Here is a picture taken from the space shuttle Columbia, on its last mission. Our display format doesn’t come close to doing it justice, so please click on it to see the image in full size. Read the rest of this entry »
We posted this last Wednesday, August 31st. The scope of the disaster was only then becoming apparent, and our editorial board decided that the article should be “suspended” because it was an emotional response to a developing situation. It seemed a little early to be laying blame. The author agreed, on the basis that the article would be republished with this caveat and with some degree of amplification. Here’s the original Katrinagate article, with the amplifications following. Read the rest of this entry »
An editorial cartoon in today’s Denver Post is ridiculous and irritating. It is a blatant propagandist approach to the issue of Supreme Court appointments, from a conservative point of view. It suggests that progressives’ belief that the Constitution is a “living document” means that the Constitution can be “interpreted” any way you like. So it is an editorial “comment” on several issues– judicial activisim, Constitutional interpretation vs “strict construction,” and Supreme Court appointments, to name three. Here’s the cartoon in its original form (click to enlarge): Read the rest of this entry »
The odds are real good that at some time during the last two weeks you paid more for a tankful of gasoline than you ever did before in your entire life. You may not be very happy about it– you have probably complained to your friends and family, and you might even have written a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, but the extent of your protest has been limited by your acceptance of the published “reasons” for high gas prices. Which are almost all lies. Or “disassembly” as our Liar in Chief would say. Read the rest of this entry »
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 provides for substantial subsidies and tax credits to oil companies, for exploration and exploitation of new sources of oil. Exxon Mobil Corp., the number one oil producer and the world’s largest corporation, reported second quarter revenues of $88.57 billion, with net profits of $7.64 billion. Read the rest of this entry »
The newly-passed Energy Policy Act of 2005 is a juicy 1,724 pages of policies, programs, and pork, “An Act to ensure jobs for our future with secure, affordable, and reliable energy.” The Administration and Congress apparently felt that extending Daylight Saving Time for a month would help to “ensure jobs for our future….” As a result of the Act, Daylight Saving Time will begin three weeks earlier and end a week later. In theory, DST reduces energy consumption because people spend more time outdoors after work, and need to turn their lights on later in the evening. Read the rest of this entry »
Following are the first two paragraphs from an article in this morning’s Denver Post. The article appeared under the headline “Family from Northglenn aboard last plane to leave,” by Elizabeth Aguilera, Denver Post Staff Writer. Read the rest of this entry »
The words “First, do no harm,” are not in the Hippocratic oath. Too often, lately, we’ve seen journalists reporting that medical personnel involved in the interrogation of prisoners are violating “their Hippocratic oath,” which says “First, do no harm.” These journalists are showing their ignorance of medical education, modern medical practice, and history, and at the same time they are perpetuating the myth that doctors must commit to a higher moral standard than the rest of us. Read the rest of this entry »
There is very little doubt that the flag burning amendment (more properly, “the flag desecration amendment”) will become a part of the Constitution. We’ll talk about the history of the amendment and summarize the main arguments against it. The history of the amendment will, all by itself, explain why this bad idea is to all intents and purposes a fait accompli. Read the rest of this entry »
If the president appoints John Bolton to the U.N. ambassadorship during the Senate’s recess, he could well be in violation of the Constitution. Read the rest of this entry »