April 03, 2005
It's kind of like an "everything you ever wanted to know about Lost but didn't know who to ask" site. Enjoy.
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A while back I posted my own thoughts on the matter where I referred to the "boiling frog" analogy. I definitely agree with this post - that the frogs are going to jump.
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09:38 PM
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09:30 PM
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Hat tip: The Corner at NRO
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09:19 PM
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God Bless the hero, Karol Wojtyla. Rest in peace."By taking a stand on behalf of the transcendent, John Paul II was offering a standing rebuke to the most evil idea of the 20th century — the idea that it is acceptable to enslave or dispose of human beings in mass numbers in order to achieve radical political aims.
A year after his elevation, he made his world-historical journey back home to Poland. He did not confront the Communist regime. He conducted Mass. He ministered to his suffering countrymen.
But by showing his fellow Poles that there was a force equal to, even superior to, the totalitarian government oppressing them, he gave them new hope. In a matter of months, shipyard workers began a strike in the city of Gdansk — a strike that began the effort at peaceful revolution called Solidarity.
We now know that Communism began to unravel when Solidarity rose. Thus did this anti-political figure make his invaluable contribution to the most hopeful, most thrilling and humane political event of the 20th century. When, over the course of the third millennium, historians seek to take the full measure of the 20th century, they will linger happily over the transcendent role of Pope John Paul II."
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02:18 PM
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12:09 PM
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April 02, 2005
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11:31 PM
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I remember knowing in my gut just after Labor Day that after Nov. 2 we'd be wondering why we thought this doofus actually had a chance. From the article in question:
And he probably really believed that. Isn't that just rich? Bwaa-haa-haa-haa-haa......"John Kerry loves windsurfing, loves it so much he once made the cover of a glossy magazine devoted to the sport. As I report on his presidential campaign, it occurs to me that windsurfing symbolizes his political career—and the strategic theory that could bring him victory in November. For John Kerry doesn’t expect to be admired, let alone beloved. He doesn’t mind being labeled a “flip-flopper.” Indeed, windsurfing is just that: a constant maneuver to fill your sail. Kerry aims to catch the wind—and the drift of history. The war in Iraq is a hurricane, and Kerry hopes to ride it into office.
Kerry’s theory of this campaign is pretty straightforward: to be the guy people have no choice but to vote for on Nov. 2. Not because he has a stirring new vision (he doesn’t); not because he’s such a darned likable guy (he isn’t); but because circumstances are such that fair-minded “swing” voters have no choice but to pick him. He’s not running against the war, per se, but as the nobleman at the end of the Shakespeare play, a beacon of sanity on the battlefield.
An odd mixture of arrogance and self-abnegation, Kerry is under no illusions that voters will embrace him in a personal way. At a meeting with fund-raisers in New York the other month, he declared that his goal was to weather a wave of attacks and “preserve my acceptability.” There you have his strategy in its clinical glory: They don’t have to love me, they don’t even have to like me. If I am in the right place at the right time (and am “acceptable”) they will choose me.
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06:39 PM
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Medical and psychiatry experts are learning more and more with research every day. And many children who have been misdiagnosed with other conditions (ADHD, OCD, etc.) are now getting the help they need as we come to better understand Autism and its signs and symptoms.
Early detection is the key because intervention at a young age can make a tremendous difference in an affected child's life. If you have a child between 18 and 36 months who is not yet speaking, has difficulty with interaction, rarely makes eye contact or even just seems to often be "in another world", I URGE you to educate yourself because it's better to rule it out than overlook it. You know your children best and if something just doesn't seem right you need to go with your instincts and talk to your pediatrician.
Another great resource is Autism Speaks.org, an organization dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of Autism and developing new treatments.
Having a child on the Autistic spectrum can make a parent feel very isolated and frustrated. If you would like to send me an email, I'd be more than happy to share any insights or experiences that I may have on the subject or even lend a sympathetic ear for anyone that may be struggling with this increasingly common situation.
UPDATE (12/8/06):
"Combating Autism Act of 2006" becomes law. Read more here.
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11:38 AM
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11:35 AM
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April 01, 2005
Have fun trying to sleep NOW!
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08:21 PM
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Goldberg highlights why in his piece today, "It's the end of the world, and I feel fine". For example:
- the nation is more heavily forested than it was a hundred years ago
- the bald eagle is thriving - as are black bear and buffalo (the most in history)
- the U.S. uses less land for agricultural purposes than in the past
- air pollution is lower
- drinking water is cleaner
How does a nation of wasteful capitalist pigs accomplish this?
America's environmental revival is a rich and complicated story with many specific exceptions, caveats and, of course, setbacks. But the overarching theme is pretty simple: The richer you get, the healthier your environment gets. This is because rich societies can afford to indulge their environmental interests and movements. Poor countries cannot.
Unsurprisingly, rich countries tend to have a better grasp of economics and the role of markets, private stewardship and property rights, reasonable regulations, and so forth. With the exception of some oil-rich states, they're also almost always democratic and hence have systems that can successfully assign blame to, and demand restitution from, polluters. In socialized economies, a "tragedy of the commons" almost always arises. As Harvard president Lawrence Summers says, nobody's ever washed a rented car.
Cool. So why is the U.S. always the #1 target of environmentalist nutjobs? Simple: Capitalism = triving, Socialism = sucking wind. Since most of these pukes also think Fidel Castro is a hero, it's not hard to see why they'll try to do anything they can to hamper the economic growth of the U.S. Nice try losers. Who was it that once said, "the best revenge is living well"?
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04:47 PM
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"The Liberation Monument is a giant copper obelisk that rises and falls depending on the level of sunlight, and spurts flames out of the top during important festivals...
In full sunlight, the erection reaches a height of ten metres, shrinking back to just six metres when the light dims.
Sounds impressive to me. What's the big deal anyway? I mean after all, America has the Washington Monument. Now how can you not look at that and say it's not a fitting tribute to the "father of our country"?
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03:13 PM
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Well, it seems that there are even more folks these days who want the teams to try and make nice on Sunday night.
But Dean Barnett of the Daily Standard makes it clear how he (and probably a lot of Sox fans) feels about the whole thing. You can read it here.
The money quote:
"I'll make a counter-offer: After the Yankees have gone 86 years without a title, then I will whole-heartedly endorse a group hand shake. By my math, that date should arrive in 2086."
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12:28 PM
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Do campus security forces have to go through the cooler bags of people attending speeches given by Conservatives, looking for any sign of an edible weapon?
Have Leftists started up a “grocery brigade” in an attempt to silence the first amendment rights of those on the Right?
Conservative speakers be warned! You had better take whatever precautions are necessary to protect yourselves or you might be in danger of being deluged with dairy products!
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10:55 AM
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- Jim Geraghty at TKS @ NRO discusses Powerline's outrage over the Sandy Burglar fiasco:
"Because there were some facts out there that were so damning [to the Clinton administration], Sandy Berger was willing to break the law to make sure the public never saw them."- The sad state of affairs (and ratings) for "Air America" chronicled over at Considerettes.
- Raven at "And Rightly So!" shares some important points about "living wills" and "powers of attorney", including a link to the different State requirements. Important stuff in light of recent events. Go check it out!
- mASSBACKWARDS shows why I'd really like to move to New Hampshire one day (on top of the fact there is no state income tax or sales tax). For an amount just under the list price of this house, you can by my considerably smaller, three-bedroom house on less than one acre in Southwestern CT. Sigh.
- and lastly, a really good joke over at BMEWS.
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09:31 AM
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Two months may not seem like much. It's like when you're dating a girl in high school and she runs up to you in the hallway while you're hanging out with all your buddies and says "Guess what? Today is our two month anniversary!" Which is followed by the collective eye-rolling from the other guys.
But the period between two and three months is like a "Bermuda Triangle" of sorts for bloggers. According to Hugh Hewitt, as many as two-thirds of all blogs that pass through this "dead zone" never make it. They either just freeze in time with no updates or they disappear into the ether and a "404 error" message.
It was also cool that at almost the same time, SiteMeter recorded my 1,000 hit yesterday.
But looking back on the last two months, it's clear to me that the question is not can I keep it going - but rather "can I stop?".
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06:35 AM
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March 31, 2005
It's still a bit chilly but my state of mind has improved considerably since all that white sh*t was washed away this week by the cleansing rain showers (and luckily I didn't get any water in the basement).
I've wondered for some time - how bad was this winter? Well, I just got a little reminder today. Stuck in my door was a receipt for an oil delivery. Now back in September I pre-payed my oil through what should have been about the end of May (based on my usage last winter). And all along I've been getting statements - not bills - showing a credit balance gradually getting smaller.
Well, back in Sept. I wrote a check for just over $1,700. Here we are six months later and my latest delivery slip reads $362.
How much do I have left on my credit? $223. Which means the next piece of mail I get from the oil company will be a BILL FOR $139!! And the average daily temp is still hovering in the low fifties!!
So there you have it. My suspicions have been confirmed. This winter TOTALLY SUCKED WAY WORSE THAN LAST YEAR!!
Well, March came in like lion. Here's to hoping it goes out like a hamster. Sheesh!!
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10:49 PM
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Now if we can only get John Kerry to come clean.
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02:44 PM
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