Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Thursday, April 30. 2015

Thursday morning links

American Jacobins: Sexual Revolutionaries Prepare the Battlespace for a De-Christianized America


California’s Water Crisis Is Man Made


Mom Says School Wouldn’t Let Daughter Finish Lunch Because It Was Not ‘Nutritious’


NOT IN AN ELITE COLLEGE? NO WORRIES!


College Encourages Lively Exchange Of Idea - Students, Faculty Invited To Freely Express Single Viewpoint


The George Washington University Tramples Free Speech, Ignores Context in Suspending Student for Indian Swastika Posting


The Paradox of Dogma: How the Left Is Crippling Itself


Transcending the Poverty Industry - Federal anti-poverty efforts have relied
too heavily on solutions cooked up in academia and inside the Beltway.
We already have plenty of proven programs—at the local level.


Obama Administration Says Non-Profit Status ‘Going to Be an Issue’ for Religious Schools


The Heretic We Need - Once again, Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s pen is mightier than any barbarian’s sword.


Related, Congressmen Keith Ellison and André Carson call for denial of visa to Dutch legislator Geert Wilders


Carly Fiorina: Baltimore Rioters Using Freddie Gray’s Death as an ‘Excuse’


That is true


Candidate Clinton Blames Baltimore Riots on Income Inequality - Ignores fact husband's war on drugs responsible for militarized cops


Clinton Foundation Official: "This is not charity... The whole thing is bankable. It's a commercial proposition."


Clinton Sinking as Vox — Yes, Vox — Continues Barrage Against ‘Charity’ - With friends like this, Hillary! doesn't need enemies.


Do the Clintons Even Care about How Their Myriad Scandals Affect Their Public Image?


My Plan to Help African-Americans


Jeb Bush's newest idea: Statehood for Puerto Rico!


What? How about independence for Puerto Rico?


The Palestinians No One Talks About


ISIS Pushes West, Eyeing a New Caliphate in Tunisia



Posted by Bird Dog in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects at 05:48 | Comments (31) | Trackbacks (0)

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Breaking: Washington Post: Freddie Gray tried to injure himself

http://commoncts.blogspot.com/2015/04/breaking-washington-post-freddie-gray.html
#1 Steve on 2015-04-30 06:30 (Reply)
Actually, a second prisoner who could not see Freddie Gray heard noises that made him believe that Gray was trying to hurt himself. Much different than "tried to injure himself".

And the prisoner is speaking now to the benefit of a police department with a long and well documented history of abusing and intimidating witnesses to police misconduct.

Me, I'll wait to see if physical evidence supports this supposition.

Baltimore police's problem is they've been corrupt so long, documented by court settlements, no one should give them the benefit of a doubt.
#1.1 JK Brown on 2015-04-30 08:12 (Reply)
Freddie Gray: It is to be expected that public figures bow to media badgering and trot out the usual trite platitudes and cliches over the Freddie Gray incident. What I am watching for is the public figures who have the integrity, discipline, and CHARACTER to resist interjecting themselves into this tragedy until they can make informed, fact based, pronouncements and proposals, as opposed to half-baked statements based on the media's histrionic rumors and speculations.
#2 Exasperated on 2015-04-30 07:49 (Reply)
"Obama Administration Says Non-Profit Status ‘Going to Be an Issue’ for Religious Schools"

Now, we see the long game of same-sex marriage.
#3 JK Brown on 2015-04-30 08:18 (Reply)
With regard to "Elite Colleges", I have only this comment: almost any actively engaged and successful in their field professional can tell you the best departments for their field. For example: every landscape architect knows which programs in which departments at which schools are the best. Every surgeon knows which surgery program in which medical school is the best. By best, I mean those academic departments that are turning out the best trained, the best informed AND the most thoughtful, inquisitive students. It almost always has to do with who is leading the program. Have they been truly exceptional in their own personal accomplishments in the field? Have they an open door policy for student access? Do they have the courage to listen, while demanding excellence among their faculty? This information is out there within the professions. For example: The Barrister knows which law schools are doing the best job right now. He may have a particular slant, or point of view, but he knows which schools are creating the best learner, the best practitioner, and the human who will continue to learn throughout their life. The Barrister knows that about law schools. Your local doctor most likely knows that about medical schools--if, of course, he is interested. If there is no interest then maybe you need to find another doc!
#4 faculty wife on 2015-04-30 09:00 (Reply)
to concur, the sad reality is that Wharton MBA would be hired over a MSU MBA or a Georgetown grad over a Ole Miss grad if all things were equal. Ring knockers also look after their own.
#4.1 walt moffett on 2015-04-30 14:40 (Reply)
72 hour rule on all events like this, never believe the truth, accuracy or meaning based on the news as it first reported.

Do you really need an college degree to create the substandard product that is the American Media; Broadcast and print?
#5 John the River (Link) on 2015-04-30 09:05 (Reply)
The Left is certain of it.
#5.1 Sam L. on 2015-04-30 14:33 (Reply)
"Candidate Clinton Blames Baltimore Riots on Income Inequality..."

When extremely wealthy people make such statements, the temptation is always to ask:

"OK, Hillary, are you prepared to contribute 90 percent of your wealth right now to help balance out the scales for those poor folks in Baltimore? And if not, why not?"
#6 JJM on 2015-04-30 09:08 (Reply)
That "debating a single viewpoint" article is from The Onion. Perhaps you knew that, but the lead-in suggests otherwise. Either way, funny stuff.
#7 Moor on 2015-04-30 09:26 (Reply)
Truth is often described in humor. Plus, we keep reading about colleges where alternate/opposing views are attacked and/or verboten.
#7.1 Sam L. on 2015-05-01 13:25 (Reply)
Re: Paradox of Dogma

QUOTE:
If you try to shut down public debate, is this a way of ensuring that you win—or an admission that you have already lost?

I agree that the stridency and intolerance of opposing views looks like evidence that they have lost but that is only if they actually do lose. Individual examples of push back from those who are the usual supporters not withstanding, the fascists seem to be making a lot more progress those of us who oppose their intolerance. Who would have thought we would ever be in this situation when the radicals in the past at Berkeley named their park for free speech are now the "intelligentsia" that are encouraging this intellectual fascism?

Obviously, I hope he's right, but time (and our determination to defeat it) will tell.
#8 mudbug on 2015-04-30 10:09 (Reply)
Katherine Ernst: The Heretic We Need - Once again, Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s pen is mightier than any barbarian’s sword.

QUOTE:
In a 2007 interview with Reason Magazine, Hirsi Ali said that there could only be positive changes if “Islam is defeated.” The magazine asked in a followup question, “Don't you mean defeating radical Islam?” She responded, “No. Islam, period....I think that we are at war with Islam. And there's no middle ground in wars.”
http://reason.com/archives/2007/10/10/the-trouble-is-the-west

The effect of that position would be that the West would have no partners in the Muslim world in the fight against Islamic terrorism.
#9 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 10:10 (Reply)
That's a ridiculous statement.

In the first place, defeat of Islam doesn't mean to kill all Muslims but to defeat the ideology.

In the second place, it's the moderate (maybe truly moderate) Muslim leaders who are getting no help from the US and the West in fighting Islamic terrorism. The Kurds, the Jordanians, and the Egyptians have been refused support from the US in their fight against ISIS (http://www.independentsentinel.com/stunning-barack-obama-refused-to-share-intel-with-egypt-and-jordan/). The Saudis have lost so much faith in us that they didn't even inform us of their intent to clean up the "success" Obummer had in Yemen. He continues to negotiate a deal with Iran that if successful will make Iran stronger even as they increase their strength and influence in the Middle East to the detriment and alarm of our allies in the area.
#9.1 mudbug on 2015-04-30 10:41 (Reply)
mudbug: In the first place, defeat of Islam doesn't mean to kill all Muslims but to defeat the ideology.

That's right. The ideology, not of radical Islam, but Islam itself.

mudbug: In the second place, it's the moderate (maybe truly moderate) Muslim leaders who are getting no help from the US and the West in fighting Islamic terrorism.

And you see that as a problem, hence, you agree that the West needs partners in Islam.

mudbug: The Kurds, the Jordanians, and the Egyptians have been refused support from the US in their fight against ISIS.

- March 31, 2015: Obama restores US military aid to Egypt over Islamic State concerns
- February 15, 2015: U.S. moving to resupply Jordan's military with munitions: officials
- November 20, 2014: US pledges more support for Kurds

Of course, they want more and want it faster.
#9.1.1 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 10:52 (Reply)
QUOTE:
mudbug: In the first place, defeat of Islam doesn't mean to kill all Muslims but to defeat the ideology.

That's right. The ideology, not of radical Islam, but Islam itself.

Then we agree your statement was ridiculous.

It's fine that we're finally giving aid to friends fighting ISIS, but it seems pretty half-hearted. It's amazing that an ally in a fight against a supposed common enemy would be refused intelligence support since it costs very little to give it to them and doesn't endanger our personnel. As for the Kurds:
From http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/02/03/kurds-complain-of-u-s-weapons-shortages-turn-to-iran-for-munitions/
QUOTE:
In fact, Kurdish President Massoud Barzani credited Iran with being the “first country to provide us with weapons and ammunition.” Some Iranian officials also claim their military has provided training to Kurdish peshmerga forces, although those claims have been disputed by both the Kurds and other sources within Iran.

The Kurds are once again talking about receiving shipments of Iranian arms, while lamenting the slow delivery of Western supplies. President Barzani’s son Masrour, chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council, told Eli Like at Bloomberg View that “the shortage of ammunition is a big problem,” and the paltry four shipments delivered in recent months are “not even close to what we were asking for.”
#9.1.1.1 mudbug on 2015-04-30 11:34 (Reply)
mudbug: Then we agree your statement was ridiculous.

Z: The effect of Hirsi Ali's position would be that the West would have no partners in the Muslim world in the fight against Islamic terrorism.

The statement directly follows from Hirsi Ali's advocacy of a war on Islam. Per her expressed position, they could only be partners if they ceased being Muslims; otherwise, a state of war exists with no middle ground.

mudbug: It's fine that we're finally giving aid to friends fighting ISIS, but it seems pretty half-hearted.

The politics are complicated. Helping the Kurds, for instance, causes problems with Turkey and Iraq, who are also needed to rein in ISIS.
#9.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 14:48 (Reply)
I've explained how "moderate" Muslim leaders were refused aid in their fight against ISIS. El-Sisi is even calling for an Islamic reformation. Reforming Islam is defeating it by redefining it.

The US was also not as forthcoming in support of King Abdullah of Jordan, a moderate Muslim, in his fight against ISIS.

Do the complexities in dealing with the Kurds make it easier to allow Iran to support them? Turkey has become much more radically Islamic. They were friends of Israel at one time, but they have recently effectively reversed that position and as such, they are becoming more of the problem. Are we supposed to bend over backward for them?

These complexities you reference are just excuses for not supporting our friends and disadvantaging our opponents and enemies.
#9.1.1.1.1.1 mudbug on 2015-04-30 15:31 (Reply)
mudbug: These complexities you reference are just excuses for not supporting our friends and disadvantaging our opponents and enemies.

Those friends happen to be Muslims. When Hirsi Ali says "I think that we are at war with Islam. And there's no middle ground in wars," then that would include those who you consider to be friends of the U.S.
#9.1.1.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 16:15 (Reply)
Sigh... Those Muslims are of the "reform" variety. For example, they do not believe that non Muslims should be either killed, dhimmi'ed, or converted and they do not want to destroy the freedom of those living in freedom - all things that allow their flavor of Islam to play well with other people and religions unlike the Iranian, ISIS, Hezbollah, Hamas, et al who also think that those Muslims are not "real" Muslims which is why they are happy to kill them.
#9.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 mudbug on 2015-04-30 18:34 (Reply)
mudbug: Those Muslims are of the "reform" variety.

That's right, which contradicts Hirsi Ali's stated position, which is that "we are at war with Islam. And there's no middle ground in wars.”
#9.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 20:21 (Reply)
Found bouncing around the right-wing blogosphere:

QUOTE:
Clinton Foundation Official: "This is not charity... The whole thing is bankable. It's a commercial proposition."

What are the chances this quote is being taken out of context? Take a wild guess.
#10 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 10:18 (Reply)
Here is the source of the quote:
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2007/10/-this-is-not-charity/306197/
#10.1 Douglas2 on 2015-04-30 10:48 (Reply)
That's right.

QUOTE:
“So what we’re going to be doing is setting up a financing mechanism,” he told me. The foundation would help cities borrow in the securities markets against future energy savings. “The whole thing is bankable,” Magaziner said. “It’s a commercial proposition. This is not charity. The whole concept of this is that the market itself over some period of time is going to deploy all these energy-saving things.

So what he's talking about is using seed money to help localities save money over the long run. "It's a commercial proposition" refers to the mechanism of encouraging lending in the securities markets based on future savings. It's a good thing.

Meanwhile, it will continue to reverberate in the right-wing blogosphere.
#10.1.1 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 10:57 (Reply)
For once you take a normal position on something I'd agree on rather than parsing words and twisting logic to suit your bizarre mindset.

Yes, of course the foundation is a bankable proposition. To some degree, even charities are (or can be).

I am reminded of a situation, shortly after the tsunami in Indonesia, where a friend of mine from Catholic Relief went over to help the people. She discovered an uncomfortable fact.

All the 'help' they provided was not really helping at all. Sure, it kept people alive, and that is 'help' - but the main business which provided funds for locals, a fish cannery, had been wiped out. Basically, if charity was to continue, it would have to be done indefinitely because the owners of the cannery were going to just shutter the operation.

She was faced with an uncomfortable situation. Her organization is not designed to provide bankable funds for business development, but her organization was designed to be a stop-gap solution until longer term solutions relieved them of their duty. That is the essential difference between a charity (where she worked) and a commercial proposition (where Clinton's foundation might step in).

They were forced into looking for new ways to generate business for the people to get them employed. Eventually, they determined they needed to start aggressively courting businesses or else create a second arm of the charity which was designed to fund business.


Where I think the 'right-wing blogosphere' is correct in pillorying the Clinton group is that because it is a commercial proposition, very little of the money actually goes to helping the projects they seek to assist.

I have no problem with people making money. I salute the Clintons and their ability to hoodwink their fund providers, they have found willing sheep and they slaughter them regularly.

I do have a problem with misrepresentation. There's plenty of that in the entire Clinton story.

But as for the initiative being a commercial proposition? Eh, it's a tempest in a teapot. Anyone who understands the Clintons is able to know just how devious they are and should know that if they give any money to this group, only about 10-20% is going to help.
#10.1.1.1 Bulldog on 2015-04-30 12:20 (Reply)
Bulldog: Yes, of course the foundation is a bankable proposition.

The statement doesn't refer to the bankability of the foundation, but the bankability of the investment in energy.

It's a quote-mine.
#10.1.1.1.1 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 14:52 (Reply)
Obama Administration Says Non-Profit Status ‘Going to Be an Issue’ for Religious Schools/

Prediction: while it may become an issue for Jewish or Christian religious schools, it will not be a issue for Muslim religious schools.
#11 Gringo on 2015-04-30 14:25 (Reply)
I'll take the over on that, Gringo!
#11.1 mudbug on 2015-04-30 14:27 (Reply)
Obama Administration Says Non-Profit Status ‘Going to Be an Issue’ for Religious Schools

It would be the same rule as for racial bias. You can have a private religious school that practices discrimination, but you don't get the tax deduction.
#11.2 Zachriel on 2015-04-30 14:54 (Reply)
"My plan to help African-Americans"

First he wants to legalize all drugs. This is a HUGE unknown. Will it result in millions more deaths from drugs? Will it result in millions more sexual assaults on young children who are given drugs? Will it actually increase crime and not decrease crime as many hope (without any proof)? And it is insulting!!! Are you serious that the solution to helping African-Americans is to legalize drugs??? DUH! Why not say legalized rape or robbery? Would it be any less insulting? Does he really mean that Blacks are all drug users and we would be better off if we just let themselves cook their brains on drugs?

Second he says "bring real accountability to police forces". Sounds good and I am all for it. But I take issue with the claim that more blacks are mistreated by police then non-blacks. The perception is there because the media choose not to report on police violence against white criminals. In fact police unnecessary violence against whites exceeds that against blacks. So lets bring accountability to the police but with a blindfold to color and other minority status.

"Eliminate the minimum wage". The problem is the author assumes the reason blacks don't have jobs is because no one wants to hire a black youth with no experience. That is NOT the reason. Anyone who has ever worked with or known black youths from the inner city knows the real reason and most employers wouldn't want them if they worked for free. The real answer is to change their attitude and give them anger management classes.

"Voucherize education" I would agree with this as long as it is across the board and not targeted towards blacks. It won't help much because most blacks in the nner cities choose not to learn in school and to them school is merely where they must be so they turn it into a social club.

If you really want to turn this problem around end welfare. Every welfare program except Medicaid should be ended. No subsidized or free housing, no free lunches and food stamps, no welfare cash, no phones, no nothing. Replace it at the state level with workfare. Up to 40 hours a week at minimum wage with SS and taxes withheld. After that just like everyone else they are on their own. Stop helping them (everyone on welfare not just blacks) it sends the wrong message and prevents them from ever becoming capable of surviving without the handouts.
#12 GoneWithTheWind on 2015-04-30 14:28 (Reply)
"If you really want to turn this problem around end welfare....it sends the wrong message and prevents them from ever becoming capable of surviving without the handouts."

Yes, but however will we know whom to vote for????

Sorry. Couldn't resist. Little bit cranky because I just got back from a hell trip to the DMV to try and get inspection stickers. Got there at 3:31pm. Closed. Shuttered, Everyone leaving for the day.
Took me 30 minutes to get out of the parking lot.
On the way home..
Had plenty of time to count all the "WE ACCEPT EBT cards" standing in front of restaurants, live seafood places, even what looked like a pawn shop (that also sold cigarettes).
Every other storefront boarded up, looks like they were firebombed.

I took a trip to Beirut. Or Serbia. Or the capital of my state.
#13 fjord on 2015-04-30 17:55 (Reply)

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