Comment on Michelle Malkin "More Diversity Lunacy"

Such stupidity just gives cover to grievance mongerers, who infest the civilian government, and inhibit the ability of real leaders and managers to exercise their authority. Someone can now complain the mean boss spoke insensitively so they can’t be subject to discipline by that person in the future.

Many many years ago some subversive genius in the Navy sent out an ALNAV message, that means it went to every command, that purported to be about when you could or could not serve what are advertised as “South African Lobster Tails.” The subject of the message, that was liberally repeated in every sentence, referred to “Split Tails.”

Comment on "Anti-fascist" Students Storm Oxford Union Debate, Riot

The best way to regulate speech is through social controls. That means the withering contempt of adolescent girls should be cultivated towards the symbols of error. Currently anyone who displays a swastika in America can be properly treated with public contempt and will find no sympathy from a judge if they go crying about their hurt feelings. However displaying the hammer and sickle of communism is accepted as a fashion statement. Objectively (as the partisans of the old left used to frame their discourse) both symbols represent ideologies of hatred and violence. When out education system and popular culture create a climate that rejects all symbols of terror then the world will be a better place. This does not demand the imposition of such values by the force of law but does call for the constant adjustment of societies norms by those in positions of leadership.

Comment on LGF -11-10-2007 Anarchist Battle Neo-Nazis in Prague

Engels had some fine words of contempt for Anarchism. He called it a philosophy for Italian lawyers, not meaning that as a compliment. Organized Anarchism or Anarcho-syndicalism was the reductio ad absurdum of the movement. It certainly seems more excusable for young people to flirt with a collectivism of the left than one of the right. Hope they grow up before they do any harm to themselves or others. The skinheads may think they are defending Europe against the latest alien invasion, but given their weakness for Totalitarianism and their inability to rationally judge between others as friends or enemies, they are likely to suddenly run headlong into the embrace of radical Islam.

Comment on Belmont Club, 11/07/07 "I would not want that sort out here with me anyway"

DoS is like academia in more than one way. The rules of the market and natural selection do not apply. Job security is determined by politics and favoritism. This is a vice that afflicts any large organization but especially all of government. A dysfunctional subculture has taken over and will drive out any opposing viewpoint. The methodology is similar to what Islam does on a larger scale when it dominates a society and scrubs out even the mempry of other ideologies.

11/08/2007 02:05:00 AM

Comment on LGF -10-17-2007 Bush on Iran

#348 lifeofthemind 10/17/07 3:40:42 pm reply quote report 0
Charles,

Remember that foreign policy professionals are driven to not repeat obvious errors of the past. An iron law in International Relations could be called "Don't do a Dean Acheson." Poor Mr Acheson was roundly condemned for giving a speech in which he carefully explained the US strategic perimeter in Asia, leaving the Korean peninsula out. Kim Il Sung promptly invaded the South. This statement of the President was an explicit statement of US policy and a clear warning to Putin that if Iran goes nuclear the US will use force and if the Russians attempt to extend to Iran the protection of their nuclear umbrella, as the American umbrella has been extended to NATO, Japan, Taiwan and Israel, then the result will be war. This is one of the most significant policy statements of the last 60 years.

This got me to send a Letter to the AP

Letter to AP titled "Serious Lapse of Journalistic Standards"

The article titled "Analysis: Thompson Lacking Substance" by Liz Sidoti is a shoddy work unworthy of the AP. Particularly egregious is the gratuitous inclusion of this paragraph:

"In response to such inquiries, Thompson told reporters: "Nobody yet has pointed out any of my clients that didn't deserve representation." That kind of statement is not likely to deter reporters from looking more closely any more than it did in 1987 when Gary Hart dared people to investigate him amid allegations of philandering. They did and he ended up withdrawing from the race for a time when an extramarital relationship was discovered."

The irrelevant reference to Gary Hart is inexcusable. Many may find Mr. Thompson's association with Aristide troubling but that was certainly not the professional way to raise it as an issue.

Also it is worth noting that the link to the "The AP's News Values and Principles" does not load and bounces to your Pulitzer page.

Comment on LGF "Our Friends the Saudis Send Jihadis to Lebanon"

Comment on http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=26121_Our_Friends_the_Saudis_Send_Jihadis_to_Lebanon#comments
#517 lifeofthemind 7/04/2007 7:45:13 am PDT
Their native region also has no oil. The main oil regions are in the Eastern Province near the Gulf. Most of the population there are oppressed Shia.

The "No War for Oil" argument never made much sense to me. It is like if someone in the Civil War had started crying "No War for Cotton" and then denied the Union's right to blockade the South and seize contraband cotton stocks. We should seize the oil fields which we have as much right to as the thugs in charge of them now. We could then offer the native inhabitants of the region a more progressive future and give the world cheap energy. The time and prosperity we gain should be used while we work on technologies to keep the world free from dependence on diminishing fossil fuel stocks.


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Comment on LGF "Bush Weighs 'Reaching Out' to Muslim Brotherhood"

#351 lifeofthemind 6/20/2007 8:16:56 pm PDT

1) Israel should line up hundreds of artillery tubes with counter battery fire controls and announce that any collateral damage resulting from their reponse to fire is the fault of the Unlawful Combatants who launch from civilian locations. Israel should also annex Bethlehem and expel post 1991 Islamist intruders.

2) Bush needs a Thatcher to keep him from going "Wobbly." Blair has been good on the war but he is gone now.

3) How does Thompson - Giuliani look as a ticket? Seems playable against Hillary or any of the other likely Democratic candidates. More so certainly than a ticket with McCain or Romney leading.

4) The Moslem Brotherhood will take power in Egypt soon. Expect to hear of the need to rescue millions of Copts and ransom archeological treasures from the threat of extremist destruction. The left will ridicule the threat at first but they didn't believe the Taliban would destroy the statues of Buddha.

Republican Debate Handicapping

Comments on LGF Republican pre-debate straw poll Thu, May 3, 2007 at 3:16:42 pm PST.

#346 lifeofthemind 5/03/2007 5:07:36 pm PDT

Rudy Giuliani gives hope to ugly men everywhere. That alone is good for maybe a 2% boost at the polls and makes him extra effective against pretty boys like the democrats attract. It also would also help deal with the Hillary factor. Face it his social positions are defensible to the libertarian wing of the party and would help in a general election. He is probably not ideal for the number one slot this time out. Thompson is a Reagan stand in, almost literally from central casting. McCain could have combined both men's strengths but for a politician he is surprisingly poor at tailoring his message. Some might find that a virtue. My biggest worry for the Republican stars is their health.

On Cathy Siepp's Imminent Passing

Oh what a work is Man! and woman for that matter.

Maia, people are here only a short time but in that time we can achieve amazingly beautiful or terrible things. Your mother's example does not guarantee you success but it does provide a measure you can hold up to the world.

May you and all of us honor her memory through our works. Be free and be good. As Tolkien noted, "Not all tears are evil."
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