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Clayton Cramer's BLOG |
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Clayton's commentary on news and events of the day. Broadly speaking, I'm a conservative with libertarian sympathies (getting more conservative as my children get older).
 Never forget! I ran for Idaho state senate in 2008--didn't win I've written a number of history books, as well as scholarly and popular articles, (see my web page).
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Saturday, January 24, 2004
Dumb Criminals Log From FoxNews, a report of a criminal so stupid that he is lucky to be alive: A 16-year-old would-be robber clearly didn't read the instructions.Don't make me do what? Be stupid? Too late! Does The Rev. Fred Phelps Work for the ACLU? You might think so, from the results of his actions. You know who Phelps is, don't you? He would probably call me way too liberal about homosexuality. Let me tell you a story that should give you some idea of how warped and hate-filled Phelps is. Focus on the Family, Dr. James Dobson's organization, held a conference last year in which former homosexuals talked about how they had been liberated from their sin, and were now living happy lives as heterosexuals. This shouldn't be any great surprise; I've pointed out in the past that at least some homosexuals have successfully changed not just their behavior, but their orientation. They have not just stopped having sex with people of the same sex; they now have sexual attraction to the opposite sex, and are happy with the change. Dr. Robert L. Spitzer, the psychiatrist responsible for getting homosexuality removed from DSM-III conducted one such study, and in spite of his preconceptions, concluded that at least some homosexuals were capable of making this change. Therapies both secular and religious have proven successful. The Rev. Fred Phelps showed up to protest--and has even held similar protests in front of Focus on the Family's headquarters. What was Phelps upset at Focus on the Family about? Phelps is so angry about homosexuality that he and his friends showed up to picket at the funeral of Randy Shilts, a homosexual San Francisco journalist who died of AIDS. They picketed at the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a homosexual murdered by some gay-bashers in Laramie, Wyoming. As near as I can tell, Phelps' upset with Focus on the Family is that they teach that it is possible for homosexuals to become straight. Phelps, as near as I can tell, believes that homosexuality is so evil that homosexuals should die in sin and depravity, instead of becoming straight and Christian. Phelps is pretty clearly a very sick puppy. So, how is Phelps helping the ACLU? The ACLU is intent on removing the Ten Commandments from public land everywhere in America. They have been only somewhat successful with this. So Phelps decided that the appropriate response to the presence of Ten Commandments monuments in city parks around the country was to demand the right to erect his own "religious monument" in those parks--and that monument would be vigorously and bluntly anti-homosexual. Phelps' theory is that if one expression of religion is allowed, all must be allowed--and has threatened suits to get his anti-homosexual stones put into city parks. The Boise City Council responded to the threat of this suit by Phelps by doing what frightened little puppies always do: submissive urination: BOISE - The Ten Commandments Monument which has stood in Boise's Julia Davis Park since 1965 will be moved.I've long thought that Phelps' actions were repulsive and discreditable. (Consider, for example, my remarks in 1994.) Now Phelps' is not only crazy--but doing the Anti-Christian Litigation Unit's job for them. UPDATE: Here's a letter by one of Phelps' sons, describing what is wrong with his father: What is he like? Well, it's been 19 years since I left home, but his behavior still appears to be the same. He considers his environment to be against him without admitting, acknowledging or taking responsibility for how he contributes to that. He likes to show himself as being moral, pro-family, pro-Bible, but his actions just don't add up to that. I believe in God and the Bible, and my father's behavior doesn't fit the description of behavior that would show in the life of one who loves God; behavior characteristics such as Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control. Instead, my father's behavior characterizes, I believe, Hate, Outbursts of Wrath, Contention, Jealousy, Vengefulness, Misery, Harshness, and Selfish ambition. He mis-states the truth about his own behavior, about others, about the Bible, with apparent ease and regularity. He behaves with a viciousness the likes of which I have never seen. He accepts no genuine accountability in his life and is subject to no one. His lifestyle betrays the sacred trust of what a pastor, husband, father and grandfather should be. I suppose if a comparison were made between the life of Jesus Christ and my father, there would not be much to compare.And this is the guy that the Boise City Council is letting control their decisions. Another interesting aspect of Phelps is that he is exactly the sort of person you would expect to work for the ACLU. Before he was disbarred, Phelps built up a reputation for filing civil rights suits, and received awards from civil rights organizations for that work: Before he was disbarred and surrendered his law license, Fred Phelps gained a reputation as a sharp, competent civil rights attorney whose eloquent and fiery orations mesmerized juries.A former Phelps employee from those days described why Phelps represented so many poor black plaintiffs: She said the lawyers in the Phelps firm often took civil rights and employment discrimination cases when other lawyers wouldn't. For many people with legitimate claims, the Phelps firm was their last resort, she said.I'm sure the ACLU would also love this other Phelps' lawsuit: In 1984, Phelps sued the president of the United States.Phelps's son Fred Phelps, Jr. was a guest at the Clinton inauguration. Oh, I did find an interesting article in one of the left-wing newspapers that explains why Phelps started his anti-homosexuals campaign in the 1980s, after a long history of civil rights activism. They interviewed Phelps' daughter, one of the eleven Phelps kids who are attorneys: "We took on the Jim Crow establishment, and Kansas did not take that sitting down. They used to shoot our car windows out, screaming we were nigger lovers." In the '70s and '80s, the Phelps law firm made up one-third of the state's federal docket of civil-rights cases, according to Phelps-Roper. They represented minority Kansans in separate actions against Kansas Power & Light, the Topeka city attorney's office, and Southwestern Bell, and they represented female professors who were alleging discrimination at two Kansas universities.Hmmm. I still think Phelps is a nutcase, but this might well explain why he is a nutcase on this subject. Labels: establishment of religion, homosexuality Wonderful Boise Weather I finally have a working video capture product. My son has been having fun editing a skateboarding video of himself and friends. The inversion layer finally lifted, but if you want to see the weather that greeted us this morning, click here (for the small and fast to download WMV version) or here (for the longer, 6 MB mpg version). Friday, January 23, 2004
Wisconsin State Senate Votes to Override Governor's Veto Now, all the cheeseheads need to get a non-discretionary concealed carry permit law is for the Assembly to vote to override. This is going to be tough--but remember, Missouri's State Senate overrode a veto with exactly the required votes. Get on the phone now to your Assemblycritters. Here's an announcement from the Wisconsin Concealed Carry Association. The Federal Marriage Amendment Professor Volokh points to another survey on the question, and argues that it shows that while Americans oppose homosexual marriage, they do not support an amendment to the Constitution that prohibits the states from legalizing homosexual marriage. I would argue that the question is poorly cast. There is a clear majority opposed to homosexual marriage, and even a narrow majority opposed to state recognition of civil unions. If the question were asked with three choices: 1. A Federal Marriage Amendment that prohibited states from legalizing homosexual marriage. 2. A Federal Marriage Amendment that prohibited the judiciary from imposing homosexual marriage on the states. 3. No change. I believe that #2 would have a clear majority. Even many who support homosexual marriage (such as Professor Volokh) oppose having the judiciary impose it onto the states, and there is a clear majority of Americans who oppose homosexual marriage. I should point out that there is considerable disagreement about whether the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment would completely prohibit states from legalizing homosexual marriage, or only prohibit judges from imposing it. Some conservatives oppose H.J.RES. 56 because they claim it allows state legislatures to pass homosexual marriage laws. I will agree that the text: `SECTION 1. Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.'.can be read either way. The first sentence seems to argue that states would not be allowed to recognize homosexual marriage, but they could create a "civil union" provision. The second sentence clearly prevents judges from imposing their will on the legislatures. 9/11 As Joint Effort of Iran & Al-Qaeda? Odd news story that I haven't seen anywhere else: On what had been the eve of his widely expected acquittal, the trial of the second person charged by German authorities as an accomplice of the Sept. 11 hijackers was thrown into turmoil Wednesday after prosecutors disclosed the existence of a surprise witness purporting to link Iran to the hijackings.Thanks to Classical Values for the link. UPDATE: A reader mentioned that there are other accounts mentioning Zakeri, and that seem to accept that he is a former Iranian intelligence officer, such as this account from a PBS' Frontlines reporter investigating the underground in Iran: Part of your story was reported abroad, in Amsterdam, with a defector from the Iranian intelligence service. Was it a relief to work there, after being undercover in Iran? Making Up History Classical Values has a long post about how Palestinians are rewriting history--claiming that Jews never occupied Jerusalem in classical times. Once again, we see evidence that something approaching insanity runs the Palestinian political establishment. Another Nasty Ann Coulter Column With A Very Funny Line Or Two Again, this is the latest column, with no permanent link yet. Discussing the Democratic nominees: Finally, all the candidates are willing to sell out any of these other issues in service of the secret burning desire of all Democrats: abortion on demand. If they could just figure out a way to abort babies using solar power, that's all we'd ever hear about. Labels: abortion Not Taking Themselves Too Seriously I was looking for high speed, high resolution teleconferencing solutions, and I wandered onto the DivX web site. DivX 5.1.1, More than 2 times faster than the really slow one we released last time.And ya gotta see the cow on that page! Oh yeah, Dr. DivX's Vishnu-like appendages are worth a laugh as well. Thursday, January 22, 2004
"Why Do We Care About the Iowa Caucuses?" My 15 year old son asked this question this evening. My wife's answer--that it immediately precedes the primaries--ended up with a slip of the tongue worth repeating. "Because it's the start of the primate season." And not terribly advanced primates, at that! The Shooter in Wilmette, Illinois, Speaks A few days back, a man in Wilmette, Illinois, broke the law. He used a handgun to defend his family and home from a person who forced entry into a home that the burglar knew was occupied. The city government, in its usual idiocy, agreed that his actions were reasonable, though unlawful--because handguns are banned in Wilmette. Here is a photocopy of the article the victim wrote for the local paper. There is nothing that I can add to this eloquent statement of the insanity of gun control:  If you can't read it, click here. (I had to shrink it down on the web page because it was causing some size problems in some browsers.)
What Happens When We Waste Energy There's a great picture here showing the difference between the night sky during the big blackout in 2002, and the following night, when the power was back. Regular readers know that I am not an environmental extremist, but that picture really captures how wasteful city lighting really is. Street lighting and security lighting are wonderful things--but how many traffic accidents and burglaries take place hundreds of feet off the ground? Better shielding on lights to aim the light down would reduce the number of lights needed, save money, save energy, save the environment--and restore the wonders of the night sky. I find it hard to believe that the cost of shielding existing lighting would not pay for itself in a few months to perhaps a couple of years. Of course, much of that lighting is paid for by governments, who have absolutely no interest in saving money--and that is probably part of the problem. Put some pressure on your elected officials to stop wasting money, wasting electricity, and wasting the beauty of the night sky. Events Like This Do Happen in Real Life My co-blogger Pete Drum just posted this article to the Civilian Gun Self-Defense Blog, but I thought you might want to see this: Fuller, who formerly played for the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns, said he went out to his Range Rover sometime after 2 a.m. with a friend who was staying with him. He heard a rustling in the bushes next to the house, then a man's voice yelling at them to "get down," he said.More excitement than anyone should have! Another Difference Between Straight & Gay Society I was reading this Reuters article about how penis enlargement spammers are appealing to men's insecurity, and this interesting tidbit showed up: At the heart of the problem, Sadock said, is that since men don't see many penises other than their own, they have little basis for comparison.Of course, this wouldn't be the only area in which the gay community is a bit distorted about what it considers important. Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Humor (Unlike the Very Serious Post Below) This arrived by email. I hope that it doesn't violate anyone's copyright. ----- Spotted in a toilet of a London office: TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW. In a Laundromat: AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT. In a London department store: BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS. In an office: WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEPLADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN. In an office: AFTER TEA BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE TEAPOT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD. Outside a secondhand shop: WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN? Notice in health food shop window: CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS. Spotted in a safari park: ELEPHANTS PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR. Seen during a conference: FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE FIRST FLOOR. Notice in a farmer's field: THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES. Message on a leaflet: IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS. On a repair shop door: WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK.) The Mars Conspiracy! JPL must be suppressing the truth! Why aren't we seeing this Rover picture on the news? 
Gun Stores as Gun Runners For several years now, gun control groups have been complaining that a relatively small number of dealers are the source of most of the criminally misused guns. When I've heard these claims, the questions that come to mind are: 1. Are these small number of gun dealers perhaps very high volume operations? If dealer A sells 10,000 guns a year, and 0.1% of those guns are criminally misused, while dealer B sells 100 guns a year, and 0.1% of those guns are criminally misused, is dealer A actually a problem? 2. If a small number of gun dealers are disproportionately a problem, why does the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms audit them, or perhaps run a "sting" to see if they are breaking the law? BATF has considerable authority over licensed gun dealers. So I was pleased to see this article from the Houston Chronicle that points out that these numbers mean less than they appear to mean: A 31-page report (Selling Crime, High Crime Gun Stores Fuel Criminals) issued recently by AGS and reported in Saturday's Chronicle shakes an accusing finger at 120 U.S. gun dealers who sold at least 200 firearms traced to some sort of criminal activity from 1996-2000. (The most recent statistics.)The rest of the article is well worth reading. I Love This Technique! From Newsday: COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Police have added a musical twist to the booby-trapped car they leave out to entice would-be thieves. This Is An Act of War! I know that anti-American sentiment is much stronger in Scotland than in England, but still...: LONDON (Reuters) - A tiny Scottish firm has teamed up with a U.S. company to start the first industrial-scale production in America of Scotland's national dish -- haggis.My wife has made me eat haggis before, and trust me, there are reasons we don't import it! Buying Bonds Again I have been trying to find a better short-term return than I was getting from my money market fund. I was checking available bonds today, and found some GMAC bonds due March 15, 2004. The coupon is 4.6% per year, and they were just slightly above par, so the annualized yield to maturity comes to 1.65%. Oh, how the world has changed from my youth, when someone boasts about a 1.65% yield on a corporate bond! (There were not many of them available, however--I kept fiddling with the requested quantity on Schwab's ordering screen until I found that there was $10,000 of them available.) I know that I should have confidence in the rising stock market right now--but I am a bit of a scaredy-cat, and there are a surprising number of people who are worried about the dangers of deflation taking the air right of the stock market. Howard Dean's Screech Tim Blair suggested that everyone take Dean's concession speech, rewriting it for their own country. Some of the results in the comments section are hilarious: And you know something? You know something? Not only are we going to Jupiter, we're going to Vulcan and Sirius IV and Betelgeuse and Remulak and Trantor! We're going to Tattooine and Naboo and Coruscant! And we're going to Ringworld and Discworld and Deathworld and Flatland! And then we're going to Area 15. To take back the orbital mind control devices! YEEEAAARGH!!and :And you know something? You know something? Not only are we going to Space Mountain, we're going to the tea cups and Mr. Toads Wild Ride and the Pirates of the Carribbean and the Jungle Adventure and the Matterhorn! We're going to the Haunted Mansion and Main Street and It's a Small World! And we're going to the Tiki Room and the Coutry Bear Jamboree and the Luau and a character breakfast! And then we're going to the Electric Light Parade. To take back Cinderella's Castle! YEEEAAARGH!!and And you know something? You know something? Not only are we going to the Shire, we're going to Rivendell and Orthanc and the Pellenor Fields and Fangorn Forest and the Misty Mountains! We're going to Helm's Deep and Minas Tirith and the City of Gondor! And we're going to Moria and the City of Gondor and Mount Doom and Rohan! And then we're going to Mordor. . .to take back Barad-Dur! YEEEAAARGH!!and: You know something? We're going to Smallville, we're going to Gotham! We're going to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, and the Fortress of Solitude, and the Batcave! And we're going to Krypton, and Atlantis! And then we're going to go to Metropolis! To take back the Hall of Justice! YEEEEAAAARRRGGGHHH!and for those up on your Aztec history: And you know something? You know something? Not only are we going to Tenochtitlan, we're going to Tlatelolco and Atotonilco and Coatepec and Tehuantepec and Oaxaca! We're going to Tzintzuntzan and Xochimilco and Iztaccihuatl! And we're going to Huehuetla and Zacualco and Acaxochitlan and Cihuatlan! And then we're going to Popocatepetl. To take back The Temple of The Moon God! YEEEAAARGH!!I'm not reproducing the Napa State Mental Hospital rendition--too cruel. BBC Credibility The Guardian (a Labour paper) carries an article about a new documentary concerning the BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan's claims that the Blair Government had "sexed up" claims about WMDs in Iraq: BBC director general Greg Dyke will tonight be accused of "betting the farm" on Andrew Gilligan's "sexed up" Iraq dossier story, without having checked whether it was accurate in a remarkable Panorama documentary.For a lot of people, Gilligan's report, and the subsequence suicide of Dr. Kelly, was an indictment of the integrity of Prime Minister Blair's decision to go to war. It is beginning to look as though the well-known anti-American sentiment of the BBC may have been real story of disintegrity. Guns Don't Kill; Karaoke Kills Remember that problem with murder in the Philipines because of people singing "My Way" in karaoke bars? From the San Francisco Chronicle: If you love karaoke but hate the way you sound, steer clear of San Mateo, where the City Council on Tuesday night banned karaoke performances in private rooms.I'm beginning to see a pattern here--is it time for karaoke control? A Powerful News Story About Sacrifice From the Australian Age, by their New York correspondent, explaining why Bush is almost certainly going to win this election: The Iraq war has cost the lives of about 500 American soldiers. Some would have you believe that this makes Iraq a quagmire. But the truth is, if Western nations have come to the point where 500 deaths is an unbearable war-time loss, then we should also say we are no longer prepared to fight wars, because about the same number of soldiers die every year, in peacetime.Of course, the Australian military participated in liberating Iraq as well, and I would be surprised if none have died in that effort. But the U.S. is doing the bulk of the heavy lifting. Thanks to Instapundit for the link. Anti-Semitism in America David Bernstein observes that the notion that the Religious Right is anti-Semitic is a bucket that just doesn't hold water. Bernstein's about the role of low education, the South's lagging on this, and anti-Semtism, sound right to me. In general, racism of any sort tends to be strongest among people that are at the bottom of the economic ladder--and need someone below them to look down upon. If you can't take pride in anything that you have accomplished, you can at least take pride in your race! Over the years, the only overtly anti-Semitic statements that I have heard came from: 1. An employer with a Jewish grandfather. 2. A relative by marriage who was a member of the methamphetamine class of whites, who, when he weren't blaming Ronald Reagan for his problems, was blaming Jews. (Certainly, his drug and alcohol addictions couldn't have been the source of his difficulties.) I suspect that the widely believed correlation between Christianity and anti-Semitism reflects: 1. Ancient history--and even here, you can see that medieval anti-Semitism often appeared among the poorest parts of the community, often fanned by nobles with significant indebtedness to Jewish moneylenders that they hoped to cancel by cancelling the moneylenders. 2. A widespread effort to prevent conversion and assimilation of Jews into the majority religion. I am astonished at how often I hear the "Hitler was a Christian" theme echoed, even though the historical evidence demonstrates that Hitler was actually, at best, indifferent to all religions, and many of his closest followers were actively involed in bizarre Wagnerian neo-paganism. In most churches that I have attended over the years, there have been Jewish converts, and they have been completely and warmly welcome. One of my pastors was a Jewish convert. As near as I can tell, anti-Semitism is relatively rare in America today--and when it is present, it is associated with those people at the bottom of the economic ladder, not religion. Memorable Phrases & Important Policy Proposals Out of Bush's State of the Union Address Sorry it has taken me so long--I was watching the very well done series The Barbarians on History Channel last night, so I am working off the transcript here: Some critics have said our duties in Iraq must be internationalized. This particular criticism is hard to explain to our partners in Britain, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Hungary, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Romania, the Netherlands -- (applause) -- Norway, El Salvador, and the 17 other countries that have committed troops to Iraq.My wife never ceases to be amazed at how many soundbites from the Democratic wannabes that refer to American unilateralism. "Do they think Americans are this stupid?" The answer, unfortunately, is "Yes" and at least in the primaries, the wannabes may be right in their assumption of ignorance. America will never seek a permission slip to defend the security of our country.Darn right. The right of self-defense is not subject to veto. We also hear doubts that democracy is a realistic goal for the greater Middle East, where freedom is rare. Yet it is mistaken, and condescending, to assume that whole cultures and great religions are incompatible with liberty and self-government. I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom. And even when that desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again.Hence, the leftist apoplexy when Bush appears on the screen. Democracy and freedom are both terrifying concepts to the left. At the same time, we must ensure that older students and adults can gain the skills they need to find work now. Many of the fastest growing occupations require strong math and science preparation, and training beyond the high school level. So tonight, I propose a series of measures called Jobs for the 21st Century. This program will provide extra help to middle and high school students who fall behind in reading and math, expand advanced placement programs in low-income schools, invite math and science professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in our high schools.I don't know if his solution is the right one, but his statement of the problem--students who are not adequately prepared in reading and math--is blindingly obvious to anyone who has taught college recently. However, inviting "math and science professionals from the private sector to teach part-time in our high schools" is a non-starter. This would demonstrate far too clearly that many of the certification procedures for high school teachers exist purely as a way of keeping the supply of teachers down. There are lots of people who could teach algebra, geometry, chemistry, physics, biology at the high school level. They don't have teaching credentials; just a lousy MS or PhD in those fields. Unfortunately, the certificate requirements (which might make sense in the lower grades, where the vast majority of developmental and disability problems are identified) make it difficult for otherwise qualified professionals to teach those subjects without 2-3 years of part-time schooling. Especially these last few years, many people lost their jobs in industry who could have taught high school classes--but the need to go back to school for a couple of years to get a certificate--in order to make a lot less money--discouraged them from doing so. I propose a new temporary worker program to match willing foreign workers with willing employers when no Americans can be found to fill the job.I agree with Bush that it would be better to have some sort of lawful procedure, instead of the current scheme--but my biggest concern is that "when no Americans can be found to fill the job." Yes, there are situations where Americans aren't interested, or aren't qualified. My current employer has a stack of applications into the Department of Labor to hire foreigners on H1B visas because there aren't Americans willing and able to work for $55,000 to $85,000 a year in Boise. I suspect, however, that most of the jobs in question aren't really that hard to fill with Americans--and if immigrants were not available to fill those jobs, the wages would rise up enough to make them more attractive to unemployed Americans. I oppose amnesty, because it would encourage further illegal immigration, and unfairly reward those who break our laws. My temporary worker program will preserve the citizenship path for those who respect the law, while bringing millions of hardworking men and women out from the shadows of American life.One problem that Bush either hasn't addressed here, or that I have missed: what happens when those temporary workers have children here? The children are U.S. citizens, and we don't deport the parents if their kids are citizens. Each year, about 3 million teenagers contract sexually-transmitted diseases that can harm them, or kill them, or prevent them from ever becoming parents. In my budget, I propose a grassroots campaign to help inform families about these medical risks. We will double federal funding for abstinence programs, so schools can teach this fact of life: Abstinence for young people is the only certain way to avoid sexually-transmitted diseases.Expect the entertainment industry to fight this tooth and nail. Remember that promoting casual sex is a fundamental part of their marketing scheme. Anything that causes kids--even 5-10% of them--to think long and hard about becoming sexually active at 13--is anathema to the liberals that run Hollywood. Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage.Yup. He seems to be saying that the language of the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment needs to clarify that only legislatures have the authority to redefine marriage. Tuesday, January 20, 2004
Love Those GEICO Insurance Ads... where the lawyer informs his client that he has good news? Then click here. Grilling Comedians About Scandals I remember back when the Enron scandal erupted, being told by friends that this was the difference between Europe, where the government regulated business in the public interest, and laissez-faire America. The Parmalat scandal is just the last in a wave of European business scandals that are often even more embarrassing in their high government corruption than Enron. But even the Parmalat scandal has its lighter side: MILAN (Reuters) - Italian police called in one of Italy's top comedians on Friday to explain comments he made in his shows about the risk of bankruptcy at the food group long before its crisis erupted. Politically Correct Scottish Police I guess they have nothing better to spend Scottish taxes on: LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish police have been told not to ask people if they are married in case it causes offence to gays, and to refrain from calling elderly people "old." One of the Last Veterans of the Battle of Britain Who Can Still Fly Winston Churchill's parrot from those dark days still lives: LONDON (Reuters) - British war leader Winston Churchill's foul-mouthed 104-year old parrot refused to surrender to newshounds Monday after a British newspaper tracked the bird down and discovered it was still alive.I had no idea parrots could live so long. It Was So Incredibly Old-Fashioned My daughter's boyfriend called up last night to ask for her hand in marriage. He is a very nice guy, and very smart. Five years ago, I used to worry about the creatures that my daughter would bring home. I guess that's the norm for a father, isn't it? Boise Weather This is getting tiresome. We are approaching one month now during which there have been three clear nights, and perhaps two clear days. The brief intervals of snow showers have a certain charm to them; continual overcast has no charm at all. It is depressing--and not just because the new telescope sits unused. Of all the things I expected about Boise, this wasn't one of them. Monday, January 19, 2004
A Cynical Column About The Real Beneficiaries of Gay Marriage And I didn't think that there was anyone more cynical than me! This article by T.R. Fehrenbach suggests that gay marriage means gay divorce--and who benefits from that? Ask anyone who's been divorced and you will discover that divorce is not a zero-sum game. Nearly half of all varied-sex marriages end in divorce, and shrinks say the same-sex ratio may be higher, given unfamiliarity with spousal duties and responsibilities. Gays and lesbians may not be prepared for divorce court and being taken to the cleaners. Wisconsin Concealed Weapon Permit Law: It's Override Veto Time Copied shamelessly from packing.org: A date has been set for the State Senate to override Governor Doyle's veto of SB 214, the Personal Protection Act: Wednesday, January 21.Here is contact information for legislators who need to be talked to: Senator Roger Breske, from Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln, Langlade, Menominee, Florence, Marinette, Forest counties (800)-334-8773Cheeseheads! Start melting those phones! Interesting Article About Capitalist Exploitation of Kids From WorldNetDaily (who I always take with a grain of salt). But don't expect liberals to be upset by it, because it involves promoting sexual degradation, a fundamental part of what defines liberalism today. "It's a blizzard of brands, all competing for the same kids," explains Rushkoff in "Merchants of Cool." "To win teens' loyalty, marketers believe, they have to speak their language the best. So they study them carefully, as an anthropologist would an exotic native culture." The Gay Cannibal: How Weird Is He? I found this news story, and of course, his co-workers agree that he was a very nice person: A court deliberating on the case of a self-confessed gay cannibal heard testimony on Monday describing the defendant as a "cheerful" and "helpful" work-mate.The cannibal's former lover also gave him high marks: Germany - A man who had an 18-month homosexual relationship with self-confessed German cannibal Armin Meiwes told a court on Monday he had never noticed the defendant's flesh-eating urges.Of course, the cannibal is sane--but read the psychiatrist's description of Armin's problems, and ask yourself: Why does this sound like a traditional Freudian description of the causes of homosexuality? Kassel - A self-confessed German cannibal needed an intensive "kick" to stimulate his emotions and found it in eating human flesh, a psychiatrist testified on Monday at his trial for murder.What is even more interesting is another news story that suggests that the desire to be castrated, murdered, and eaten, really isn't that unusual in certain subcultures: Kassel, Germany - Self-confessed gay cannibal Armin Meiwes had more than 200 "applicants" expressing wishes for him to slaughter and devour them, a court in Germany heard on Friday. Sunday, January 18, 2004
The Internet, Revolutionizing Commerce Yes, there's a bad side to the Internet--it makes it easier to outsource software engineering jobs to Third World countries. (From what I know of the price advantage, however, American companies can compete on price, if they have reasonable overhead, and aren't suffering from big company bloat.) Here's a good side. I drove all over Boise yesterday looking for a 5mm threaded knob, to use for attaching my Photon Instruments refractors rings to my Cave Optical mount. I needed one that was 25-30mm long, instead of 15mm long. Everywhere I tried, I received the same reactions, either amused or bewildered. "I don't know where you would get something like that." I went to McMaster-Carr's web site, searched for "knob," and in a few minutes, I found just about an exact match. I ordered two of them online for $1.22 each (plus shipping). Labels: telescopes |
