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Wednesday, August 31, 2005Pope tells Catholics to multiplyHeh! And the world tells ya the Catholic Church is against having sex! A guide for would-be conspiracy theoristsI couldn't help but laugh at this. It's a great article on speculation within the tech industry, and well worth the read. RFK Jr.: For They That Sow the Whirlwind Shall Reap the WindNow I am going to admit this freely: I respect Robert and Jack Kennedy. Not just a little, but a lot. In fact, if one were to ask me my favorite book on political character, I would respond Profiles in Courage without hesitation. JFK understood what character was and how doing what is right and what is popular are not always the same thing. RFK Jr. on the other hand seems not to understand either one: "On March 13, Bush reversed his previous position, announcing he would not back a CO2 restriction using the language and rationale provided by Barbour. Echoing Barbour's memo, Bush said he opposed mandatory CO2 caps, due to "the incomplete state of scientific knowledge" about global climate change.Some might argue this is a case of "too soon," and I might be willing to grant it. However, facts as they are, this is not only an unfactual opinion piece, it is highly uncharacteristic of the idea I ever held RFK up to. To reach out and blame Haley Barbour for political gain smacks of the partisanship and boorishness that reminds people of RFK Jr. uncle Ted Kennedy, rather than the statesman-like qualities we remember in JFK and RFK. A very poor way to re-introduce yourself in a time of crisis. I would like to think that RFK Sr. would be on the ground working in Mississippi and Louisiana, or co-ordinating a massive relief effort. That's what statesmen and leaders of character do. Tuesday, August 30, 2005Light bloggingOn a business trip at the moment, so the blogging will be rather light the rest of the week. My apologies -- I'll post if the spirit moves me. Monday, August 29, 2005Webcam of New OrleansThis is being touted as the last operating webcam in New Orleans. Feel free to check in. Many prayers are needed down in Louisiana right now. On BullshitEveryone's seen the book at Borders by now. You look, you do a double take, and there it is. On Bullshit. Here's a review: Frankfurt's proposition is that, while the liar knows the truth and distorts it, the bullshitter is agnostic as far as the truth is concerned. It is carelessness, not mendacity, that characterises his stance. He is not, in short, bothered by the accuracy of his statements at all, but rather by the impression they create: that he is a knowledgeable and informed individual.Of course, this article condemns not capitalism (in the form of advertising and big-business corporate phrasings) nor communism (arise all ye workers, blah blah blah), but philosophy as the art of bullshitting. Art? Of what?! A larger irony inhabits Frankfurt's project. Although he never acknowledges it, he must surely be aware that many people regard philosophy itself as the art of bullshit. The closest he comes to such a recognition is in the suggestion that a certain kind of philosophy - broadly, what we would call postmodernism - has promoted bullshit's cause by claiming the quest for accuracy itself may be a false lure, and only sincerity matters. I take it that Frankfurt's fellow US philosopher Richard Rorty was suggesting something similar in his famous aside about Jacques Derrida, the father of deconstruction: "He's given bullshit a bad name."Ouch. Still, this review and the essay that produced it will give you something to think about, especially in today's world where the fine line between lies and bullshit are blurred. How's that for a Monday morning start! Sunday, August 28, 2005Blog Summit ReportA good time had by all. While I was a bit disappointed the focus seemed to be entirely on the regulatory (self-imposed or otherwise) aspects of blogging, it was a great opportunity to meet fellow Virginia bloggers. Very glad to see Jim Bacon and Jay Hughes again, as well as finally meet folks like Rick Sincere, Jon Henke, Waldo Jaquith, Chad Dotson, Norm Leahy, and a host of other people at a very well attended event. Certainly the focus of the conference seemed to be more of a bunker-mentality "when are the regulators coming to get us and how can we stop it" rather than a forward-thinking discussion on whether the current situation is good and what we can do to preserve it. For many new to the FEC discussion (or to blogs for that matter), it might seem academic. What's a blog and who cares? The real news of the day was that - surprise - blogs are already regulated. If you pay for your blog (and many do not), then you're in the clear. However, there are some issues if you do any direct advocacy (which many blogs do). That's the good news. The bad news is that there are a variety of tensions: So where do we go? It was my opinion that an overwhelming majority of those present among the blogosphere did not want any kind of ethics imposed from above. What to do to make sure the status quo maintains itself was another question altogether. Self-imposed ethics was one idea, but how do enforce this? Voluntary ethical standards one would subscribe to (a button for example) was another, but then again what value would it really have when some very ethical people do not subscribe and other non-ethical people bend those ethics to the breaking point? The other alternative - one that I and a few others advocated - was that of self-regulation. Readers ultimately regulate the blogs by the nature of either choosing to read or not read the information presented. If there are questions of ethics or validity, the free market orientation of blogs has clearly shown it's willingness to either eat-its-own when it comes to misinformation, or keep more traditional methods honest. In short, as we should have expected from our slice of the Internet, there was much talking. Results? Who knows. Overall though, there are a good many issues to deal with, and for a first blogging summit of its kind anywhere, I felt we certainly broke new ground fleshing out the issues and the intricacies therein; something that will almost certainly be of value for Blog Summit II. Thursday, August 25, 2005The 25th Anniversary of SolidarityNext week, Solidarity will celebrate its 25th anniversary. Most would accurately describe the Solidarity movement - and those who helped foster it - as the beginning of the end for Soviet communism: The Solidarity movement highlighted the Church's potential as an alternative centre of authority in Poland, filling the gap left by the absence of mediating institutions between state and society, and offering stronger integrating bonds than Communist culture and ideology. Workers in strategic industries such as ship-building had been given privileges to ensure their loyalty. To gain their trust and confidence, at a time of hardship and suspicion, the Church had to speak with power and conviction, offering its own networks of mutual support, as well as a voice that could unite citizens of every background and conviction, believers or non-believers. That it succeeded in doing so was a monumental, historic achievement.Heh! Darned right. This is anything is what will make Pope John Paul II one of the most remarkable popes in Church history. I anxiously await a complete publication of his corpus of writings. For many who grew up in the 1980s and for whom the Soviet Union was a vague mention during 1st grade history class and inbetween afternoon cartoons and bedtime, the real legacy of Pope John Paul II's role in defeating communism lies in his fostering of the Solidarity movement -- a great example for any Christian movement seeking change. Poland today is facing its difficulties to be sure. Even so, Poland's unique Catholicity and free society is a marvel of the post-Soviet era, especially in the eyes of modernist Westerners who would see Catholic social teaching as the polar opposite of free societies, even as secular Europe slides deeper and deeper into the socialism it once fought. Solidarity remains, in short, the founding myth of the new Poland – an often uncomfortable, inconvenient reminder of how Poles saw themselves 25 years ago and how they see themselves today, and of what the generation of 1980 set out to create, a generation that can truly say it did something not just for itself. It is, as the Polityka weekly commented last week, the ultimate mirror for the present day. “Every nation needs attractive tales about itself, and this is ours,” Polityka noted in its special issue. “This was a time when, in the eyes of the world, we were courageous, united and proud, when we built our own social ideals, regardless of geopolitics, the intrigues of power, clashes of interest; the fact that, by chipping at an authoritarian system, we contributed to its ultimate collapse, is an important element of the Polish identity.”Quite a statement, and quite a heritage to pass on to those struggling against socialism and authoritarianism no matter where it lies. Wlater Reed Medical Center to be ClosedBRAC decided to take out Walter Reed Medical. Let's hope that the land goes to something that will revitalize Northeast D.C., and not merely to some development that will only congest the area. My vote? Sell the land to Catholic University. Not only will the school grow on contiguous land, it would be great for the Brookland area, revitalize the economy there, and bring in educators and staff who will meld with the existing community (as opposed to taking it over entirely as most colleges and universities - and developments - tend to do). It's prime real estate to be sure. Whether D.C. planners and the military do the smart thing instead of the most expedient remains to be seen, but I am ready to be pleasantly surprised by farsighted individuals involved in the process, as would the folks in the Brookland area. Wednesday, August 24, 2005Kaine-Potts Debate?There's been much speculation as to why Kaine has agreed to debate Potts. The appropriate Republican answer is: Who cares? The only reason why Kaine is doing it is to excite the moderates and make Kilgore look too conservative and out of touch with the "real issues" that are affecting the Commonwealth. In short, Kaine's trying to change the subject. Why let him? Drug interdiction as it was meant to beSo an Afghani glider filled with 20kg of heroin tries to smuggle his product into Tajikistan. Tajikistan shoots down the glider. I wonder what the American press would have to say if we used similar methods against drug peddlers here in the States? Of course, an even better question to ask is why we haven't defoliated the poppy fields in Afghanistan yet? There's been plenty of time for Afghani farmers to switch their crops... Japan testing new ConcordeLike most, I was saddened to see the end of the Concorde. But its successor is on the way: As early as next month, Japan plans to launch an arrow-shaped airplane at twice the speed of sound high over the Australian outback.Why can't we be as cool as the Japanese? Tuesday, August 23, 2005Feinstein a MODERATE?!I have two problems with this article: 'I don't think in the last couple of decades there has been a Supreme Court appointment that could more tip the balance of the court,' Feinstein said in a speech to several hundred Silicon Valley business executives. 'That's how mega this vote is.'(1) Since when did Senator Dianne "Kill the Babies It's Good For You" Feinstein become a moderate on anything when it comes to abortion? (2) "That's how mega this vote is." Mega? As in Mega Man 7? Or mega as in "hey, we're back in the 5th grade, and that glitter is like sooooo mega cool." Ridiculous. And liberals have the temerity to pick on George W. Bush? Monday, August 22, 2005The Case for TABOROn the heels of State Sen. Chichester's criticism of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights comes the rebuttal from the Virginia Institute for Public Policy: In the latest study released by the Virginia Institute, coauthors Stephen Slivinski and Dr. Michael New propose a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR) for the Commonwealth of Virginia to boost economic growth while heading off a repeat of the budget crises that have plagued the state for the past several years. A constitutional amendment that would limit annual increases in state spending to the rate of population growth plus inflation, a TABOR would also require any tax surplus in excess of the spending limit to be refunded to the taxpayers, unless a public referendum allowed the excess revenue to be used for a specific purpose. A public referendum would also be required before the General Assembly could raise the spending limit.In short, we have a spending problem in Virginia, and certainly not a problem where taxes are too low. I haven't had a chance to read the report yet (employers tend to frown on that), but I'll get a chance to do so this evening. If there's anything profound, I'll be sure to comment accordingly. The Debate That Will Never OccurI can't help but shake my head and sigh at this: Bill Johnson, a local gift shop owner who created 'Fort Qualls,' said he wanted to offer a larger, more convenient place for Bush supporters to gather.Yes, because free and open debate is simply preposterous. Top 10 tech we missHow many folks out there have used these technologies and miss them lots? I still miss Napster. Too bad the recording industry could never grasp the idea that downloads should be free if only to draw people to concerts and other promotional ideas. It would have allowed independents to "compete" for popularity, which would have reduced the cost of promotion, which would have allowed the industry to sign and promote an even larger pool of artists. . . But that's the free market, late '90's dot-com capitalist talking. 'Catholic Woodstock' on the RhineIf you didn't get a chance to see any of the pictures from World Youth Day, you missed out. Here is a BBC correspondent's take on the event. One million people. That's how many showed up for Mass at WYD. One million. Here's how the Boston Globe put it: Pope Benedict XVI, wrapping up his first foreign trip, celebrated Mass yesterday for an estimated 1 million people on a field in his native Germany, quieting questions about whether the cerebral conservative could rally the young people who in the past had flocked to see the more instinctively charismatic Pope John Paul II.Not the autocratic, severe image of "God's Rottweiler" the liberal critics wanted to pigeon-hole Pope Benedict XVI from the beginning, is it? Of course, this article asks the very real and serious question as to whether or not the seeds John Paul II has sown are on the verge of a Catholic Renaissance. Some might consider it idle chest thumping from a Catholic Church hobbled by scandal and corruption, but the youth who flocked to JP II are older, wiser, and more aware of the world they are living in. The numbers at Cologne amazed skeptics and supporters alike. As a member of the World Council of Churches put it, "The miracle of Cologne" had returned the Roman Catholic Church to a golden age. The faithful, from 197 countries, are not likely to forget how they coalesced in this community of Christians - a kind of United Nations under the aegis of Christ.While this article mentions a reporter's dissent that young people want examples rather than theology, I disagree that ranking applause is a good barometer. Seriously, how often do you wildly applaud when you are ingesting ideas? I sit patiently and learn; it's what we're starving for in the world today. Benedict's message went to the heart of Catholic action, and there's no question that he was loved for it. There's no question in my mind that some form of Catholic revival is coming, and not in the stern and harsh caricature that so many critics of Catholicism love to paint. Benedict presents Catholics with a faith that both believes and teaches, a faith whose love of truth and love of Christ transcend. It is welcoming, but in the sense that it is a love of Christ and not this undescribed, self-effacing and meaningless idea (love, faith, community, whatever you'd like to fill in) that should be the focus of ecumenical dialouge and evangelization. How it comes is another question altogether, but in the end the faithful are ready to stand up and be counted, not as believers or as mere examples, but as Christians willing to use their lives to exemplify Christ alone. Theology 301 I guess. But it's what I have on my mind. Friday, August 19, 2005Bengals at Redskins!Game time is 8:00pm! GO SKINS! Pope laments disunity of Christian Churches on questions of ethicsThe challenge of secularism against a divided Christianity is one of the great problems of the 21st century. Ecumenism has been the response of forward-thinking individuals, and is the leading edge of the Second Vatican Council. In that light, I am certainly glad to see that Pope Benedict isn't just speaking on its behalf, but rather is becoming very proactive in promoting ecumenical dialouge within the Church: The pope, who is making the first foreign visit of his pontificate, reiterated what he called his 'firm commitment' to making full Christian unity a priority of his papacy.Imperative of the present hour is right. Given the creeping secularism in the West, Christianity's strength depends on ecumenism. What's more, if the alternative to ecumenism - which I would imagine to be sectarianism - is the solution, what does that say for relations between the West (Christian or secular) and Islam? There has always been the criticism that ecumenism often degenerates into a lowest-common denominator. A false ecumenism if you will. But if there's any question that the author of Dominus Iesus is leading Christianity to that end, one is either ignorant of Pope Benedict the man, or simply has another agenda to push. The more Pope Benedict does, the more I look forward to the future of Christendom and smile. SkepticalObservor: Shaking Down Russ PottsJames Young takes aim at the Right Honorable Gentleman from Winchester: What is more interesting is the timing and phraseology of all of these pieces. It looks at though those fine "journalists" at the WaPo and the Pot. News are glomming off of the Daily Press, having done little more than taking out their hand thesauri (thesauruses?) to insure that the rhetoric wasn't identical.Maybe it's a slow news month? Wednesday, August 17, 2005Pope forgets to bless pilgrimsThis is nothing short of comical: The crowd gathered in the palace courtyard was surprised to see the Pope return to his window several moments after leaving after greeting pilgrims in several languages.You ever walk into a room, do something, walk out and remember what you were really in there for? Sounds like Pope Benedict had one of those moments! Heh! I like stories like these. They're lighthearted, and they don't make the pope look like an museum piece. A great prelude to World Youth Day if you ask me! Tuesday, August 16, 2005Gus BurgerCommonwealth Conservative muses on the near-famous Gus Burger. World Youth Day 2005Wish I was there, but I'm quite certain this will be the beginning of something grand: The German-born Benedict, 78, after years as a powerful Vatican official working behind the scenes, has grown into his job since assuming the papacy four months ago, appearing more comfortable addressing small crowds at his public appearances in Italy.Young Catholics are not impressed with illusions of congeniality. We want red meat. Theology, philosophy, apologetics -- everything that made Cardinal Ratzinger so popular among the Catholic intelligentsia. Pope Benedict XVI will not fail to impress. iBook sale erupts in chaos, stampedeNow I am a big fan of process. You set up a method of performing a task, plan it well, think it through, then execute. This was not thought through. Chaos erupted this morning at the Richmond International Raceway as thousands of people stampeded through the gates in a rush to buy used iBook laptop computers for $50 each.Now I don't know who to blame more. The idiotic few who caused the problem (little kids were getting knocked out of strollers for crying out loud), or the individuals who planned how this distribution would take place. There is a right way and a wrong way to go about doing this. Henrico County - though the goals were certainly laudable - did not plan this well. It looks bad on Henrico, Virginia, and the people who were there. Yes this is a case of a few bad apples, but foresight is an awesome thing. The Next Russian Space ModuleHere are some neat new photos of the new Russian space module, christened "Klipper". The module is expected to replace the aging Soyuz space modules used to resupply the International Space Station. Sunday, August 14, 2005Smalley: Of civility and party credibilityIf there's any question who my favorite op-ed writer at the FLS is at the moment, it's Dave Smalley by a mile: It goes beyond differing political prescriptions. This is a democracy; we're supposed to have differences. But when we see a party whose leading senator publicly uses words like 'idiot' and 'loser' to describe the president of the United States, that's not politics--that's an obsession.If you aren't an avid reader of the FLS, or are and just haven't taken the time to read Smalley's op-eds, do so. It's always red meat, always well-written, and always an argument that either gives you reason to think or reflect. I eagerly await the Democratic response (if any). FLS: Will immigration issue play in Virginia?Analysis from the real Larry Sabato: Politically, Sabato said, Kilgore's position has more upsides than downsides.Anyone want to bet that Kaine will use this card? Or even better, that the immigration question will come up today at Kaine's Fredericksburg open house visit? Stay tuned. UPDATE: Jim Bacon over at Bacon's Rebellion confirms my earlier suspicions on the immigration issue being used as a wedge based on race. Get ready for a long week, and expect much ballyhoo from Dems desperately seeking an opening against Kilgore. Saturday, August 13, 2005Why did the South lose at Gettysburg?A review of the new book Lost Triumph at in Saturday's FLS. Excellent reading for historians of "The Recent Unpleasantness" as the War has occasionally been called (and currently my favorite revised name). Friday, August 12, 2005Situational LibertarianismFrom the Grand Poobah of neo-conservative thought Charles Krauthammer: Liberties should be as unlimited as possible -- unless and until there arises a real threat to the open society. Neo-Nazis are pathetic losers. Why curtail civil liberties to stop them? But when a real threat -- such as jihadism -- arises, a liberal democratic society must deploy every resource, including the repressive powers of the state, to deter and defeat those who would abolish liberal democracy.What Krauthammer calles "situational libertarianism," many others would call Hobbesian. Is that the worldview neo-conservativism is offering? DUI law ruled unconstitutionalGeneral Assembly loves bills such as lowering the blood alcohol content, because it's a great way to say you're "tough on crime" while doing practically nothing. It now seems that such efforts are unconstitutional, for the precise reason that BAC affects different people in different ways: A Fairfax County judge has ruled that key components of Virginia's drunken-driving laws are unconstitutional, citing an obscure, decades-old U.S. Supreme Court decision that could prompt similar challenges nationwide.And rightly so. Of course, since breathalyzer tests are on the downward trend, field tests (touch your nose and walk a straight line) that do emphasize judgement and reflexes take precedence -- and have been the mainstay for years. Good news for science over generalities, interesting news for legal types, and ho-hum for people convicted of DUI/DWI. Thursday, August 11, 2005France urges UN intervention with Iran
 Better titled: "If you do not come back to the negotiating table, we shall taunt you a second time!":"If the Iranians still do not accept what the council of governors propose, then the international community must turn to the Security Council" and "we will see what type of sanctions to give to Iran," Douste-Blazy said.You gotta be kidding me. More sanctions?! After all, the Oil For Food cash cow dried up in Iraq, why not duplicate the error in Iran! Q&O: Senator Santorum and the Christian SocialistsJon Henke makes an excellent point regarding Senator Santorum's recent remarks concerning his vision of American conservativism: This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don't think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, that we shouldn't get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn't get involved in cultural issues. You know, people should do whatever they want. Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world and I think most conservatives understand that individuals can't go it alone.If it's not individualism Senator, it's socialism. Of course, it brings up an interesting debate regarding what the GOP is evolving into. Are we really the conservatives of the Reagan and Goldwater era? Carrie's ThoughtsMight be Carrie's thoughts, but so far it looks more like my niece Catie's website! 'Intelligent design' revisitedThere's been much ballyhoo in the Opinion section of the Free Lance-Star and elsewhere over the debate between Darwinian evolutionary theory, intelligent design, and President Bush's comments in favor of ID in the classroom. Yet for all the heartburn from proponents of evolution who want to keep intelligent design out of the classroom, Phil Dodson rightly mentions that this idea isn't anything new, not to mention that it's been taught in the classroom for centuries: 'Intelligent design' is properly taught in some high schools and at many colleges across the United States. Students encounter 'intelligent design,' or, more correctly, the 'argument from design,' in Philosophy 101. The subject is further discussed in more advanced philosophy of religion courses where students delve into the origin and structure of religious concepts, particularly the so-called 'proofs' for God's existence.Indeed, though I doubt that St. Thomas Aquinas would have embraced ID as the end-all-be-all. However, the guiding principles are there. While I would disagree with Dodson that ID's only place is in philosophy class, there is a sailent point that philosophy should indeed be taught at the high school level. Philosophy does indeed bring new questions to light that scientific method can address to some degree. As for the whole evolution vs. intelligent design debate, no teacher or professor worth their salt would exclude either theory. Rather, both should be taught, debated, addressed on their merits and pitfalls, and students should be encouraged to come to their own conclusions. Otherwise, what are we really doing to the hard sciences if we are merely indoctrinating (either evolution or ID) rather than creating scientists? SkepticalObservor: Very Sad NewsThe news is trickling in from a few friends. Walt Barbee passed away this morning. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." Where, Oh death is your victory? Where, Oh death is your sting? -- I Corinthians 15: 54-55Funeral arrangements should be forthcoming. Ehh?Why is this news? Perhaps one out of every 25 dads could unknowingly be raising another man's child, a finding that has huge health and social implications, according to report released Wednesday.Think about this: we are mainstreaming the Jerry Springer Show here. . . Tuesday, August 09, 2005On Virginia Politics Currently
 Heck, I'm the VCAP challenger gone blogging! I should have more to say!Fact of the matter is that most of what you see nowadays is idle speculation. This is why I kinda like seeing Not Larry Sabato go fishing with his/her scenarios - and the more outlandish they are the better. Will Potts be a factor? Sure. Who is he hurting more? Both parties I would take it, though if Potts were to drop out midway through the race, I have no question in my mind they (meaning Potts sympathizers) will vote for a reinvented Tim Kaine. Do the debates matter? Of course they do, but don't expect Kilgore to trip up, and don't expect Kaine to get off easy on his stewardship of Richmond. And don't expect Potts to flirt with anything more than 10% of the vote. Potts isn't even in the big tent, not even in the concession stands. He's in the parking lot scalping tickets to the real thing, and voters will treat him accordingly. Should Kilgore be concerned about social conservatives in his base. Yes -- and Bolling and McDonnell will not be enough to pull them along. Of course, any sharpening of the social conservative rhetoric will only play into Kaine's hands if we're not careful. Immigration? A dud, not to mention a slightly racist campaign issue. Unless the Governor of Virginia is going to close the borders, this is a federal issue of federal concern. States can only treat the symptoms of a cure that can only be found in Washington's immigration policy. Transportation? We all know what needs to be done... but who in Richmond has the guts to say it? Taxes? Bills in the drawer? Until we have a serious discussion about what precisely we want government to do, then expect taxes to rise; moreso under Kaine, less under Kilgore. State of RPV? Couldn't be happier to the outside world. On the inside, well... couldn't be happier... this despite the ongoing rift between moderates and conservatives. If there's one thing that unites us, it's that we aren't Democrats! State of DPVA? Dismal, defensive, and in serious need of an idea that hasn't been co-opted by moderate Republicans. Warner vs. Allen in '06? Won't happen. Warner vs. Allen '08? Won't happen. Will Senator Allen win the GOP nod? Without hesitating, name one other GOP presidential hopeful with nationwide appeal who can beat Allen right now in a drop. My point precisely. Can Warner win the Democratic nod? If the Dems are smart, they'll look at his record (or more accurately, the deplorable lack thereof) in Virginia and find greener pastures. How many seats willl the GOP pick up this year? Four. Will it be enough to prevent a tax hike in 2006? Probably not. Will the 2005 elections be the nastiest in recent memory? Not if left to Virginians, but when outsiders get involved, we'll run out of mud and start throwing stones by the end. I hope it doesn't get that way, but if you worked on the ground during the presidential election in 2004, you have that gut feeling it could. . . That's all I have for the moment. When the spirit moves me, I'll feel free to chime in, but what you have right now is something pretty static. The summer doldrums for political types, and much posturing. It'll change by September for certain, but the only question is whether the tone will change as well. Turkey Crossing the RoadA great article on Turkey's internal politics and how it can play not just a positive role, but a leadership role in the new Middle East. Monday, August 08, 2005Spotsy School Board Goes Off the Deep EndTake a look at the Spotsylvaina School Board website recently? In a unanimous 7-0 vote, the School Board announced the following in a public session on July 28th:So if the School Board doesn't get all the money it asked for in bonds, it will follow through on its threat and attach those building requests on their budget? This certainly isn't the language of diplomacy or decorum we should expect from public officials. I have never seen a School Board threaten a BOS like this before. One more sign that Jerry Hill and the "Scurrilous Seven" need the boot in '07. Prepare for a very angry bi-partisan wrist slapping on Tuesday. . . Still no word on the $41 million of waste the Gibson report identified in county schools. Expect more on this very, very soon. Sunday, August 07, 2005Virtual gaming's elusive exchange ratesFor one reason or another, I simply find the idea of virtual economies through Multiplayer Online RPG's fascinating. For instance, did you know that Everquest's GDP is greater than that of India or China? Amazing stuff when you really think about it, and maybe not a bad way to impose economic systems in theory before they are put in practice. Art prankster sprays Israeli wallGotta take a peek at this. Completely improves my idea of graffitti art - this is quite good. 80 liberals each pledge $1 million for allianceThe key to a liberal resurgency in American politics isn't through new ideas. No no no. . . and it's not through those 527's either. The path to power lies through (drumroll please) think tanks! Of course, I can't help but laugh: Alliance chairman Steven Gluckstern, a retired investment banker, said President Bush's victory over Sen. John Kerry after millions were put into pro-Democratic '527' groups caused many contributors to think that a dramatically new approach was needed.Hint #1: Quit being ashamed to call yourselves liberals. Hint #2: Shed the wackos. It ain't that hard, guys. No amount of money is going to mainstream a defunct 1960's era liberalism, though I welcome any and all attempts as the waste of money it is. Looking for love (in all the wrong places)Now that individuals of the same sex can get married in Canada, it was only a matter of time before this happened: Bill Dalrymple, 56, and best friend Bryan Pinn, 65, have decided to take the plunge and try out the new same-sex marriage legislation with a twist -- they're straight men.Heh. Saturday, August 06, 2005Shannon AirportSo I took the family out for Slurpees and a small trip out to Shannon Airport. Not only did we get to watch planes land and take off, we even got front row seats to the INOVA helicopter taking off, which for the kids was a party in and of itself. A great business idea for any enterprising business would be to build a small '50s style diner out there with glass facing the airport. Of course, who knows who would patronize the establishment. I certainly would! Thursday, August 04, 2005Israel soldier lynched after killing four in Gaza pullout rowI'm watching the entire Gaza pullout with much interest. It seems as if Israeli Arabs were shot on a bus today by a Jewish extremist, who was promptly lynched. PM Sharon has called for calm, but it doesn't look as if the Jews remaining in Gaza are going to leave quietly. On the flip side of the coin, the Palestinians in Gaza are celebrating the withdrawal, while the IDF is promising payback in militants interfere. I seriously doubt the IDF will leave Gaza without conducting some sort of final sweep - blaming either extremist Jews or extremist Palestinians as the reason why. Still, this is an important and necessary first step towards peace. Let's all hope that Sharon and Abbas have the will to see it through to the end. Mind the BombsImagine on October 11th, 2001 if someone had created a game where where the object was to prevent planes from crashing into the WTC, White House, Pentagon, or a host of other targets and get points for doing so. Most folks would play, I'd bet. Yet it seems as if someone in the UK has done precisely this with the London Underground, and some are not happy: In the twisted game - called Mind The Bombs - terrorists have boarded trains and you have to stop them carrying out their missions by defusing the explosives.I fail to see the offense, and there are far worse games out there (technophiles will remember the uproar the Suicide Bomber Game created). You can find Mind the Bombs here. Tuesday, August 02, 2005Faith and IdeologyThis is a particularly good read: Our Christian faith is not an ideology, but a set of relationships -- primarily and most specifically our relationship with God through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. That primary relationship inevitably permeates and shapes our other relationships. The fulfillment of our faith is found in the fulfillment of those relationships. This is the life of love.Many on the left (secularists mostly) would criticize the Christian faith as the ideolouges. Too rigid, too demanding, too concerned with order and power. Perhaps. But when you don't have faith, what else do you have but ideology? One could point just as easily towards leftist or statist organizations and ideas that demand adherence rather than seek out understanding. This idea of faith seeking understanding is what separates Christianity from ideology. Just a thought. Monday, August 01, 2005How Terrorists Wear Down RespondersThis is reason number one why process - and not material - is the key to beating terrorism: There is concern among ministers and police at how long officers can continue such an intensive operation to "lock down" London while a threat remains. Although reinforcements have been brought in and leave has been cancelled, resources are stretched to keep up the guard on the capital, which is costing £500,000 a day. Sir Ian Blair, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, admitted that his officers were "very, very tired."Men get tired. Processes do not tire. By developing good, solid processes designed to make terrorist attacks more unlikely (random bag checks, police presence vs. police saturation, checkpoints, ground-truth intelligence, etc.) and ultimately more planning-intensive for the perpetrators of terrorism. It's the old hat-trick used against drug cartels; interdiction, interference, and incarceration. It works when given a chance to do so. Officials say Hawaii trip usefulThe RTD is reporting on the product of the Hawaii "luau" trip. Was the information they learned useful? Perhaps so, if not useful than at very least enlightening. Was it worth taxpayer dollars? That remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure -- politicians are going to be pressed to explain the need for or the utility of these taxpayer-funded trips in the future. One glaring omission though: Nothing in the article explaining the vast and efficient Hawaiian rural transportation network, which was the original explanation for taking the 5,600mi trip in the first place.
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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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