Final Protective Fire

Wednesday, November 27, 2002

 

Steve Verdon does a great job of Fisk'ing some scare-mongering attack ads on Social Security. Good job, Steve. Comment there.

Robin 1:06 PM

Tuesday, November 26, 2002

 

Here Howard Bashman posts news of a decision in an extremely important case. Frankly, I don't know why Howard didn't put more emphasis on this news as its importance cannot be exaggerated. I discussed this case myself here and the news that the California Supreme Court rejected extending California's personal jurisdiction statute to cover this case is important news for all persons who publish websites or participate in internet discussions of all types. Above Howard links to reporting by Denise Howell who has been doing a great job of covering this case.

Steve Verdon discussed a Thomas Sowell column that mentioned California Supreme Court Justice Janice Brown ( note my remarkss on some snarking stuff in the comments ) - interestingly, in this case Justice Brown authored the majority opinion which protected Internet authors from all being hauled into California for any cause of action.

Robin 10:55 PM

 

My own theory of the recent election was simply that American voters saw the need to elect adults and Democrats were not showing themselves to be adult in treating the issues of the day. Howard Bashman here points us to a Lloyd Grove column about a snarky email from Al Gore's former press secretary that illustrates what I mean. Childish.

Robin 10:43 PM

 

Here is a rarety, a succinct and rational discussion of the recent ruling of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court of Review.

Robin 4:23 PM

 

In NRO, Stanley Kurtz argues that the return of the movement to legalize gay marriage will hurt Democrats' chances at national office in 2004.

Robin 3:54 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds points out that by Daschle's moronic "logic", then Molly Ivins is to blame for this police officer's death. Of course neither I nor Glenn Reynolds actually believe this. He is just showing two things: (1) the fallacious "logic" employed to attack conservative commentators and (2) the hypocrisy of those who cannot stand to hear others' opinions being aired. What he doesn't ask is, what does this say about Indymedia?

Robin 3:23 PM

 

Steven Den Beste puts Rittenhouse Review's silliness in its proper place.

Robin 1:53 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds already linked this but its so good that I want to emphasize it by repeating the link here. This essay by Frank Shaeffer in the Washington Post is a great piece. It appears to accompany a book on the subject of military service and a father and son.

Robin 1:41 PM

Monday, November 25, 2002

 

Emperor Misha points us to Sharp Knife's new concept. Weapons of mass destruction --> show tunes. Of course, I don't know why I link to Misha, he's not given me a proper magisterial office befitting my dignity.

Robin 7:30 PM

 

Eugene Volokh reprises his discussion an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case about whether or not an interrogation in violation of Miranda can become a cause of action in a civil rights lawsuit. I'm especially interested as the original defense firm includes some friends and acquaintances.
UPDATE: Clayton Cramer comments.

Robin 4:39 PM

 

Godless Capitalist has a good post here on his thoughts about the upcoming festivities in Iraq. His point that what to do once we've got the cat by the tail is quite a problem.

Robin 3:39 PM

Friday, November 22, 2002

 

Michele is organizing a group donation to deliver pizza to IDF troops. Get your credit card out.

Robin 4:49 PM

 

Rod Dreher of NRO describes the attempt by a Muslim group to suppress free speech. In this case, the free speech of Alan Dershowitz. Now I'm no fan of Dershowitz but I fully support his right to say things that annoy muslim groups.

Robin 3:56 PM

 

A BBC correspondant describes the "new" China, which smells a lot like an old fascist regime. While some are heralding China's increased capitalism, it is in China that the economy is not really capitalism, but an near feudal, oligarchic economy. And this xenophobic nation is increasing its military spending each year and arming itself for an invasion of Taiwan. Is there any doubt that we will come to a confrontation with China in the not-too-distant future?

Robin 1:29 PM

Thursday, November 21, 2002

 

Iain Murray points us to an article about the actual legislation submitted by Tony Blair's government to "reform" their criminal justice system. Hearsay evidence allowed, double jeopardy protections removed for some 30 crimes, and the end of trial by jury for some offenses. These are things that John Ashcroft has never attempted to propose, nor would he given his ideology. They are proposed by Britain's Labor government.

Robin 3:19 PM

 

Evidently, the recent court decision on Peter Kirsanow's appointment to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights hasn't stopped its bizarre antics as Prof. Volokh describes a recent "report" from the Commission that never even was presented to the Commissioners for a vote.

Further good work from Prof. Volokh as he addresses some of the hype about the amendments to the FISA court powers.

Robin 2:45 PM

 

( Fourth paragraph down the linked piece ) Greta Van Susteren addresses the faux controversy about Roger Ailes letter to the President last year. I wasn't a big Greta fan, but this raises my opinion of her greatly. In the same piece, Jerry Nachman of MSNBC also tells us why this is a non-story. MRC's pieces ends with this:

Treating this as newsworthy: CNN, a network run until two years ago by Rick Kaplan, who while President of CNN, played golf with President Clinton, stayed overnight in the Lincoln Bedroom and attended a mock debate session with Al Gore -- all after, while at ABC News, advising candidate Clinton on how to handle the Flowers situation and blocking anti-Clinton stories from ABC.

Greta is right, shame on CNN.
Link courtesy of Crooowblog.

Robin 2:26 PM

 

Steve Verdon has a constitutional question for the advocates of socialized health care.

Robin 1:33 PM

 

David Corn, in the LA Weekly, describes the involvement of Socialists, Marxists and other scum of that ilk in the anti-war demonstrations. This is what is rightfully called the treasonous opposition.

Robin 1:30 PM

Wednesday, November 20, 2002

 

Henry Hanks gives Steve a hand with shredding Daschle.

Robin 8:41 PM

 

Steve Verdon shows how easy it is to make Daschle look like a hypocritical ass. Or at least, how easy it is to help Daschle make an ass of himself. Steve's got some other great stuff today, don't miss.

Robin 8:22 PM

Tuesday, November 19, 2002

 

Under the "Even-a-stopped-clock-is-right-twice-a-day" theory, Alan Dershowitz takes on a proposed campus speech code at his institution. In discussing the claim that a speech code would increase diversity, Dershowitz is quoted with this wonderful bit:
''When I hear blacks saying I want more blacks, or liberals saying I want more liberals, that doesn't seem like diversity - that sounds like self-serving pleading,'' - which might make me rethink my opinion of Alan Dershowitz ... naaaaah.

Read the rest of the article, it has a bunch of other topics related to the question of political correctness on campus that are fascinating.

Robin 8:50 PM

Monday, November 18, 2002

 

Among the terrorists in America are these environmental terrorists recently arrested in Portland Oregon.

Robin 8:34 PM

Saturday, November 16, 2002

 

Blogs of War has the President's speech regarding recent awards of the Congressional Medal of Honor to two Rangers who lost their lives in Somalia protecting the crew of a downed helicopter.

Robin 1:20 PM

 

I recently noticed that a whole bunch more blogs had linked to this one. I tried to find them and add the kind people to the links at left. If you have been nice enough to list a link to me and I don't have you at left, its an accidental omission - please send me an email so I can correct it.

And my sincere thanks to all.

Robin 1:12 PM

Friday, November 15, 2002

 

Dave Kopel displays his dismay at the recent silly lawsuit judgement in Florida regarding the liability of the owner and distributor of the Raven pistol used by Nathan Brazill. As Mr. Kopel ably points out, do not be distracted - this lawsuit is solely the attempt of the gun control extremists to do by lawsuit what they cannot get the votes to do by legislation. And this kind of lawsuit abuse must be abolished.

Robin 11:07 PM

 

Blogger Diana Hsieh has been sued by Front Sight Institute for some comments she fairly made. Link here and here on Arthur Silber's blog for details. I've had some other experiences with the use of lawsuits to suppress unfavorable comment on the Internet and I'm very disgusted by those who employ this tactic in the absence of substantive falsehoods. Consider carefully the abusive use of legal process by Front Sight Institute when you consider shooting schools. I intend to and I intend to urge my acquaintances to consider this.

Robin 8:32 PM

 

While I'm actually no fan of Attorney General Ashcroft, I've often found myself defending him against the exaggerations and smears that appear in both media and addlepated blogs. What I find fascinating is that Tony Blair's government is proposing sweeping changes in basic judicial rights in Britain that exceed even the wildest exaggerations of Democrats about the Bush administration. And yet not a peep can be heard. Link courtesy of How Appealing ( Howard Bashman ).

Robin 1:58 PM

 

Flit posts some great refutations of the nonsens Marc Herrold is pushing about civilian casualties in Afghanistan. Found here, here and here. An outstanding job being done there. Spotted this link on Crooowblog.

Robin 1:48 PM

 

Pejman launches into a rant that is hilarious about a certain blithering moron that I've sworn not to link to again. Great job, Sir Pejman.

Robin 1:36 PM

 

More war crimes in the Middle East. Committed by Palestinians again of course. UPDATE: Some reports tell of Palestinian gunmen firing on responding ambulances.

Robin 1:25 PM

 

Bill Quick has been having fun with letters in his hometown paper. Here in Denver, we have a gadfly named Phil Kenny who fills the mailroom of each local paper and many local websites' comments section with Democrat-flavored drool. Here, scroll down to "That Whining Sound", is actually one of Kenny's more lucid ( edited? ) letters claiming that Wellstone's memorial service was not an outrage.

That whining sound I heard recently came from Denver's blowtorch of a conservative radio station bemoaning the memorial for Sen. Wellstone. Seems as though the station's gasbags (talk-show hosts) believed the memorial was nothing more than a campaign rally. Well, I say to them, what if it was?
{ .... }
Whether they decided to mourn, celebrate or ask for votes was their decision and not to be judged - especially by those who didn't agree with the senator anyway. Go back to whipping up on the Clintons, gasbags. You're experts at that. Leave the dead be!

Pure red Kool-Aid from the local gadfly. First of all, it was a public service to which various dignitaries were invited so criticism is perfectly appropriate. Further, the Wellstone family had obtained local and national television coverage fraudulently. But more importantly, the entire nation learned that the Democrats were perfectly willing to desecrate the memorial service of one of their own to partisan gain and this lack of character probably shifted the entire election balance according to some polls.

Robin 10:29 AM

Thursday, November 14, 2002

 

The Instapundit points us to this discussion by Ed Driscoll of the new DNC talking point - conservative media bias. Don't hurt yourself laughing, the DNC spent hours thinking this silly one up.

Robin 9:55 PM

 

We haven't heard from Joel Grus of Gene Expression in a while. Scott Ritter visited his campus and here Joel tells us of hearing Scott Ritter's address.

Robin 8:27 PM

 

Rod Dreher on NRO's Corner praises Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the newly elected Democratic House Minority Leader, for her stance on religious freedom.

Robin 2:01 PM

 

Henry Hanks points us at this ludicrous whining by Buffalo State College professor Michael I. Niman. It seems that Andrew Sullivan appropriately labeled as "Idiocy of the Week" a screed by this idiot asserting the Sen. Wellstone's death was suspicious. Niman pulls the old Al Gore dodge that he didn't make those accusations, he just said "many people are concerned that Wellstone may have been murdered, but I offer no conclusions". A pack of nonsense rightly ridiculed by Sullivan.

But not content at embarrassing himself to that degree, Niman gives us the line we've heard over and over these last months:

While Sullivan certainly has a right to disagree with my call for an international investigation, his baseless personal attack against me, for the crime of writing about an unpopular subject, is also a stifling attack upon our free press.

Once again, a sniveling academic loon claims that criticism is censorship. Grow up.

Robin 10:41 AM

Wednesday, November 13, 2002

 

OK, this "Separated at Birth" was funny enough but I spewed cola across the keyboard with General Arafish.

So of course, someone beat the joke to death. Hilarious.

Robin 9:16 PM

 

How could I argue with

Which Firearm are you? brought to you byStan Ryker

this?

Robin 1:42 PM

Monday, November 11, 2002

 

An old acquaintance of mine has a blog here, I found his temping stories especially amusing. He has some political commentary as well.

Robin 10:59 PM

 

I know its kind of redundant to praise a Lileks' piece, but this one is on a subject that I enjoy hearing James opine on, the blind, ignorant and irrational name-calling of conservatives by Democrats. Its toward the end where Lileks is dealing with the canard that conservatives disapprove of "interracial friendships", a claim from a review of Eminem's movie "8 Mile". Lileks then wanders off to confront the arrogance and smugness of that crowd. This paragraph of his puts into words a thought of mine that I've had trouble articulating:

I am not religious myself, but people who are don’t bother me in the least. Sometimes I envy their conviction; sometimes I wish I could lend them my doubt, and I flatter myself to think we would each profit from the exchange. I’m more comfortable on this side because the people who take emotional satisfaction in trashing religion just annoy the piss out of me, and I want nothing to do with them. I’m not talking about atheists - at least they believe in something. I’m talking about those preening sneerbots who lack the capacity for spiritual contemplation, and think that anyone given to theosophical disquisitions is akin to a small boy expecting Superman to fly through the window and help him tie his shoe.

I wish I'd said that.

Robin 11:00 AM

Sunday, November 10, 2002

 

Byron York finds the smell of election fraud in South Dakota.

Robin 9:03 PM

 

Evidently, I was not the only one offended by the Democrats' fake "memorial" for Wellstone. How does it feel, Rick Kahn, to be responsible for turning control of the Senate to the GOP all by yourself?

Robin 8:47 PM

 

Another Palestinian own goal. Great job.

Robin 8:32 PM

 

Glenn Reynolds has two interesting pieces on the anti-war movement. This one discusses its communist roots by contrasting pieces in the Nation. This one points out its violence and its anti-american tone.

Robin 8:11 PM

 

Doctor Weevil wonders where the anti-war bloggers are hiding from election news. The answer, Weev, is in a very deep hole to hide their sobbing.

Robin 7:56 PM

 

Howard Bashman wishes he could address all the misrepresentations in a recent New York Times editorial about judicial appointments. So do I.

Robin 7:50 PM

 

On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, The Great War as it was called for two decades, was ended by an armistice. This day was called Armistice Day until renamed Veteran's Day. The Great War was the most horrific war Europe was to see - at least until September of 1939 brought on its sequel.

In honor of Veteran's Day, I post the following.

In Flanders Field
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
Canadian Army

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place, and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

We will not break faith with ye.

Here is a small note about the origin of this poem.

Robin 7:20 PM

Saturday, November 09, 2002

 

Robert Musil, the Man allegedly Without Qualities, seems to be having a little tussle with Arnold Kling. Robert Musil definitely gets the better end of the argument, but to what result, I wonder? The piece by Kling that starts Musil's post is about the subject of the state of behavioral economics and what Musil shreds are just some hyperbole in the introduction unrelated to the topic. What I found more interesting is that Kling used two economists to create a contrast, David Friedman and Brad DeLong, both of which have a web presence; a contrast he calls "Sweetwater" versus "Saltwater".

Robin 11:59 PM

 

Howard Bashman, proprietor of How Appealing, has this fascinating piece about how the British courts are handling the request of a British citizen being held at Guantanamo Bay for British intervention.

Robin 11:48 PM

 

Pejman asks, in a post about Garrison Keillor's sliming of Norm Coleman's personal life, why Keillor is respected. Beats me, Pejman, he's just another Leftist hypocrite to me.

Robin 11:13 PM

 

Steven Den Beste discusses the Hellfire missile attack on Al Queda operatives in Yemen. And here, Suman Palit adds a comment too.

Robin 10:09 PM

 

While I've been out of town, Glenn Reynolds has been great reading. He links to this wonderful piece on Nikita Demosthenes' blog about a Hollywood director who is showing me that not all of Hollywood are human debris like Babs Streisand. Kudos to Larry Clark for pummeling the Brit swine.

Robin 9:57 PM

Wednesday, November 06, 2002

 

I just found Joanne Jacobs wonderful blog. She seems to have an interesting focus on education in addition to current events. Don't miss it.

Robin 9:59 PM

 

Someone, maybe Jay Caruso, linked to this ahem, hopefully retouched photo of President Bush. I liked it. But I liked it even more to discover that this wonderful blog linked back to me. Thanks guy.

Robin 5:19 PM

 

This discussion at Arthur Silber's Light of Reason blog is very concerning to me. I'm still hoping to learn more details, but if it turns out that Front Sight Institute has adopted the Scientology scheme of suing critics, be assured that I'll be loudly pointing out events. The shooting sports cannot afford to allow itself be associated with these kind of people or their tactics.

Robin 5:03 PM

 

How Appealing here describes the defeat of a South Dakota initiative on jury nullification.

Robin 5:01 PM

 

Well, this morning sees quite a sweep by the GOP of the important Senatorian races that were in play. The Republicans gained control of the Senate in the ballot box, lost it to a backroom deal and have today regained control at the ballot box. Commentary on this seems to vary from the Democrats' spin that it represents only a tiny change in the electorate to pronouncements of the repeal of the laws of physics. The reality as I see it is somewhere in the middle. For President Bush to recover the Senate and add seats in the House during a midterm election that occurs at the end of a recession is quite an immense victory. The reality remains that this country is close to evenly split along ideological lines. As many have noted, the challenge is now for the GOP to do an effective job of using the control of the Federal government that they've gained.

Hopefully, the Senate GOP will toss Trent Lott aside and find someone competent to manage the Senate for once. It was his incompetence that caused us to lose it in the first place.

Robin 10:24 AM

Sunday, November 03, 2002

 

Juan Non-Volokh of the Volokh Conspiracy finds the New York Times again misrepresenting polling data.

Robin 12:26 PM

 

Steve is doing a great job of showing that the Democrats are not only hypocrites about the economy, proposing exactly nothing as Steve puts it, but actually lying about it. I seem to recall the Democrats blaming Bush the candidate for "talking down" the economy in 2000, what is their excuse for what would be outright sabotage in comparison?

Robin 11:25 AM

Saturday, November 02, 2002

 

Evidently, this piece by John Ray about the psychology of Leftism, with some discussions of its camoflaged racism, isn't too new except I guess to me.

Robin 7:32 PM

Friday, November 01, 2002

 

Blog Tabula Rasa has a great rebuttal to the ATF report that purports to rebut the California DOJ piece I discussed below.

Robin 3:38 PM