Thursday, March 8. 2007
 When the President of the wonderful and venerable small university where Jefferson was educated decided that a cross in William and Mary's chapel was "offensive to some" - or whatever gibberish ACLU types typically use to erase signs of faith from daily life - I felt two things: sickened and angry.
Also, confused. What person, of any religion or lack thereof, would be offended by a symbol of God's sacrificial love for mankind? That is an odd concept by which to be offended but, in general, the notion of desecrating another person's place of worship would never even occur to me. And I wondered why it affected me so strongly, when I usually take such nonsense in stride. It didn't make me feel badly for Christ: He and His followers have encountered hostility and persecution since he began His ministry, and He does not need my comfort or pity. It didn't make me feel too badly for other Christians, especially those at W&M, because Christians have become accustomed to, if not resigned to, living with intolerance from the Left - and to resisting that intolerance when they can. I think I felt angry that an agenda-driven person would try to erase a piece of the College's history. It doesn't matter what the excuse is; it's still the same thing that the Commies did in Russia. It's like a lie. Nothing to do with religion, really. As a pattern, the dismissal of tradition is a foolish and dangerous thing with unknowable consequences. And I think I felt ill that a college president - presumably but not necessarily a high-minded person - would have the hubris to strike down a symbol of God's presence. We do not need a chapel in which to pray, nor do we need a cross to focus on Christ's sacrificial love, but these material things are tools, aids, to reverence and prayer, and as such are sacred - if anything is sacred anymore. Yes, that is what made me feel ill; it is a personal violation, like the time I was mugged with a gun in my stomach in NYC many years ago. Civilized folks do not do that to each other. It is that indifference to others - including to me - that sickens me and always takes me by surprise. (Hostility disguised as "tolerance"? That isn't very subtle.) Now the deal is that the Wren Cross will reside in a glass case with a plaque, like a museum artifact, or like Lenin in his glass coffin. Like a dead cross, buried in a tomb. But Easter is coming, when the glory of the Resurrection and the offer of salvation will no doubt touch even a college president in some small way. A glory that will shine forth through any attempted entombment or confinement to illuminate the world, and light a little lamp in any soul which is receptive to that light. No human can extinguish that Easter light. My pastor would advise us to pray for the president of W&M - to pray that his heart be softened. My friends would say "Stand up for Jesus" - and pray for the W&M prez too. Other thoughts: Protein Wisdom, Powerline, and Powerline again. Image: Botticelli's Mystic Crucifixion
Wednesday, March 7. 2007
 Yes, people - All weather from now on is due to global warming. If you can believe it, this is from SI. It's the kind of article people will pull out in three years and laugh about:
The next time a ball game gets rained out during the September stretch run, you can curse the momentary worthlessness of those tickets in your pocket. Or you can wonder why it got rained out -- and ask yourself why practice had to be called off last summer on a day when there wasn't a cloud in the sky; and why that Gulf Coast wharf where you used to reel in mackerel and flounder no longer exists; and why it's been more than one winter since you pulled those titanium skis out of the garage.
Given the weather, maybe it would be an excuse for a swimsuit cover every month? Whole ridiculous thing at SI (h/t, Drudge). I thought it was a satire. Was it? Tell me it was a spoof.
Fascinating and damning review of the climate change scam (h/t, reader). When I have time, I will quote from it or post some graphs. In the meantime, check it out: Nine Facts about Climate Change. OK, here's one quote: Environmentalism has largely superseded Christianity as the religion of the upper classes in Europe and to a lesser extent in the US. It is a form of religious belief which fosters a sense of moral superiority in the believer, but which places no importance on telling the truth. As the former Canadian Environment Minister Christine Stewart put it: No matter if the science is all phony (sic), there are collateral environmental benefits. Climate change [provides] the greatest chance to bring about justice and equality in the world.
"Justice and equality in the world" just by buying carbon credits? Far out, dude. I know a fat guy who sells them wholesale, out of his tobacco barn in Tennessee. And here's a polar temps graph for the past 5000 years: 
 Gen. David Walker says this, as quoted by Viking:
By the year 2040, Walker says, "If nothing changes, the federal government is not going to be able to do much more than pay interest on the mounting debt and some entitlement benefits. It won't have money left for anything else."
But who cares? Won't we all be under water by then anyway?
 It's not surprising that the most spied-upon nation is the USA. How is out counter-intelligence going?
From a piece at Discover the Networks: China's intelligence services are among the most aggressive at spying on the United States, followed by Cuban, Russian and Iranian spy agencies, according to the U.S. government's top counterintelligence coordinator.
"These services are eating our lunch," Joel F. Brenner, the new head of the Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive, said in his first interview since being named to the counterspy post in August.
If you tend center-right-ish, what are you? Check here. I'm an "Old, Wise One." I'll take the wise, but hold the old.
Tuesday, March 6. 2007
17,000 scientists dispute man-made global warming theories. Piece on the new documentary at Anchoress. Interesting to see the founder of Greenpeace on the rational side of things. Plus a quote in that piece from Anchoress which deserves to be a QQQ: ...the mediating intelligences are increasingly selective about which stories get oxygen and which are strangled at birth.
Darn right. That is why political blog posts exist. Otherwise, Maggie's Farm would be a happy and serene huntin' and fishin' and cookin' and gardenin' and readin' and shoppin' and shrinkologizin' and picture-takin' and nature-lovin' and travelin' and music and Jesus-praisin' blog. Tangled Web has an amusing take-down of greenie hypocrites, especially of those who defend the sacred Green Leaders and their need to pollute to save the earth. "Everybody say 'Doom.'"
Edwards channels Jesus, and concludes that Jesus would be "appalled" by American selfishness and American's ignoring the plight of those around them. I hear this as an insult - by a filthy-rich ("filthy" not because of his assets, but because of how he obtained them) ambulance-chasing lawyer who has just built an ostentatious and self-indulgent monument to himself - to the Americans, who are the most generous, most charitable people on earth by a long shot. Furthermore, one thing Christians do not do is to take eachother's inventory by making judgements about the condition of eachother's faith. Christians worry more about the beam in their own eye. If I want your opinion of me, I'll ask for it.
Monday, March 5. 2007
 "I refuse to apologize for my ability – I refuse to apologize for my success – I refuse to apologize for my money."
Atlas Shrugged at fifty. Second most influential book for Americans, after the Bible. Skousen in the CSM.
Major French scientist changes tune on global warming, and decries politicization of research. Canada Post As more scientists dare to come forward, the "consensus" will be shown to be a fraud. Meanwhile, Al Gore and Soros plan the New World Order. And we learn how hybrids pollute.
I just see Hillary Clinton sinking deeper and deeper. We read about her a couple of days ago at the Gay, Transgender and Lesbian group, pleading a partnership. A Partnership? And did she wear leather or try out the fem thing? But her fake black southern accent in Selma, and doing God-talk like she was MLK Jr, is just too much. I could hardly listen. But you can hear it here. If you can stand it, you can SEE IT here. Is this how she thinks people should talk to black folks? Or is she mocking them? Who expected the campaigns to become so amusing, so soon? Such questions already! Is Edwards gay? Is Hillary black? Does Romney have 6 wives and three heads? Is Giuliani a transvestite? Wizbang has a good idea: ally yourself to the person who most pisses off the right people. I am voting German Shorthair.
Sunday, March 4. 2007
Reality check, from Flopping Aces. The MSM aren't talking about it, and the anti-war folks are strangely silent. Who would not like to be in that sniper's shoes? Photo from the piece. 
Saturday, March 3. 2007
 People who would rather suppress ideas than discuss and debate ideas - once they have learned something - do not belong in any university in the Western world. Oxford Prof. Coleman strikes back at the student brownshirts. View from the Right.
He wants to expell those who work to suppress his ideas and speech. Profs are not known for having cojones. This fellow has a pair, and is our hero. We need more Prof. Colemans in the US.
 Although I suspect that "climate change" is of no significance, and represents just little blips on an ever-changing graph, I have a question for everyone who discusses the subject: Why does it matter whether warming or cooling is made-made or not?
Isn't there an assumption in that question that if, say, periods of warming correlate with solar radiation, that is somehow better or different or less scary - like organic spinach or something? Why should it matter? Warmth is warmth. Besides everybody going out to plant a palm tree to make them feel better, I propose an international effort to send fleets of fire-engine rocket ships to the sun to cool it off a tad. Not so much as to put the fire out, though. This would be a good project for the UN. Well, gotta run. Need to complete the documents for my new carbon-offset company so I can cash in before the fad goes the way of the hula-hoop. (Image: Palm trees in Chatham, MA)
(Borrowed from a cartoon selection at Flopping Aces)
One woman to another at a social event tonight: "I've decided that our new addition will have all-electric heat so we don't use oil and cause warming." (I am not kidding. I heard this. Where I live, 100% of our electric is from gas, coal, and oil.)
Friday, March 2. 2007
Is Bush too Christian to be an effective president? I know this is a slightly provocative question. I have never met the man, but I do respect his seriousness about his job and I do believe that he is greatly misunderestimated. But I'd like raise the issue. In at least two critical areas - illegal immigration and defence against Jihad, Bush has been unwilling to be tough and ruthless in the American interest - in the interest of the folks who pay his salary. FDR would have flattened Sadr City years ago, and Truman would have too. And certainly FDR would have closed our borders tight. He did. Is Bush "too compassionate" and too Christian to be a strong President?
 The “carbon credits” scam actually increases pollution.
Simple example: let’s say companies are required to reduce their emissions to X parts per million (ppm). Now let’s say that Company A, or an underdeveloped agricultural nation without flatulent cows, already operates entirely on hydroelectric power and produces zero ppm. Similar-sized Company B operates on coal and produces an excessive 1.5X ppm. With carbon trading, dirty Company B pays A (who already doesn’t pollute) and gets the right to increase its pollution to 2X ppm through burning cheaper and dirtier coal, for example. If B couldn’t buy carbon credits it would have to reduce its emissions to 1X ppm (and B taken with A would average 0.5X ppm).
Carbon trading allows people to continue to pollute and the atmosphere to continue to degrade. Non-polluters make money, but my lungs see no change. Then they made it even dumber – funds that buy shares in green companies (like enterprises which plant trees) can sell carbon credits to polluters and allow them to keep polluting! Finally, if that’s not bad enough, now we have Al Gore buying his carbon credits from his own investment fund, Generation Investment Management LLP of which he is chairman and a founding partner. Generation is a boutique international investment firm that invests other peoples’ money, for a fee, into the stocks of ‘green’ companies. Al uses these credits to compensate for flying himself and his wife around in private jets, driving his SUVs and compensating for his famous $1,200/month electric bills. See http://www.ecotality.com/blog/?p=350 and http://neveryetmelted.com/?p=2237. What is clear is that Al himself doesn’t believe his own propaganda. Ecotality said it this way: Hypocrisy, after all, abounds. Even Gore’s huge electric power usage at his Nashville home isn’t the only example of how the prophet of environmental doom hasn’t always lived as if he believes his message. During the eight years Gore was vice president, he voted in four national elections. Every single time, he and his entourage and security detail and accompanying media flew to Nashville on a large government jet, burning thousands of gallons of fossil fuels and pumping huge amounts of carbon emissions directly into the earth’s atmosphere, and then rode in a caravan of fossil fuel-burning vehicles from Nashville International Airport about 40 miles east on I-40 to Carthage, Tennessee, so the local and national TV cameras could get video of him at the voting booth. And then the whole caravan headed back to Nashville for the plane ride back to DC. Traffic had to be halted on Nashville’s interstates and side streets every time - sometimes during rush hour - idling thousand of vehicles that just sat there, burning fossil fuels and emitting carbon pollution, just so Gore could create a media photo-op.
He could have instead voted by mailing in an absentee ballot - that would have been the “green” thing to do - and a skillful press aide could easily have turned that into a widely publicized pro-green photo-op. Image: Gwynnie's favorite location for, and method of, carbon pollution.
Thursday, March 1. 2007
 Maggie's Farm is blocked - censored - in China. No wonder when I check the Sitemeter world map of visits to Maggie's, China is a big dark blotch, same as Africa.
I hate to think of all of those people being deprived of our handy-dandy farming advice. Maybe they don't like our Farmalls and our International Harvesters. Good ol' Right Wing Nation found the the site that tests whether your blog or website is blocked in China. Who does this for them? Google?
Iowahawk has a plan to save Gaia. It's about carbon credits, natch. Good timing for Iowahawk's piece, as we learn today that the Rev. Al buys his carbon credits from himself! We told ya that he doesn't believe his own BS. Just another political con man, doing a "virtuous" schtick. As the NJ notes below, if he really believed it, and if he were truly worried, he would live differently. 
Wednesday, February 28. 2007
Just a note to highlight that the dude Gwynnie ranted about here yesterday was indeed the esteemed commentator and fascist-in-training Eric Alterman, about whom the truly admired Ms. Althouse had a few words, today. I do not know this Alterman guy from Adam, but not only does he possess a dangerous attitude, but he is a first class schmuck.
 I would cut off Ronald McDonald's head!
Indeed this is beyond parody. Has everybody forgotten about "Live and let live."? Also, I'd bet a fiver that the Prince of Wales has never enjoyed a Big Mac with a large fries - hold the pickles, and therefore knows nothing about the subject.
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