A good sized group tonight. Somewhere around 20 for most of the night. Much intense discussion of Katrina, of course, but also a good mix of personal and political issues as well as at least one lengthy diatribe against daylight savings time. You just never know...
Anyway, Robert Fitzgerald showed up later in the evening smelling strongly of pronto pups and cheese curds. One new face was the seemingly omniscient Hammer, good talking to you, sir. And, as always, there was the usual riffraff and assorted other regulars that make DL such a great time. Glad you could all make it, and hope to see you next week!
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
A Scanner Darkly
For some reason I recently recalled that a movie version of this was in production.
Curious to see when it was coming out I checked the IMDB page linked above which is much more updated than the last time I looked at it months ago.
Glancing over the cast list something popped out at me. Did the casting director have a dark sense of humor? Or is this some kind of funny cosmic irony?
A movie largely about drug use and its effects stars Robert Downey, Jr., Woody Harrelson and Winona Ryder in three of the four big roles? That can't just be coincidence. At the same time that seems a lot more "meta" than you usually get out of Hollywood, so who knows.
Curious to see when it was coming out I checked the IMDB page linked above which is much more updated than the last time I looked at it months ago.
Glancing over the cast list something popped out at me. Did the casting director have a dark sense of humor? Or is this some kind of funny cosmic irony?
A movie largely about drug use and its effects stars Robert Downey, Jr., Woody Harrelson and Winona Ryder in three of the four big roles? That can't just be coincidence. At the same time that seems a lot more "meta" than you usually get out of Hollywood, so who knows.
Drinking Liberally-August 31st
Drinking Liberally, tonight 6pm-9pm
Liquor Lyle's (backroom), 2021 Hennepin Ave. S.
In verse:
Cold beer and hot talk
Quench thirst and thirst for justice
Drinking Liberally
(Yes, I know "liberally" should have four syllables. Poetic license.)
NOTE: I'm updating this and bumping it to the top-All signs point to the lovely and talented REW not making it to DL tonight.
That means tonight will be "Smartie: Unfiltered". Don't say I didn't warn you.
Liquor Lyle's (backroom), 2021 Hennepin Ave. S.
In verse:
Cold beer and hot talk
Quench thirst and thirst for justice
Drinking Liberally
(Yes, I know "liberally" should have four syllables. Poetic license.)
NOTE: I'm updating this and bumping it to the top-All signs point to the lovely and talented REW not making it to DL tonight.
That means tonight will be "Smartie: Unfiltered". Don't say I didn't warn you.
Obligatory State Fair Post
Minnesota's Worst Writer will be making a personal appearance at the Star Tribune booth tomorrow, September 1st, from 2-3 p.m.
If I could get the day off from work, I would suggest a field trip. As it is, I'm counting on some loyal reader or DLer to go say "hi" to KK, MWW for me.
If I could get the day off from work, I would suggest a field trip. As it is, I'm counting on some loyal reader or DLer to go say "hi" to KK, MWW for me.
Compassionate Conservatives
KRAUTHAMMER: It's a bit unseemly to talk about cutting off aid to these people while the hurricane is still roaring through Mississippi. But let's give it a try.
(LAUGHTER)
If you have a strong stomach, you can read the rest of it over at Curly Tales of War Pigs.
(LAUGHTER)
If you have a strong stomach, you can read the rest of it over at Curly Tales of War Pigs.
While P.Z. Myers Sleeps...
The creationists continue doing their dirty business.
I knew there was a breathtaking amount of scientific illiteracy in this country, but frankly the results of this poll shocked me:
Poll: Give Bible story of creation equal time
I'm starting to wonder if America has just had its "jump the shark" moment, the point at which living in luxury for so long has spoiled us and made our brains rotten and soft.
Reread those results. 42% of this country hold strict creationist views? What the hell is wrong with you people? I usually try to respect other people's view points but this is absolutely loony-toons and anyone who believes in strict creationism doesn't deserve a serious hearing. They need to be pointed out and laughed at just like the flat-earthers and the gravity deniers.
And this should come as no surprise:
The ignorant certainly are very comfortable in their ignorance.
I'm not exactly sure when this country started hurtling over the cliff but for anyone who cares about the future this should be a wake up call. Some brave souls, like Dr. Myers have been fighting against this garbage for a long time now. It's time more of us stood up and made our voices heard. Write letters, challenge anyone who states these view points, educate yourself to refute these "arguments", show up at school board meetings and pay attention to school board elections, do whatever you can. We're not going to roll back ignorance this vast all at once, but just as this dark cloud descended upon us slowly, so will we slowly roll it back.
I knew there was a breathtaking amount of scientific illiteracy in this country, but frankly the results of this poll shocked me:
Poll: Give Bible story of creation equal time
The poll found that 42 percent of respondents hold strict creationist views, agreeing that "living things have existed in their present form since the beginning of time."
In contrast, 48 percent said they believed that humans had evolved over time; of those, 18 percent said that evolution was "guided by a supreme being," and 26 percent said it occurred through natural selection.
I'm starting to wonder if America has just had its "jump the shark" moment, the point at which living in luxury for so long has spoiled us and made our brains rotten and soft.
Reread those results. 42% of this country hold strict creationist views? What the hell is wrong with you people? I usually try to respect other people's view points but this is absolutely loony-toons and anyone who believes in strict creationism doesn't deserve a serious hearing. They need to be pointed out and laughed at just like the flat-earthers and the gravity deniers.
And this should come as no surprise:
Those who believe in creationism said they were "very certain" of their views (63 percent), compared to those who believe in evolution (32 percent).
The ignorant certainly are very comfortable in their ignorance.
I'm not exactly sure when this country started hurtling over the cliff but for anyone who cares about the future this should be a wake up call. Some brave souls, like Dr. Myers have been fighting against this garbage for a long time now. It's time more of us stood up and made our voices heard. Write letters, challenge anyone who states these view points, educate yourself to refute these "arguments", show up at school board meetings and pay attention to school board elections, do whatever you can. We're not going to roll back ignorance this vast all at once, but just as this dark cloud descended upon us slowly, so will we slowly roll it back.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Of the Rich, By the Rich, For the Rich
Poverty rate nears 13%; fourth annual increase
But wait! Ignore these dour counterrevolutionary thoughts! Remember all of the good news you've been hearing! Remember how the Administration keeps telling you that the GDP is going up up up?
Good thing we had all those targeted tax cuts to stimulate the economy! I'm sure those foolish poor people would just squander their money on things like food and medicine anyway. After all, there must be a reason they're poor. They must not be very good people. The tax codes are perfectly fair and getting more fair every year that Dear Leader is in office. We need to make Dear Leader's bold and inventive tax cuts permanent so that this economic boom can continue. Then maybe we can all get jobs washing rich people's cars and cutting their lawns and picking up after their dogs! Truly, the future is bright with Dear Leader in charge!
WASHINGTON-The nation's poverty rate rose to 12.7 percent of the population last year, the fourth consecutive annual increase, the Census Bureau said Tuesday.
The percentage of people without health insurance did not change.
Overall, there were 37 million people living in poverty, up 1.1 million people from 2003.
Asians were the only ethnic group to show a decline in poverty - from 11.8 percent in 2003 to 9.8 percent last year. The poverty rate among the elderly declined as well, from 10.2 percent in 2003 to 9.8 percent last year.
The last decline in overall poverty was in 2000, when 31.1 million people lived under the threshold - 11.3 percent of the population.
But wait! Ignore these dour counterrevolutionary thoughts! Remember all of the good news you've been hearing! Remember how the Administration keeps telling you that the GDP is going up up up?
Tim Smeeding, an economics professor at the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, says the nation has experienced a shift from earnings income to capital income and capital gains, which aren't reflected in the Census Bureau's latest numbers.
"Most of that growth in the economy over the last couple of years has gone to higher income people and has taken the form of capital income - interest, rents, dividends,'' Smeeding said.
Good thing we had all those targeted tax cuts to stimulate the economy! I'm sure those foolish poor people would just squander their money on things like food and medicine anyway. After all, there must be a reason they're poor. They must not be very good people. The tax codes are perfectly fair and getting more fair every year that Dear Leader is in office. We need to make Dear Leader's bold and inventive tax cuts permanent so that this economic boom can continue. Then maybe we can all get jobs washing rich people's cars and cutting their lawns and picking up after their dogs! Truly, the future is bright with Dear Leader in charge!
Is anyone else dizzy?
Cause I am, just watching the FDA spin and spin and spin.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt on Monday defended the Food and Drug Administration's delayed ruling on over-the-counter access for a "morning-after" pill, saying officials never guaranteed a "yes or no" decision by this week.
...
"We did take a step forward in the process," Leavitt said. "Sometimes action isn't always yes and no. Sometimes it requires additional thought."
....
"FDA made their commitment to me and I made my commitment to the senators," Leavitt said. "The commitment was they would act. They did."
Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Clinton of New York, who both dropped objections over Crawford's nomination as commissioner based on that pledge, said Leavitt was playing "word games."
"A delay is not a decision and no amount of semantics can change that," they said in a joint statement.
Would you like some lesbianism with those cookies?
CWFA says, "Run while you can, Ann Curry!"
That Godless bastion of lesbianism and baby murder, the Girl Scouts, is at it again....
Ooohhh....say "hard-core" again, Mr. Knight....
Now, what do these women do again that is so horrible?
Boo hiss, says CWFA.
Boo hiss more, says CWFA.
Boo hiss hard-core, says CWFA.
Now, CWFA knows they have a lot of smart readers out there that they don't have to hand-hold:
...so they would like to tell you in no uncertain terms, Girl Scouts Bad! American Hertitage Girls, Good!
I wonder if they'll invite Ann Curry to their national meeting...
That Godless bastion of lesbianism and baby murder, the Girl Scouts, is at it again....
Dr. Johnnetta Cole, a woman whose radical views forced the Clinton administration to withdraw her name from consideration for Education Secretary, will be one of three keynote speakers at the Girl Scouts USA national convention in Atlanta from October 7-10.
Another speaker is Kavita Ramdas, president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, which, among other things, promotes abortion and feminism. The third speaker is Ann Curry, news anchor for NBC's Today Show.
The choice of the first two speakers indicates that the Girl Scouts show no sign of slowing their plunge into hard-core feminism and political advocacy, at least at the national level.
Ooohhh....say "hard-core" again, Mr. Knight....
Now, what do these women do again that is so horrible?
Rejecting ex-"gay" counseling and ministry
"Despite the fact that some wish to do so, I am not praying today or any day that lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered folk will somehow get religion and become heterosexuals. I'm not doing that. The nationality, the religion of every woman should be celebrated."
Boo hiss, says CWFA.
Opposing the Gospel
"No must be the answer to - to proselytizing to all who are not Christians into some denomination of Christian faiths."
Boo hiss more, says CWFA.
Schooled in lesbian advocacy
"The sister warrior who helped me to fight my own homophobia and heterosexism in my life - was Audrey Lore. It was at Hunter College where we were both faculty members that she was my teacher. Let me share with you how Sister Audrey would often introduce herself. She would say I'm Audrey Lore, a black woman, lesbian, feminist, poet, professor, mother."
Boo hiss hard-core, says CWFA.
Now, CWFA knows they have a lot of smart readers out there that they don't have to hand-hold:
Johnnetta Jones, who is president of Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina, gave a speech at last September's hard-left Women & Power Conference organized by "the nation's largest holistic education group," Omega Institute, and V-Day, which promotes an end to violence against women [editor's note: "Good!"] along with the play The Vagina Monologues on college campuses [editor's note: "Bad!"].
...so they would like to tell you in no uncertain terms, Girl Scouts Bad! American Hertitage Girls, Good!
I wonder if they'll invite Ann Curry to their national meeting...
Monday, August 29, 2005
Two Quick Thoughts
Was anyone else taken aback by the casual way in which Paul Mulshine hoped that Patrick Fitzgerald would get hit by a bus? Keep going, Mr. Fitzgerald, you've obviously struck a nerve!
As I looked at the articles this morning about Katrina wrecking devastation upon the Gulf coast it occurred to me, how the heck are they going to restore order and rebuild the area? That's usually a job for the National Guard, but since most of them are overseas in support of Operation Inigo Montoya (thanks TBogg!) who is going to be around to do it now?
As I looked at the articles this morning about Katrina wrecking devastation upon the Gulf coast it occurred to me, how the heck are they going to restore order and rebuild the area? That's usually a job for the National Guard, but since most of them are overseas in support of Operation Inigo Montoya (thanks TBogg!) who is going to be around to do it now?
The Lies My Governor Told Me.
The Blog of the Moderate Left has a post up about the first fallout from years of Republican lies. It's like that distant sound of thunder that heralds the advance of a financial storm.
Look people it's not hard. You can fund the government on credit for a while. You can gut the country's and state's infrastructure to bankroll tax cuts for billionaires. You can lie, cheat and steal elections once or twice, but how long did you think you could get away with this? All these bills are going to come due some day. The party that bills itself as the party of "financial responsibility" actually thought it was a good idea this summer to bankroll the state on future budget projections instead of real money. They've cut the funding to education and health care and all of the things we value in this state and what they couldn't cut they bonded for and passed the debt on to future generations.
Remember this post in two years. When the Democrats have to raise taxes remember it's not because we're "Tax and Spend Liberals", it's because we have to clean up the mess left by the children in office right now. Good time Timmy told you you could have your government cake and not have to pay for it. Good time Timmy lied.
Look people it's not hard. You can fund the government on credit for a while. You can gut the country's and state's infrastructure to bankroll tax cuts for billionaires. You can lie, cheat and steal elections once or twice, but how long did you think you could get away with this? All these bills are going to come due some day. The party that bills itself as the party of "financial responsibility" actually thought it was a good idea this summer to bankroll the state on future budget projections instead of real money. They've cut the funding to education and health care and all of the things we value in this state and what they couldn't cut they bonded for and passed the debt on to future generations.
Remember this post in two years. When the Democrats have to raise taxes remember it's not because we're "Tax and Spend Liberals", it's because we have to clean up the mess left by the children in office right now. Good time Timmy told you you could have your government cake and not have to pay for it. Good time Timmy lied.
Strike First
So, if the pilots union think the airline is going to be asking for major concessions, and the flight attendants think Northwest is out to get them next, why are they not honoring the mechanics picket line?
It seems like the unions could bargain from a position of strength if they were all in it together rather than letting management pick them off one by one.
It seems like the unions could bargain from a position of strength if they were all in it together rather than letting management pick them off one by one.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
1:32
Very long beer talk. I drank beer last night. Now it's made me still sleepy. May not make it to Randy Kelly, which was the only reason I was listening.
Live Blogging NARN at the Fair
Bits of fun...
Able Danger means that Iraq really was behind 9/11.
Dead horse officially pulverized. Congrats.
More when I stop laughing.
If you have the stomach, listen and learn.
Able Danger means that Iraq really was behind 9/11.
Dead horse officially pulverized. Congrats.
More when I stop laughing.
If you have the stomach, listen and learn.
The Promise Breakers
I wish this surprised me more...conservatives breaking another promise.
But of course, CWFA thinks telling the truth and doing what you promise isn't really a family value.
If I had Tild's powers, I would make a Tildified of Wendy Wright with her head in the sand.
CWFA, making unintended pregrancies as punishing as possible, one teenager at a time.
Two senators, who called for congressional hearings into the delay, said he broke a personal pledge to Congress to decide Plan B's fate by Sept. 1. "It is a breach of faith," said Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., who lifted objections to Crawford assuming leadership of FDA only after his pledge.
"I am stunned and outraged and furious," Murray said. "This is not only a broken promise to us, but another frightening example of politics trumping science at the FDA."
But of course, CWFA thinks telling the truth and doing what you promise isn't really a family value.
Conservative groups, which have argued that Plan B would encourage teen sex, welcomed the agency's decision. "Making the morning-after pill over-the-counter would only benefit those that profit from its increased sale," said Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America. "But the real price will be paid by women and girls who would suffer the health consequences."
If I had Tild's powers, I would make a Tildified of Wendy Wright with her head in the sand.
CWFA, making unintended pregrancies as punishing as possible, one teenager at a time.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Crimeny
I said I'd avoid the whole thing, but linking Sheehan to neo-nazis is like saying The mainstream pro-life movement is best represented by Eric Rudolph.
Hat tip Yowling.
Hat tip Yowling.
View from the Cheap Seats
Well, they won, I guess.
I would like to spend a moment hoping for fat fines for the Chargers for purposely trying to injury Burleson and Eddinger. I don't know how nasty the Burleson facemask looked at home, but it was bad. And I'm not just saying that because Burleson saved my fantasy team last year.
Vikings were messy. But our defense didn't look horrible against the second string Charges O, so I suppose that's a start. And it looks like we didn't break as many of our people as the Packers did tonight, so at least we have that.
Tice is a fool if he thinks Memo is the backup. I'm going to pretend that his master plan is to fool everyone into thinking Bennett is the starter so they don't plan on defending against Memo. It's better than thinking Tice is just an idiot.
Still hate Brad Johnson. I can't wait until regular season so I don't have to see him again //knock on wood//.
If I had a nickel for every near interception, I could probably pay for my tickets. But they're getting close to grabbing them, so that's good. And yes, Daunte fumbled, but I'm trying to look at it less as a fumble and more as a fumble recovery.
I'm still unclear what happened to Robinson. He looked fine, then suddenly he was limping. We didn't get a replay in the stadium, so I guess I'll have to wait for the paper tomorrow to find out what really happened.
Finally, in a slight off-topic, I would like to talk about the Vikings junior cheerleader's rendition of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Umm...Choreographers? Having preteens dance to "Men grow cold when girls grow old..." is wrong. That is all.
I would like to spend a moment hoping for fat fines for the Chargers for purposely trying to injury Burleson and Eddinger. I don't know how nasty the Burleson facemask looked at home, but it was bad. And I'm not just saying that because Burleson saved my fantasy team last year.
Vikings were messy. But our defense didn't look horrible against the second string Charges O, so I suppose that's a start. And it looks like we didn't break as many of our people as the Packers did tonight, so at least we have that.
Tice is a fool if he thinks Memo is the backup. I'm going to pretend that his master plan is to fool everyone into thinking Bennett is the starter so they don't plan on defending against Memo. It's better than thinking Tice is just an idiot.
Still hate Brad Johnson. I can't wait until regular season so I don't have to see him again //knock on wood//.
If I had a nickel for every near interception, I could probably pay for my tickets. But they're getting close to grabbing them, so that's good. And yes, Daunte fumbled, but I'm trying to look at it less as a fumble and more as a fumble recovery.
I'm still unclear what happened to Robinson. He looked fine, then suddenly he was limping. We didn't get a replay in the stadium, so I guess I'll have to wait for the paper tomorrow to find out what really happened.
Finally, in a slight off-topic, I would like to talk about the Vikings junior cheerleader's rendition of "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Umm...Choreographers? Having preteens dance to "Men grow cold when girls grow old..." is wrong. That is all.
Football Blogging
Before tonight's game, two quick thoughts on a subject I know even less about than politics...
First, I'm glad to see Mewelde Moore getting the start tonight. He's pretty green, but from what I've seen of him he looks like a star. Nothing against Michael Bennett, but he's basically been given the starting job year after year based on one really good year (2002) and nothing since then. Bennett's fast, but he has no power at all and very little finesse. He needs a hole bigger than the one between W's ears to get a decent run. Moore possibly has durability issues, but he makes things happen on pretty much every play he's involved in. Of course the dark horse in all of this is Moe Williams, REW's official favorite Viking. You could do a lot worse for a back field than the MeMo and MoMo tag team.
The other thing is-why the hell are they even considering putting Darren Sharper in to return punts? Put one of your big money free agent acquisitions in to be a tackling dummy? Brilliant! Seriously, isn't this why NFL teams carry so many extra WR's and RB's? So they have extracannon fodder fast players who don't get paid so much?
Hey, I have an idea...punt returns generally reward speed over everything else. Who's fast as long as he has room to run and suddenly expendable? Genius.
Anyway, that's my upper-deck quarterbacking for the day. Only three and a half hours now until kickoff. Go Vikes!
First, I'm glad to see Mewelde Moore getting the start tonight. He's pretty green, but from what I've seen of him he looks like a star. Nothing against Michael Bennett, but he's basically been given the starting job year after year based on one really good year (2002) and nothing since then. Bennett's fast, but he has no power at all and very little finesse. He needs a hole bigger than the one between W's ears to get a decent run. Moore possibly has durability issues, but he makes things happen on pretty much every play he's involved in. Of course the dark horse in all of this is Moe Williams, REW's official favorite Viking. You could do a lot worse for a back field than the MeMo and MoMo tag team.
The other thing is-why the hell are they even considering putting Darren Sharper in to return punts? Put one of your big money free agent acquisitions in to be a tackling dummy? Brilliant! Seriously, isn't this why NFL teams carry so many extra WR's and RB's? So they have extra
Hey, I have an idea...punt returns generally reward speed over everything else. Who's fast as long as he has room to run and suddenly expendable? Genius.
Anyway, that's my upper-deck quarterbacking for the day. Only three and a half hours now until kickoff. Go Vikes!
Random Strings
I don't normally do "how people get here" posts like some others, mainly because mine are never really that interesting. Today is an exception...
baby rew born in front royal va
Most impressive of this weird randomness is the fact that they came over on page 13 of the search. That's dedication.
Hope you found us worth your time!
baby rew born in front royal va
Most impressive of this weird randomness is the fact that they came over on page 13 of the search. That's dedication.
Hope you found us worth your time!
Clean Up Day
Did a wee blogroll clean up and added someone I've been meaning to put on for a while.
And yes, Doug, I tried to add the button but I screwed it up. Still waiting for your email, since I'm the most Computer Illiterate Blogger ever made.
Now to clean real house, vs e-house.
And yes, Doug, I tried to add the button but I screwed it up. Still waiting for your email, since I'm the most Computer Illiterate Blogger ever made.
Now to clean real house, vs e-house.
I am deeply troubled
Shiver me timbers!
It was only recently that I came into my Pastafarian beliefs and already I find myself conflicted about them. What would the great Flying Spaghetti Monster say about this?
Is this holy or is it blasphemous? Perhaps more importantly, is it delicious? Does the act of frying it purify it and thus bring it, and us, closer to the FSM or does soaking it in dirty oil move it farther away from the true image of the FSM?
Fellow Pastafarians, I beseech you. Lend me insight on this most grave issue or else I will be forced to don my full pirate regalia and set sail for the State Fair myself to partake of this communion and thereby risk my very soul.
It was only recently that I came into my Pastafarian beliefs and already I find myself conflicted about them. What would the great Flying Spaghetti Monster say about this?
Is this holy or is it blasphemous? Perhaps more importantly, is it delicious? Does the act of frying it purify it and thus bring it, and us, closer to the FSM or does soaking it in dirty oil move it farther away from the true image of the FSM?
Fellow Pastafarians, I beseech you. Lend me insight on this most grave issue or else I will be forced to don my full pirate regalia and set sail for the State Fair myself to partake of this communion and thereby risk my very soul.
Dare I say "WOW"?
Thursday, August 25, 2005
In case we needed more proof that Randy Kelly's gone to the dogs
Guess who's going to be on NARN at the fair?
Even better, he's being ranked as less interesting than the Scotch Egg eating contest.
Even better, he's being ranked as less interesting than the Scotch Egg eating contest.
The O'rwelly Factor
Seamus Spun the no Spin Zone:
Performance Art
I did performance art today.
It was simple enough performance to participate in, it only took a few minutes on my lunch break, but I got a great deal of satisfaction from it.
What did I do? I went to the Barnes and Noble in downtown Minneapolis and moved copies of Orwell's "1984" out of the fiction section and placed them in the "Current Events" section.
As a solitary action that may not mean much, but I did it because I'd been listening to the NPR report this morning on the internet mob acting under the name "Ministry of Reshelving". This is happening at bookstores all over the US (if not worldwide).
A revolutionary act? Hardly. Gratifying? Absolutely.
The best part? Current Events is alphabetized by author. When I noticed that, I moved "Orwell, George" from the random space I'd put him in and put him in his proper location. Next to "O'Reilly, Bill".
Minnblogs goes Bizzaro
Huh?
While we're at it, I just want to let everyone know that I am in fact MNLeftyliberal, before I get outed.
While we're at it, I just want to let everyone know that I am in fact MNLeftyliberal, before I get outed.
It's official
I am now in love with MNObserver. How hard must I try before Concerned Women for America pays attention to me?
PS: Ms. Crouse, there are examples. It's called clicking on the link. Jeeze, stop putting your crap up on websites if you don't know how a freaking blog works.
Edited because Swiftee's the boss of me.
The far-left blogosphere is even worse. Anti-choice is not just about abortion. "This administration," according to one extreme-left blog, has "obvious animosity toward women." (No examples, of course; just a bald assertion.) "These people," the blog concludes, "are really strange, f----- up folk who value gals only for boobs and breeding." Now that is really in-depth analysis, folks; now there's an example of logical reasoning, solid evidence and articulate expression of ideas.
PS: Ms. Crouse, there are examples. It's called clicking on the link. Jeeze, stop putting your crap up on websites if you don't know how a freaking blog works.
Edited because Swiftee's the boss of me.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Yes Virginina, there is a Drinking Liberally
Drinking Liberally is meeting tonight at Liquor Lyle's, 2021 Hennepin Avenue S., 6-9 PM. If I can make it, surely you can, too.
Tonight's topic? Why does PZ hate us so much that he scheduled a trip to the Big Apple the week we were supposed to visit him in Morris?
Tonight's topic? Why does PZ hate us so much that he scheduled a trip to the Big Apple the week we were supposed to visit him in Morris?
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Oh Look...
That darn science keeps getting in the way of our New Christian Overlords:
--------------------
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A human fetus is unlikely to feel pain before the third trimester, when consciousness begins to form, researchers said on Tuesday in a report that could fuel debate over proposed U.S. abortion legislation.
Even if a fetus feels pain, doctors may not be able to anesthetize it without endangering the mother's health, including during an abortion, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Legislation under consideration by the U.S. Congress and some U.S. states would require doctors to inform women seeking abortions after the 22nd week of gestation that their fetus feels pain and offer to anesthetize the fetus.
---------------------
Needless to say, we already have such a law here in Minnesota, and the reaction from our New Christian Overlords is exactly what you'd expect when science flies in the face of their beliefs:
---------------------
"They have literally stuck their hands into a hornet's nest,'' said Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand, a fetal pain researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who believes fetuses as young as 20 weeks old feel pain. "This is going to inflame a lot of scientists who are very, very concerned and are far more knowledgeable in this area than the authors appear to be. This is not the last word — definitely not.''
---------------------
I've wondered from the start if anyone's HMO is going to pony up the fee for a "prenatal anesthesiologist."
That is, assuming there is such a speciality.
--------------------
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A human fetus is unlikely to feel pain before the third trimester, when consciousness begins to form, researchers said on Tuesday in a report that could fuel debate over proposed U.S. abortion legislation.
Even if a fetus feels pain, doctors may not be able to anesthetize it without endangering the mother's health, including during an abortion, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Legislation under consideration by the U.S. Congress and some U.S. states would require doctors to inform women seeking abortions after the 22nd week of gestation that their fetus feels pain and offer to anesthetize the fetus.
---------------------
Needless to say, we already have such a law here in Minnesota, and the reaction from our New Christian Overlords is exactly what you'd expect when science flies in the face of their beliefs:
---------------------
"They have literally stuck their hands into a hornet's nest,'' said Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand, a fetal pain researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who believes fetuses as young as 20 weeks old feel pain. "This is going to inflame a lot of scientists who are very, very concerned and are far more knowledgeable in this area than the authors appear to be. This is not the last word — definitely not.''
---------------------
I've wondered from the start if anyone's HMO is going to pony up the fee for a "prenatal anesthesiologist."
That is, assuming there is such a speciality.
Saturday, August 20, 2005
I could have been on Jeopardy
Instead, I just did this stupid quiz.
Favorite part:
"Fetus is a Greek term that means offspring or baby. Some people speak Greek to avoid speaking the truth."
And I thought the dancing baby was annoying during it's Ally MacBeal run...
Favorite part:
"Fetus is a Greek term that means offspring or baby. Some people speak Greek to avoid speaking the truth."
And I thought the dancing baby was annoying during it's Ally MacBeal run...
I'm with Doug
Doug is right. Star Tribune should provide more links. In today's article they state:
And then there is GrassTopsUSA.
Wage Web Warfare Against The Liberal Establishment
Yup, that's a plain old Web based advocacy group if I ever saw one.
Excuse me while I go read their links to CNS and listen to their online stream of Christian Talk.
But Chris Carmouche, executive director of the Web-based advocacy group GrassTopsUSA, said Sheehan has accomplished little beyond attracting a "circus" of news media attention.
Her protest shows Americans are divided over the war, which boosts terrorists' morale, Carmouche said. "More Americans like her son will die the longer this [protest] goes on," he said.
And then there is GrassTopsUSA.
Wage Web Warfare Against The Liberal Establishment
Yup, that's a plain old Web based advocacy group if I ever saw one.
Excuse me while I go read their links to CNS and listen to their online stream of Christian Talk.
Friday, August 19, 2005
It's not just Flash's Birthday this weekend
But also that of the Nineteenth Amendment, which gave the likes of Rew, Tild, Ann Coulter and myself the right to vote.
Kos has a fascinating history on the Amendment, and Vox Populi has a particularly shrill rant as to why it's ruined everything.
Kos has a fascinating history on the Amendment, and Vox Populi has a particularly shrill rant as to why it's ruined everything.
Quote of the Day
In his next article, I expect he'll be spittin' mad at those annoying eggheads who claim his pet, Mr Fluffy Snookie-ookums, is both a cat and a mammal and a carnivore. "Make up your minds, you arrogant biologists! You can't go around using multiple terms to reflect overlapping concepts, or conservatives will get all head-explodey! Their blood and a few microscopic flecks of brain matter will be on your hands."
Pharyngula
Second Place
Who needs Disneyland when you can go to Fallujah instead?
MNGOP Watch
(via Three Way News)
Strike That
Tom has been diligently following the potential Northwest Airlines Strike while most of us have been twiddling our thumbs and picking our noses (pretty image, eh?). Read his latest round-up to get caught up on all of the shenanigans involved, including links to his previous posts on Vance and what NWA may really be paying them for.
Or wait until he shows up tonight and gets a beer in him. The posts are good, but his feverant recital of the story while drinking is totally worth the money.
Or wait until he shows up tonight and gets a beer in him. The posts are good, but his feverant recital of the story while drinking is totally worth the money.
A Different Kind of Cat Blogging
Since it looked like it will be another rainy morning, I decided to cheat on cat blogging and steal a google image. Instead, I just spent the last 20 minutes reading the blog of a cat-loving 14 year old girl living in Baghdad. I am humbled in many ways.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
The American Dream
I found Yowling's post today especially good, simply because of our every other Thursday commitment.
Smartie and I spend every other Thursday out at a friend who hosts a roundtable discussion about the American Dream. He's a playwrite for Nimbus Theatre, run in conjunction with a college buddy of mine.
My friend has had us coming to his place for about two months now. We have a few beers, he takes out the tape recorder, and we discuss society and the American Dream. Yes, there are still people geeky enough to sit around and discuss where manifest destiny turned into the need for a white picket fence. He is taping the conversations to convert into a script for a play they are hoping to put on later this season.
I just hope he casts me pretty.
Smartie and I spend every other Thursday out at a friend who hosts a roundtable discussion about the American Dream. He's a playwrite for Nimbus Theatre, run in conjunction with a college buddy of mine.
My friend has had us coming to his place for about two months now. We have a few beers, he takes out the tape recorder, and we discuss society and the American Dream. Yes, there are still people geeky enough to sit around and discuss where manifest destiny turned into the need for a white picket fence. He is taping the conversations to convert into a script for a play they are hoping to put on later this season.
I just hope he casts me pretty.
New Drinking Buddies
The sidebar has been updated to reflect new drinking buddies from last night's Drinking Liberally.
Please stop by and say hi to Spotty (who's picture deos not do him justice) and Neurath's Boat. Neurath's Boat is the first non-Minnesotan to make it onto the blogroll. Usually I try to keep it local, but wherever you live, if you make it in and have a beer, you're a buddy.
Please stop by and say hi to Spotty (who's picture deos not do him justice) and Neurath's Boat. Neurath's Boat is the first non-Minnesotan to make it onto the blogroll. Usually I try to keep it local, but wherever you live, if you make it in and have a beer, you're a buddy.
My Only Air America Post
I'm as tired of this topic as I am of the Cindy Sheehan story.
There. Can we move on to a new topic now? I heard there's a war or something.
Nicky
Oh Nicky
you resigned
you resigned
that blows our minds
Hey Nicky!
Hey Nicky!
Oh Nicky
you resigned
you resigned
that blows our minds
Hey Nicky!
Hey Nicky!
Oh Nicky, what a pitty
Can't you understand?
Your thourough lefty ranting's why
she had the topics banned.
Oh Nicky, can't you see
that Robert has a plan?
You had to chose, Nicky
You lose, Nicky
They want The Patriot II, Nicky!
There. Can we move on to a new topic now? I heard there's a war or something.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Aint Got Time To Blog
Smartie pretty much said it best. We're in house buying hump, plus crazy madcap work time. Let's put it this way, I've earned my beer tonight.
Almost no surf has happened, hence, no blogging. I haven't even seen or read the news since the post Vikings game cast on Friday night. (We're still ina war, right? Just checking...)
I expect someone to bring me a brief summary of all of the newsy, bloggy stuff I've missed since we purchased the house. I want something single sided, on legal, and more than just "Mitch is still a jerk." And no, my disclosure statement says very clearly that my house does not have any paranormal activity, thank you very much. Person with the best summary gets to buy me a beer.
So for now, go here, here, here and here.
Almost no surf has happened, hence, no blogging. I haven't even seen or read the news since the post Vikings game cast on Friday night. (We're still ina war, right? Just checking...)
I expect someone to bring me a brief summary of all of the newsy, bloggy stuff I've missed since we purchased the house. I want something single sided, on legal, and more than just "Mitch is still a jerk." And no, my disclosure statement says very clearly that my house does not have any paranormal activity, thank you very much. Person with the best summary gets to buy me a beer.
So for now, go here, here, here and here.
A Thousand Pardons
I apologize for not posting so far this week. It will probably still be a few more days before I get a chance to actually write something that doesn't involve the words "inspection" or "mortgage".
Hopefully, this week will be the worst of it and I can resume my regularly scheduled blathering in a few days.
In the mean time, anyone want to share any advice about picking a homeowner's insurance policy?
Hopefully, this week will be the worst of it and I can resume my regularly scheduled blathering in a few days.
In the mean time, anyone want to share any advice about picking a homeowner's insurance policy?
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Drinking Liberally August 17th
President Bush is on vacation, but Drinking Liberally knows no breaks.
What: Drinking Liberally
When: Wed., August 17 6-9 pm
Where: Liquor Lyle's, 2021 Hennepin Ave S
Why: Someone has to keep this country honest
What: Drinking Liberally
When: Wed., August 17 6-9 pm
Where: Liquor Lyle's, 2021 Hennepin Ave S
Why: Someone has to keep this country honest
Now They've Gone Too Far
Not Vic Mackey!
Can't they go yell about South Park coming to the WB? shouldn't they protect us from Timmy?
Can't they go yell about South Park coming to the WB? shouldn't they protect us from Timmy?
Monday, August 15, 2005
Many Brides for Many Morons
Via MNObserver at the Wege, some girls are all dressed up with no place to go...
See, they went to college for their MRS degrees. That nursing degree? I guess that's to better care for their men.
Poor girls. Always a bridesmaid, never married to a sexist idiot.
See, they went to college for their MRS degrees. That nursing degree? I guess that's to better care for their men.
Poor girls. Always a bridesmaid, never married to a sexist idiot.
Girl Brain
Via Tild, Avedon speaks, and I can only say right on.
We are the real pro-life crowd. Don't be afraid to say so.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Saturday, August 13, 2005
House Hunting Saturday
Out again. More posting later. Until then, a bit of summer vacation fun over at the Sponge's house.
Friday, August 12, 2005
My View from the Top
Good times. I am quite happy with our seats, which are 18 rows up and in the corner in the upper deck. And I was pleased to see that they let Daunte have the end spot in the announcements, I always thought it was kind of mean that Randy Moss always had it.
Offense looked very good. Travis Taylor caught a beautiful ball between double coverage. There weren't really spectacular shenanigans, just good solid plays. And one of my favorites (and a star of my fantasy team last year, Burleson, made an excellent touchdown reception.
Defense looks good, but obviously still has to work on the run. Priest Holmes used all of their bumblings against them well, at least according to the numerous Chief fans was all seemed settled in my section (interesting fact: You seem to need to have at least 4 children to be a Chiefs fan. I've never seen so many people with so many passels of kids.).
Brad Johnson can take a sack just as well as ever, and I'm getting the feeling that if he ever has to play, we'll see a lot of him on the ground just like the old days. He has this odd jump and lifting wrist ball that I just don't understand. Maybe it was my angle. I moved to the lower lever at the end of the second for a bit and his balls seemed straighter and stronger.
So, not a lot to evaluate at this time, but so far so good. I don't know if I'll ever get used to cheering for Sharper, though.
Offense looked very good. Travis Taylor caught a beautiful ball between double coverage. There weren't really spectacular shenanigans, just good solid plays. And one of my favorites (and a star of my fantasy team last year, Burleson, made an excellent touchdown reception.
Defense looks good, but obviously still has to work on the run. Priest Holmes used all of their bumblings against them well, at least according to the numerous Chief fans was all seemed settled in my section (interesting fact: You seem to need to have at least 4 children to be a Chiefs fan. I've never seen so many people with so many passels of kids.).
Brad Johnson can take a sack just as well as ever, and I'm getting the feeling that if he ever has to play, we'll see a lot of him on the ground just like the old days. He has this odd jump and lifting wrist ball that I just don't understand. Maybe it was my angle. I moved to the lower lever at the end of the second for a bit and his balls seemed straighter and stronger.
So, not a lot to evaluate at this time, but so far so good. I don't know if I'll ever get used to cheering for Sharper, though.
Cat Blogging Bonanza
I may have a new favorite site.
This should keep you occupied while Smartie and I are at the game. We promise to bring you first impressions for the Vikings shortly, assuming we aren't too liquored up. Or even better, if we are.
Here a Coleman, There a Coleman
Everywhere a Coleman, Coleman.
Eveyone is missing the big question, though. Which is...
Is he, or is he not coming to Flash's Birthday?
Eveyone is missing the big question, though. Which is...
Is he, or is he not coming to Flash's Birthday?
If you are one of those people
who like watching Doug and I fight, we're doing it over here. Today's topic, why Kennedy still isn't to blame for his web screw up because other people are worse.
Salt is down and we are starting to circle. My diaper is riding up a bit, though.
Salt is down and we are starting to circle. My diaper is riding up a bit, though.
Mea Culpa
I said I was going to have the second half of my think tank post up today.
It ain't gonna happen. Sorry.
Too much to do right now and tonight is the first Vikings preseason game. (season tickets, yeah!) Priorities. I'm sure you understand.
Hopefully I can get it posted sometime this weekend. Go Vikes!
It ain't gonna happen. Sorry.
Too much to do right now and tonight is the first Vikings preseason game. (season tickets, yeah!) Priorities. I'm sure you understand.
Hopefully I can get it posted sometime this weekend. Go Vikes!
In case you were wondering
Tom Delay: Still a crook
Jack Abramoff (and all the GOPers he was in bed with): Still in trouble
I'm so glad the Republicans have brought honor and accountability back to Washington.
Jack Abramoff (and all the GOPers he was in bed with): Still in trouble
I'm so glad the Republicans have brought honor and accountability back to Washington.
A Personal Moment
Last night I found out that one of my best friends in high school (yes, I'm the kind of girl who loses track of all of her friends...Surprised?) has returned to our school this year to be an English teacher.
One of my fondest high school memories was of a group of us downstairs in her basement, working on a project for AP English. We were reading "The Handmaid's Tale" and decided to make the banner for the Republic of Gilead. Two girls laid down on a bedsheet in the traditional role of handmaid and mistress, and one of us painted the outlines while another took pictures. Needless to say, the pictures didn't do much to improve our reputation for the rest of the year at school, but the banner itself was a work of art. Or, as she put it, "I'm going to be in the Louvre!"
Those hopes were dashed when her dog peed on it before we could get it to class. We called the urine the symbolic oppression of the male and still got full marks. Then we were asked to remove it from the classroom due to the smell.
Congratulations, Amber. I can think of no one better to mold young impressionable minds.
One of my fondest high school memories was of a group of us downstairs in her basement, working on a project for AP English. We were reading "The Handmaid's Tale" and decided to make the banner for the Republic of Gilead. Two girls laid down on a bedsheet in the traditional role of handmaid and mistress, and one of us painted the outlines while another took pictures. Needless to say, the pictures didn't do much to improve our reputation for the rest of the year at school, but the banner itself was a work of art. Or, as she put it, "I'm going to be in the Louvre!"
Those hopes were dashed when her dog peed on it before we could get it to class. We called the urine the symbolic oppression of the male and still got full marks. Then we were asked to remove it from the classroom due to the smell.
Congratulations, Amber. I can think of no one better to mold young impressionable minds.
Hold On There, Bucko
[Neil] Cavuto turned to Fox reporter Anita Vogel who said one of the Rolling Stones' "brand new songs seems to take aim at the Bush administration without actually naming any names." She said the Stones' next album will be out in September and, "word is, it will feature a track called 'Sweet Neo-Con,' a song that seems to attack the president."
So, let me get this straight, Fox News can figure out Mick Jaeger is making fun of Bush even though he didn't name any names...but they still insist that Karl Rove could have been talking about anyone when he mentioned "the wife of Joe Wilson"?
From News Hounds
I don't know what any of this means
But I'm highly amused:
(From the Minneapolis DL Message Board)
Am I the only one who has no idea who Ian is?
(From the Minneapolis DL Message Board)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ah, fall in Minneapolis. The crisp air, the first wearing of your favorite sweater, hot apple cider from the farmer's market. Autumn in New York's got nothing on Fall in Minneapolis. Especially 'cause we're not pretentious enough to call it "autumn."
But wait just a second! It's not fall yet! It's still summer-and what better way to savor these last weeks of summer (before the slow descent into another interminable arctic hell) than with a drive-in?
And it all becomes clear-yes, this is a friendly reminder about the official "Drinking with Ian" Drive-In (affectionately known to us as "Drinking and Drive-In"). That's right—only one measly week until we fire up the super-high-tech-video-projector (henceforth to be known as the "Ian-ificator"), flip on the FM transmitter, and start throwing around free popcorn.
Of course, that's not for public consumption. Oh no, friends, that's just for you, us, and our pals with cars. But honestly, we couldn't imagine a better way to celebrate the debut of BRAND NEW EPISODES of "Drinking with Ian" than to do something totally illegal and shady. Now that's the part for the public. Wait, no, not the illegal-and-shady part-the BRAND NEW EPISODES (!!!) part! Yes, believe it or not (and most wouldn't), Ian imbibed his way through another evening of interviews with local luminaries, rocking revelry, and shots of dubious origin. The really amazing part, though, is that the intrepid editors of DWI were able to plow through all the tomfoolery and make THREE NEW EPISODES! The beauty that is interviews with radio goddess Shelley Miller, bar-maestro-record-label-notable Pat Dwyer, poster bad-asses Aesthetic Apparatus; the exquisite nature of performances by POS of Doomtree, The Midnight Evils and Building Better Bombs. Yes, friends, all of this can be viewed on the BRAND NEW EPISODES. Ok, enough with the caps. New episodes will debut on Thursday, August 18th at 12:30 am on MCN, cable channel six. And yes, as always, we do know that it's technically Friday morning, August 18th. But we won't have gone to bed yet, so we'll still think it's Thursday. And, on earth as it is in heaven, DWI is also on every Tuesday at 10 pm on MTN, cable channel 16, as well as every Thursday, at the aforementioned 12:30 (yes, technically Friday) on MCN, cable channel 6.
So back to the illicit part! On that auspicious day (Thursday, August 18th, at 12:00 am, and yes, we know it's Friday), join the DWI Posse-of-Pre-Eminence on the 2100 block of Grand St, in Northeast, between Marshall and California Streets. It's a parking lot, you know, so look for the parking lot full of hipsters and cars. Free popcorn will abound, and fun will be had by all.
Be there. It's going to be a damn good time.
Am I the only one who has no idea who Ian is?
Thursday, August 11, 2005
MNPublis reMarks
Now that's a good article. Kennedy should post that on his site forthwith.
I expect that Mark Kennedy is firing his current Communications Director after all the bad press he's getting about his campaign site and I think that I could fill this position nicely! In addition to my resume, however, I think I'll send some real-world examples of what I can do; like my ability to spin bad press into good press. Even in a terrible situation like the Washington Post nailing you for distorting the truth I could help keep your election year make-over chugging along. Let me show you!
Take that, science!!
No time for more posting today, so I'll just leave you with this link to The Swift Report for your afternoon reading pleasure:
Social Conservatives Take on Einstein's Theory of Relativism
Maybe even better than the article itself is the ad halfway down the page:
In the 17th century, science "discovered" gravity
In the 21st century, science discovered GOD.
Is the ad a parody or is it serious? It seems legit, but...they're calling into question gravity for god's sake.
If it isn't a parody I really want that book. I would love to know what the "alternate explanations to gravity" are that are promised in the subhead.
Social Conservatives Take on Einstein's Theory of Relativism
Heartened by their progress in debunking Darwin's controversial theory of evolution, social conservatives are gearing up for another battle in the intellectual culture wars: against Albert Einstein's theory of relativism. Critics of the world-famous German scientist want to see his insight that nothing in the universe is morally any better than anything else replaced with a theory of moral certainty.
Maybe even better than the article itself is the ad halfway down the page:
In the 17th century, science "discovered" gravity
In the 21st century, science discovered GOD.
Is the ad a parody or is it serious? It seems legit, but...they're calling into question gravity for god's sake.
If it isn't a parody I really want that book. I would love to know what the "alternate explanations to gravity" are that are promised in the subhead.
Reasonable People Reasonably Disagreeing (Within Reason)
Part of the fun of reading blogs with a different viewpoint from your own is finding things to think about or argue with. Another part of the fun is realizing that, based on your point of view, even relatively factual information can appear differently. Who's right? Well, that probably depends on your point of view.
What inspired this musing was this post over at Bogus Gold from Monday (yeah, I'm a little behind on my reading).
The post is about an attempt to create a network of liberal think tanks. I think Doug makes some valid points. For instance, he points out how conservative think tanks and the people behind them helped to build the modern conservative movement and not vice versa. Because that was the pattern, it doesn't necessarily follow that liberals will be able to create a similar system by starting from policy and working our way backwards to the think tank.
Fine, that certainly makes sense to me. Where things get strange, however, is in statements like this:
There are a lot of ways I think that paragraph is wrong. I'll break this into two posts so as not to bore my readers any more than I already do. This first post is about the differences in connections and communications between conservative and liberal groups. The second will be about why that matters. Onward:
I don't think the second sentence flows logically. Because these institutions "grew up organically, slowly, in decentralized fashion" it does not follow that they currently operate "with great independence from one another as well as from the Republican Party." Two separate Ivy runners can start on opposite sides of a house and within forty or fifty years be totally indistinguishable from one other because they have so effectively grown together and covered the structure. Sure, it's possible to point out differences between the American Enterprise Institute (they're the one in favor of government censorship of the arts!) and the American Family Association (they're the one in favor of government censorship of the arts for the children!) but their core messages are remarkably overlapping. And not only are their messages remarkably overlapping with one another (and with many of the planks of the Republican Party platform) but many of their personnel are as well. I can name just off the top of my head at least four prominent Minnesota conservative bloggers who are or were members of the Center of the American Experiment. I can name a lot of bloggers who hang out with David Strom of the Taxpayer's League of MN once a week. (Full disclosure: I guess that sometimes includes me too). I could point out that many right of center bloggers were invited to meet the governor a short while ago. Or that this local network of bloggers also includes a radio show which has some direct links to a nationally syndicated conservative radio show which is yet another way this extends outward.
None of this proves collusion or a conspiracy or anything like that. But if you were to diagram all of the networks of connections between righties you would see a remarkable level of communication that simply does not exist on the left. And all of this connecting is done while completely excluding the big message machines of the conservative side of the aisle-Fox News, Rush and the rest of conservative talk radio, the Weekly Standard, the WSJ editorial page, Townhall.com, etc.
Let me repeat nothing like this network, be it formal or informal, exists on the left. The only evidence Doug brings up suggesting this is the fact that some of the big national bloggers on the left took money from lefty groups or candidates during the '04 campaign. Which is true, and they disclosed it or recused themselves completely from their blogs during that time, but largely meaningless to the "grassroots" as they have no connections whatsoever to us locally.
There are only a few possible connections to be made among the local liberal bloggers-the only "media" connection is that through a couple of degrees of separation you could connect us to the local alt weekly for whatever that's worth. (Since, as I understand it, it's a relationship of mutual antagonism more than anything.) Also, there is the informal liberal "drink tank" which is largely the only reason any of us know each other. And that, remember, was only recently started and for which REW is solely responsible. A few people who attend that have some official connections to the DFL, as might be expected. Other than that, nothing.
That's a pretty quick overview, but I think it gets the point across. Later tonight or early tomorrow-Part 2: Why this matters.
Update: added links to CAE & TPL of MN for any non-Minnesotans who might read this and not be familiar with those groups.
What inspired this musing was this post over at Bogus Gold from Monday (yeah, I'm a little behind on my reading).
The post is about an attempt to create a network of liberal think tanks. I think Doug makes some valid points. For instance, he points out how conservative think tanks and the people behind them helped to build the modern conservative movement and not vice versa. Because that was the pattern, it doesn't necessarily follow that liberals will be able to create a similar system by starting from policy and working our way backwards to the think tank.
Fine, that certainly makes sense to me. Where things get strange, however, is in statements like this:
But the devil will be in the details. The conservative institutions they intend to counter grew up organically, slowly, in decentralized fashion, and have functioned with great independence from one another as well as from the Republican Party. This is a way of operating that frequently seems alien to the other side of the aisle. I suspect this is the source of the various conspiracy theories regarding Karl Rove's control of the conservative blogosphere in the last election - think of old-time lefties like Nick Coleman weirdly and repeatedly insinuating that Power Line is on some kind of shadowy right-wing payroll. The fact that prominent liberal bloggers like Kos, Atrios, and others actually have been on liberal payrolls suggests an ingrained habit of political culture, which might be unintentionally repeating here.
There are a lot of ways I think that paragraph is wrong. I'll break this into two posts so as not to bore my readers any more than I already do. This first post is about the differences in connections and communications between conservative and liberal groups. The second will be about why that matters. Onward:
I don't think the second sentence flows logically. Because these institutions "grew up organically, slowly, in decentralized fashion" it does not follow that they currently operate "with great independence from one another as well as from the Republican Party." Two separate Ivy runners can start on opposite sides of a house and within forty or fifty years be totally indistinguishable from one other because they have so effectively grown together and covered the structure. Sure, it's possible to point out differences between the American Enterprise Institute (they're the one in favor of government censorship of the arts!) and the American Family Association (they're the one in favor of government censorship of the arts for the children!) but their core messages are remarkably overlapping. And not only are their messages remarkably overlapping with one another (and with many of the planks of the Republican Party platform) but many of their personnel are as well. I can name just off the top of my head at least four prominent Minnesota conservative bloggers who are or were members of the Center of the American Experiment. I can name a lot of bloggers who hang out with David Strom of the Taxpayer's League of MN once a week. (Full disclosure: I guess that sometimes includes me too). I could point out that many right of center bloggers were invited to meet the governor a short while ago. Or that this local network of bloggers also includes a radio show which has some direct links to a nationally syndicated conservative radio show which is yet another way this extends outward.
None of this proves collusion or a conspiracy or anything like that. But if you were to diagram all of the networks of connections between righties you would see a remarkable level of communication that simply does not exist on the left. And all of this connecting is done while completely excluding the big message machines of the conservative side of the aisle-Fox News, Rush and the rest of conservative talk radio, the Weekly Standard, the WSJ editorial page, Townhall.com, etc.
Let me repeat nothing like this network, be it formal or informal, exists on the left. The only evidence Doug brings up suggesting this is the fact that some of the big national bloggers on the left took money from lefty groups or candidates during the '04 campaign. Which is true, and they disclosed it or recused themselves completely from their blogs during that time, but largely meaningless to the "grassroots" as they have no connections whatsoever to us locally.
There are only a few possible connections to be made among the local liberal bloggers-the only "media" connection is that through a couple of degrees of separation you could connect us to the local alt weekly for whatever that's worth. (Since, as I understand it, it's a relationship of mutual antagonism more than anything.) Also, there is the informal liberal "drink tank" which is largely the only reason any of us know each other. And that, remember, was only recently started and for which REW is solely responsible. A few people who attend that have some official connections to the DFL, as might be expected. Other than that, nothing.
That's a pretty quick overview, but I think it gets the point across. Later tonight or early tomorrow-Part 2: Why this matters.
Update: added links to CAE & TPL of MN for any non-Minnesotans who might read this and not be familiar with those groups.
Mark-up
"Mark-up" (verb phrase): To alter documents to change their meaning into something more favorable.
eg. "We didn't like that profile of the candidate so we did a quick Mark-up and now he looks less like a partisan hack."
Via Smartie
Also, more Mark-Up blog bits. And a very small "shame on you" to Mitch for not providing a link to the New Patriot post he was commenting on. You do a Kennedy proud.
eg. "We didn't like that profile of the candidate so we did a quick Mark-up and now he looks less like a partisan hack."
Via Smartie
Also, more Mark-Up blog bits. And a very small "shame on you" to Mitch for not providing a link to the New Patriot post he was commenting on. You do a Kennedy proud.
Missing the news of a story
Yesterday, WCCO did a bit about condo reconstruction and how unfair managements are being to their current residents. (Click on link and go to "Condo Craze" if you are interested.) Needless to say, Smartie and I were curious, since our building was the star of the story. What a disappointment.
The gist of the story is that some residents were upset that they weren't given all of the financial information on what it would cost to purchase their unit until day 55 of the 60 day pre-purchase bargain price, especially since many residents knew there would be additional issues with possible molding and such due to the great 10 story flood of 2003 (which they may or may not be disclosing to new residents.) Sad, but not what I would call an actual story of abused renters.
Actual abuse of renters, in the Pinnacle especially, has been going on ever since the 60 day pre-purchase period ended in June. From that moment on, the amenities that we had come here to rent because of were slowly dwindling in a fit of construction. First the pool closed months ago, never to return, along with a workout room that closed and only recently has reopened with missing equipment.
Our mail area was moved from a location inside the secure building to the outside wall of the parking lot, behind the piles of construction equipment. Our lobby has been stripped and gutted for months, full of dust and more equipment, and was shut down for a full week at one point, forcing all residents, even the less mobile, to use the stairs from the second floor. Even though our lease isn't up for another 6 months, we are still asked to allow our unit to be shown to perspective buyers.
Perhaps the most blatant abuse is the actual unit construction. The company has moved in workers to the empty units of various floors in order to be onsite workers. The upside of this for management is that they can have the workers dedicate themselves to main areas during the day, and work on individual units, many of which are located on the other side of the wall as units with actual residents inside, on off hours. More than once we have had them work on the unit next door to us at 8 AM on a weekend, or had to ask them to stop at 11 PM so that we could go to bed.
The real story of the Pinnacle are the residents who paid quite a bit of money to live in a high end highrise, only to be creatively forced out of their unit by dust, noise, inconvenience, and an unresponsive management team who desperately wants them gone in order to turn their personal residence for a quick sale. Perhaps that is what WCCO should be asking when the Pinnacle responds to their questions "with 24 hour notice."
The gist of the story is that some residents were upset that they weren't given all of the financial information on what it would cost to purchase their unit until day 55 of the 60 day pre-purchase bargain price, especially since many residents knew there would be additional issues with possible molding and such due to the great 10 story flood of 2003 (which they may or may not be disclosing to new residents.) Sad, but not what I would call an actual story of abused renters.
Actual abuse of renters, in the Pinnacle especially, has been going on ever since the 60 day pre-purchase period ended in June. From that moment on, the amenities that we had come here to rent because of were slowly dwindling in a fit of construction. First the pool closed months ago, never to return, along with a workout room that closed and only recently has reopened with missing equipment.
Our mail area was moved from a location inside the secure building to the outside wall of the parking lot, behind the piles of construction equipment. Our lobby has been stripped and gutted for months, full of dust and more equipment, and was shut down for a full week at one point, forcing all residents, even the less mobile, to use the stairs from the second floor. Even though our lease isn't up for another 6 months, we are still asked to allow our unit to be shown to perspective buyers.
Perhaps the most blatant abuse is the actual unit construction. The company has moved in workers to the empty units of various floors in order to be onsite workers. The upside of this for management is that they can have the workers dedicate themselves to main areas during the day, and work on individual units, many of which are located on the other side of the wall as units with actual residents inside, on off hours. More than once we have had them work on the unit next door to us at 8 AM on a weekend, or had to ask them to stop at 11 PM so that we could go to bed.
The real story of the Pinnacle are the residents who paid quite a bit of money to live in a high end highrise, only to be creatively forced out of their unit by dust, noise, inconvenience, and an unresponsive management team who desperately wants them gone in order to turn their personal residence for a quick sale. Perhaps that is what WCCO should be asking when the Pinnacle responds to their questions "with 24 hour notice."
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Support the Troops!
Especially this guy:
Air Force colonel accused of political vandalism
Has even the military has turned on W.? Heh.
Air Force colonel accused of political vandalism
DENVER - An Air Force Reserve colonel could face criminal charges for allegedly vandalizing cars at Denver International Airport bearing pro-Bush bumper stickers.
Has even the military has turned on W.? Heh.
Slipping
As if anyone needed more signs that things aren't going so well in Iraq, now even our staunchest allies are starting to doubt our intentions. From Kurdish Media:
This war and the bungling way the administration has handled post-war Iraq is about to cost us yet another ally. What's worse, the Kurds are surrounded on all sides by enemies, yet the author still thinks that they would be better off going it alone than continuing to work with us. If that's not a sign that our policies are failing, I'm not sure what is.
Found via (where else?) Watching America. I really need to give them some $$.
America's stance on the drafting of the Constitution and the modest Kurdish demands has been more than disappointing; in fact, it has been an affront to America’s ideals. When American officials urge a "compromise" in order to finish the drafting of the Constitution by the 15 August artificial deadline, we know at whose expense that "compromise" would be. It seems that America wants its friends to lose and its enemies to win. And when the new US ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad, says that the Ba’athist Arabs whom Saddam brought to Kerkuk to change the demography of the province, after kicking three hundred thousand Kurds out, don’t have to go back to where they came from, he is putting America’s stamp of approval on Saddam’s ethnic cleansing practices, which neither any of the Iraqi governments after the liberation nor the Coalition authorities have lifted a finger to undo; on the contrary, they have all tried to make it permanent. Ethnic cleansing was considered a crime in Kosovo and Bosnia and elsewhere, and rightly so, but it is legal when it is done to the Kurds!
This war and the bungling way the administration has handled post-war Iraq is about to cost us yet another ally. What's worse, the Kurds are surrounded on all sides by enemies, yet the author still thinks that they would be better off going it alone than continuing to work with us. If that's not a sign that our policies are failing, I'm not sure what is.
Found via (where else?) Watching America. I really need to give them some $$.
Takeout - Cheap, Easy, Quick and Unhealthy
Via StudentsforBachmann, the Strib did an article on FACT today:
You may remember Left in the Heartland's post about Intellectual Takeout last month.
Seems they have a few new one pagers up now that they are near launch and some poor conservative college students are about to be brainwashed by the liberal teachers of colleges they chose to go to of their own free will.
Poor People
Education (go for it, Moses!)
More on Economics (and a big Tax Cut Section)
History
And the List goes on and on...
I myself can't wait until they get the Women and Gender one-y up they've promised.
I will be looking through all of these at my leisure. I assume you all would want to do the same. After all, laughter is the best medicine, and you'll need it after the indigestion this takeout is liable to cause.
When classes resume at Minnesota colleges in September, the Center of the American Experiment, Minnesota's newly recharged 15-year-old conservative think tank, will roll out an ambitious project called Foundations for Active Conservative Thinking (FACT), an assault against the perceived leftist domination inside the ivy walls.
The primary weapon will be a website called Intellectual Takeout, an arsenal of policy arguments designed to help conservative students challenge the alleged liberal orthodoxy in academia on issues ranging from global warming to globalization to the global war on terror.
You may remember Left in the Heartland's post about Intellectual Takeout last month.
Back in June, we posted about the CAE's Intellectual Takeout, which had been blank for several months.
Now it's up and running.
Have fun.
We especially like the idea of introducing talking point sheets in the classroom:Need quick ideas and arguments? Ideas To Go are quick one - page issue summaries that you can take to class or use as a quick reference for other school work. It can be your one - page security blanket for class discussions. There are at least two sides to every issue and Ideas To Go conveniently lays out the competing arguments side by side. Maybe you're online and in class right now. Quick access to arguments is at your fingertips. So go ahead - erase that dumb expression, feed your intellect, and say something intelligent in class for a change.
Can't make this stuff up.
Seems they have a few new one pagers up now that they are near launch and some poor conservative college students are about to be brainwashed by the liberal teachers of colleges they chose to go to of their own free will.
Poor People
Education (go for it, Moses!)
More on Economics (and a big Tax Cut Section)
History
And the List goes on and on...
I myself can't wait until they get the Women and Gender one-y up they've promised.
I will be looking through all of these at my leisure. I assume you all would want to do the same. After all, laughter is the best medicine, and you'll need it after the indigestion this takeout is liable to cause.
For Your Ease and Enjoyment
Kennedy cut out round-up:
Flash
New Patriots
DvK
Tom Swift
Wege (At the begining, for once, or pretty near it.)
More shall be added as I find them.
Added
Robert Fitzgerald - Senate Candidate
Flash
New Patriots
DvK
Tom Swift
Wege (At the begining, for once, or pretty near it.)
More shall be added as I find them.
Added
Robert Fitzgerald - Senate Candidate
Slowly gaining
Wege, being old as he is, is starting to crap out on us. It's okay, men of his age need his rest, I'm sure.
Luckily, you have young-hip-ready-to-go-at-a-momment's-notice-insatiable Powerliberals here to blather on and on should you need a fix while he's taking a snooze.
(Heh heh heh, one down, 3.8 million to go. We shall outlast you all!)
But he did bring up a good point. Forgot to remind you all that Drinking Liberally is tonight at Lyle's, 2021 Hennepin South, 6-9 pm. We'll be at that long table behind the seperator in the main bar, since that Texas Hold'em thing still hasn't died.
Luckily, you have young-hip-ready-to-go-at-a-momment's-notice-insatiable Powerliberals here to blather on and on should you need a fix while he's taking a snooze.
(Heh heh heh, one down, 3.8 million to go. We shall outlast you all!)
But he did bring up a good point. Forgot to remind you all that Drinking Liberally is tonight at Lyle's, 2021 Hennepin South, 6-9 pm. We'll be at that long table behind the seperator in the main bar, since that Texas Hold'em thing still hasn't died.
Moral Relativism
The most remarkable thing about David Brooks' editorial "In middle of a moral revival Count the ways that America is becoming more virtuous" is the way it almost systematically undercuts so many of the Republican Party's issues while trying to glorify them. Seriously, clip and save this thing. It's a ready made rebuttal to almost any moral argument someone on the right can throw at you.
Examples? Brooks starts off praising social workers and women's counseling centers that help battered women "find other places to live". Yet the argument is frequently heard from the right that these two agencies are responsible for helping to break up families that might be able to work things out and stay together.
He then goes on to praise The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 which was supported by NOW and other liberal groups and signed by Bill Clinton and which is a favored bugbear of many of the so-called pro-family advocates.
So thus far, Brooks has pretty successfully pointed out how liberals are right about pretty much everything. Thanks, David! We knew this, of course, but it's always nice to hear.
As though realizing his errors, Brooks tries to reestablish his conservative street cred with this passage:
Interesting, considering all the calls from the "center-right" to clean up our sewer culture. We're becoming more virtuous even as Hollywood pumps out filth? Even as gangsta rappers continue to sell records numbers of albums? Even as the occasional wardrobe malfunction shows up on prime time television? Interesting indeed.
He then goes on to point out that the number of abortions is declining on their own (so why pass laws restricting them?); we have "stopped believing" that "the traditional family is obsolete" (so why the big worry about gay marriage?); we have also "stopped believing" that "drugs are liberating" (so, can we have a serious discussion about the drug war now?); and so on.
It's hard to imagine a much more ringing endorsement of liberal social policies than the big wet sloppy kiss Brooks has (I suspect unintentionally) thrown us here. Even by his own admission most of the trends started in the early 90's, when Democrats controlled the legislative and executive branches of government. Won't it be interesting to see 10 years from now if these trends have continued? Or will 8 years of GOP dominance reverse all the good that liberals have managed to achieve?
Examples? Brooks starts off praising social workers and women's counseling centers that help battered women "find other places to live". Yet the argument is frequently heard from the right that these two agencies are responsible for helping to break up families that might be able to work things out and stay together.
He then goes on to praise The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 which was supported by NOW and other liberal groups and signed by Bill Clinton and which is a favored bugbear of many of the so-called pro-family advocates.
So thus far, Brooks has pretty successfully pointed out how liberals are right about pretty much everything. Thanks, David! We knew this, of course, but it's always nice to hear.
As though realizing his errors, Brooks tries to reestablish his conservative street cred with this passage:
But all of these efforts are part of a larger story. The decline in family violence is part of a whole web of positive, mutually reinforcing social trends. To put it in old-fashioned terms, America is becoming more virtuous.
Interesting, considering all the calls from the "center-right" to clean up our sewer culture. We're becoming more virtuous even as Hollywood pumps out filth? Even as gangsta rappers continue to sell records numbers of albums? Even as the occasional wardrobe malfunction shows up on prime time television? Interesting indeed.
He then goes on to point out that the number of abortions is declining on their own (so why pass laws restricting them?); we have "stopped believing" that "the traditional family is obsolete" (so why the big worry about gay marriage?); we have also "stopped believing" that "drugs are liberating" (so, can we have a serious discussion about the drug war now?); and so on.
It's hard to imagine a much more ringing endorsement of liberal social policies than the big wet sloppy kiss Brooks has (I suspect unintentionally) thrown us here. Even by his own admission most of the trends started in the early 90's, when Democrats controlled the legislative and executive branches of government. Won't it be interesting to see 10 years from now if these trends have continued? Or will 8 years of GOP dominance reverse all the good that liberals have managed to achieve?
Mark Kennedy...Uffda!
Somebody's been a very naughty boy...
(Please note, AP, I am not a paid political site and am providing a link to the original. Thank you.)
However, Kennedy's just happy to be #1 in something I'm sure.
Needless to say, Gary et all are up at arms and shrieking about Liberal bias in the media.
Gary just happens to leave out in his article that the AP is angry because Kennedy's campaign has provided no links to the original content, unlike the other candidates' sites. Looks like Mr. Kennedy has taught his followers well in the "skim for what you want" game. Not that I should be too surprised. It's not the first time DvK has allowed something that showed Kennedy in a bad light to "disappear".
(Please note, AP, I am not a paid political site and am providing a link to the original. Thank you.)
The headline on Mark Kennedy's U.S. Senate campaign website, over excerpts from an Associated Press article, said he is "A Common-Sense Get Things Done Guy," and the AP material under the headline made the case that the Republican congressman voted with Democrats on 10 key issues this year.
Missing from the story were 13 sentences in which Democrats and political analysts accused Kennedy of disguising a career of extreme conservative voting by only recently casting a few votes with Democrats as he prepares for a U.S. Senate race. No link was supplied to the original version of the AP story, so readers who came to this article via the Kennedy website might think that they were getting the AP's portrayal of the candidate as a bipartisan moderate.
"Common-sense get things done guy" was not in the headlines that topped the AP story in most newspapers. That phrase appeared in the article as Kennedy's description of himself and his Democratic votes. In the full AP article, Kennedy's claim was balanced with a description by a Democratic campaign official of Kennedy as an extremist who "is going through an election year makeover," also not included in the website version.
The AP is not pleased about the Kennedy campaign's editing of the article, and its attorney in Washington called the campaign Tuesday afternoon.
The lawyer requested that the material be removed as quickly as possible, said Dave Pyle, AP's Minneapolis bureau chief. "Number one, they are not authorized to use the content. And number two, if they were, they'd never be allowed to alter the content the way they have," Pyle said.
However, Kennedy's just happy to be #1 in something I'm sure.
Political scientist Darrell West of Brown University, who specializes in political communications, said he had never heard of a campaign website that excerpted so aggressively and with such a blatant purpose.
Campaign websites commonly provide online links to articles that are favorable to the candidate, and no one expects a candidate to post an unflattering profile, West said. But Kennedy has gone a step further, he said, excluding all unflattering references on a sentence-by-sentence basis and providing no link to the full version of the article.
Needless to say, Gary et all are up at arms and shrieking about Liberal bias in the media.
Got that? References to comments critical to Kennedy were removed from the campaign website?! Frederickson didn't turn the official Kennedy website into a talking points platform for Democrats? Goebbels would be proud.
Our Minnesota blogging colleagues - a little outfit you might have heard of named Powerline - have long since documented the AP's ideological bent in presidential politics here and their collaboration with terrorism to win a Pulitizer here. It was only a matter of time before the noted wire service would take sides in the U.S. Senate race. Guess which side they chose?
Pyle said he had no current plans to ask Klobuchar or Wetterling to remove the AP articles.
Gary just happens to leave out in his article that the AP is angry because Kennedy's campaign has provided no links to the original content, unlike the other candidates' sites. Looks like Mr. Kennedy has taught his followers well in the "skim for what you want" game. Not that I should be too surprised. It's not the first time DvK has allowed something that showed Kennedy in a bad light to "disappear".
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Update to Yesterday's History Test Post
Why bother to argue when others do it so much better?
The whole comment is fantastic.
(Yesterday's post being referenced is here.)
Here's an alternate test:
1. In WWII, 6 million Jews were killed in concentration camps by -
a) Muslim men between 17-40.
b) Germans, led by Adolf Hitler
c) Jay Leno
d) Harry Potter
2. John F. Kennedy was shot and killed by
a) Lee Harvey Oswald, an American citizen of European descent.
b) a Muslim
c) Jay Leno
d) Harry Potter
3. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzahk Rabin was shot and killed by
a) Muslims
b) A far right-wing Jew
c) Jay Leno
d) Harry Potter
4. The genocide in Rwanda was carried out by
a) Muslims
b) Hutus attacking Tutsis
c) Jay Leno
d) Harry Potter
5. Patty Hearst was kidnapped by
a) Muslim terrorists
b) The SLA, American terrorists
c) Your momma
d) Douglas Giles momma
The whole comment is fantastic.
(Yesterday's post being referenced is here.)
Dan Nye, the Anti-Science Guy
I have to wonder, do IDers ever get embarrassed about the people who write letters on their behalf? For example:
So prove it
Whoa there, Tonto. What the heck does preaching social tolerance have to do with science? That sentence was such a non sequitur that I almost did a spit take with my coffee when I read it.
And here you have the entirety of ID "science". Well, there might be something wrong with evolution (or just something I don't understand)...therefore ID must be true! Science becomes so much easier (and more fun!) when you don't have to prove your theory, just poke holes in other people's.
At the risk of coming off as an even bigger dork than I already do, is it just me or is the "reasoning" behind ID starting to sound like this:
BEDEVERE: Does wood sink in water?
VILLAGER #1: No, no.
VILLAGER #2: It floats! It floats!
VILLAGER #1: Throw her into the pond!
CROWD: The pond!
BEDEVERE: What also floats in water?
VILLAGER #1: Bread!
VILLAGER #2: Apples!
VILLAGER #3: Very small rocks!
VILLAGER #1: Cider!
VILLAGER #2: Great gravy!
VILLAGER #1: Cherries!
VILLAGER #2: Mud!
VILLAGER #3: Churches -- churches!
VILLAGER #2: Lead -- lead!
ARTHUR: A duck.
CROWD: Oooh.
BEDEVERE: Exactly! So, logically...,
VILLAGER #1: If... she.. weighs the same as a duck, she's made of
wood.
BEDEVERE: And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1: A witch!
CROWD: A witch! A duck! A duck!
The face of Intellegent Design.
So prove it
According to the Aug. 6 editorial "Origins / Don't mix science, religion,"[w]e should no longer tolerate the nonsense" that puts intelligent design and evolution on the same plane.
What happened to the supreme virtue of tolerance that the Star Tribune has advocated to justify all of its positions on social issues? What about keeping an open scientific mind?
Whoa there, Tonto. What the heck does preaching social tolerance have to do with science? That sentence was such a non sequitur that I almost did a spit take with my coffee when I read it.
The Star Tribune treats nonevolutionists as scientific idiots. Yet, in all the history of science and mankind, we have no evidence of elements turning into life. Please, bright and enlightened ones, defend evolution with science.
Dan Nye, Edina.
And here you have the entirety of ID "science". Well, there might be something wrong with evolution (or just something I don't understand)...therefore ID must be true! Science becomes so much easier (and more fun!) when you don't have to prove your theory, just poke holes in other people's.
At the risk of coming off as an even bigger dork than I already do, is it just me or is the "reasoning" behind ID starting to sound like this:
BEDEVERE: Does wood sink in water?
VILLAGER #1: No, no.
VILLAGER #2: It floats! It floats!
VILLAGER #1: Throw her into the pond!
CROWD: The pond!
BEDEVERE: What also floats in water?
VILLAGER #1: Bread!
VILLAGER #2: Apples!
VILLAGER #3: Very small rocks!
VILLAGER #1: Cider!
VILLAGER #2: Great gravy!
VILLAGER #1: Cherries!
VILLAGER #2: Mud!
VILLAGER #3: Churches -- churches!
VILLAGER #2: Lead -- lead!
ARTHUR: A duck.
CROWD: Oooh.
BEDEVERE: Exactly! So, logically...,
VILLAGER #1: If... she.. weighs the same as a duck, she's made of
wood.
BEDEVERE: And therefore--?
VILLAGER #1: A witch!
CROWD: A witch! A duck! A duck!
Power Liberal - now with 93% more power
Thank you to Tild for our new header and her unbelievable patience in walking me through the template process.
Citizens League Round Up
I attended the Citizen's League "Policy and a Pint" event last night. It was an interesting and informative evening even if no pint glasses were in evidence. All the beer came in bottles. For shame. But, anyway, Justice Page spoke for about 30 minutes then took questions for another 30.
Justice Page's talk was largely centered around the 8th Circuit Court's decision to strike down many of Minnesota's judicial election restrictions.
(The first link is a .pdf of the decision itself, the second is a story summarizing the case for those who don't like reading judicial opinions.)
Anyway, Justice Page is strongly opposed to open partisanship in judicial elections and at the risk of selling short his reasoning, I will try to sum up his opposition.
What it boils down to is that the judiciary must maintain impartiality as much as possible. Since the judiciary is alone among the three branches in not having enforcement powers it depends most heavily upon the goodwill of the people and their belief in the fairness and impartiality of the system. This fairness is fatally undermined when judges have to begin worrying about pleasing political parties for their campaign money to stay in office. This not only undermines the fairness of their decision making, with long-term consequences for the stability and fairness of the law, but also undermines the public's trust in the judiciary and thus in the rule of law in general. This also addresses the argument that judges are already biased and that this ruling was merely a way for people to understand the judge's biases. While a judge may have a personal bias a good judge should be able to put that aside and rule according to what the law says as best he or she can interpret it. This becomes more difficult when every decision is scrutinized by those holding the judge's future in their hands, and can also be harder to put aside if, for example, one of the lawyers arguing a case before the judge contributes to the judge's reelection campaign and one does not.
That's a pretty quick rehash and I'm sure I missed much of the nuance of the argument, but it gives you an idea, anyway. You want nuance? Come to the next meeting. It was a good time and good discussion followed (and Steve Seel and 89.3 The Current played some good music. It was good all around.)
So, anyway, does anyone have any additional thoughts on this matter? Does anyone disagree with Justice Page? If you don't, here's another issue to consider, which is the fairer system: Minnesota's old system of non-partisan elections or a more federal system of judges being appointed by the governor and approved by the legislature? I can see arguments for both sides.
UPDATE: In his comment, Mr. Sponge points to this article by Spotty the Dog on the same topic. I would suggest it as well. It's Spotty's take on a look at Justice Page's ideas as filtered through the murky waters that are HKK's thoughts. More in the comments.
Justice Page's talk was largely centered around the 8th Circuit Court's decision to strike down many of Minnesota's judicial election restrictions.
(The first link is a .pdf of the decision itself, the second is a story summarizing the case for those who don't like reading judicial opinions.)
Anyway, Justice Page is strongly opposed to open partisanship in judicial elections and at the risk of selling short his reasoning, I will try to sum up his opposition.
What it boils down to is that the judiciary must maintain impartiality as much as possible. Since the judiciary is alone among the three branches in not having enforcement powers it depends most heavily upon the goodwill of the people and their belief in the fairness and impartiality of the system. This fairness is fatally undermined when judges have to begin worrying about pleasing political parties for their campaign money to stay in office. This not only undermines the fairness of their decision making, with long-term consequences for the stability and fairness of the law, but also undermines the public's trust in the judiciary and thus in the rule of law in general. This also addresses the argument that judges are already biased and that this ruling was merely a way for people to understand the judge's biases. While a judge may have a personal bias a good judge should be able to put that aside and rule according to what the law says as best he or she can interpret it. This becomes more difficult when every decision is scrutinized by those holding the judge's future in their hands, and can also be harder to put aside if, for example, one of the lawyers arguing a case before the judge contributes to the judge's reelection campaign and one does not.
That's a pretty quick rehash and I'm sure I missed much of the nuance of the argument, but it gives you an idea, anyway. You want nuance? Come to the next meeting. It was a good time and good discussion followed (and Steve Seel and 89.3 The Current played some good music. It was good all around.)
So, anyway, does anyone have any additional thoughts on this matter? Does anyone disagree with Justice Page? If you don't, here's another issue to consider, which is the fairer system: Minnesota's old system of non-partisan elections or a more federal system of judges being appointed by the governor and approved by the legislature? I can see arguments for both sides.
UPDATE: In his comment, Mr. Sponge points to this article by Spotty the Dog on the same topic. I would suggest it as well. It's Spotty's take on a look at Justice Page's ideas as filtered through the murky waters that are HKK's thoughts. More in the comments.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Stand Up
I thought originally that Minnesotans for life was a cute little MCCL blog for press releases. Boy, was I wrong:
You were more effective when you had your cute bitty baby pictures.
The comments are filling up with those who are standing up to agree with the Emily's List commentor. Please stand up as well.
It all started when I insinuated that folk at EMILY's List engage in "baby killing." Apparently that struck a nerve with the EMILY's List employee. The comment that was left was so absurd, so beyond the pale of normalcy, so made up that I decided to post it below for everyone to see:
anonymous said...
Privacy is a right protected by the constitution. At EMILY's list, we help women running for office that support the right to privacy for women. Killing babies is a crime in the United States, and we do not support anyone who kills babies.
Would everyone that buys this crap please stand up? Bueller? Bueller? Beuller? That's what thought. Carefeul, don't step in it.
You were more effective when you had your cute bitty baby pictures.
The comments are filling up with those who are standing up to agree with the Emily's List commentor. Please stand up as well.
For those of you who like to plan ahead
The MOB's favorite liberal is having his birthday bash on the 19th of August.
Rumor has it there will be cake as well.
Updated because I like this version better.
Rumor has it there will be cake as well.
Updated because I like this version better.
Town Hall Does Tough Love
Big example to the right of why even if I agreed with you I could never be on your side.
That, and Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd would never work together on anything.
That, and Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd would never work together on anything.
I Apologize in Advance
Come and listen to a story about a man named Sol
A poor old farmer, barely had any money at all,
Then one day he was herdin' some sheep,
When Sol's Geiger Counter went beep beep beep.
Uranium that is, yellowcake, bomb fuel
A poor old farmer, barely had any money at all,
Then one day he was herdin' some sheep,
When Sol's Geiger Counter went beep beep beep.
Uranium that is, yellowcake, bomb fuel
A Failure To Communicate
Proof once again that our president is a classy courageous man who stands behind his decisions.
Mother of dead soldier protests
He could have had the deputies invite her up to the ranch alone and spoken with her privately. But that would have required him to hear criticism and, since he's never made a mistake, criticism is unwarranted. Besides, he only has five weeks of vacation. Don't want to waste precious brush clearing time on something like this, right?
So instead the deputies use Cool Hand Luke style tactics of pointless tasks and humiliation. "walk in that ditch" "you didn't walk in the ditch right, go home" Maybe they should have had her dig a hole and then fill it back in.
Mother of dead soldier protests
CRAWFORD, TEXAS -- The angry mother of a fallen U.S. soldier staged a protest near President Bush's ranch Saturday, demanding an accounting from the president of how he has conducted the war in Iraq.
[snip]
Sheehan's bus pulled up at a house run by peace activists a few hundred feet from the town's only stoplight. There, she met up with other demonstrators and then led a caravan of about 20 vehicles down a winding road toward Bush's ranch.
The group stopped along the way, and sheriff's deputies in McLennan County advised them that if they wanted to go farther toward the ranch, they would have to walk in a ditch along the road.
The marchers walked about half a mile, until they were again stopped by deputies, who said that the demonstrators had violated instructions by walking on the road itself instead of staying in the adjacent ditch.
Sheehan protested, saying she had not walked on the road. The deputies refused to let her go farther.
He could have had the deputies invite her up to the ranch alone and spoken with her privately. But that would have required him to hear criticism and, since he's never made a mistake, criticism is unwarranted. Besides, he only has five weeks of vacation. Don't want to waste precious brush clearing time on something like this, right?
So instead the deputies use Cool Hand Luke style tactics of pointless tasks and humiliation. "walk in that ditch" "you didn't walk in the ditch right, go home" Maybe they should have had her dig a hole and then fill it back in.
K. J. Lopez, is that you?
Is it just me, or has the Strib added K. Lo (from NRO's The Corner) to their editorial board? How else to explain this editorial?
'Snuppy'/Why clone a doltish dog, or any?
I don't know why they bothered to include that "or any" bit because the entire actual editorial content of this stinker is this:
That's it. Glad I paid my $.35 for those deep thoughts. The rest of the article is ruminations on smart dogs and dumb dogs written like a middle school paper on "Why My Dog Spot Is The BESTEST". I'm surprised this paragraph:
didn't end with "OMG!!! LOL!!"
Yeesh.
'Snuppy'/Why clone a doltish dog, or any?
I don't know why they bothered to include that "or any" bit because the entire actual editorial content of this stinker is this:
And can we now please put a stop to dog cloning? It's almost as tasteless as attempting to clone human beings.
That's it. Glad I paid my $.35 for those deep thoughts. The rest of the article is ruminations on smart dogs and dumb dogs written like a middle school paper on "Why My Dog Spot Is The BESTEST". I'm surprised this paragraph:
Oh, and the finest dog in the world, the Norwegian elkhound, against whom Westminster judges clearly are prejudiced, ranks 36, which is "above average" for working dogs and puts the elkhound right at home in the land of Lake Wobegon.
didn't end with "OMG!!! LOL!!"
Yeesh.
Doran
Hammer over at Three Way News posts about Kelly Doran's anti-Kennedy radio ads. (based on information from an Inside Minnesota Politics podcast.)
This reminded me of something I'd been wondering about...just how much money does this guy have? Last week I drove up to northern MN and couldn't help but notice that Doran had billboards seemingly every couple of miles. Not just on the interstate, but secondary highways as well.
He's aggressive, I'll give him that. The elections more than a year away and he's already generating a lot of talk (mainly by dropping a lot of cash). It will be interesting to see if he can maintain this, especially once all of the other candidates start seriously promoting themselves.
This reminded me of something I'd been wondering about...just how much money does this guy have? Last week I drove up to northern MN and couldn't help but notice that Doran had billboards seemingly every couple of miles. Not just on the interstate, but secondary highways as well.
He's aggressive, I'll give him that. The elections more than a year away and he's already generating a lot of talk (mainly by dropping a lot of cash). It will be interesting to see if he can maintain this, especially once all of the other candidates start seriously promoting themselves.
Sunday, August 07, 2005
Reminder
Tomorrow night (that's Monday, August 8th) The Citizen's League and 89.3 The Current invite you to join them at Solera on Hennepin Avenue in Downtown Mpls. Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page will be there to discuss the Supreme Court and its role in our lives and in society. There is a $10 cover charge. Appetizers are free (and if you've ever been to Solera, the appetizers are fantastic!). Cash bar. Doors open at 5:00 pm, the program starts at 6:00.
My condolences
I didn't realize Peter Jennings illness had become terminal. And the news will never be the same again.
Found via Clever Peasantry.
Found via Clever Peasantry.
Curing the Flu
It's wonderful that scientists have already developed a mostly successful vaccine against the "avian flu" but I have to ask...how did this vaccine come about so quickly? Billions of dollars and years of research have been poured into researching AIDS and other viral diseases with little results. I have often heard that viral diseases are virtually impossible to cure, so why was this so relatively easy? Anybody knowledgeable on this subject care to chime in?
It seems as if
Bloggers who spend the most time asserting that there is no right to privacy tend to always be the most entrenched behind their anonymous handles.
Hat tip Eva.
Hat tip Eva.
House Hunting Re-redux
I don't have a single pair of shoes both in the last year, and that includes the ones I wore on my wedding day. How am I supposed to buy a house?
First confession: the standing water house was my favorite. Lots of good, usable room. Hardwood floors. Sure, it needed paint, and in some cases plaster, and in more cases a total reshaving of every closet door so that they could close. And that standing water thing could be fixed if we put on a new door to the cellar, one that actually fit in the doorframe so it didn't need to be held on with a wooden bar across it.
All of the appliances were brand new, since I guess they thought it would be easier than fixing the house. And it had a partial bathroom/kitchenette upstairs, since we think it was supposed to be a duplex before they gave up half way before converting it. It had a fantastic laundry room, except for the fact that the stair case was two feet from the ceiling to get into the basement, so you literally had to limbo your way down.
I know it was a junker. It was huge, cheap, and still had been on the market two days shy of a year. But I'm terrified to spend a lot of money on something and still have it not be what we want. At least this would have been a huge chunk of change off, and if it's ugly and creaky and molded, we could say, "Yeah, but I got it for a deal."
I think our dream house is out there somewhere, or at least as dreamy as we can get with our tiny sum. I'm hoping that right now I'm just feeling affinity to the nightmares because it's a purposeful wrong you know you will hate, rather than getting yourself built up and having it be a disappointment once we buy it. I don't have the mortgage yet, but I'm pre-approved for buyer's remorse.
First confession: the standing water house was my favorite. Lots of good, usable room. Hardwood floors. Sure, it needed paint, and in some cases plaster, and in more cases a total reshaving of every closet door so that they could close. And that standing water thing could be fixed if we put on a new door to the cellar, one that actually fit in the doorframe so it didn't need to be held on with a wooden bar across it.
All of the appliances were brand new, since I guess they thought it would be easier than fixing the house. And it had a partial bathroom/kitchenette upstairs, since we think it was supposed to be a duplex before they gave up half way before converting it. It had a fantastic laundry room, except for the fact that the stair case was two feet from the ceiling to get into the basement, so you literally had to limbo your way down.
I know it was a junker. It was huge, cheap, and still had been on the market two days shy of a year. But I'm terrified to spend a lot of money on something and still have it not be what we want. At least this would have been a huge chunk of change off, and if it's ugly and creaky and molded, we could say, "Yeah, but I got it for a deal."
I think our dream house is out there somewhere, or at least as dreamy as we can get with our tiny sum. I'm hoping that right now I'm just feeling affinity to the nightmares because it's a purposeful wrong you know you will hate, rather than getting yourself built up and having it be a disappointment once we buy it. I don't have the mortgage yet, but I'm pre-approved for buyer's remorse.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
House Hunting Redux
Well, looked at around 10 houses in NE Minneapolis today. Most total rejects (standing water in the basement? lovely! we could get goldfish!). Two that didn't look like they were going to fall down around our ears and one actual prospect-built in 1925 with all of the old-world charm that that implies. We're going to take a few days to review notes then start up again on Tuesday. Hopefully, that crop will be a little more exciting.
Friday, August 05, 2005
It was all an emormous ploy
I finally figured out what was behind the Novak blow-up on CNN yesterday. It was a ploy, and liberals are falling for it.
I was just listening to the Wendy Wilde show, and as the sotry was being discussed, a caller did the inevitable and quoted Novak in all of his dasterdly glory. I'm sure the show will be looking at a fine.
It's insidious. None of the right-wing radio nuts will probably be talking about it, only the lefties. And someone's going to say the word. Then they can be fined. Perhaps eventually bankrupted due to Novakian profanity-laced gossiping.
Novak, you slippery devil. I shall be waiting for your return to CNN after your "rest" when you can drop a Cheney-like effer, and continue to slowly clean out the liberal media's coffers.
I was just listening to the Wendy Wilde show, and as the sotry was being discussed, a caller did the inevitable and quoted Novak in all of his dasterdly glory. I'm sure the show will be looking at a fine.
It's insidious. None of the right-wing radio nuts will probably be talking about it, only the lefties. And someone's going to say the word. Then they can be fined. Perhaps eventually bankrupted due to Novakian profanity-laced gossiping.
Novak, you slippery devil. I shall be waiting for your return to CNN after your "rest" when you can drop a Cheney-like effer, and continue to slowly clean out the liberal media's coffers.
Franco-Israeli Relations Warming?
I wonder what the wingnuts will think of this war if the real winner is France?
With American Fortunes Waning, Israel Turns - to France!
So, for those of you playing along at home, the "pros" of this war are:
It got rid of Saddam!
The "cons" are:
it has now killed 1,800+ soldiers; drained our treasury; inflamed the Arab world; tied down the military; strained our alliances with many countries; damaged our intellegence community; killed possibly hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; failed to turn up any WMDs or ties to Al-Queda; not produced anything approaching a stable democracy; caused the US to turn into a torture sponsoring state; interrupted the lives of tens of thousands of members of the reserves and NG; increased Iran's power in the region; failed to prevent additional terror attacks; and now has severely damaged our diplomatic standing and ability for future influence in the region.
And that's just off the top of my head.
Article via the indispensable Watching America.
With American Fortunes Waning, Israel Turns - to France!
Reeling from the shock of Washington's setbacks in Iraq, President Ariel Sharon has decided to dramatically alter Israel's foreign policy by seeking the help of a nation that still has some Middle East credibility - France. Paris - eager to roll back some the U.S.' overweening influence - has happily grasped Sharon's outstretched hand.
So, for those of you playing along at home, the "pros" of this war are:
It got rid of Saddam!
The "cons" are:
it has now killed 1,800+ soldiers; drained our treasury; inflamed the Arab world; tied down the military; strained our alliances with many countries; damaged our intellegence community; killed possibly hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; failed to turn up any WMDs or ties to Al-Queda; not produced anything approaching a stable democracy; caused the US to turn into a torture sponsoring state; interrupted the lives of tens of thousands of members of the reserves and NG; increased Iran's power in the region; failed to prevent additional terror attacks; and now has severely damaged our diplomatic standing and ability for future influence in the region.
And that's just off the top of my head.
Article via the indispensable Watching America.
Smilin' Norm Angers the Anti-Abortion Crowd
Coleman's shift alarms prolifers
What? Norm "I am a Democrat" Coleman completely changed his position on an issue for political gain? Stop the presses! I never saw that coming.
Coleman got elected because he's a snake. Now you're surprised he bit you? Ha!
Oh, and note to Mary Ann Kuharski, the stem cells they are proposing to harvest aren't the results of abortions. Nice try.
What happened to Sen. Norm Coleman? His recent decision to author legislation to subsidize stem cell research and experimentation with human embryos is more than a "break with President Bush's position." It is a breach of trust with prolife people who supported him. His change of position is shocking and sad.
What? Norm "I am a Democrat" Coleman completely changed his position on an issue for political gain? Stop the presses! I never saw that coming.
Coleman got elected because he's a snake. Now you're surprised he bit you? Ha!
Oh, and note to Mary Ann Kuharski, the stem cells they are proposing to harvest aren't the results of abortions. Nice try.
Friday Morning Cat Blogging - Papisan Edition
It may have been our wedding reception, but June and Nico got the presents. Most expensive cat bed ever.
Don't Cry for me, Arkansas
I think the Walton family is having a Peron moment. Trying to pretend they are champions of the people while robbing their country blind. Playing the role Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice are Pankaj Ghemawat and Ken A. Mark with their piece:
Wal-Mart's true value: It helps the rural poor
Okay, ladies and gentlemen, keep your eye on the rhetorical ball as this piece gets rolling, because it's gonna move fast.
First point-Most criticism of Wal-Mart is about 'treatment of workers'.
Here is what an English teacher would call the thesis statement, or what this article is ostensibly about. As with the first paragraph, the thesis is that Wal-Mart's critics claim that they mistreat their workers and that this criticism is unfair. Implicit in this statement is that Wal-Mart has garnered a large profit off of this (they work that in explicitly further down in the piece, for now it's just implied). Now, apparently, they are going to explain to us why Wal-Mart has managed to make such a huge profit while not exploiting their workers. So:
Fair enough. Wal-Mart has done much to decrease inefficiencies in its supply chain. And that is certainly one way to increase profits without exploiting your workforce. Having lulled you with that little bit of truth, however, the authors now move straight into Lie-Lie Land:
Whoa! What does that have to do with how they treat their workers? Nothing! It's a rhetorical dodge which opens up the second thread of this essay. Namely, that Wal-Mart actually benefits poor consumers. We'll skip all the parts relating to that thread for now and stick with the part about the workers.
So, with that in mind, the next part of the first thread is...nowhere! They never get back to defending Wal-Mart's treatment of its workers. After establishing that as their argument they switch to the 'helping the poor' one and hope you don't notice.
Which might be an acceptable tactic...except that the second argument is also bogus.
You should be tipped off right away when they say things like 'most of the value created by the company is actually pocketed by its customers in the form of lower prices'[emphasis mine]. Remember that the Waltons are collectively worth more than $90 Billion. Remember that Wal-Mart's shareholders are 'not only Sam Walton's heirs but also the millions of Americans who invest in mutual funds and pension plans' in other words, no matter how cheap their prices are, they obviously aren't giving this stuff away. Then there's this:
Eh? They just throw that $16 billion number out there and never bother to explain where it comes from or why locating stores in rural areas 'means' that it saves consumers this much money. But they keep using that figure as gospel truth.
Here they not only don't bother to make up a number for these costs, but they actually kind of admit that Wal-Mart is responsible for a lot of these problems, which kind of undermines that whole 'doesn't exploit workers' argument. They seem to be arguing here that Wal-Mart does exploit its workers, but that's okay because they give back more than they take.
The authors then attempt to a bizzaro-world argument that Wal-Mart operates as some kind of charity:
I'm not sure why exactly the amount of space in your average big box retailer has anything to do with anything. Wal-Mart serves a market which may be underserved, but that doesn't mean they do it for altruistic reasons. Nor does it mean they pulling people out of poverty or some such nonsense.
Let's consider something a little harder to quantify. If I have $20 and I want to buy an umbrella and an umbrella from Wal-Mart costs me $5 and an umbrella from a department store costs me $15 then I've saved $15, or 3/4s of my money, if I buy it from Wal-Mart, right?
But if my $5 umbrella from Wal-Mart is poorly constructed and the first time it catches the wind in a storm it breaks, then I'm out $5 after the first storm, whereas if I had spent the $20 to begin with I might have an umbrella that lasts me for years. Now that I only have $15, however, I have little choice but to go back and buy another $5 model from Wal-Mart. When that breaks a couple of weeks later I have to go buy another one.
I could argue that I was saving $15 on each of those purchases, but I'm really not. Because after four such purchases I'm actually $20 less well off than if I had bought something of better quality to begin with.
This is an extreme example, but anyone who has actually shopped at Wal-Mart knows what I'm talking about here. Many of their durable goods are, to put it mildly, not meant to last. This creates a cycle of losing money by paying less.
All of this, of course, doesn't take into account a whole host of other issues. Costco keeps their prices low while still paying their workers better, how is that possible? Wal-Mart keeps prices low by exploiting cheap overseas labor how does that square with this 'helping the poor' image? This article mentions that raising the pay of Wal-Mart employees would raise the cost of their goods. But for such an 'efficiency based retailer' would the raise in wages (and therefore purchasing power) of their employees not outweigh the associated rise in costs?
This is just a poorly thought out and poorly disguised piece of corporate propaganda that you couldn't even sing along to. I don't think they'll be able to get Madonna to do 'Wal-Mart: The Musical'. Maybe Ashlee Simpson...
Wal-Mart's true value: It helps the rural poor
Okay, ladies and gentlemen, keep your eye on the rhetorical ball as this piece gets rolling, because it's gonna move fast.
Nowadays, mighty Wal-Mart's headquarters in Bentonville, Ark., must feel less like a hotbed of retailing than like a war room. The company faces a groundswell of criticism, largely focused on its treatment of workers.
First point-Most criticism of Wal-Mart is about 'treatment of workers'.
From low wages to limited health care coverage, Wal-Mart has some issues to tackle, and it has mostly responded with feel-good television advertisements and denial. But to chalk up Wal-Mart's success simply to the exploitation of its work force, as many of the company's most ferocious critics do, is simply wrong, for two reasons.
Here is what an English teacher would call the thesis statement, or what this article is ostensibly about. As with the first paragraph, the thesis is that Wal-Mart's critics claim that they mistreat their workers and that this criticism is unfair. Implicit in this statement is that Wal-Mart has garnered a large profit off of this (they work that in explicitly further down in the piece, for now it's just implied). Now, apparently, they are going to explain to us why Wal-Mart has managed to make such a huge profit while not exploiting their workers. So:
First, Wal-Mart hasn't just sliced up the economic pie in a way that favors one group over another.
Rather, it has made the total pie bigger. Consider, for example, the conclusions of the McKinsey Global Institute's study of U.S. labor productivity growth from 1995 to 2000.
Robert Solow, a Nobel laureate in economics and an adviser on the study, noted that the most important factor in the growth of productivity was Wal-Mart. And because the study measured productivity per man hour rather than per payroll dollar, low hourly wages cannot explain the increase.
Fair enough. Wal-Mart has done much to decrease inefficiencies in its supply chain. And that is certainly one way to increase profits without exploiting your workforce. Having lulled you with that little bit of truth, however, the authors now move straight into Lie-Lie Land:
Second, most of the value created by the company is actually pocketed by its customers in the form of lower prices. According to one recent academic study, when Wal-Mart enters a market, prices decrease by 8 percent in rural areas and 5 percent in urban areas.
Whoa! What does that have to do with how they treat their workers? Nothing! It's a rhetorical dodge which opens up the second thread of this essay. Namely, that Wal-Mart actually benefits poor consumers. We'll skip all the parts relating to that thread for now and stick with the part about the workers.
So, with that in mind, the next part of the first thread is...nowhere! They never get back to defending Wal-Mart's treatment of its workers. After establishing that as their argument they switch to the 'helping the poor' one and hope you don't notice.
Which might be an acceptable tactic...except that the second argument is also bogus.
You should be tipped off right away when they say things like 'most of the value created by the company is actually pocketed by its customers in the form of lower prices'[emphasis mine]. Remember that the Waltons are collectively worth more than $90 Billion. Remember that Wal-Mart's shareholders are 'not only Sam Walton's heirs but also the millions of Americans who invest in mutual funds and pension plans' in other words, no matter how cheap their prices are, they obviously aren't giving this stuff away. Then there's this:
With two-thirds of Wal-Mart stores in rural areas, this means that Wal-Mart saves its consumers something like $16 billion a year.
Eh? They just throw that $16 billion number out there and never bother to explain where it comes from or why locating stores in rural areas 'means' that it saves consumers this much money. But they keep using that figure as gospel truth.
These kinds of savings to customers far exceed the costs that Wal-Mart supposedly imposes on society by securing subsidies, destroying jobs in competing stores, driving employees toward public welfare systems and creating urban sprawl.
Even if these offenses could all be ascribed to Wal-Mart, their costs wouldn't add up to anything like $16 billion.
Here they not only don't bother to make up a number for these costs, but they actually kind of admit that Wal-Mart is responsible for a lot of these problems, which kind of undermines that whole 'doesn't exploit workers' argument. They seem to be arguing here that Wal-Mart does exploit its workers, but that's okay because they give back more than they take.
The authors then attempt to a bizzaro-world argument that Wal-Mart operates as some kind of charity:
The answer depends on who these consumers are, and Wal-Mart's customers tend to be the Americans who need the most help. Our research shows that Wal-Mart operates 2½ times as much selling space per inhabitant in the poorest third of states as in the richest third. And within that poorest third of states, 80 percent of Wal-Mart's square footage is in the 25 percent of ZIP codes with the greatest number of poor households.
Without the much-maligned Wal-Mart, the rural poor, in particular, would pay several percentage points more for the food and other merchandise that after housing is their largest household expense.
I'm not sure why exactly the amount of space in your average big box retailer has anything to do with anything. Wal-Mart serves a market which may be underserved, but that doesn't mean they do it for altruistic reasons. Nor does it mean they pulling people out of poverty or some such nonsense.
Let's consider something a little harder to quantify. If I have $20 and I want to buy an umbrella and an umbrella from Wal-Mart costs me $5 and an umbrella from a department store costs me $15 then I've saved $15, or 3/4s of my money, if I buy it from Wal-Mart, right?
But if my $5 umbrella from Wal-Mart is poorly constructed and the first time it catches the wind in a storm it breaks, then I'm out $5 after the first storm, whereas if I had spent the $20 to begin with I might have an umbrella that lasts me for years. Now that I only have $15, however, I have little choice but to go back and buy another $5 model from Wal-Mart. When that breaks a couple of weeks later I have to go buy another one.
I could argue that I was saving $15 on each of those purchases, but I'm really not. Because after four such purchases I'm actually $20 less well off than if I had bought something of better quality to begin with.
This is an extreme example, but anyone who has actually shopped at Wal-Mart knows what I'm talking about here. Many of their durable goods are, to put it mildly, not meant to last. This creates a cycle of losing money by paying less.
All of this, of course, doesn't take into account a whole host of other issues. Costco keeps their prices low while still paying their workers better, how is that possible? Wal-Mart keeps prices low by exploiting cheap overseas labor how does that square with this 'helping the poor' image? This article mentions that raising the pay of Wal-Mart employees would raise the cost of their goods. But for such an 'efficiency based retailer' would the raise in wages (and therefore purchasing power) of their employees not outweigh the associated rise in costs?
This is just a poorly thought out and poorly disguised piece of corporate propaganda that you couldn't even sing along to. I don't think they'll be able to get Madonna to do 'Wal-Mart: The Musical'. Maybe Ashlee Simpson...
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