Crosblog

Global Politics 101: North Korea is run by bad people

You'd think that wouldn't be a complicated point, but apparently it is.

Read this. Quick backstory - a few years ago, North Korea admitted kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens and forcing them to work in North Korea teaching Japanese language and culture to North Korean intelligence agents. Their families spent many frantic years, not knowing if their children were dead or alive. Finally, in desperate need of improved relations, after years of angrily denying that they had anything to do with missing Japanese citizens, Pyongyang admitted to 13 victims (most Japanese believe there are many more), and admitted that 5 were still alive, claiming the remainder had died under usually mysterious circumstances. Those 5 were permitted to return, leaving behind spouses and children in North Korea. Kim Jong Il wants them to come back. Gregory Clark believes Japan is being unreasonable in not letting them and this is all a right wing plot.

Say it with me, folks. Great. Ceasar's. Ghost. First of all, the idea that the families of those people may "share North Korea's dislike and distrust of Japan". Where does that dislike come from? A fair and open dialogue over the pros and cons of Japan? Are North Koreans even allowed to trust and like Japan?

The concept of sending those people back to Pyongyang, in any form, must terrify their families. My thought is if they are placed under North Korea's control for any length of time, they will be immediately pressured to declare their unwavering loyalty to the Dear Leader (or whatever the hell he calls himself), and their children will of course declare the concept of going to Japan "horrific" or something.

And people will watch North Korea act like they have a right to possession of these people and wonder what it is that George Bush or Jun Koizumi did to provoke such an extreme response. Because North Korea's government isn't a collection of bad people. It's a collection of people compelled to do bad things by the true evil in the world. You know, the cowboy.

Japan's foreign policy would be much smoother and easier if Japan would just jettison the abductees. The nation has refused to allow the government to do that, and has pushed their government to stand up for its citizens, even though not doing so would make things easier.

It's admirable to see, and something I wish the U.S. would try once in a while.

Jeff Jarvis has lost his mind

Only a temporary malady, I hope, and I trust he will quickly recover. But, at the moment, he's nuts.

It starts here with the announcement that Clear Channel has cut off Howard Stern. This is somehow Bush's fault. Larry, if you're reading this, get on this right away.

He then draws a connection to The Passion of the Christ. Smart guy. I've learned a lot reading him. Completely animal crackers now.

Normally, a private business has the right to hire and fire who it will, and Clear Channel would presumably have the right to air Stern's show or not, depending on whether they felt it was good business to do so. However, according to the First Amendment defenders, Clear Channel at some point got so in bed with the Federal Government despite not actually being a part of the federal government that any time they bounce someone for saying something stupid it's the precursor to orchestrated book burnings. Apparently there is a line somewhere that once you cross it, you may not make decisions about who you air without the permission of Lawrence Tribe.

OK, full disclosure moment. I loathe Stern. I find his show unfunny and his contribution to the Great American Conversation banal and useless. The less he's heard...well, really nothing will happen the less he's heard, because he adds nothing to the sum total of the human experience. That said, man has the right to speak his "mind" and if there's a market for it, let him meet it. To call this "censorship" is to say that Clear Channel (or anyone else) is obligated to provide him with a forum.

"But what about when they come for someone you like?" Well, I don't like Bill O'Reilly, but if he pisses off Fox News to the point they can him, Hasta La Vista, Bill. Ditto Sean Hannity (who I don't mind so much), or anyone else. It wasn't censorship when gay activists tried to persuade radio stations it would be bad for business to carry Dr. Laura Schlesinger's show. They had a right to be outraged, and to voice said outrage. Ditto those hacked off by Stern. Taking it the next logical step, Clear Channel had a right to choose to assuage those outraged by Stern's presence on their station over those who would be outraged by his abscence. No law was broken, no portion of the Constitution offended.

Stern will be fine, and still probably available to be heard in most major markets. He sells, and someone will buy. And if they don't...hey, I don't have a morning show either...

There it goes

And the world's most famous foul ball meets its end.

The fan who deflected it wasn't there. Good call, said the wife. I thought Cubs fans had forgiven him, I said.

"Not real ones." came the reply.

Quote of the day comes from Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Being in town, having no idea what's going on, he says "I very much hope that thing about the National League championship is going to play out the way you want it to," he said.

Then he said "The only way a nation can display a commitment to peace and human rights is to cut deals with brutal dictators that allows them to retain power."

Hey, hope it helps...

They're blowing up the Steve Bartman baseball that cost the Cubs a trip to the World Series.

I'm married to a Cubs fan. I was sitting next to her when it happened. Before that, she was so excited...so happy...I refuse to contemplate how the possibility of the Cubs making the series compares to our wedding in the grand scheme of things. Deliberate ignorance.

When this freak of nature happened, my wife left the room. She didn't watch the rest of the game. She didn't have to. She knew. The Cubs were still up 3-0, still no reason they couldn't pull this off, but she knew.

Anyone who thinks religious people have silly superstitions needs to marry a Cubs fan.

And now they have Greg Maddux. And my wife has her hopes up again.

This is mean.

"Snow Day"

Okay, I live in Atlanta, GA. Yesterday, on the evening news, they had all these stories about the "winter storm" we were going to get today. They were talking to people who ran tow truck services, and people who were stocking up on groceries...the whole nine.

I wake up this morning, and on the news, every school in Atlanta is closed. Since the court where I work uses the schools as a guideline, I have the day off. I go downstairs to let the dogs out, and I see...

...maybe a half inch of snow on the ground, already starting to melt.

And this entire freaking city has shut down.

I love Atlanta.

College of Wooster Anti-Semitism update

Via the indispensible members of The Volokh Conspiracy, I see that there is good news and bad news coming from the College of Wooster, Ohio, a small school near where I was born and, I though, immune from this kind of Anti-Semitic nonsense.

The good news - the group that sponsored this bozo has apologized. OK, it's that "we're sorry someone was offended," crap that barely qualifies as an apology, rather then something like - "we invited a guy we expected a positive, reasoned critique of Israeli policy. We got a lungful of anti-Semitic bilge. He made us ashamed to support the Palestinian cause. We are sorry we invited him and gave him a forum, lending our name to his fecund waste of a presentation. We will do a better job of screening speakers in the future, and ask for everyone's forgiveness."

People who are actually sorry should hire me to draft their apologies. Apologizing "if people took offense" sounds suspiciously like - "if you are such an oversensitive crybaby as to find offensive the idea that the Protocols of the Elders of Zion tells it like it is, well, we're sorry the truth hurts."

And remember, folks, this is the good news.

This is the bad news. Apparently, somebody took copious notes and felt that bringing up the Protocols as a history text didn't even merit discussion. There was absolutely no hate there.

Great Ceasar's Ghost. This crap is something we've gotten used to in Berkeley, but dammit, this is Wooster, Ohio. I have family there. People there know better.

At least, I thought they did.

And the list keeps growing...

I gladly add Alarming News to my list of places to visit.

I've read a lot of good stuff since I started this thing, and I've been better about leaving comments, cause being on this end, even a quick "good post" lets you know someone read it.

Thanks to all.

Good news - the media CARES about Anti-Semitism...

...as long as there's a snowball's chance it can be linked to The Passion of the Christ.

As detailed in this NRO Corner post, as well as this one.

Now, if we could just get them to give a flaming bag of crap about this incidence of Anti-Semitism, or this one, or maybe we could find the time to talk about the Anti-Semitism of this idea?

Don't get me wrong, the widespread belief in Arab society that the only good Jew is a dead Jew isn't something we agree with, per se, it's just that...

...well...you know...

...cultural differences...settlements...

Hey, look, there's a guy with traditional Christian beliefs!

GET HIM!

Gee, I wonder whose fault this is...

In response to a threat to involve the law, I hereby add Blame Bush to the roll.

My real concern is that if I did not add him, he would have the UN Security Council condemn me with a strongly worded resolution, which, as all people know, is the only guaranteed way for civilized people to bring a conflict to an end.

Leave a comment, get a link.

Sandcastles and Cubicles are now on the roster.

At this stage in the game, it's not like I think that anyone's looking to me to decide what blogs to check out, but the roll on the right are the blogs I try to check out every day, and it reminds me to check in with people who have checked in here to see what everyone has to say.

If you've been by, leave a comment here, and I'll put you on as well.

Bush Comes Out For Anti Gay Marriage Amendment

Here's the basics, from the NY Times

This is not going over well in the blogosphere, at least not in the corners I frequent. Expressions of displeasure, from people normally inclined to support the Prez, range from the quick and to the point to the loud and long.

My take on it was mentioned in the Yuppies of Zion thread linked above. In detail, here it is. I have absolutely no problem with gay marriage. If two people want to join up, and call their joining a marriage, and some clergyman says "OK, you're married", I don't want a government that thinks its job is to burst in and say "Oh no you didn't!" One, it ain't the gubmint's job to say whose idea of holy matrimony is right and whose ain't. Two, I see no downside, and a considerable upside, to letting homosexuals marry. Marriage encourages stable families and sexual responsibility (at least, that's what I tell my wife). To exclude gays and lesbians from this institution is bad form. When my wife started law school, she worked in a restaurant run by a gay couple that had been together for a couple of decades. I fail to see how recognizing their very real marriage for what it is would damage anyone or anything. For the first three years of Bush's presidency, I was neither surprised nor disappointed by any of his major actions. I'm not terribly surprised (it's an understandable reaction to Mayor Newsom's thumb in the eye of the law), but I am disappointed.

Asparagirl and Andrew Sullivan both claim to be permanently disillusioned by a President they supported, which is why I chose them as examples above. I think the blogosphere reaction is atypical, since we as a group tend to be more libertarian and open towards "alternative lifestyles" then the public at large, and especially Bush supporters. There are a lot of people who deeply, strongly oppose gay marriage, and those folks are wondering what the hell took Bush so damn long.

Me personally? I'll probably still vote for the guy, albeit with less enthusiasm then before. The Democrats still plan to nominate Kerry, who's a bad idea to me for several reasons foreign and domestic. (For the record, there are no third party candidates who interest me at the moment.) And it ain't like Kerry's come out swinging on behalf of the recently hitched in San Fran. The fact that the guy probably agrees with Newsom but lacks the guts to say or do anything in furtherance of what he believes to be right disgusts me.

And while my disappointment with Bush is fresh, there are other issues that matter to. I oppose abortion (there are exceptions to that statement, but go with it for the sake of argument.) Bush has been, and from all indicators, will continue to fight to protect the unborn. Kerry will battle any attempt to protect unborn life just as strongly. I have in the past voted for pro-choice candidates who I agreed with on other issues. I'm open to doing so in the future. Supporters of gay rights can claim, and not without justification, that I am abandoning them if I let Bush get away with his position by continuing to support him. But my beliefs require compromise no matter who I vote for. And as disappointed as I am in Bush, voting for Kerry would require me to compromise more, even with this.

I wish he hadn't done it. But, to me, the fact is he's still better than the other guy.

Just not by as big a margin as he used to be.

Welcome, and thanks...

I'm too new at this not to appreciate the folks who take the time to say something...letting me know someone's actually reading this tripe.

Therefore, I gladly add...Clarified to my list of regular blogs-to-check. A quick skim down the page suggest we won't agree a whole lot, but she likes the Simpsons, so there's hope. BTW, take the Simpsons quiz I learned about on her site. I'm Krusty the Clown.

Sit still...try not to act surprised

The U.N.'s dealings with Saddam Hussein were corrupted with bribes.

I know, I'm as shocked as you are. The U.N. is outraged that people have noticed...I mean, that this may have been going on, and will conduct a full investigation as soon as we stop caring about the results.

The good news is that those U.S. policitians who have been pushing for a greater U.N. role in all that the U.S. does abroad have a vested interest in the U.N.'s credibility. Men like John Kerry will not allow the U.N. to sweep this under the rug, and will demonstrate their leadership qualities by leaping to the fore to demand a full investigation and accountability for anyone found to have been complicit in Saddam's skullduggery.

Right?

How can you not be able to tell who the good guys are?

Read this story about the attack on Israel's wall

Here's the money quote, after noting the Palestinians cut off from land because of the wall - "Israel has offered compensation to those who lost land because of the barrier. Some have refused to accept it, saying it would suggest that they accept the wall."

Read it again. Israel, the racist, apartheid state, has offered to reimburse people whose livelihoods were affected. Now, don't get me wrong, this is something any decent government should do. They don't deserve kudos for compensating people for losses they cause.

But can anyone point to any story run anywhere ever where any Palestinian or Arab state has compensated the victims of suicide bombings? (Note - paying rewards solely to the family of the bomber do not count.)

Geesh.

They're kidding, right?

Supporters of suicide bombers demand unfettered access to Israeli children and senior citizens

Okay, that wasn't how they put it. But let's review a few points, shall we?

"One sign held aloft by a demonstrator in downtown al-Khalil (Hebron) described the “Nazi wall” as the “moral equivalent of a holocaust”." - WTF? How on earth can anyone make any kind of claim to Western sympathies while letting crap like this fly?

Money quote, part II - "High-ranking Fatah official Sakhr Habash told Aljazeera TV he hoped a condemnatory verdict by the ICJ would “hound and haunt every Israeli wherever he or she goes with the stigma that they belong to a racist state.” " - As opposed to the state Mr. Habash would like to create, where all races would live in harmony, and absolutely no Jews would be killed simply for being Jews or for practicing their religion...unless we absolutely can't resist or have nothing better to do or something.

And finally - "Both Hourani and Habash castigated Sunday’s bus-bombing attack in West Jerusalem, describing it as “stupid and playing into Israeli hands.”

Several other Palestinian leaders have likewise denounced the bombing, calling it a “timely propaganda gift for the Israeli government.”" - That's right folks, bombing a bus full of people was wrong, not because it was a senseless, murderous waste of human life, but because it was bad PR.

Once upon a time, I felt sympathy for the Palestinian cause. A people should have a state - a reasonable request. But people protesting the wall do not want my sympathy or my support. They very much want my practically unqualified support for Israel, and I know this because nobody who wanted me on their side would act the way the Palestinians have.

In conclusion, a fair number of people said on or about 9/11 that the U.S. should look within, consider what the root causes of terrorism are, and what we can do to alleviate such hostile feelings. I look forward to those people exploring the root causes of Israel building this fricking wall, and what they can do to alleviate the sense of fear and mistrust that has caused them to think that without it, they are sitting ducks for a band of homicidal fanatics who will target their children without so much as a slap on the wrist from the people around them.

Why do these people have jobs?

Idiot CNN reporter thinks reformers "lost" the Iranian election.

No words about top-flight candidates being banned. No words about their lack of access to media. No words about student demonstrators disappearing.

Great Ceasar's Ghost, do bloggers have to do everything where Iran is concerned?

Oh, hey, the parents are on board, never mind.

Parents of Colorado football players are supporting Gary Barnett

God love 'em for standing up for their kids. According to them, everyone is portraying them as a bunch of hormone-crazed, uncontrollable oafs. And I agree. Let me be clear - The Colorado Buffalo football team is a bunch of hormone-crazed, uncontrollable oafs.

These folks are not disinterested onlookers or innocent victims (by which I mean the players). They are the people who either (a) stood by as Katie Hnida was hounded from the team, or (b) the people who did the hounding. (Yes, I understand freshmen and transfers weren't there when Hnida was. However, they did feel comfortable joining a team who did these things, plus they're the recruits implicated in the sex and booze parties that have caused all of this to come to light.)

I understand the parents wanting to believe that this never happened and if it did they sure didn't know about it and anyway the girl said yes and if she didn't my son was drunk so he thought she did and Gary Barnett sure as hell didn't know about any of it. It's called willful ignorance and we're all guilty of it at times. My point is the parents' support isn't the outpouring of unbiased Barnett love it's being sold as.

There are places where guys who aren't like that can go to play football. Like the University of New Mexico. I'll say it again, I truly hope the kids at UNM are truly proud of how they've handled the entire situation.

And their parents have good reason to be proud as well.

Quick update - the Daily Lobo article requires free registration.

Matthew Yglesias is not a dog person

At least he recognizes it's not a healthy impuse to celebrate the loss of a pet.

My wife, the liberal in the family, still has trouble adjusting to the fact that conservatives are dog people and liberals are cat people. (We have three dogs, and she thinks of them as our children. I avoid the question of who'd go if it were me or them, cause I like sleeping in the big house.)

If some prominent liberal could be seen publicly embracing a dog (and I mean a real dog, not a Bichon or one of those other shoe-buffers with tails rich women keep in their handbags), my wife would greatly appreciate it. I wonder if Edwards has a dog. I'll bet Kerry doesn't.

Get bent, Simon Cowell

We've all heard it by now. William Hung's spastic, tuneless rendition of "She Bangs," supposedly showing us all what not to do when going out for "American Idol".

Except now the guy's become a celebrity.

From the sound of it, folks love him. And, from the sound of it, he's basically a good guy who had fun going out, and is having fun as the accidental celebrity. He's one of those folks you can just look at and know you'd like. So why not give him a bunch of backup dancers and another shot at performing?

Another question. If Simon Cowell fell on his ass as grandly as Hung did, how many people would tell him they loved him anyway?

Dammit, if I can't overthrow capitalism, can't nobody overthrow capitalism

Nader's in.

First, my in-depth, insightful, fair and balanced commentary.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Seriously, the man's a native born citizen over the age of 35. He's entitled to run if he wants to, and people who don't like anyone else are entitled to vote for him.

That, and the man's nuts. He will cater to voters who are nuts. The sort of people that think we'd be a better country if only we'd do more to emulate Cuba. Just run your campaign. If they grit their teeth and vote for you, great. If not, well, you didn't want them showing up and camping out on the White House lawn, anyways.

The Gary Barnett saga continues...

All right, there is one fact that might to some people go part ways towards exonerating Gary Barnett.

The money quote that he gives, where he deals with a rape allegation by disparaging the victim's kicking ability, was apparently in response to a question from a reporter about Hnida's ability. The argument goes (haven't read it yet, but I assume someone will make it at some point), hey, look, a reporter asked what kind of football player she was. Barnett's honest opinion was that she stunk. What do you want the guy to do, lie?

Well, no. The good answer goes something like - "It doesn't matter what kind of football player Katie Hnida was. It matters whether or not her allegations are true, and how we can find out whether they are. I am fully committed to an honest, impartial, and open investigation that gets to the bottom of this and assures women that they are safe in the company of Colorado football players, and that Colorado football players understand their obligation to society."

If he said something like that, perhaps he could have also gotten away with saying something like "since you insist on discussing the irrelevant detail of Katie Hnida's football ability, the unfortunate truth is I don't think she was quite up to Buffalo standards. But she wanted to play, and we owe it to everyone who steps on the field to give them a chance to compete for a spot."

But, he didn't say any of that. At least not at first. He kind of said something like it recently, after the roof fell in on him after his moronic statements when this first came out. But whether that was Barnett's actual views, or the views of a lawyer or publicist with less of a tin ear, well...that's a different question, now, ain't it?

Great Ceasar's Ghost...

We've erred. The North Koreans are the good guys. We're standing in the way of peace on earth again.

I hate when we do that. Oh, no wait, I don't. I hate when westerners get so blinded by anti-Americanism (or Anti-Bushism, whichever) that they are willing to excuse any dictatorship, no matter how brutal. Any violation of human rights, no matter how obscene, is merely an unfortunate reality forced upon the otherwise peaceable and reasonable Kim Jong-Il by that damned Texas Cowboy.

This guy is Ann Coulter's vision of what liberals are. And if she's right, we're doomed.

Link via Tacitus

OK, this is kind of funny

Volokh tells the story of a wise-ass who got smacked down by the man.

A few qualifiers. Gay marriage is okay by me. Gay people neither frighten nor offend me, with the exception of Nathan Lane's sitcom. I do not want a government that thinks it has the time or the place to consider whether this couple's union is more worthy of sanction than that couple's union. The mayor of San Francisco is breaking the law, and deserves to get rapped for it. But he is doing the right thing. (These two beliefs are not incompatible. Civil disobedience carries penalties. Voting rights activists in the 60's went to jail proudly, and it was the presence of good men and women being punished that helped shine the light on unjust laws. One hopes the people breaking the law in San Francisco are of similar character. One has doubts.)

That said, gun ownership is okay by me. Gun owners neither frighten nor offend me. The author of the letter had a legitimate point, and one hopes it doesn't get lost in the hubbub.

Volokh is also right. You tell the cops you're bringing guns to city hall, you will be hearing from law enforcement in the very near future. And, if he's one of those worthy civil rights activists we all hope to see again, he'll deal with it with his head up, just like we hope the mayor does.

All Barnett, all the time

What can I say, I'm interested in this. And here's another writer calling for Barnett's head on a stick.

More on Barnett's "defense" later.

Coach Barnett placed on leave

Well, it's a start

Read the story and find highly amusing Barnett's apology for "what must have come across as insensitive." Apparently Barnett is sorry for us being so stupid as to not see the importance of an alleged rape victim's inability to hit a 45-yard field goal.

Barnett's second try at a relevant statement was better. If one thought it were actually representative of his thoughts on the matter, one could be optimistic that he genuinely wants to get to the bottom of this, even if it makes some of his male players look bad. As you may be able to tell, I'm a tad skeptical.

Props to the University for doing this. Hopefully the folks in charge have realized that there are more important things than next years BCS Title Game, and let independant investigators swim around.

Nuke Boulder

Female Colorado kicker says she was raped

Coach Gary Barnett released a statement expressing surprise that Hnida even owned a pair of cleats, as she was supposed to be barefoot and pregnant.

Okay, he didn't say that.

He said this.

And, while he neglected to mention it in his prepared statement, he also said this.

The germane part of Barnett's quote is:

"It's a guy's sport. (Players) felt like Katie was forced on them. It was obvious Katie was not very good. She was awful. You know what guys do? They respect your ability. I mean, you could be 90 years old, but if you could go out and play, they would respect you. Well Katie was a girl, and not only was she a girl, she was terrible."

Yeah, that's what you say when a player under your care says you stood by while an entire football team tortured her for two years. That's how you convince the world that her claim that she didn't come forward because the coach hated her and would have taken it out on her is complete hogwash. That's how you...we all get the point, I trust? One of two things is happening here. Either Katie Hnida and her father are both lying, despite no sign either one is getting anything out of this, or Gary Barnett is a troglodyte lying to cover his ass. I leave it as an exercise to the viewer to determine which is which.

I think it's clear that Barnett deliberately closed his eyes to the goings-on at Colorado, with a "boys will be boys" mindset. If Hnida wasn't Buffalo material as a player, his obligation was to sit down with her and have an honest discussion about whether she wanted to ride the bench (or risk being cut) with Colorado, or transfer somewhere and have a chance to play regularly. Colorado is one of the top football schools in the country, and saying she couldn't kick there isn't the same as saying she can't kick.

The obvious heroes, that everyone will notice are Hnida, her father, and Rick Reilly. To that list, I would like to add the coaches and players at The University of New Mexico where Hnida plays now. When the story of this whole saga is told, it will be noted that where Colorado players behaved like boorish drunken sailors, the New Mexico Lobos acted with class. Because of this, a moment in college football history will forever be associated with them, and hopefully they can take pride in that, even though it's just Hnida's name in the record book.

Look, I'm nobody's idea of a feminist. No one owed Katie Hnida a roster spot or playing time. That isn't what this is about, and Barnett trying to defend himself by attacking Hnida as a player is just idiocy squared. A college coach who cares about the development of his players would never have let things decay to this point. And a college who cares about such things wouldn't keep a coach around who didn't get it.

Fire Barnett. Go Lobos. That is all.

Koufax...I get it.

The Koufax Awards for the best left-wing blogs have been announced

Kevin Drum goes home empty-handed? What the hell?

Oh well, not my place, I suppose. Congratulations to all the winners, and let the great debate re-convene!

Great Debate begins...

NOW!

You're all wrong.

Tom Delay wouldn't have gotten away with it

Liberal California Congresswoman gets ass reamed for sending letter in support of rapist.

And deservedly so. The Congresswoman should have at a minimum known what the guy was charged with. And she shouldn't have sent a letter in support of a rapist without knowing the whole story. There still may have been a good faith reason to ask the judge to cut this crapsack a break (not that he should have gotten one beyond the plea deal - for those facts, eight years is a gift, but the way it happened, it was clear - Lynn Woolsey used the weight of her office solely because she knew this jerk's mother.

And kudos to Tina Phan for having the courage to come forward, use her name, and pull the punk card on someone who's a legend in her community. If she had wanted to remain anonymous, and try to put the most horrific event in her life behind her, she'd have had every right.

People who speak out on any issue have an obligation to try and know what they're talking about. You'd think a Congresswoman would have figured that out by now.

Sadly, Michelle Malkin is probably right.

The voters of her district probably won't make Woosley pay for this.

One of the classics has returned

More or less. Doctor Suarez and Asparagirl (which sounds like a really bad 70's superhero team), have combined their blogs, and now present...

The Protocols of the Yuppies of Zion

Please check in for further updates on evil villains who steal disco balls...I mean, politics and current events. (They really sound like a 70's superhero team)

Great Ceasar's Ghost

College of Wooster, OH hosts defender of Protocols of the Elders of Zion

We should be used to this by now. It's been a disturbing trend for too long now to treat Anti-Semitism as simply an alternative or non-traditional viewpoint rather than the racist bilge it is, especially on a college campus. But you expect this sort of thing from self-important yahoos in Berkley, not Wooster.

This bugs me. I was born in Ohio, and I have family that lives near Wooster. A couple of relatives attended there in their younger days. You know why those of us in fly-over country feel superior to our countrymen on the coasts? Well, it used to be that we didn't have time for nonsense like this.

But that's the trend nowadays. And it's such a trend that when it hits this close to home, I'm not even mad. Just disappointed.

Academic Freedom Under Attack...

Just Read This

Apparently, it ended well, at least from the perspective of the student who was dissed.

She tells the story here

I think she's entitled to a public apology, which it doesn't sound like she got, but if she's cool with it, the rest of us should be too.

Doesn't mean folks weren't entitled to pop off. Just means it's time to put the top back on.

Well, that's that.

The woman alleged to have an affair with John Kerry has denied it.

That should pretty much put that one to bed. (No pun intended. OK, pun a little bit intended)

I mean, he says it didn't happen, she says it didn't happen. Unless whoever operated the video camera comes forward, you ain't gonna be able to prove otherwise.

(Note - Kerry has (or had) a rep as a bit of a skirt-chaser when he was between rich wives. I'm not saying it didn't happen. But if both parties have their stories straight, you ain't gonna be able to establish it, and it's better for all of us if folks don't waste their breath tryin')

I hate it when people I like say stupid stuff...

The New Republic tries to defend Kerry's Anti-Vietnam record

I like The New Republic. Really I do. Nice place to read what more or less responsible left-wingers are saying, and what a sane man's alternative to George Bush would be.

But this is nonsense. To exonerate Kerry's testimony to congress by saying...

"So, far from making the allegations himself, Kerry was simply repeating what other veterans themselves had admitted."

Earth to New Republic. This isn't "far from making the allegations himself." Kerry had a national reputation, and he used that reputation to get those allegations before Congress. Now, if Kerry's position is he did not believe these stories, and he repeated them in a public forum anyway without criticism, then he was an irresponsible buttweasel who owes a lot of people an apology and is probably unfit to be president if he needs someone to explain this to him.

More likely, Kerry believed them then, and he believes them now (unless there's a statement out there that clearly and explicity repudiates it.) He believed it, and he lent his stature and celebrity to make it known. He repeated the allegations without qualification or criticism because he believed it, and he wanted the country to believe it as well.

There is a defense to this. Kerry can either say 1. - I was misled, and a renounce my connection to the Winter Soldier investigation and apologize to everyone who was hurt by those scurrilous allegations, or 2. - Look, what I said then was correct. Vietnam was one big war crime from beginning to end, and pretty much everyone either committed atrocities or knew about and tacitly approved them. And if you can't deal with that, you're obviously a neo-con sheep.

However, "I didn't say it, I just repeated it," isn't a defense. It's a weasel statement made by a guy who, for some reason, fears the truth. You know, the kind of thing that's supposed to turn us all against Bush?

A nice thing to hear

A while back, Samizdata, among others put out the call to send support to a teenage girl who'd been reamed in front of her classmates by a teacher who took issue with the political viewpoint of one of her assignments.

I joined the chorus here.

Her mother provides a follow-up

This is what I like about blogs. In the Commodore 64 era (or so I hear from actual old people), if you found yourself alone, it was hard to find someone to suggest otherwise.

I hope the "teacher" does her part to mend ways with Ms. Dubois. But if she doesn't, she'll always know who's got her back.

While waiting for a verdict...

Wesley Clark endorses John Kerry

God, Clark's a loon. And couldn't more clearly be a bandwagon-hopper if he had it tattooed on his disturbingly shiny forehead. Clark's supporters were moderate hawks who would gravitate more towards Edwards. Of course, if Clark gave a crap what people thought, he'd have dropped out a few weeks ago.

Do you believe in Miracles?

Go see this movie.

It's ok, I'll wait.

It saddens me to think that actually remembering when this happened makes me old. I complained to my wife that the movie was slow to start, only to be reminded that the kids today are used to America the Unstoppable Colossus that everyone wants to see get pulled off their high horse (These people are voting for John Kerry - I'm just saying, is all).

Anyway, people forget how the Olympics were played in the Cold War. The U.S. (and for that matter, Britain, Canada, France, etc.), put their best amateurs out, and the pros watched. The Soviets put their best players in the army, but never put them in Afghanistan or anywhere somebody might get shot. They kept them together as a team, drilling and practicing for years, while Western teams had to coalesce in a matter of months. They billed them as "amateurs," because, you see, they weren't pro hockey players. They were career soldiers.

Apparently not pretending to swallow this nonsense would have resulted in nuclear war, so we spent several decades getting our asses beat. Then Herb Brooks, Jim Craig, Mike Eruzione, and the rest of them changed things.

I'm amazed that twenty years later I still react the way I do to the Miracle on Ice. In retrospect, it was the first time I recall learning there was anything special about America. As my mother (who thinks icing is what you put on cakes and a blue-line pass is something Bill Clinton does at a sorority party) explained: They cheated. We won anyway.

It's too bad we've gone to all-star teams everywhere in the Olympics, but I'm sure one of these days, the team that beats the US basketball team in the Summer Games will get to make a movie of their own.

One of these days, I'll be able to produce quotes like this.

"The Democrats seem to have succumbed to a terrible bout of wishful thinking, like Michael Moore bringing a condom in his wallet to a Sports Illustrated swimsuit-photo shoot." - Jonah Goldberg

From today's G-File

Bush the draft dodger

Seems to me the folks best qualified to decide whether President Bush discharged his duties in the National Guard honorably are those who served in his unit. They could tell you whether or not he pulled his weight.

One of them has done so.

Now, I'm not saying this guy definitively addresses all the Kerry-Huggers concerns. (He thinks he does, but I'll leave it open.) But you intend to use Bush's record against him, it requires a response.

I'm betting it doesn't get one.

In Jury Trials all week...

So blogging will be light. I will be discussing Wesley Clark's withdrawl (finally), and the movie Miracle (see it!) as soon as time becomes available.

In honor of my first comment...

I hereby announce the following addition to my blogroll...

Rob, the Right Wing Extremist

Please check him out for all your right wing extremist needs.

So, Loud Howard's willing to be the Veep, huh?

Howard Dean starts talking about maybe being somebody's vice-presidential nominee ain't the worst idea he's ever heard.

I couldn't help but think of...

this guy

Here's the scene

I can imagine Howard, on the phone with John Kerry.

"All right, let's call it a draw."

Previous post...

Forwarded to me from a friend. I have no claim to authorship.

Welcome to Atlanta

Ever been to Atlanta?

This is for anyone who lives in Atlanta, who has ever lived in Atlanta,
has visited Atlanta, ever plans to visit Atlanta, knows anyone who
lives in Atlanta, knows anyone who has ever visited Atlanta or anyone
who has ever heard of Atlanta, Georgia.

Atlanta is composed mostly of one way streets. The only way to get out
of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach
Greenville, South Carolina. All directions start with, "Go down Peachtree"
and include the phrase, "When you see the Waffle House." Except that in Cobb
County, all directions begin with, "Go to the Big Chicken and ." Peachtree
Street has no beginning and no end and is not to be confused with Peachtree
Circle, Peachtree Place, Peachtree Lane, Peachtree Road, Peachtree Parkway,
Peachtree Run, Peachtree Trace, Peachtree Ave, Peachtree Commons,Peachtree
Battle, Peachtree Corners, New Peachtree, Old Peachtree, West Peachtree,
Peachtree-Dunwoody, Peachtree-Chamblee, or Peachtree Industrial Boulevard.

Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If you ask
anyone for directions they will always send you down Peachtree.

Atlanta is the home of Coca-Cola. That's all we drink here, so don't
ask for any other soft drink unless it's made by Coca-Cola. And even
then it's still "Coke." A carbonated soft drink isn't a soda, cola, or
pop...it's a Coke, regardless of brand or flavor. Example: "What kinda coke you want?"

Gate One at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport is 32 miles away
from the Main Concourse, so wear sneakers and pack a lunch.

It's impossible to go around a block and wind up on the street you
started on. The Chamber of Commerce calls it a "scenic drive" and has
posted signs to that effect, so that out-of-towners don't feel lost...they're just on a
scenic drive."

The 8:00 AM rush hour is from 6:30 to 10:30 AM. The 5:00 PM rush hour
is from 3:00 to 7:30 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday afternoon, and
lasts through 2:00 AM Saturday.

"Sir" and "Ma'am" are used by the person speaking to you if there's a
remote possibility that you're at least 30 minutes older than they are.

A native can only pronounce Ponce De Leon Avenue one way, so do not
attempt the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right
and stare at you. The Atlanta pronunciation is "pahnss duh LEE-on"

The fall of raindrop makes everyone forget all traffic rules.
If a single snowflake falls, the city is paralyzed for three days, and it's
on all the TV channels and radio stations as a news flash every 15
minutes for a month. All the grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread,
bottled water, toilet paper, and beer. If there is a remote chance of
snow, and if it does snow, people will be on the corner selling "I survived the
blizzard" tee-shirts, not to mention the fact that all schools will
close at the slightest possible chance of snow.

The pollen count is off the national scale for unhealthy, which starts
at 120. Atlanta is usually in the 2,000 to 4,000 range. All roads,
vehicles, houses - everything - is yellow from March 28th to July 15th.
If you have any allergies, you will die. But other than that, it's a
great place to live!

There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Georgia. There are
10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Georgia, plus a couple no one's ever
seen before.

"Onced" and "Twiced" are actual words.

It is not a shopping cart, it's a buggy.

There ain't no such thing as "lunch." There's only dinner - and, then,
there is supper.

'Jeetyet?' is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat yet?"

You install security lights on your house and garage - and then leave
both unlocked.

The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but
need 6 pages for local gossip and sports.

You know whether another Georgian is from north Georgia, south Georgia
or middle Georgia as soon as they open their mouth (Albany = All benny).

Going to Wal-Mart is a favorite past time known as "goin wal-martin" or
off to Wally World"

Sweet Tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when
you're 2.

If you understand these jokes, forward them to your friends from GA
(and those who just wish they were )

It's funny cause it's true.

Now with comments...

Now I have no excuse. Now I know nobody cares...

Any Democrat who wants my vote...

Here's how to get it.

North Korea is run by very bad people

President Bush has been clear on this point, and has not equivocated or qualified his statement in any way. Good for him.

Realism, however, requires that we recognize Kim Jong Il's ability, and apparent willingness, to vaporize Seoul if he feels sufficiently threatened from without. Therefore, simply "wasting the bastard" is probably not a feasable idea, assuming one actually likes having Seoul, and a fair portion of Japan, around. (I do.)

The common alternative, however, has been to suggest that we "deal" with North Korea. The North Korean version of this deal is simple. They want their hold on North Korea guaranteed, affirmed, and (most importantly) subsidized. This is a catastrophically horrible idea that makes us all accomplices to brutality on a massive scale. I mean every word of the preceding sentence, and am not exaggerating to make a point.

Lately, I've started to worry that a Bush administration eager for "foreign policy successes", defined as signed agreements and handshake photo-ops, may cut such a deal. Such a deal would burst open the narrow opening a Democrat has in securing my vote.

I won't pretend it's easy to pressure Kim to relax his deathgrip without starting a war. But if you want to be President, you want the problem. And if someone were to present a plausible sounding idea, that alone might be enough to win my vote.

Even if this idea were proposed by Clark.

OK, I have trouble telling them apart too, but...

Justin causes his fellow N'Syncer to suffer

Apparently, because Justin gave us all a peek at Janet Jackson's breast, one of his N'Sync buddies has been kicked off the Pro Bowl. Here is why this is wrong.

1. First of all, no one, repeat no one should ever be punished for removing clothing from Janet Jackson.

2. Second of all, it is cruel and unusual to punish one of the N'Sync B Team for Justin's action. Justin has already punished them enough, as by flying solo, he has guaranteed that his bandmates are destined to be contestants on Celebrity Mole:Anchorage within the next two years.

3. It's the frickin' Pro Bowl. Nobody cares. Have him sodomize a Backstreet Boy if you like, no one will notice.

This Smash Person is Wise...

Lt. Smash sounds off on people who are "anti-war, but pro-troop"

I agree. And to elaborate, people who spout this nonsense assuredly think they're "supporting the troops." After all, they want them to come home, while warmongers like us want them to stay over there and get shot at. These people are deluding themselves, not in full possession of the facts, morons, or some combination of the three.

If I may explain...

The people we are fighting cannot beat us in a conventional war. No way, no how. We have more people, better equipment, better training, and many terrorists are reluctant to fight too fiercely for leaders who are festering brutal crapsacks. The only way they can win is to kill, if only a few at a time, until American public opinion turns and we leave. As long as they think turning America against a war is within reach, they will continue to fight and kill.

Every protest, every angry letter to the editor, every "Bush Lied, People Died" logo on a blog, is a reason the people shooting at our troops think they can get what they want by killing our people.

For most anti-war folks, this is not their goal. This is not what they want. This is not the intended result of their actions.

It's just what happens.

Thou Shalt Not Disagree With Us...

The University of Michigan is threatening law firms who may support Ward Connerly

A commenter mentions a point that this may be legal. I think he's probably right, especially if there's a possibilty that the law firm in question may be defending the Michigan programs this initiative would outlaw. Of course, I don't think the author of the letter in question thought it all the way through. I think he's just a supporter of preferences trying to bully potential opponents. After all, if you're an employment lawyer whose job is making sure UM complies with reporting requirements on retirement contributions, why should they care what policy positions you take?

Because they fear a fair fight. Or maybe some other reason.

Probably not.

The NFL's apology

Thank God they had the courage to say it.

And, with that, I think we should all consider the matter closed.

Except to wonder what Britney will do to top it at the Grammys.

What didn't happen

Den Beste reminds us that we're winning.

For months, a series of jackasses have been promising to strike us in a way that makes 9/11 look like a paper cut. In spite of this, we have gone on with our lives. We continue to stage major events that people pay attention to the world over. We put 30,000 people in a confined area, and broadcast it to the world. What a target.

Except we're winning. And they just can't pull that crap off anymore.

God Bless America.

Well, I complained when they started it...

So I'll praise them when they end it...

Kudos to the South Carolina Democrats for rescinding their pledge requirement and letting any registered voter participate in their primary.

Now all South Carolinians get thee to a pollery and vote for...well...whoever.

Boob...get it?

OK, actual take on the Super Bowl, it was a game worthy of the name. Delhomme and Brady both were outstanding, both defenses were impressive, and Vinatieri recovered nicely when it mattered most. John Kasay, however, is officially the goat, for kicking the ball out of bounds, when backing the Pats up an extra 15-20 yards might have made all the difference.

Re: Janet & Justin, my group couldn't tell at first if it was intentional or not. At the time supporting intentional: Janet had her nipple covered, like she knew people would get a look at it. Against: She sure looked like it was a surprise, and I think Justin appeared a bit shocked as well. (And I thought he knew what they looked like, too.)

Reading after the fact the tone MTV took, I'm inclined to lean towards it being intentional, especially since MTV promised shocking and sexy. (And since nobody sang any new material, the envelope would have to be pushed elsewhere...)

I concur with the right-wingers who rolled their eyes rather than be outraged. It's kind of sad what people will do for attention these days. Especially since Janet's actually talented.

And I'm stunned that Tina was the first one off.

Haven't posted on the Super Bowl yet...

Boy, do I feel like a boob...

So...y'all don't want my vote...

Voters in Democratic Primaries Must Promise They're Democrats

I'm pretty sure this is a bad idea. I couldn't say "I consider myself a Democrat", so I guess I wouldn't be allowed to vote, but here's the thing. There are candidates running whom I would support over Bush right now (Lieberman), candidates I might support, depending on how things happen over the next few months (Edwards), a bunch of loons I wouldn't vote for at gunpoint (Kerry, Dean), and a few who would frighten me enough to get off my butt and knock doors and raise money for Bush (Sharpton, Kucinich, Clark.)

My question is this. If you're concerned that non-Democrats would "make mischief" by voting, please elaborate as to which candidate such a person would vote for. Is a vote for Kucinich a vote for mischief? If you, you owe it to Dennis 4 supporters to tell them that the official position of the Democratic party is their man is a whack-job, and he needs to get out now, lest Republicans vote for him in the open primaries coming up down the road.

Things you can't say in an educational environment...

I mean to start working today, I really do. But

Samizdata

says we should link to

this girl

and tell her we got her back.

We got your back. Any teacher who makes a student feel scared, uncomfortable, or ashamed is unworthy of the title.

Of course, the "teacher" may have had a point. I once had a highly liberal professor teaching one of my Sociology classes in college, during the 1992 election. He detested Bush Senior and made no bones about it, but he was an educator through and through, worthy of the name, and he did his best to encourage students to come to their own conclusions. I was a knee-jerk liberal at the time, and it was in his class that I first started to truly question my own beliefs, a process that led to an extensive realignment on my part.

I can see why some may fear that process. But it's what education is for, and if Professor Nick Maroules ever hears about this, I hope you're not too disappointed about what I've done with the thought process you helped instill.

And, by the way, thank you.

Darn That Bush For Not Being "Reasonable" With North Korea

When people get cranky with El Presidente for not having achieved peace on the Korean peninsula, what they want is for him to make a deal. It's not like he doesn't know there's a deal to be made, Kim Jong-Il and company have been standing on the summit of Mt. Paektu, shrieking "CUT US A DEAL, MORON!" at the top of their lungs pretty much since he took office.

Here's the deal: We'll promise to tell you we've renounced producing and proliferating weapons of mass destruction, and in exchange you feed our army and guarantee that we will continue to hold power over 22 million North Koreans.

And every so often we get a reminder of the kind of people such a deal would be struck with.

And Moses Said...The Lord has given you 15 commandments...

Moses then talked God down to ten. The bad news was, adultery stayed on the list.

And here are the commandments of blogging.

I'm working on it.

Two tacos later...

You know, that would be a good title for...something.

Anyway, my point (and like any good lesbian, I do have one), is that the Democrats seem to have gotten in a group, given a big, overdramatic sigh (you know, like the one your dog gives when it becomes apparent that, as a matter of fact, you DO intend to eat that entire sandwich yourself), and said "Fine, we'll go with Kerry."

It completely escapes me how on earth any one can call themselves a Bush-hater and nominate this drip to take him on. The Bush-hater driven by anger goes for Howard Dean (or, to a lesser extent, Sharpton). The Bush-hater driven by rationality says "hey, I like Dean, but for some inexplicable reason, he comes off to most folks like a rampaging loonball. Let's select someone who could actually persuade moderate Bush voters to switch sides," and goes for either Edwards or Lieberman. The Bush-hater motivated by too much time in the front row at a Phish concert goes for Kucinich, and the Bush-hater who has been hit in the head with an anvil goes for Clark.

To review: John Kerry is a liberal Bob Dole and a boring Howard Dean. He doesn't offend on the left, doesn't persuade on the right, and doesn't inspire anywhere. He's the perfect candidate for those who want the Democrats to lose, but not go down in flames.

Muttering Towards Oblivion...

Recent round of polls on the Sunday gabfests suggest that John Kerry will win everything except South Carolina and the Super Bowl. (And if the Patriots win the Super Bowl, bet on Kerry to mention how he called Belicheck and told him that Brady was his guy, and that anyone who points out all the times Kerry criticized the Patriots for trading Drew Bledsoe should be ashamed of themselves for criticizing his Patriotism...)

Get it? Patriotism? I kill me. No, you don't, but keep it up and other people might - ed.

I had a point, but the wife just informed me there are tacos, and...well, you know...