Thanks for the Memories

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Phil Kadath

I’d like to thank folks who stopped by yesterday for leaving their answers to my question in the comments.

If you didn’t stop by yesterday (tsk, tsk) and want to read the question, go ahead and then please leave your answers here.

The reason I asked for your memorable literature is that I’m thinking of firing up the long missing “Quote of the Day” category of posts and wanted some new material.

I also asked because I am re-reading one of the books I consider to be influential to my current political viewpoints.

“The Death of Common Sense: How Law is Suffocating America” by Philip K Howard was like a 10 ton heavy thing dropped on the head of the idealistic kid I was then. It made so much sense to me that it scared a few of my also idealistic friends when I would answer to their “So whats that you’re reading?” question.

A few weeks back, I was going through the stuff I packed up the first time the wife and I was having at the time when I found it again. It hit me that it had been over five years since I had opened it’s cover and I proceeded to put it on the bookshelf in the “On Deck” spot.

I’ve recently cracked it open again and found a goodly amount of material that would fit into the “Quote of the Day” format and decided that I wanted more ideas for books that I could use for that purpose.

And for those, I needed the RNS readership.

Like I said at the beginning; if you have an idea for a book that I could/should read/use and either don’t see it in the comments of yesterday’s post or you did see it there and want to second that emotion, let me know here. I will try to make it an everyday thing, but I cannot promise that right this moment.

And so, to start out there series:

So far in my adult life nothing significant seems to have changed, except that government has become increasingly distant. “The characteristic complaint of our time seems to be not that government provides no reasons,” said fomer justice William Brennan, “but that its reasons often seem remote from human beings who must live with the consequences.” Government acts like some extraterrestrial power, not an institution that exists to serve us.

Philip K. Howard – The Death of Common Sense

Posted in Quote of the Day | 4 Comments

Somebody pulled his cord out of the wall

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Attack on the Embassy in Damascus, Syria yesterday.

Syria blames America.

The attack today against the United States embassy in Damascus was orchestrated by American intelligence to embarrass the Syrian regime and extract political concessions, a senior member of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s Baath Party claimed to WND.

“We in the government are 100 percent sure America was behind this attack, which is not the same as other attacks by Islamic groups,” said the senior Baath party official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“Only the Americans can succeed in carrying out an attack just 200 meters from President Assad’s residence in the most heavily guarded section of Syria,” the official said.

The official claimed the U.S. first directed the attack and then ensured it was foiled to “prove Syria is filled with terrorists and to put us in a weak position.”

Also, a boatload of anti-aircraft mobile missle systems bound to Syria from the North Koreans was stopped and seized.

And what do the geniuses at the uber-left wing and utterly misnamed Americablog have to say about the attacks?

It is very strange to see something like this happen in Syria.

Who disconnected this asshole’s line? I mean, I got a laugh out of it, but these people want to be in charge of foreign policy.

I think I found this at Rodger’s place a while back, but I can’t be sure.

preliberal.jpg

One thing I am sure of is that it describes the precise posture angle of Americablog’s Chris.

Posted in Freaks, Mutants, and Morons | 1 Comment

I wanna go!

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Market forces are working against colleges. Not only do they teach things that no one wants to learn, like UCLA’s “The Psychology of the Lesbian Experience”, they also raise their rates ahead of inflation until people cannot afford to attend. Then enrollment drops.

This problem is usually easily for the colleges and their representatives to sluff off onto those “eevviill Republicans”. Not only do the colleges get some free good press, they also get to push their agenda of making the US federal government pay not just for those who qualify, but for anyone who wants to go. They, of course, have not seen the next step in that progression; Our nation’s colleges becoming what our public high schools have become.

I attribute this to the outstandingly large dollar signs in their eyes.

But some private colleges are having even more trouble.

They’re having to admit hairy, smelly, roudy and undoubtably horny animals just to keep their doors open.

Tears Spill As College Votes To Admit Men

The board of trustees of Randolph-Macon Woman’s College voted yesterday to admit men, even as students and alumnae chanted “Keep R-MWC a WC” outside.

Many students burst into tears or yelled as the announcement was made; some trustees were crying, too, said several people who were on the Lynchburg campus.

Good lord, it sounds to me as if they need some men around. What is crying going to do for them? Maybe getting up to fetch their men some beers would have taken their mind off their sorrows.

The decision to admit men is part of a plan that trustees believe is their best chance to save the 115-year-old school from eroding enrollment and financial problems. Since the 1960s, the college has lost students, with its retention rate falling to just over 60 percent.

Hmm, perhaps they might want to teach some personality enhancing classes. These estro-segregationists don’t sound like a very nice bunch

The interim president implored students not to turn their backs on the school as it goes coed beginning next fall. But many did just that, witnesses said, turning away from her. Hundreds of protesters marched with signs and T-shirts (“Better Dead Than Co-ed”).

Well, at least they’ll have some fancy shirts to wash in Laundry 101.

Officials have had to dip into the endowment to keep the school running and to give scholarships and other financial aid to nearly all of the 712 students as incentives. National studies have shown that 3 percent of young women consider attending an all-female college.

Forty years ago, there were hundreds of women’s college in the nation, but only about 60 remain. Hood College in Frederick made a similar decision in 2003.

It must be that whole “I’m as good as a man and I should be competeing right next to him” ideal that came along with the whole women’s movement thingie. These gals need to learn that ideal and not keep themselves down. Because, like I’m always telling the wife, she can keep a kitchen clean like no one else’s business.

So I’m thinking of attending.

Going to a formerly militant women-only college really wouldn’t be that different from being a non-liberal in Seattle. I mean, if over half the population is going to hate me, they may as well all have boobs.

Posted in Academia and Other Nonsense | 4 Comments

The Dumbest Thing I’ve Read All Day: 09/13

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Phil Kadath

It must have been coincidence. Or maybe it was divie providence.

I don’t know what it was exactly, but today’s installment of “The Dumbest Thing I’ve Read All Day” actually has the word “Stupid” in the title.

Not only that, you can tell that what you are about to read is going to be truly dumb just from reading that title.

Stupid Bush, Terrorists CAN’T win in Iraq

Oh my! I saw that title over at the dKos Animal Farm and Petting Zoo and knew that I had a winner.

Here is the intro paragraph from dKos diarrheaist “agorabum” :

Just how do terrorist win in Iraq?  This is an important question. Bush Co. likes to define terrorists “winning” if Americans do something he doesn’t want us to. Like dissent, or call on a pull-out of Iraq. But if we leave Iraq, do the terrorists actually win? What do they define as a victory?  A sunni Islamic caliphate. Could Al-Queda turn Iraq into one, like Afghanistan under the Taliban? Of course not.

Sounds as though “agorabum” fell out of the stupid tree and hit every damn branch on the way down. It’s a good thing he’s too dumb to notice the pain.

Posted in Too Stupid to Live | 2 Comments

Don’t even think about it!

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Just don’t.

Now read this while you’re not doing that.

On Bainbridge, Reciting Pledge Makes Some Edgy

More people on the island are entering the debate about whether the Pledge of Allegiance should be recited at City Council meetings — something that hasn’t been done until recently.

The local chamber of commerce, fearing widespread media attention, has sent out an e-mail urging city and chamber leaders to back Old Glory. And Council member Jim Llewellyn, who personally opposes the practice introduced by Councilman Bill Knobloch, doesn’t appear to be backing down.

Last week, Llewellyn polled his colleagues via e-mail about whether the Pledge has a place at City Council meetings. He and at least two others — Nezam Tooloee and Kjell Stoknes — said no. A stiff statement supporting the Pledge and condemning the councilmen’s stancessoon was issued from the local American Legion adjunct.

Stop it! You’re thinking of doing it, aren’t you?

Don’t.

Don’t question their patriotism, fascist!

They’re so much smarter than people like me who respect a piece of cloth. So much smarter in fact, that they think the earth is going to boil away in 30 years if I don’t stop driving my truck. Hell, they’re so smart, they will probably tell you that you can’t get e-Coli if you don’t eat meat.

Posted in Freaks, Mutants, and Morons | Leave a comment

Surprise! President Bush Supports Gay Civil Unions

Posted on September 12, 2006 by Alaska

I support gay civil unions myself, and frankly don’t have any problem with the idea of gay marriage either. Thus, this post is apropos of nothing except that at our company picnic over the weekend, I overheard yet another comment to the effect that “Bush hates gays.”

Well, damn it, that just ain’t true. Think back to Bush’s appearance on Larry King Live, in the middle of the 2004 campaign:

KING: Many gays in the Democratic Party. Many gays in America. You want a constitutional amendment to protect heterosexual marriage?

G. BUSH: Yes, I do.

KING: Why? Why do you need an amendment?

G. BUSH: Well, because I’m worried that the laws on the books that basically define marriage as between a man — not basically, do define marriage between a man and a woman will be ruled unconstitutional, and then judges will make the decision as to the definition of marriage. And I think it’s too important an issue for judges to make that decision. And I think that one way to guarantee that traditional marriage is defined as between a man and a woman is through the constitutional process…

KING: What about the union of gays? G. BUSH: Well, that’s up to states, you know. If states choose to do that, in other words, if they want to provide legal protections for gays, that’s great. That’s fine. But I do not want to change the definition of marriage. I don’t think our country should, from the traditional definition of marriage that’s between a man or a woman.

The other thing about the constitutional process, it will get states involved. In other words, the people ought to be involved in this decision. And so that’s why I took the stand I took.
(Emphasis added.)

In other words, Bush was making the traditional Federalism argument — let the states do what they want as far as giving same-sex couples exactly the same legal protections as married couples. Just don’t call it marriage.

Perhaps other parts of the country just saw that as a throw-away comment, but I remember waiting with bated breath for the San Francisco papers to blare the next day “Bush Supports Gay Civil Unions – Just Don’t Call It Marriage” or some such thing. Nope, nothing to see here.

Anyway, in light of this seemingly underreported statement by the President, I find it odd that Bush, who essentially has taken a position that would have had gay-rights activists cheering not too many years ago, could be derided as “hating gays.”

Posted in Heroes, Comrades and Brothers | 1 Comment

Reach into your memories

Posted on September 12, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Again with questions about your past!

I’ve recently started re-reading one of the very first books that started me on the path to where I am today, politically. I’m not sure how common of a title it is for folks of our political persuasion, but I remember that as soon as I saw it on the shelves at the book warehouse I labored in for a few years, I knew I had to read it cover to cover.

I’m not going to tell you what it is though. At least not until you tell me the books you all read in your formative years. Fiction or non-fiction; popular or obscure. Tell me about them. The who and the when, as well as what you got out if them.

I ask this for a reason important to RNS itself, so don’t be shy.

Posted in Uncategorized | 16 Comments

The Smartest Thing I’ve Read All Day: 09/12

Posted on September 12, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Yes, you read that title correctly.

Ben over at The Reasonable Nut blog has earned his New Mexico Concealed Carry License.

They seem to treat firearms the same way they treat motocycles in New Mexico because he tested with a 1911 in .45ACP, so his permit lets him carry “.45 or smaller caliber” weapons.

Ben has this to say about their system:

I qualified for semi-auto and revolver and they actually got it right on the license. You’ll note that I’m qualified up to a .45 caliber. The geniuses in New Mexico figure that the largest caliber you qualify with, you can carry anything lesser. Thus, if you qualify with a .44 magnum semi-auto/revolover, you can’t carry a 1911 in .45. If you think about that long enough, your brains will leak like shit out of your ears.

And that folks, was the smartest thing I’ve read all damn day.

Posted in Life in the Atomic Age | 3 Comments

The Dumbest Thing I’ve Read All Day: 09/12

Posted on September 12, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Yesterday was a solemn occasion, so I didn’t post on this topic out of respect. But today, we’re back with full-frontal stupidity.

I couldn’t find much at most of the left wing sites I visited that was September 11th related and didn’t imply that Bush LET the terrorists attack. So I wandered off the beaten path for a bit before finding today’s tidbit of tumblefuck logic.

The piece I found has a connection to what I wrote on Sunday and it was discovered at the last place anyone without Bush Derangement Syndrome would expect to find reason, Common Dreams.Org.

The press release from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State starts out in full frightmonger mode:

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today blasted the House Judiciary Committee’s approval of a bill that would make it more difficult for Americans to challenge church-state violations in court.

Ooooh, sounds scary! Like the House Republicans might have passed legislation to make suing a town that has a nativity scene up illegal or something!

But no, it was just a funny way to say that anyone who sues for a church-state “violation” will have to find an attorney willing to fight the case pro bono.

The so-called “Public Expression of Religion Act” targets those who stand up to church-state infringements by government officials. The measure, H.R. 2679, denies legal fees and out-of-pocket expenses to plaintiffs who win lawsuits under the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which bans the government from promoting religion.

Basically, the ACLU will have to get their money from donations instead of charging the jurisdiction they broughthreatened to sue an exorbitant amount in “legal fees”.

“This bill is nothing more than an attempt to scare people away from having their day in court,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

No, Reverend Lynn, it means that people won’t be jumping out of the woodwork to file briefs against Smalltown, USA for hanging wreaths on the lightpoles of Main Street, and then when Smalltown, USA capitulates and takes them all down, ruining Christmas for everyone else, their legal team demands $10K from the town for “legal fees”.

Of course, the ACLU is pissed off:

“In order to enforce and protect every American’s right to religious freedom, ordinary Americans must be able to recover attorneys’ fees in successful cases,” said Terri Ann Schroeder, an ACLU Senior Lobbyist. “PERA would undermine the fundamental protections of the First Amendment. We urge the full House to reject this attack on religious liberty, and stand for religion free from government entanglement.”

Shorter ACLU: “We need the money, otherwise it just isn’t worth it for us. It’s not like we actually care about anyone’s freedom of religion. Hell, we don’t even list that part of the First Amendment on our site!”

Posted in Order of the imperial upraised middle finger. | 1 Comment

Where do I send my money?

Posted on September 12, 2006 by Phil Kadath

Steve Benen of The Carpetbagger Report was posting over the weekend at the CrooksandLiars blog and figured he’d try and start up another anti-Bush controversy.

Bush Administration pays journalists – again

Uh oh, who was the State Department paying this time?

The Bush administration’s Office of Cuba Broadcasting paid 10 journalists here to provide commentary on Radio and TV Martí, which transmit to Cuba government broadcasts critical of Fidel Castro, a spokesman for the office said Friday.

The group included three journalists at El Nuevo Herald, the Spanish-language sister newspaper of The Miami Herald, which fired them Thursday after learning of the relationship. Pablo Alfonso, who reports on Cuba for El Nuevo Herald, received the largest payment, almost $175,000 since 2001.

WTF? We’ve been paying people to to that since at least the seventies? Why didn’t the NYT (who Benen links to but I won’t) write this turd when Clinton was President?

Oh, that Liberal Media.

Like I said, where do I send my after-tax-dollars to make sure this program stays running?

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment