I want to believe that through the years, I have mellowed out when it comes to using a broad brush to paint a movement with their most extreme followers. It’s a common practice in punditry but it’s not always that helpful. No one really wants to have to answer for other members of their movement, but we’ve done so anyway. Every once in a while, though, an issue emerges that exposes the really terrible side of people. This week, that issue has been the infamous Roman Polanski. Here are the facts-: thirty-two years ago, when he was forty-four, he gave a thirteen-year-old girl champagne and quaaludes. He then had sex with her in all sorts of ways. He plead guilty to this charge and, fearing a prison sentence, fled our country and has since lived in places where he doesn’t face a risk of extradition. Based on a long-standing warrant, he was arrested by the Swiss police as he attempted to enter their country. There really shouldn’t be any debate on this matter, except it’s Roman Polanski. (Read more…)
Seven at seven
Seven things to read, delivered at 7PM every Monday:
- Jules Crittenden examines the brewing Shakespearean tragedy that is Obamlet.
- The Anchoress shares a Hebrew folk tale on the value of sharing what is the most to us, no matter how seemingly small we seem to perceive it.
- Rob at Say Anything has some Liberal columnists telling Barry Oh to step back a little. If only! Except Oh treats the Presidency as about him.
- Radley Balko (one of my three favorite Libertarians, all on equal footing) has a column on Reason about the Pottawamie vs. McGhee case and prosecutorial misconduct. I’m torn on this issue. I tend to lean in favor of law enforcement, but the bad apples make it really difficult at times.
- Powerline digs through the data of a report on the enormous unemployment rate among our country’s young. Having grown up in the Philippines, this looks all too familiar. “Are we racing towards the third world” is a question on so many lips these days.
- Julian Sanchez (the second of my three favorite Libertarians) picks apart a specious argument in favor of “net neutrality.” As is the case with almost any political buzzword these days, “net neutrality” has gone way beyond the simple desires of consumers’ ability to get as much bandwidth as they’re paying for.
- Inside Charm City is soliciting votes for the Baltimore Sun’s Mobbies, where your kind host is also a candidate under Misfits. Votes require registration. One vote per category per day.
September 28 2009, 19:00 | Filed under: General | No Comments |
Photos from Camp Merryelande, 2009: Part 3
It’s been almost a month since my vacation weekend at Camp MD, and as the memories fade, the value of photos is reinforced.
September 27 2009, 20:45 | Filed under: Photography | No Comments |
My endorsement of Devore against Fiorina
California is across the country from Maryland, but I remain interested in the US Senate seat which Barbara Boxer has to defend in 2010. Today’s Senate roster makes every seat important. With attitudes towards the current Congress approaching the all-time lows of late of 2008, no seat is safe. Barbara Boxer’s ratings are very low, and polling has shown her seat to be vulnerable. The Republicans know of this, and primary season starts, two names are coming through the noise: Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and for CEO of Hewlett-Packard, Carly Fiorina. I am endorsing DeVore for the candidacy, and obviously the seat. (Read more…)
Seven at seven
I’m trying to maintain a posting schedule of sorts. Monday night’s going to be a small roundup of links.
- Peter Wehner at Commentary Magazine on why it’s bad for Conservatism to have Glenn Beck as its face. Poor Wehner doesn’t get that Glenn Beck is the face of a movement, not a philosophy. Movements belong to its constiuents, not its leaders, silly!
- Fallible Blogma explains the origins of the concept of Transubstatiation. Like most religious doctrine, a lot of people get the origins backwards. Doctrine is written to codify what is generally accepted, not to force its acceptance upon the congregants.
- DJ Drummond profiles BHO the political narcissist and concludes that his incorrigibility arises from his inability to admit that something is wrong. Well, yeah.
- A Christian blogger wonders who is that man in the White House. I don’t know, man. All I know is that a lot of people voted him in. (Found from: The Anchoress)
- An agency responsible for misinformation about Sarah Palin was a participant in a conference call where the aim is for the National Endowment for the Arts to promote a pro-Administration agenda. It’s the Chicago way.
- Charles Hill writes and cites about the incursion of online life into real life, and laments.
- Last week, Norman Borlaug passed away. Calling him the father of the green revolution seems inadequate. The number of lives he’s saved due to his research would be hundreds of millions, if not billions.
September 21 2009, 19:00 | Filed under: General | No Comments |
Photos from Independence Day, 2009
Maryland has a funny history of having rainy Independence Day anniversaries (we celebrate the anniversary of something on July 4th and not the date itself: a distinction sadly lost to so many), which make for terrible fireworks photography. This year, the day was clear but not too hot, and a friend and I went over to the foot of the Naval Academy Bridge for a less crowded fireworks show than what could be seen in Baltimore or Washington. Out of around fifty long exposures I took during the show, those above are my favorite.
September 20 2009, 16:00 | Filed under: Photography | No Comments |
On polemics and apologists
Every political movement requires both polemics and apologists to advance an ideology. In societies with a free political system—whether it’s parliamentary, democratic, or republican—the ultimate cause of all policy is conflict. Ideas come from both politicians and civilians, get debated in homes and in public, and lead to policies. The products of our relatively collegial Congress is borne of conflict. As in football, where the team has an offensive and defensive line, movements need both attackers and defenders.
Before I start laying out what I believe how these roles are defined, let’s take a moment’s diversion into the topic of civility and respect. Today’s political environment has shown that the majority of Democrats and other denizens of the American Left place a value on civility, honor and respect which they historically do not abide by. Not only do they demand it, they enforce it using such tactics as Congressional reprimands and parading the barely-living husk of a former failed president to declare that criticism of the President is racist. As a self-avowed political polemic, I disdain these efforts to stifle debate by demanding that their opponents cleave to the standards of respect and civility that they themselves, in times past, have not observed. (Read more…)
Photos from Camp Merryelande, 2009: Part 2
More photos from my trip to Camp Merryelande in Piney Point, MD two weeks ago:
As a getaway spot, Camp MD is as much or as little fun as its visitors would make it. Since it’s private property, one can take a few liberties that are forbidden in the vacation cities like Ocean City, MD or Rehoboth Beach, DE. Visitors can walk around the beach with alcoholic drink in hand, or have open campfires on the beach. A few friends and I were even able to bring a cooler full of cold beer into the water and drink while bobbing up and down in the water, under the rain.
It’s a place that doesn’t carry much risk, but still reminds visitors to fun at their own little peril. It’s a small hidden gem, a hideaway well worth the visit.
September 13 2009, 10:00 | Filed under: Photography | 2 Comments |
Photos from Camp Merryelande, 2009: Part 1
I spent the last weekend of August at Camp Merryelande in Piney Point, MD with a lot of friends and some new acquaintances. Tropical Depression Danny cast its clouds upon us on Friday, so I spent most of the day taking photos of whatever caught my fancy. Here’s a few:
September 6 2009, 16:00 | Filed under: Photography | No Comments |
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