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Friday, July 30, 2004Is The Commonwealth In Play? Ask the $1.75 million Kerry Raised In Virginia This Month. . . I'm gonna keep beating the drums until someone listens. When the Dems have every tool at their disposal, three visits from John Kerry, and $750,000 spent versus the fact that I can't even get my local Republican leaders a bumper sticker, something is seriously wrong: For the minimum entry price of $1,000, partygoers were provided with hors d'oeuvres and mixed drinks. Top-dollar donors were treated to a private reception with Kerry and Warner, who later emerged to shake hands in the larger crowd.Absolutely it does. If yesterday's Washington Post Express means anything, buzz at the convention is that Kerry is indeed targeting Virginia. Now of course, I know I'm being an alarmist about this. Yes, I know the more work we do in Virginia the more we can focus on battleground states. This having been said, GOP efforts thus far in Virginia have been entirely grassroots. That's nothing terrible, but when I can't reward my volunteers with so much as a bumper sticker, that is bad news. Now we could make the argument that I, as a local party chairman, should be raising the funds necessary to get this done. Perhaps all 130 local GOP chairmen should be doing this? That's fine, but that isn't something that we are going to intuitively do without direction; direction we have been seriously lacking. In the Fredericksburg area, we are well on our way to doing our part. But the fact remains that 130 disorganized and ill-supplied grassroots organizations are not going to beat a focused, grassroots oriented, and organized effort from the Dems. They don't just believe they can win, they know they can win. The Democrats in Virginia are serious about Kerry winning Virginia, and if Republicans believe it can't happen, then let us ask ourselves why Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are in office to begin with. Furthermore, let's remind ourselves that if Virginia Republicans do poorly in 2004, we are going to look very weak for 2005 when it matters. So what's the short list of solutions? (1) Give the GOP Chairmen and State Central a heads up. If we're on our own, we'd like to know that in a manner that we can hand the information to our volunteers and say "Hey guys, we're on our own so Bush can focus on Florida. Now let's go stomp some liberals!" Something as simple and as small as that can really stop the lethargy and get us moving in the right direction. (2) Organization. Victory 2004 is working on this, I know, so I won't complain too much. But co-ordination is key and it is need if anything to smooth over our local leaders. It's 100 days out - we should be ready by now. (3) Materials. I'm talking signs and bumpersticker, not mugs and frizbees and other worthless crap that costs too much money. Folks can buy the trinkets in the store, but bumperstickers, lapel stickers, and signs are par for the course for any campaign. Now in many respects we can breathe easier in the Fredericksburg area. Spotsylvania has taken the lead, we have an HQ, we have precincts covered (in Spotsy and Fredericksburg at least) and we have a plan in place for fundraising and events. But if the Dems are serious with organization and staff, they are going to manipulate the environment in a way I as a chairman can't. This GOP stuff on my behalf is part-time, not full time. The Bush/Cheney campaign needs to re-evaluate Virginia and soon. We don't need gangbusters, we just need some freakin' stickers guys! RPV and Victory 2004 can handle the rest! Vatican to Release Document on Feminism Tomorrow The Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is issuing a 37-page letter criticizing "radical feminism" and other such gender based ideologies: Men and women are equal, but this does not mean that their roles are not different. This has been the traditional position of the Catholic Church for years, as explained by Pope John Paul II in his many of his speeches, such as the 'Mulieris dignitatem' letter in 1988. This view will once again be stressed in a Vatican Congregation document on faith, due to be issued tomorrow, and of which newspaper 'Corriere della Sera' has already published some excerpts.The document is due to be released tomorrow and can be downloaded from the Vatican website. Straight Talk from George W. Bush I'm George W. Bush, and I approved this message. In fact, I think it is awesome." Will Ferrell on George W. Bush. Not particularly favorable to the President, but it's still funny. Thursday, July 29, 2004Early Modern Texts Retired Prof. Jonathan Bennett has created and presented one of the finest condensations (or rather, updatings ) of philosophical texts I have read in a long time: Here are versions of some classics of early modern philosophy, prepared with a view to making them easier to read while leaving the main arguments, doctrines, and lines of thought intact.Excellent work. Works include authors from Berkeley to Spinoza, and are especially helpful if one wants to scan the original text quickly for information. Great resource! Tuesday, July 27, 2004Talking Points They're true, 'cause they're said a lot. Courtesy of Jay. Target of the Daily Show aside, this is precisely how political campaigns influence the media and public opinion. If you hear something 17 times, you have a 50% chance of remembering it - that's the psychology. Kerry Losing Ground Before Democratic Convention According to the recent ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll, Kerry is losing ground and losing favor at the moment where he should ideally be gaining against Bush Kerry has lost support against Bush in trust to handle five of six issues tested in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, including terrorism, Iraq, taxes and even health care. And Kerry's ratings on personal attributes - honesty, strong leadership, consistency, empathy and others - have softened as well.Both candidates are in a dead heat at about 49% for Bush and Kerry at 48%, with a 48%-46%-3% result once Ralph Nader is inserted. I wonder why the media isn't including Libertarian Michael Badnarik in their polling. From what I understand, Badnarik is polling evenly with Nader. . . Bush/Giuliani '04? It would explain the total lack of support coming from RNC and the Bush/Cheney campaigns for us folks in Virginia, but. . . don't buy it: Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, the hero of 9-11, is being secretly courted to become President George W. Bush's running mate in the November election, The ENQUIRER has learned.Okay, so why is this bunk? (1) Conservatives would bolt the party. Cheney's numbers are high among conservatives. After Medicare, the deficit, and Bush's lack of strength regarding homosexual marriage and stem-cell research, conservatives will not tolerate a weaker VP candidate. Simple as that. (2) Giuliani is pro-choice. That doesn't exactly get me motivated to vote. (3) Giuli-li-gooli-who? The South. There is no way the South will support a pro-choice mayor of New York combined with a President with a proclivity toward government expansion vis a vis Medicare, Homeland Security, etc. (4) Even though we haven't seen it in Virginia, there's been an awful lot of Bush/Cheney gear being floated in the battleground states. Replacing the ticket means a lot of $$$ on reprinting new material. Not that there is much material being printed now, but it would still be a multi-million dollar investment. There you have it. Bush/Cheney it is, or else you can expect much heartburn from the right. (2) Tim Goodman on Bill Clinton For those of you who watched the Democratic Convention last night, you were either in for a real yawn (as I fell asleep shortly before the end of Jimmy Carter's speech and awoke to the shrill sounds of Hillary Clinton), or you were in for what amounted to CPR for the Democratic Party at the hands of Bill Clinton: One thing was abundantly clear after watching an abbreviated night of TV coverage of the Democratic National Convention: They could do away with the next three days if people could somehow find a way to rewrite the rules and re-elect Bill Clinton.Clinton's speech was indeed a turnaround. It was an entirely different message than the anti-war, anti-Bush peacemongering we've heard from the left over the past few months. It was optimistic, defiant, on the attack, and in short refused to yield the initiative. Brilliant. Of course, the speech stood in stark contrast to the droning of Jimmy Carter - his first appearance at a Democratic Convention in 24 years. As for Gore and Hillary, I have only transcripts for the most part. . . but Hillary sure didn't sound good. If Kerry can ever sound like Clinton, Republicans would be in big trouble. Fortunately for the GOP, John Kerry is no Bill Clinton. Monday, July 26, 2004F**k Michael Moore And from an authority we can all respect:
Friday, July 23, 2004Krauthammer on Iran Syria is weak and deterred by Israel. North Korea, having gone nuclear, is untouchable. That leaves Iran. There are only two things that will stop the Iranian nuclear program: revolution from below or an attack on its nuclear facilities.Krauthammer makes an excellent point concerning Iran. Pre-emption really does become a question of stopping non-nuclear states from becoming nuclear. Of course, there is some question as to whether or not an air strike on the order of the 1981 Osirak reactor would only delay the inevitable. Revolution or a significant commitment of ground troops would be the only way of preventing nuclear blackmail. Thursday, July 22, 2004Black-hole physicist pays up I don't know what's more cool. . . the fact that the theory on black holes was changed by Hawking, or that it's being reported on MLB.com: The Cambridge University physicist had to pay up on a 1997 bet with a California Institute of Technology physicist, when he admitted his original assertion, that anything "swallowed by a black hole is forever hidden and can never be revealed," was incorrect.Neat stuff. Wednesday, July 21, 2004Who's Talking? Sometimes, you just gotta love the FLS opinion section: 'AM I PREPARED as president to go get them before they get us if we locate them and have the sufficient intelligence? You bet I am.' Furthermore, 'I will never allow any other country to veto what we need to do, and I will never allow any other institution to veto what we need to do to protect our nation.'Heh heh heh. . . 'Flip-flop' nickname applies to Spotsylvania board, too Ken Krietz of Spotsylvania writes in today's FLS that the transition of Mullins Farm is comparable to a John Kerry 'flip-flop': Suggesting that the lack of water and sewer would not affect commercial development, board Chairman Bob Hagan said, 'We even have schools that are on well and septic.' With this mentality from our chairman of the board, we should not look for commercial revenues to affect our real-estate tax rates anytime soon.On Mullins Farm? Most certainly. Let's be clear that Spotsylvania's future will not rise or fall on the prospects of development on Route 3, and most certainly not on the potential for more box stores. Rather, the focus must become on high-density commercial and white-collar industrial. The more firms such as these we can attract to Spotsylvania County, the less of a bedroom community and the more of a hub we become. When the time comes for that type of development, then we can discuss proper sewer and water. Until then, Hagan and the Spotsy BOS have effectively checked sprawl coming down Route 3. Great job fellas. Tuesday, July 20, 2004Prime Ministers Questions on C-SPAN 2 this Wednesday, 7:00am British news outlets are saying that the anti-war Labour dissidents were handed their proverbial heads during Prime Minister's Questions today. BBC World reported it as one of Blair's finest political moments. . . a quote I cannot find repeated online. Regardless, if the clips that the BBC showed this evening are a taste of what the PMQ was, you can bet that I will be tuning in at 7:00 in the morning to watch C-SPAN. I'm such a geek. But a geek that is at least enjoying himself! Virginia: A Surprising Swing State Yet again I call one spot on. I need to find myself a betting parlor for this kind of stuff: Virginia has just 13 electoral votes, but a Kerry victory here could spell disaster for President Bush, demonstrating a sign of weakness in a traditionally safe GOP state.Kerry's right. We are a swing state, and I am shocked that Kerry has spent so much in the Commonwealth when the Bush/Cheney folks here can't even get so much as a bumper sticker. Linda Ronstadt on Republicans and Christians "It's a real conflict for me when I go to a concert and find out somebody in the audience is a Republican or fundamental Christian. It can cloud my enjoyment. I'd rather not know.' " Sunday, July 18, 2004Hypersensitive "Girlie Men" Castigate Schwarzenegger California Democrats need to get lives. Spoofing the SNL skit, Schwarzenegger called the defenders of special interests and trial lawyers 'girlie men'. Naturally, the Democrats took offense at the very idea that someone would have the termerity to identify a duck as. . . well. . . you get the idea. . . "Schwarzenegger dished out the insult at a rally Saturday as he claimed Democrats were delaying the budget by catering to special interests. Saturday, July 17, 2004This Land is Your Land! A little risque, but otherwise hilarious (no kids please). Wednesday, July 14, 2004IT'S A GIRL!!! 
Missy and I went to get the sonogram today. Yep, it is possible for Kenney's to produce little girls! 16 out of 18 grandchildren on the my mother's side of the family are boys, with the last girl being born 24 years ago. In a family where my mother grew up the only girl among four brothers, and myself being the oldest of four boys. . . this is going to be a very spoiled little girl! On the Kenney side, girls are nothing new (I have my half-sister, a stepsister, and my cousin). Still, the event is pretty exciting considering she will have two older brothers to beat up on. It's a girl! Woohoo! Tuesday, July 13, 2004Dikta For DA SENATE! (da senate!) That's right. . . former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka is considering a run on the Republican ticket for US Senate. Can't beat that, right? "Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka, better known to his fans as the irascible 'Iron Mike,' is mulling a run for public office -- one in which his considerable name recognition would be a powerful asset.Iron Mike Ditka for Senate. I like it. Of course, every cloud has it's silver lining. . . There are still some hurdles left: Ditka's wife has said she will divorce him if he throws his hat in the ring, and he is not apparently even registered to vote in this state.YIKES! So much for those Levitra ads! Bhudda vs. Shaolin Normally I don't post stuff like this, but not only is this well done, it's funny as hell. Monday, July 12, 2004Edwards Makes Little Difference in Polls Hee hee hee. . . who called this? "Kerry strategists are trying to lower expectations for a 'bounce' in the polls that presidential candidates sometimes get after choosing a running mate or attending a convention. Bush strategists were quick to raise expectations of a double-digit 'bounce' for the Kerry-Edwards team by the end of the Democratic National Convention. Some Key Conservatives Uneasy About Bush Sounds ridiculous, right? Not really. . . Some Republicans fear angry conservatives will stay home in November, undercutting Bush's re-election bid.That 97% number isn't because conservatives are behind Bush; it's because they dislike John Kerry. Furthermore, conservatives are angry. Angry about court judges not getting in, angry because of massive spending in a Republican Congress, angry over unchecked judicial activism by the courts, angry over a neo-conservative agenda. . . The litany continues. Bush/Cheney may indeed have to focus on the weeks leading to the convention on shoring up the conservative base. At least in Virginia, the danger of conservatives staying at home is real. US Bishops Refuse Ratzinger's Advice Another splendid job by the USCCB in ignoring Rome once again: During the Denver meeting, the Archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who heads a committee of bishops set up to look into the issue, read the confidential Ratzinger memorandum to fellow bishops. “It is up to us as bishops in the United States to discern and act on our responsibilities as teachers, pastors and leaders in our nation”, he told them. He said Cardinal Ratzinger “clearly leaves to us as teachers, pastors and leaders whether to pursue this path” of denying the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians.The Catholic Bishops just don't get it. . . however, there are several bright spots, namely Archbishop Burke of the Archdiocese of St. Louis: Meanwhile Archbishop Burke – who touched off the controversy by declaring that John Kerry could not receive Communion within his archdiocese during the Missouri primary election – has hardened his position since the Denver meeting, writes Richard Major from New York. Burke, who is well known in Rome and is seen as one of the rising stars of the US Church, has written a pastoral letter in which he tells Catholic voters that to support a dissenting politician amounts to “committing a mortal sin”. “Catholics who support such pro- abortion candidates participate in a grave evil,” he says in the pastoral letter. “They must show a change of heart and be sacramentally reconciled or refrain from receiving Holy Communion.”The differnece between McCarrick's position and Burke's is not in reference to the Catholic faithful. There will be no "politicization" of the Eucharist at the communion rail (a rail which in many churches has sadly been dismantled post-1960). The difference is in reference to the pro-abortion leaders these Catholics presumably follow. Pro-abortion Catholic polticians are leaders, and when they lead in a direction opposite their faith, they do something much more notable than someone sitting in the pews who is having a private struggle on the issue. Rather than a private struggle, pro-abortion Catholic politicians lend credibility to the erroneous position that one can be pro-abortion and Catholic - or even worse, be privately anti-abortion and publically pro-choice. Such a position as John Kerry's does something that ordinary lay people's opinions do not; it creates scandal. That is the primary difference between the laity and Catholic politicians. It is an issue that Burke rightly understands and squashes as a good Bishop should, and one that McCarrick understands from the position of the laity, but without a proper understanding of the grave scandal such politicians create. Friday, July 09, 2004How Peacemongers in Seattle Treat Veterans. . . Of course, some folks on the left may find this amusing, even harmless. Most people, however, are going to be offended: "Walking the parade route with his mom, younger siblings and politically conservative friends, Jason heard words from the crowd that felt like a thousand daggers to the heart.Our veterans deserve better. FACTCHECK.ORG I've found a new home. FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenburg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. It goes after both sides, but always with an ear to the ground for what is factual (it seems thus far). Very academic! I like it!!! Good thing Jenna Bush was with the President for this pic. . .  DRUDGE REPORT is trumpeting Jenna Bush's contributions toward the Bush campaign effort. But I guarentee that every Photoshopper on the left would have loved to have taken that pic of President Bush and Hiter-ize it.
Stick to nod-and-smile, Mr. President! Or when all else fails, start warmly embracing your running mate over, and over, and over, and over. . . The two Johns lock eyes frequently in deep contact and stop barely short of demonstrating what great kissers they may be. Monsieur Kerry might yet give us a demonstration of French kissing but, if he does, Mr. Edwards, a good ol' Carolina boy after all, will be entitled to slap his face. (Secret Service bodyguards, take note.)For readers of the Drudge report, this has been going on for some time (note the "Kerry Choose a Mate" long before Edwards VP nomination was announced). Sounds like a bit of baiting to me, but you have to admit that the Kerry/Edwards campaign certainly have done little to end the touchy-feely pics. Perhaps in an effort to win gay votes? Who knows? Thursday, July 08, 2004Court: fence violates int'l law, must be dismantled A victory for human rights, without question: "The International Court of Justice will rule on Friday that the separation fence contravenes international law, that it must be dismantled, and that compensation must be paid to the Palestinian owners of property confiscated for its construction, according to documents obtained by Haaretz. "I know a good friend of mine whom suggested that the wall be attached to bulldozers. As more terror attacks were performed, the bulldozers would push in around the Palestinians, taking more and more land until the terrorists stopped. No word on the Christian holy shrines that were vivisected in order to create this wall. . . Kerry Fails to Get Lift From Edwards' Pick, Zogby Poll Shows Can we start gloating now? I think so! Democratic candidate John Kerry's standing against President George W. Bush didn't improve following his pick of North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate July 6, according to a Zogby International poll.No word on how Kerry's negatives are doing. What's great about this is that GOP polling doesn't reflects more of a Bush lead than the liberal-slanted polling data. So for a campaign that really hasn't gotten off the ground running yet, Bush/Cheney is doing very, very well. Kerry/Lumbergh '04! If you could just go ahead and buy this T-shirt, that would be great. Wednesday, July 07, 2004Earthquake shakes Israel, no damage reported Ha'aretz is reporting that a 4.7 earthquake struck Israel late Wednesday afternoon: The tremor was felt in Haifa, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Be'er Sheva, and the Jordan Valley, media and witnesses said. Buildings shook for several seconds along Israel's coast, Israel TV said. Sen. Allen Tonight on FOX News, 5pm Senator George Allen (R-VA) will appear this evening on the Fox News Channel’s Big Story with John Gibson at 5 PM to discuss the impact John Edwards will have on this year’s Senate races. Later, Senator Allen will appear on CNBC’s Capital Report at 7 PM to discuss the same topic. Senator Jon Corzine (D-NJ) will provide the Democrat viewpoint in the two interviews. Be sure to tune in! Iranian Intel Officers Captured in Iraq C'mon fellas! Don't give us every reason in the world to bomb you back into the Stone Age: Senior officials said it was previously believed that Iran had officers inside Iraq stirring up violence, but this is the first time that self-proclaimed Iranian intelligence agents have been captured within the country.That's right. Iraqi and Coalition forces captured two Iranian intelligence officers operating in Baghdad. Their mission? Probably had something to do with the explosives they were trying to plant in a vehicle. . . Of course, what many are wondering is why this isn't news to the American media. Tuesday, July 06, 2004Who is John Edwards? This is going to be a cakewalk folks. Kerry Mocked Edwards’ “Ambitious” Nature After Only One Term In Elective Office. “The veteran senator also questioned the former trial lawyer’s pursuit of the presidency after less than one term in elective office. ‘And people call me ambitious?’ a Globe reporter once overheard Kerry asking an aide.” (Glen Johnson, “Once a Rival, Edwards Staying Close to Kerry,” The Boston Globe, 6/10/04)This and plenty more. . . heh heh heh! Kerry/Edwards '0-Bore. . . And we were hoping for a real challenge! Instead, we get Kerry/Edwards?!?! I mean seriously, what are the Dems thinking here? "Yes, the American people will have two scoops of vanilla, please." Of course, we'll start talking about the potential bounce Kerry will receive from the one-two punch of announcing his VP and the Democratic Convention In his memo, Mr. Dowd foreshadowed what could be a future Republican line of attack. He said the historical analysis of polls since 1976 suggests Mr. Kerry should have a lead of at least 15 points following his party's convention. If Mr. Kerry doesn't hit that mark, perhaps Republicans will then say it is he who fell short of expectations.Unfortunately, on Face the Nation, DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe was already hedging bets at 8%, which tells me Kerry has to catch up to that 7% deficit he is already running. Monday, July 05, 2004Europe's fading anti-Americans Now here's a good article. A great accounting not only of the shifting perception of the EU with regards to the United States, but also the change of leadership and the rebuffing of the Franco-German axis that has long dominated EU politics: In his first interviews since becoming the agreed candidate to run the EU Commission, Portugal's Barroso has been crystal clear in his rejection of this French 'counterweight' theory, even when Paris dresses it up as simply an inevitable process of an emerging multi-polar world in which American dominance will be eroded by the coming new great powers of China and India.Jose Manuel Barroso hails from Portugal, and is as pro-American as they come. Now if only we could get the EU to recognize their Christian heritage in their Constitution. . . Dems lament Bush comeback Bob Novak hits the nail on the head regarding the Democratic malaise over President Bush's comeback over the past few weeks: Bush has prospered, in the view of these Democrats, less because of his own efforts than uncontrollable events and Kerry's failures. The prospective Democratic nominee's campaign was eclipsed by Ronald Reagan's death, Bill Clinton's book and the Iraq handover. However, the Democrats complain Kerry's campaign has done a poor job of presenting the candidate to the public.Dems now seem to be placing their hopes on the convention in Boston. Then the Summer Olympics, and then the Republican Convention in New York. . . Yep, things are looking pretty bad for the Dems. Sunday, July 04, 2004Someone Is Watching You. . . . . . and science is demonstrating that human beings may in fact have a sixth sense: The German team used a complex statistical scale to grade the studies according to reliability and paranormal effect recorded.Who knows? Seems plausible to me. . . U.S. General Says Met Israeli Interrogator in Iraq Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski has decided to reveal to the world that Israeli interrogators were involved in the questioning of detainees in Iraq: Brigadier-General Janis Karpinski, who was responsible for military police guarding all Iraqi jails at the time prisoners were abused by U.S. troops there, told the BBC she met the Israeli at a Baghdad interrogation center.Which is precisely what Karpinski knew it would do. Which gives aid and comfort to the enemy, specfically the terrorists that will use such information to recruit new terrorists to kill American soldiers and civilians. Which - in my opinion - is treason. Happy Independence Day! When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Iraq-America Freedom Alliance (IAFA) What you don't see coming from the liberal media: The Iraq-America Freedom Alliance (IAFA) is a coalition of Americans and Iraqis committed to fostering goodwill between our nations and winning the war on terror. IAFA will provide Americans a fuller picture of Iraq and give voice to some of the many Iraqis grateful for their newfound freedom. Friday, July 02, 2004Israeli Decision on Barrier "Double-Edged," Says Franciscan Few people understand the ramifications of Israeli-Palestinian affairs on the Palestinian Christian community within Israel and the Occupied Territories. One of the more terrible effects has to be the division of Christian lands, convents, schools, and villages along the route of the barrier being constructed by the IDF: Father David Jaeger said the decision 'on one hand represents an important defeat for the top brass, because it denies that the chosen route of the barrier is the only one compatible with the needs for security.'May we all keep in mind our Palestinian Christian brethren when we hear of what is happening in Israel, and know that they most of all suffer the greatest from both sides when there is struggle there. 20 Questions to a Better Personality I don't know if I like this quiz, not for the methodology, but for the answer I received: You are an SRCL--Sober Rational Constructive Leader. This makes you an Ayn Rand ideal. Taggart? Roark? Galt? You are all of these. You were born to lead. You may not be particularly exciting, but you have a strange charisma--born of intellect and personal drive--that people begin to notice when they have been around you a while. You don't like to compromise, but you recognize when you have to.Anything that compares me to Ayn Rand is - to use a highly refined Latin term - bullshit. But you can be the judge for yourself. Thanks to Jay for the link. Thursday, July 01, 2004THE PHONE This is just cool. Try it out. Colors Ever wonder what certain colors communicate to others? Advertisers and political consultants do. This is a particularly neat Flash film that shows exactly that. Interesting stuff. Peter Singer and the Jump from Abortion to "Practical Ethics" "Nothing magical happens at birth," so says ethicist Peter Singer in his recent interview with the UK Independent. He's correct in this sense of course, but while his leap from abortion to infantacide might trouble some, Singer is quick to call this "mere sentimentality." Senimentality or not, I had always know Peter Singer's philosophy to be bereft of moral value, but at least now it can be seen for its hideous lack of mercy: "He continues, 'All I say about severely disabled babies is that when a life is so miserable it is not worth living, then it is permissible to give it a lethal injection. These are decisions that should be taken by parents - never the state - in consultation with their doctors.' This is, he believes, already happening. 'What do people think amniocentesis and the selective abortion of Down's Syndrome foetuses are? All I am saying is, why limit the killing to the womb? Nothing magical happens at birth.' It is a small step, he seems to think, from abortion to infanticide. 'Of course, infanticide needs to be strictly legally controlled and rare - but it should not be ruled out, any more than abortion.' Marine Vetaran's View on the Media Coverage of Iraq One of the best articles on the situation in Iraq - and how it is being slanted in the media - I have read in months. Print it off, e-mail it, and share it with your friends: Commentary Page | The Untouchable Chief of Baghdad Iraq veterans often say they are confused by American news coverage, because their experience differs so greatly from what journalists report. Soldiers and Marines point to the slow, steady progress in almost all areas of Iraqi life and wonder why they don’t get much notice – or in many cases, any notice at all. On Fahrenheit 911 Fact is, people are going to see the movie begging to be convinced. That's what propoganda does - it is conveniently arranged information presented in such a way to communicate a point. No one can honestly walk into that movie theatre expecting some form of impartiality, and those that do are either lying or deserve a Democratic president (or more likely, both). Moore's a smart guy. He knows folks are walking into the theatre wanting to be convinced, and with the sophistry of a parent dangling shiny objects in front of a toddler, he gets the job done. Objective observers with a modicum of intelligence are going to see this, and those in the business of politics or filmmaking are going to see it clearer than most. I intend to see the movie when it hits theatres here, and I'll probably end up offering my own US$0.02. But until then, I'm still highly skeptical of propoganda masquerading as a documentary. Perhaps we should start reshowing Der ewige Jude as a 1940's documentary of Judaism's effects on Germany? No one would have the gall to call that a documentary, but F 911 somehow makes this leap. . . I don't buy it. Neither will most.
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JEFFERSONIAD POLL: Whom do you support for Virginia Attorney General?1) John Brownlee2) Ken Cuccinelli AboutShaunKenney.com is one of Virginia's oldest political blogs, focusing on the role of religion and politics in public life. Shaun Kenney, 30, lives in Fluvanna County, Virginia.ContactThe Jeffersoniad
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