28/11: MSM Failure in Iraq
The Mainstream Media is failing in Iraq. And its failure is having serious consequences here at home. The Democracy Project has a discussion plus a partial listing of bogus stories reported by the MSM. A big problem is the reliance on local stringers, some of whom turn out to be associated with anti-coalition forces.
Flopping Aces has been doing good work exposing false reports out of Iraq. Here
Tony Snow is a nice guy, but I wish he or a subordinate would hit the MSM hard and consistently on this issue.
Flopping Aces has been doing good work exposing false reports out of Iraq. Here
Tony Snow is a nice guy, but I wish he or a subordinate would hit the MSM hard and consistently on this issue.
28/11: Religion of Tolerance Update
Category: America and the World
Posted by: an okie gardener
Arab Christians continue to flee the Palestinian controlled Holy Land, raising the possibility that Christianity will have no presence in parts of the region of its birth. From AP via The Tulsa World. Article here.
There have been Christians on the West Bank since the days of the apostles. Until the Arab conquests it was a Christian region. Now, after centuries of dhimmitude*, the increased violence against them is driving more and more Christians abroad.
*The prescribed condition of Christians within Muslim controlled lands: second-class citizenship, restrictions, special taxes.
There have been Christians on the West Bank since the days of the apostles. Until the Arab conquests it was a Christian region. Now, after centuries of dhimmitude*, the increased violence against them is driving more and more Christians abroad.
*The prescribed condition of Christians within Muslim controlled lands: second-class citizenship, restrictions, special taxes.
26/11: My Favorite Baylor Lawyer
Last week, I posted a few oblique comments related to the perilous condition of education at our institutions of higher learning. The inspiration for my pessimism was the so-called Coyote Ugly Manifesto, an anonymous declaration of grievances emanating from a coterie of disgruntled Baylor law students.
The post in full here (scroll down for the "Manifesto").
The vital issue at the core of the relatively insignificant controversy is the changing culture of American education, which ultimately will determine who we will be as a people. My worst fear is that the local incident is symptomatic of a dangerous national trend. On the other hand, I can hope that the "Coyote Ugly" abomination is merely an aberration; I can certainly testify that those sour sentiments do not characterize the Baylor lawyers with whom I have been acquainted over time. In fact, much more representative of the spirit of Baylor Law is...
My favorite Baylor lawyer:
Portia, Baylor BA, 1998; Baylor JD, 2002.
Roots. Portia grew to maturity in a single-parent, working-class home in red-state America. She lived in a series of apartments, where she and her older sister shared a bedroom. Portia began working after school and on weekends when she was fifteen, earning spending money and enough extra cash for teenager essentials. She would not have a car of her own until she was twenty-one, when she could contract for one with her own money and credit. Early in her life, her mother often worked overnight shifts at the hospital as a phlebotomist, and Portia's extended family became important caretakers and role models. The village proved instrumental in raising the child.
Education. In public school, she found a welcomed venue to demonstrate her exceptional talents. Nevertheless, from K-through-college, she felt intense pressure to make grades; she was working without a net. Good marks meant better schools, which would mean a good college, which meant a good law school, which meant a better life and more opportunity. Failure at any level equaled unwanted additional limits to who she wanted to be. She went to every class; she did her homework every night; she aced every test. She made her way to Baylor, where she fell in love (first with the institution and later with an extremely fortunate history grad student). She completed her BA in history in four years, working part time during the school year, fulltime during the summers. But she will tell you that the most important thing she learned at Baylor was how little she knew.
Not surprisingly, when she matriculated at Baylor Law School, she did not complain about the work load. She was wise enough to understand that her opportunity to learn was golden and much more than she had a right to expect. One of her profs would later describe Portia as a student willing to receive instruction rather than argue that her untaught instincts were correct.
A young married woman, she began her tenure as a law student with a three-month-old infant. As a third year, expecting another child, she did not ask for special consideration, save for the opportunity to take two final exams a few days early. She had not complained the day her PC prof kept her standing at her seat for most of the hour. She was not "offended;" she saw no malice in the encounter. To the contrary, she valued that moment immensely and understood completely why that brand of equality was essential to her experience. She scheduled the birth of her second son two days after completing the winter quarter and Practice Court II.
What did Baylor Law School produce? Although she did not lose any of her humanity (some of her admirers might call it her "sweetness"), Portia emerged a force. She understood the value of hard work, accuracy and personal responsibility. She learned to speak softly and carry a big stick. Pity the less savvy observer who commits the fatal error of underestimating her fire and ability. Woe to the unthinking boob who crosses her or attacks some less-equipped person under her protection. Her causes are generally not flashy--but they are always worthy, and they enjoy a skilled and vigorous advocate.
Baylor Law School cannot claim complete authorship of Portia. In addition to her will to succeed, much of who she became was the product of good fortune and sacrifices and encouragement from a host of important loving influences in her life. However, the rigor, discipline and tradition of Baylor Law School provided an essential component in the formation of her character. If we as a people are to survive the horrific hurdles that our future holds, we must eschew the temptations of therapeutic education and commit ourselves to strenuous learning and the yield it produces. We need more Portia's and far fewer "Coyote Ugly" bomb throwers.
The post in full here (scroll down for the "Manifesto").
The vital issue at the core of the relatively insignificant controversy is the changing culture of American education, which ultimately will determine who we will be as a people. My worst fear is that the local incident is symptomatic of a dangerous national trend. On the other hand, I can hope that the "Coyote Ugly" abomination is merely an aberration; I can certainly testify that those sour sentiments do not characterize the Baylor lawyers with whom I have been acquainted over time. In fact, much more representative of the spirit of Baylor Law is...
My favorite Baylor lawyer:
Portia, Baylor BA, 1998; Baylor JD, 2002.
Roots. Portia grew to maturity in a single-parent, working-class home in red-state America. She lived in a series of apartments, where she and her older sister shared a bedroom. Portia began working after school and on weekends when she was fifteen, earning spending money and enough extra cash for teenager essentials. She would not have a car of her own until she was twenty-one, when she could contract for one with her own money and credit. Early in her life, her mother often worked overnight shifts at the hospital as a phlebotomist, and Portia's extended family became important caretakers and role models. The village proved instrumental in raising the child.
Education. In public school, she found a welcomed venue to demonstrate her exceptional talents. Nevertheless, from K-through-college, she felt intense pressure to make grades; she was working without a net. Good marks meant better schools, which would mean a good college, which meant a good law school, which meant a better life and more opportunity. Failure at any level equaled unwanted additional limits to who she wanted to be. She went to every class; she did her homework every night; she aced every test. She made her way to Baylor, where she fell in love (first with the institution and later with an extremely fortunate history grad student). She completed her BA in history in four years, working part time during the school year, fulltime during the summers. But she will tell you that the most important thing she learned at Baylor was how little she knew.
Not surprisingly, when she matriculated at Baylor Law School, she did not complain about the work load. She was wise enough to understand that her opportunity to learn was golden and much more than she had a right to expect. One of her profs would later describe Portia as a student willing to receive instruction rather than argue that her untaught instincts were correct.
A young married woman, she began her tenure as a law student with a three-month-old infant. As a third year, expecting another child, she did not ask for special consideration, save for the opportunity to take two final exams a few days early. She had not complained the day her PC prof kept her standing at her seat for most of the hour. She was not "offended;" she saw no malice in the encounter. To the contrary, she valued that moment immensely and understood completely why that brand of equality was essential to her experience. She scheduled the birth of her second son two days after completing the winter quarter and Practice Court II.
What did Baylor Law School produce? Although she did not lose any of her humanity (some of her admirers might call it her "sweetness"), Portia emerged a force. She understood the value of hard work, accuracy and personal responsibility. She learned to speak softly and carry a big stick. Pity the less savvy observer who commits the fatal error of underestimating her fire and ability. Woe to the unthinking boob who crosses her or attacks some less-equipped person under her protection. Her causes are generally not flashy--but they are always worthy, and they enjoy a skilled and vigorous advocate.
Baylor Law School cannot claim complete authorship of Portia. In addition to her will to succeed, much of who she became was the product of good fortune and sacrifices and encouragement from a host of important loving influences in her life. However, the rigor, discipline and tradition of Baylor Law School provided an essential component in the formation of her character. If we as a people are to survive the horrific hurdles that our future holds, we must eschew the temptations of therapeutic education and commit ourselves to strenuous learning and the yield it produces. We need more Portia's and far fewer "Coyote Ugly" bomb throwers.
26/11: Chavez
Category: America and the World
Posted by: an okie gardener
Chavez of Venezuela may be a popular big-mouth abroad, but he may not be overwhelming popular at home. (And there are serious questions about the honesty of the last election there.) Gateway Pundit has pictures of a massive anti-Chavez demonstration in Caracas.
26/11: I Love This Country
Category: American Culture
Posted by: an okie gardener
The newest growth area in sports stadium food? Kosher food stands. The business began at Shea and Yankee stadiums in New York and now is spreading. America, what a country. Article here.
25/11: Farewell to France
Category: America and the World
Posted by: an okie gardener
Check out this website. Its title is ATLAS DES ZONES URBAINES SENSIBLES. It is a French Government site listing urban areas (with links to maps) into which it is not safe to go. (Officially these are sort of Economic Development Zones, not forbidden zones.) Last count there were 751 such neighborhoods. Hat tip DhimmiWatch.
The major riots by "Immigrant Youths" (aka young male Muslims) of the recent past were triggered by French efforts to reestablish the rule of French law. These efforts have not come to much. On an average night in France about 100 cars are set ablaze, mostly in these neighborhoods. And some of our politicians look to Europe for answers to our problems?
The major riots by "Immigrant Youths" (aka young male Muslims) of the recent past were triggered by French efforts to reestablish the rule of French law. These efforts have not come to much. On an average night in France about 100 cars are set ablaze, mostly in these neighborhoods. And some of our politicians look to Europe for answers to our problems?
In case you encounter some loon this week who asserts that all Islamic terrorism would stop if Israel or the US would do this or that, more news from Thailand.
7 Killed in Muslim South Despite Thai Peace Bid here
Islamic Jihadists in Southern Thailand Burn Teacher Alive here
Jihad Against Education: 300 Thai Schools to Close Amid Attacks here.
Hat tip Jihadwatch. Islam has almost always had bloody borders.
7 Killed in Muslim South Despite Thai Peace Bid here
Islamic Jihadists in Southern Thailand Burn Teacher Alive here
Jihad Against Education: 300 Thai Schools to Close Amid Attacks here.
Hat tip Jihadwatch. Islam has almost always had bloody borders.
25/11: Oops
As regular readers know, Cardinal George Pell is one of my intellectual heroes. But even a wise man needs to be careful before writing. In a recent column he commented on "Bill Gates' 11 Rules. But, according to Urban Myth-busters Snopes, this list has been mistakenly attributed to Gates and does not appear in the book cited as a source.
These rules, whatever their source, are worth reprinting. Here from snopes.com (below)
These rules, whatever their source, are worth reprinting. Here from snopes.com (below)
The Baltimore Sun is reporting that many chain retailers such as Walmart and Target are reverting to "Merry Christmas" this year rather than the generic "Happy Holidays." I guess most Americans were not yet ready for an all-inclusive, politically-correct, post-Christian holiday.
It still disturbs me, though, that the Holy Day of celebration for Jesus' birth has become an orgy of Mammonism. I don't think Jesus approves of our materialistic consumer Christmas habits.
Neither does the Church, really. We soon will begin the season of Advent with its purple cloths on pulpit and table. Traditionally Advent was a season of self-examination and repentance (every feast day had its penitential prelude, best known being Lent before Easter). (more below)
It still disturbs me, though, that the Holy Day of celebration for Jesus' birth has become an orgy of Mammonism. I don't think Jesus approves of our materialistic consumer Christmas habits.
Neither does the Church, really. We soon will begin the season of Advent with its purple cloths on pulpit and table. Traditionally Advent was a season of self-examination and repentance (every feast day had its penitential prelude, best known being Lent before Easter). (more below)
25/11: Against the Secularist Tide
Category: American Culture
Posted by: an okie gardener
The YMCA gradually is returning to its Christian mission. YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association, and was founded originally as an evangelical ministry to young urban men. Somewhere along the way the focus was lost and YMCAs became simply family health clubs. The LA Times has this article on the rediscovery of Christian mission by various local YMCAs. Bravo.
