Thursday, May 26. 2005
The Siege of Western Civilization A DVD, by Herb Meyer. This 40 minute chat is getting around by word of mouth. Thanks, Right Thinking, who reviews it here.
From a church bulletin: This week's Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 pm. Please use the back door.
Wednesday, May 25. 2005
Big Fish - Mississippi Catfish - story here.
A Cape Cod Day We have been having a Cape Cod day today, and, in fact, a Cape Cod week in New England. What that means is low 50s, 40s at night, strong wind, rain, clouds and fog. It is for hearty folks. Got a fire going right now, in late May. What a wonderful world.
A Chinese Blogger for Justice- Audio-visual in the NYT
Seafarer's Friend. A worthy Yankee charity.
A Call for Information from the Blog-World We would like to collect information on the political activities and political agendas of innocent-appearing non-profit organizations. Our post today on the UCC was not our first on this topic, but the millions of blog-readers out there can collect the info better than we can. For example, we have been told by a reader that the National YWCA has a mission statement to "defeat rascism and sexism by all means necessary." We are all against racism and sexism, but what does that mean, is it true, and what do they do about it? This kind of stuff isn't on the organizational websites - you have to know it from the inside. We suspect that most people are not aware of what the national HQs of many non-profits are doing with their share of dues in Washington and in New York. Let's try to find out. Email us with hard data. Thanks.
"In much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow."
Ecclesiastes
Tuesday, May 24. 2005
Isikoff: It is a "blip" Innocent lives, far away, may be a "blip" to Isikoff - or is the main concern about the life of the magazine?
Dance, White Guy, Dance - Video - thanks, AnkleBitingPundit.
The Golden Rule of Flattery: "Enjoy it, but don't inhale." Anon.
Monday, May 23. 2005
1995 John Deere, Model 8650 We moved tractors to Mondays. Monday is the day we all need a little traction to get rolling. This big boy provides more than a little. I'd like to try pulling a few stumps with this one. Man, this is a serious tooth-puller. Almost too big for Yankee-land farms. Put a chain around the house and move it over there!
"Insanity in individuals is something rare--but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule."
Friedrich Nietzsche
Sunday, May 22. 2005
But concerning the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another; and indeed you do love all the brethren thoughout Macedonia. But we exhort you, brothers, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you, so that you may command the respect of outsiders, and be dependent on nobody. From Paul's (chastising but encouraging) Letter to the Thessalonians, 4:9
This is a re-post:  James Twitchell on Higher Ed, Inc:
"Counting everything but its huge endowment holdings, Higher Ed, Inc., is a $250 to $270 billion business—bigger than religion, much bigger than art. And though no one in the business will openly admit it, getting into college is a cinch. The problem, of course, is that too many students want to get into the same handful of nameplate colleges, making it seem that the entire market is tight. It most certainly is not. Here’s the crucial statistic: There are about 2,500 four-year colleges in this country, and only about 100 of them refuse more applicants than they accept. Most schools accept 80 percent or more of those who apply. It’s the rare student who can’t get in somewhere. "
Another excerpt: "At the turn of the 20th century, one percent of high school graduates attended college; that figure is now close to 70 percent. This is an industry that produces a yearly revenue flow more than six times the revenue generated by the steel industry. Woe to the state without a special funding program (with the word merit in it) that assures middle-class kids who graduate in the upper half of their high school class a pass to State U. College has become what high school used to be, and thanks to grade inflation, it’s almost impossible to flunk out."
I guess it's true what employers in the business world have been complaining about - that a degree from a non-elite college is roughly equivalent to a high-school diploma, unless you do a rigorous major like physics or computer science. What Twitchell's piece adds to the discussion is the role of economics in the degradation of the degree. The saddest thing of all is that people are getting scammed by this selling of credentials that used to mean something. Read here. Also - Name that campus in the photo. First correct emailed answer wins a Maggie's Farm tractor t-shirt, when they come in.
Saturday, May 21. 2005
Criticism from Readers Keep 'em coming. We will try not to be hypersensitive or defensive. Much as we enjoy compliments, they really do us no good at all. (But keep them coming too.) Yes, we can go overboard and be stupid and provocative sometimes. And yes, sometimes the transitions in our "essays" are lame. And yes and no, we are a hodge-podge, but so is life. And yes, we do like guns. And lots of other things, including dogs and marshes full of birds and this whole amazing Creation. And yes, we can be edgy - some of us, anyway. Edgy is OK, as is curmudgeonly, but cranky is something we'd like to avoid - if we can. Too much Cuba? Sorry. There is just something about Cuba that we like.
Friday, May 20. 2005
Cuba Publius Pundit has more links on Cuba's "Ascendent Revolution." The photos, taken today, from Stefania are remarkable.
The Collapse of the Soviet Union Austin Bay has posted Part 2 of Tom Nichol's "Reform to Collapse in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, 1988-1991". Nichols is a Prof. at the Naval War College. The piece is not short, quite detailed, and a fascinating look at the recent past. Here.
Want another Pepsi? Powerline's update here. Curt Jester highlights a new Pepsi product. - for the Michael Moore Generation - thanks, Michelle. And Hugh Hewitt is staying on the story. I admit to feeling badly for Nooyi for writing a speech that she probably thought was cute and hip, but was stupid at the least. Pepsico is doubtless crossing their Frito-stained fingers and praying that this just goes away in the next news cycle. The power that blogs have acquired is mind-boggling. Public figures will take note - if you say it, be ready to defend it - if it's stupid, wrong, or propaganda, it could get noticed.
The End of Innocence The battle over the judiciary, after all of these years, represents the willingness of the Repubs to quit being loveable, and begin taking the reins. About time. Right or wrong, someone has to govern, and that means leading with authority and confidence as the other guys did for 40 years.
Oh, Canada Steyn has the story. It is about how corruption works well in politics - plus scaring the poor darn voters - plus voter apathy. A spineless country, addicted to dependency and weakness. What happened to their spirit, dignity, and self-respect? The entire country is becoming a comical Molson advertisement, eh?
 Why Islamic Terrorism? The Yankee View.
We have posted on this subject numerous times, and doubtless will again. But I have to highlight the simple truth. If America is mostly still passionate about political and economic freedom, freedom of religion, the dignity of the individual, freedom of opportunity and freedom of self-expression, then think of the Jihadists and Terrorists ("Insurgents", to the NYT) and Islamofascists as being at least as passionate about imposing Islam, Sharia Law, the subjugation of females, and the elimination of Jews, on the planet Earth. That is what it is about. Period. It is a culture war and the enemy, in their pathetic ignorance of the world, actually believes that they can prevail - with Allah's help, of course. That cannot happen, and it will never happen. I relink this LGF piece. If it is important to be "understanding," then understand it. If it is important to be "tolerant" - forget it. Watch the video, too. Guess what? - We're on the right side....unless you have abandoned all sense of right and wrong at all, and would have wanted to also be "tolerant and understanding" of Adolf Hitler and his followers - after all, they had "feelings" too, not to mention a valid gripe about the Treaty of Versailles which screwed Germany in a humiliating manner. But that doesn't matter - up here in rugged Yankeeland, where we try to live according to a stern self-imposed code, we do not entertain excuses. Take it or leave it: Excuses are for babies, and emotion-based "explanations" are for teen-agers. Make a mistake, and pay the price. Very simple and easy for anyone to understand. Even me. The Western world has recently confronted totalitarian fascist movements, led by the defunct Third Reich, and again by the defunct Soviet Union, and those are thankfully in the dust-bin of history. Once again, we are reminded of the old saw that "freedom isn't free." Don't Tread on Me. (Colonial "Culpepper" flag thanks to Dave's Flag Site)
 Cuba Lovers
We have a number of Cuba-loving readers - but not in the Hollywood political sense. I mean folks who love the island and the people of Cuba, but who hate the Bearded One, Fidelito, and what he has done to the island. However, despite Fidel, the spirit of these wonderful people endures and will rise again and blossom after he is gone. It is much easier and more common than I realized for Americans to visit Cuba now, via Mexico, but many do not wish to subsidize Fidel by adding their dollars to his economy. On the other hand, the people need money. Too bad more Cubans don't have internet service. Fidelito would be gone in a flash, and I am sure he knows that. But may the "Sugar Cane" Revolution come soon, very soon, to Cuba. Cuba Libre! Personally, I can't wait to visit. My grampa loved Cuba. In the meantime, there will be a taste of Havana in New York - Brooklyn specifically - this summer. Habana Outpost Food & Market.
Ann Coulter reviews Michael Isikoff's record of getting his reportage into print, and the results are distressingly predictable: When ace reporter Michael Isikoff had the scoop of the decade, a thoroughly sourced story about the president of the United States having an affair with an intern and then pressuring her to lie about it under oath, Newsweek decided not to run the story. Matt Drudge scooped Newsweek, followed by The Washington Post. Read the rest of her examples, and you'll get the picture.
“Do I contradict myself?
Very well then . . . . I contradict myself;
I am large . . . . I contain multitudes.” Walt Whitman
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