can we say - sleazy? Each time they did it, they caused other unfriendly politicians to get in line, lest they be next. I'm convinced that many of the "inexplicable" votes by Republicans can very well be explained by the fact that someone has info on them, and they've got them by the hoo-haws.

The Early Obama

The NY Times has an article about Barack Obama's early writing (from his Columbia days). In that article, he quotes Don Kent:

Most people my age remember well the air-raid drills at school, under the desk with our heads tucked between our legs. Older people, they remember the Cuban Missile Crisis. I think these kinds of things left an indelible mark on our souls, so we're more apt to be concerned.

OK. 1983, college age, but not old enough to remember the Cuban Missile Crisis. But, somehow old enough to remember air-raid drills?

Not possible - the bomb drills (which, I believe, is what Kent is referencing) were in the 1950's. The Cuban Missile Crisis was October 1962. If he is in college in 1983, he is referencing a practice that he was too young to participate in.

I know. I DO remember the bomb drills in grade (about once a year, same as the tornado drills). And, I was 11 during the Cuban Missile Crisis - I remember the grown-ups talking, and the principal of my school came to class after it was all over, and explained that we had come VERY close to war. It did make an impression.

OK, maybe he's an older student in 1983. But, if he doesn't remember 1962, I call B---S--T on the bomb drills. Fake memory. Didn't happen the way he said it did.

The Thinking of a Pro-Life Atheist

I found this gem on The Dawn Patrol:

Precisely because sex does not always create children, yet it always holds the promise of creating children, that sex stands for something greater than itself. Because sex is designed to produce children, yet does not always produce them, the act is transformed from a simple biological action into… there was no other word for it… poetry.

Because sex contains not a hard reality, but only a future promise, it becomes a promise, the promise of the man to the woman "I will be with you always, even if this does produce that for which it is designed."

And by this act, the man gives himself not just to the woman, he gives himself primarily to the not-yet-conceived child.

That is why sex is MORE than just biology.

Comparisons of Coverage of Politician's Families

In response to Sister Toldjah's post about Sarah Palin's resignation:

Had McCain/Palin won, she wouldn’t be having to deal with the backstabbing McCain campaign officials because they wouldn’t be having to try and make excuses for why their candidate lost. Had they won, the “ethics complaints” filed against Governor Palin wouldn’t have happened, because she would no longer be Governor. Had they won, I believe you would have seen less scrutiny on Palin’s children, because the WH press corp has an unwritten rule about the children of presidents and vice presidents: hands off.

But they didn’t win, so it became open season part 2 not on McCain, but on Sarah Palin and her family from mostly the same crowd who would go ballistic if the types of attacks waged against both her and her children were made on Michelle Obama or any other female Democrat.

I can't agree. I think the coverage of Sarah's family wouldn't be affected even if she HAD won the election. Let's compare some similar situations:

Relative	Palin	Democrat	Search Terms	# of Hits
Daughter	Bristol		Bristol Palin slut	4,250,000
Daughter		Ashley Biden	Ashley Biden cocaine	1,970,000
Husband	Todd		Todd Palin drunk	13,100,000
Self		Joe Biden	Joe Biden plagiarism	95,500
Self		Ted Kennedy	Ted Kennedy drunk	146,000
Self		Bill Clinton	Bill Clinton sex	4,360,000

In every case, it's a matter of a scandalous situation - involving morality, and in some cases, a crime. Are we to believe that Bristol's pregnancy (which DIDN'T involve a crime) is somehow more newsworthy than Bill Clinton's escapades (Which involved not only a crime, but impeachment of a sitting President)?

Look, her family was only related to the head of a governor of a state. I really can't believe that they would leave them all alone just because she won an election.

Politics has changed - no longer are politicians (and their families) exempt from relentless, intrusive, and unfair coverage. PARTICULARLY when they are Republicans.

Look what's happened in just the last few weeks.

• Republican Senator John Ensign blackmailed and forced to reveal sexual indiscretions to blunt the threat
• Republican Mark Sanford has marital problems, and is the subject of a firestorm of news attention (mind you, he deserved some of it)
• Republican Sarah Palin's family made the butt of sexual jokes on national TV - even though she was no longer officially running for anything

Obama Democrats play for keeps. NOTHING is too low for them.

God Bless America

Follow this link to an impassioned performance of "God Bless America" by some amazing kids.

Page down the site to see fireworks at Mt. Rushmore (to the Star Wars theme and R-O-C-K in the USA), the words of the Declaration of Independence, and more. Deb's Jewish, so won't be around on the 4th, but do go there, and wish her well on the nation's birthday.

UPDATE: Don't miss this video from GoDaddy.com - the founder of the company is a vet.

This links to a post that has some old Schoolhouse Rock videos about America's Founding.

Keep an eye out for activity at the Tea Parties, and have fun comparing the Internet coverage with the TV and Cable coverage of those events.

Where Will You Be?

If you agree with the thoughts in this video, you'll want to join in the Tea Party on July 4th. Go to the online organizing site, and find your local Tea Party - we are Taxed Enough Already!

Don't just think of yourself - think of the future generations who will still be paying for this mad spending spree!

But, Don't Question Their Patriotism!

If this isn't an attempted coup, I don't know what it. The Republicans are the properly elected heads of this legislative - they had the votes. Although some Democrats joined the Republicans, there was no shady dealing, "fudging" the ballots or qualifications, or any of that stuff.

The Democrats are using the technique of refusing to leave. Their protest is unprecedented in American politics.

I love the headline of this news report - "Republicans Seize Control of State Senate".

From the Wikipedia article:

Democrats have argued that the move was illegal, and therefore Malcolm Smith is still the majority leader and temporary president. One argument presented is that the session was adjourned before the vote to change leadership took place. According to Malcolm Smith, senator Neil Breslin had accepted a motion to adjourn, and therefore ended the session, before the Republicans were able to gain control.[11] Senator Libous argues that since his original motion was on the floor, the session could not have been adjourned. According to Libous, who based his argument upon Robert's Rules of Order, the rules of order used by the state Senate, “you cannot adjourn when a motion is on the floor.”[12] Furthermore, like all motions, motions for adjournment require a vote, which never took place before the Senators left.

Malcolm Smith claims that the attempted power shift was not legal, even if the resolution was passed,[13] and issued a statement saying that he "was elected to a two year term pursuant to a resolution passed by a majority of Senators in January 2009", and that "the purported coup was an unlawful violation of New York State law and the Senate rules" which he does not accept. However, contrary to Smith's personal opinion, the Majority Leader is not elected to a fixed term, but remains in office only as long as the majority supports him, as the ouster of Ralph J. Marino in November 1994 shows. The election of Joseph Bruno, to succeed Marino against the latter's wishes, was not disputed by either Republicans or Democrats.

Angelo Aponte, the Secretary of the Senate, has further complicated matters by refusing to recognize the coalition, and has engaged in various efforts to prevent them from taking control, including locking Senate chambers, cutting off lights and video cameras, locking away bills, and withholding the court stenographer. Senate Republicans have sought legal action against Aponte for his behavior.[14]

But, hey, there's a bright spot - with the split, new legislation can't be enacted - the votes are too close. So, at least they won't cause any more damage.

Hmmm. Maybe we can encourage the US House to do the same - at least abominations like the Cap & Trade bill will stop.

About Sanford

I found a lovely little commentary about Mark Sanford that neatly summarizes what I've been feeling for the last few days - that Gov. Sanford, although an adulterer, may not be all that caddish (is that a word? It should be). He apparently treated the woman involved with tenderness and with effort to keep her out of the headlines. He was, it seems, in love.

I remember Jenny, or someone close to me, once commenting that while my mom was pleasant and warm it was sad she had never accomplished anything of significance. I replied that they were wrong because she had the ultimate of all gifts — and that was the ability to love unconditionally. The rarest of all commodities in this world is love. It is that thing that we all yearn for at some level — to be simply loved unconditionally for nothing more than who we are — not what we can get, give or become.

How romantic. How unexpected in a politician. As was said in Jerry Maquire, "You had me at hello."

A Truly Sad Life, In So Many Ways

There have been many people talking about Michael Jackson's life and early death over the last few days. Most of them are famous. One is not.

I am no prophet, and it did not take a rocket scientist to see the impending doom. Michael was a man in tremendous pain and his tragedy was to medicate his pain away rather than addressing its root cause.

That quote was from Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, who had tried to lead Jackson to a better way of life. He realized in 2004 that Jackson was unlikely to live a normal lifespan - it was already evident that Jackson was not healthy, in body, mind or soul.

Because Michael substituted attention for love, he got fans who loved what he did but he never had true compatriots who loved him for who he was.

Perhaps this is why, when so many of his inner circle saw him destroying his life with prescription medication - something he used to treat phantom physical illnesses which were really afflictions of the soul - they allowed him to deteriorate and disintegrate rather than throwing the poison in the garbage.

Michael's death is not just a personal tragedy, it is an American tragedy. Michael's story was the stuff of the American dream.

A poor black boy who grows up in Gary, Indiana, and ends up a billionaire entertainer. But we now know how the story ends. Money is not a currency by which we can purchase self-esteem, and being recognized on the streets will never replace being loved unconditionally by family and true friends.

His greatest sickness was not physical, nor was it mental or emotional - it was spiritual.

Joanne Jacobs Followers, Come On In

Over at Joanne Jacobs, the talk turned political. I invited anyone who wanted to continue the discussion to visit. Feel free to hit the comments.

The talk centered on the expected effect of the new Energy bill - commonly called Cap & Trade. Some feel that the bill will cause stress on an already troubled economy; others feel that the hoped-for benefits will be worth it.

The changes brought in by Obama HAVE been major:

Just think of it… the federal government (Obama and Congress) now has de facto control over the banking industry, the insurance industry, the auto industry, and (after the Senate passes this Bill and Obama signs it) the energy industry in this country. The only thing left is the health care industry – which Obama’s gearing up to fight for, with ABC News’ help – and once they have control of that, the federal government will control more than 1/2 of this nation’s economy, and they will be able to micromanage all Americans’ lives.

Personally, I don't think it's unreasonable for people to worry about the effect on the economy, and our system of governance. The changes have happened fast, and they have been costly. We're expected to trust that it will all be worth it - without any evidence to that effect. We might have more trust if there had yet been some measurable good results.

Super Obama!

I found this on Ace of Spades: