Friday morning links

I think this pope is the most re-interpreted pope that has ever existed. Every statement he makes has to be explained and apologized for and re-worded. What were the cardinals thinking when they appointed this creature?

#1 Judith on 2015-01-16 08:48 (Reply)

Yes, new rule in regard to selecting a Pope. Find one who can say what he means.

#1.1 JK Brown on 2015-01-16 10:19 (Reply)

Before you condemn the Pope, consider what the Vatican website keeps saying:

What the Pope says is translated into English and reported on by the media. Their interpretation becomes slanted toward what they want to hear.

Right now, they want to hear that the Pope is going to "reform" the church, and bring it up to date by making it more like American culture.

That isn't true. He isn't changing any of the church teachings. I'm a relatively conservative Catholic, and I'm not at all concerned about the current Pope. Neither are any of the Catholics that I know.

#1.1.1 LP on 2015-01-16 18:09 (Reply)

When the public perception of Pope Francis is shaped by the likes of The Huffington Post, Politico.com. Slate.com, Salon.com, Newsweek Magazine, and The Daily Kos, do we really expect to get anything resembling the truth?

#1.1.1.1 Pajak on 2015-01-16 19:30 (Reply)

re Obama Was Right to Skip Paris

I think that is right. It was all theater and nothing will come of it, but the bigger reason is France stabbed US in the back in the lead up to the war on Iraq, so why should we stand with them now?

#2 feeblemind on 2015-01-16 09:38 (Reply)

I agree that it was nothing more than theater and in a certain way, I think it shows the weakness of Western Europe - the answer to the problem of Muslims run amok is to light candles and have a march? It should be a wake up call to them that they are enabling it by continuing to allow the Muslims enclaves that are no-go zones. The French (and the rest of Europe) should have rounded up Muslim trouble makers and begin to dismantle the no-go zones.

However, lots of things are theater - G8 (or is it G9, G10...) meetings, the UN, and any number of "summits" come to mind. I do think there is a valid reason to show solidarity with those who on some level want to be free. If the only thing it does is stick a finger in the eye of Islamists, that would be fine. certainly don't think Obummer needed to go. It is my understanding that Holder, who was already in Paris was directed not to attend. I believe Obummer chose not to participate because he didn't want to make Islamists mad.

I do find the premise of the article a little weird. The author seems to be saying that responding to terrorism strengthens the terrorists and that instead, we should sure that the other Muslims do not feel threatened - presumably by placating them. Sort of a damned if you do and damned if you don't. I guess we continue to allow them spaces of their own and their own laws at the expense of the rest of the population so that they don't feel threatened. That's worked so well so far!

#2.1 mudbug on 2015-01-16 10:12 (Reply)

OMG! Can this be true? I don't know whether to laugh, scream or cry, or wear a paper bag over my head in shame.

John Effing Kerry tried to make amends for the 0bama snub at a press conference over there,bringing James Taylor to a Paris news conference to play "You've Got a Friend" - message to French after U.S no-shows last week.

#2.1.1 feeblemind on 2015-01-16 10:27 (Reply)

A good article at The Federalist. Here's a quote from the article in reference to the 'solidarity' expressed after the attack in France:

"Solidarity” has been used a lot by the press to describe the condition of the French people. Yet solidarity in what? Merely shock, anger, and frustration? Solidarity in this situation is rather pointless unless it further encourages coming to terms with the present and pursuing meaningful changes in policy and culture. Indeed, ideas cannot be killed—if they inspire action. But at the moment, there’s a surfeit of hollow slogans campaigning against a bloodthirsty menace bent on world domination. Phrasing it differently, there’s a cluster of dry pens facing an army of sharp swords."

http://thefederalist.com/2015/01/15/the-enemy-within-fault-the-western-culture-that-fosters-islamism/

#2.1.1.1 feeblemind on 2015-01-16 10:43 (Reply)

So Kerry (did you know he was once in Vietnam?) took the theater of the march and reduced it to farce. What a putz!

#2.1.1.1.1 mudbug on 2015-01-16 10:53 (Reply)

LOL. Indeed, mudbug.

One wonders, did John F. Kerry (the Vietnam vet) think of this stunt all by himself, or did he need help?

#2.1.1.1.1.1 feeblemind on 2015-01-16 11:06 (Reply)

And I forgot to remind everyone that this man is our top diplomat and one of our moral and intellectual betters.

Sigh....

I think I will go stand next to a wall and bang my head against it. I do this because it feels so good when I stop.

#2.1.1.1.1.1.1 feeblemind on 2015-01-16 11:12 (Reply)

He was also almost president. Thank goodness we dodged that bullet. Unfortunately, we were (and continue to be hit) by the Obummer bullet.

#2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 mudbug on 2015-01-16 11:31 (Reply)

I believe this confirms it. American foreign policy under Obama is being run out a dorm room at Harvard.

Hey, it worked for Facebook

#2.1.1.1.1.1.2 JK Brown on 2015-01-16 11:45 (Reply)

Obummer just announced that he veto additional sanctions on Iran. Saying this policy came from Harvard dorm room bull session is to elevate it to the level of stupidity/ignorance/naivete. It could easily be that this is giving it more respect than it deserves. I think it could easily be a purposeful policy of the destruction of the US Constitutional republic.

#2.1.1.1.1.1.2.1 mudbug on 2015-01-16 13:44 (Reply)

Anecdotal evidence suggests to me that it is mainly the over 50 crowd that regularly visits MF. As such our perspective of Time is fairly similar to Kerry's. However most of the world is much younger than we are.

So, to provide some perspective:

The song in question came out 44 years ago. Imagine it is 1970 and our Secretary of State visits another world power and trots a popular singer from 1926, say, Al Jolson perhaps, and has him sing one of his popular songs from that year to articulate our position for said country.

As kids/young adults, what would our reaction have been?

Would young people today react differently than we would have?

#2.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1 feeblemind on 2015-01-16 15:35 (Reply)

Come on, Febble. Weaving music with diplomacy is brilliant!

Don't you think Henry Kissinger would have had someone play "Kumbaya" when he was negotiating with the North Vietnam if he had thought about it?

Or maybe Robert McNamara should have brought Helen Kane to sing "I Wanna Be Loved By You" to France when they were leaving NATO.

Maybe if Nixon had Fats Waller sing "Ain't Misbehavin'" to the Republicans in Congress, they wouldn't have bailed on him on Watergate.

#2.1.1.1.1.1.2.1.1.1 mudbug on 2015-01-16 17:16 (Reply)

Brits on US Health Care: Forget it, Jake; it's the Grauniad. (H/t, Chinatown.)

No Substitute for mass collection, study says: Ummmmm, hmmmmmmm. Right. Forget it, Jake; it's the NYT.

Obama was right: Forget it, Jake; it's Politico.

#3 Sam L. on 2015-01-16 10:29 (Reply)

The most telling facet of the "Obama No Show" is that Holder was already in Paris and told not to go to the event! That confirms any suspicion that it was an "oversight accident", or a "scheduling impossibility". O's refusal to allow any American (except the ambassador--wooohooo--ain't she a big deal!) was clearly a message of support to the Muslim community. NO--NONE if's, ands, or buts!

#4 faculty wife on 2015-01-16 11:10 (Reply)

Looks like Obama is laying out the D's roadmap to 2016, lots of free stuff from the party that cares.

How long before the Ron Paul Institute's bit gets disavowed as the work of a zealous intern (but thanks for the clicks and purchase of a Ron Paul cartwheel of unspecified silver content).

A day of reckoning on disparate impact? Inventive minds will take come up with something else, the legal fees must flow.

#5 walt moffett on 2015-01-16 14:05 (Reply)

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Friday, January 16. 2015

Friday morning links