Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
YOGA AND SEX SCANDALS
Interesting.
Why does yoga produce so many philanderers? And why do the resulting uproars leave so many people shocked and distraught?
One factor is ignorance. Yoga teachers and how-to books seldom mention that the discipline began as a sex cult — an omission that leaves many practitioners open to libidinal surprise.
Why does yoga produce so many philanderers? And why do the resulting uproars leave so many people shocked and distraught?
One factor is ignorance. Yoga teachers and how-to books seldom mention that the discipline began as a sex cult — an omission that leaves many practitioners open to libidinal surprise.
BBC TREATS CHRISTIANITY UNFAIRLY
This is the BBC's statement! BBC director-general Mark Thompson has claimed Christianity is treated with far less sensitivity than other religions because it is ‘pretty broad shouldered’.
But he also revealed that producers had to consider the possibilities of ‘violent threats’ instead of polite complaints if they pushed ahead with certain types of satire.
And he argues that race should be treated more sensitively than religion.
But he also revealed that producers had to consider the possibilities of ‘violent threats’ instead of polite complaints if they pushed ahead with certain types of satire.
And he argues that race should be treated more sensitively than religion.
"SMART DIPLOMACY" IN IRAN
The Obama administration failed to help the opposition in Iran and instead tried to work with a regime that is using terror on its own population and building nukes. Why is the administration big on supporting the opposition in Egypt or Syria, but doing nothing to work with the opposition in Iran? This is an interesting case of failed "back door" diplomacy that gets rather complicated.
Of course, there is a scandal here. A terrible policy scandal. The Obama administration didn’t do — and still hasn’t done — anything to help the opposition in Iran. The Green Movement’s top leaders have been held in solitary confinement for more than a year. Thousands of dissidents, journalists, bloggers, and normal citizens have been imprisoned, tortured, and executed, and the dreadful repression continues apace, as does the terror war against us and our soldiers on the battlefield. The president has still not called for an end to the monstrous theocratic tyranny. Instead, he has catered to the needs of the evil regime, at the cost of American lives, our national security, and his personal legacy.
Of course, there is a scandal here. A terrible policy scandal. The Obama administration didn’t do — and still hasn’t done — anything to help the opposition in Iran. The Green Movement’s top leaders have been held in solitary confinement for more than a year. Thousands of dissidents, journalists, bloggers, and normal citizens have been imprisoned, tortured, and executed, and the dreadful repression continues apace, as does the terror war against us and our soldiers on the battlefield. The president has still not called for an end to the monstrous theocratic tyranny. Instead, he has catered to the needs of the evil regime, at the cost of American lives, our national security, and his personal legacy.
Monday, February 27, 2012
COLLEGE DEGREE: 1950s vs. 2010s
Today's college degree is the equivalent of a 1950s high school diploma.
Friday, February 24, 2012
MAGIC UNDERWEAR
A New York Times columnist has mocked Mitt Romney's Mormon "magic underwear." I am not sure why this is tolerated when comments about a person's race similar to this kind of ridicule result in someone being fired.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
MAPPING US CENSUS
An interactive map from the New York Times showing population data in all US counties.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
3 REASONS WHY COLLEGES ARE IN TROUBLE
CBS news. 1) dwindling family income; 2) dwindling state support; 3) skyrocketing student debt.
IRANIAN BOMBERS IN THAILAND
From ABC news. Bombers are using $27 radios to hide their bombs. The pictures are most interesting and revealing.
MUSLIM ARRESTS ON CONTINENTAL FLIGHT
Haven't seen this on the mainstream media: Muslims screaming "Allahu Akbar" on Portland to Houston flight. And the reason the flight turned around was that they were disobeying the "No Smoking" sign.
Saturday, February 18, 2012
UPRISING IN SYRIA
One factor that has not been given a lot of evaluation is the role Al-Qaeda in playing in the efforts to topple Assad's regime in Syria. And why are Saudis and other Sunnis supporting the overthrow of the Assad regime? Assad is supported by Shiite Iran--underneath the surface there is a sectarian Islamic religious battle going on. If Syria becomes a Shiite ally of Iran, it changes the power balance in the Middle East and threatens the Sunni states. So it is in the interest of the Arab League to overthrow the Assad regime in spite of the risks involved. Iranian naval ships have sailed through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean and are rumored to be headed to Syrian ports. This is probably more a show of support for Assad than anything else.
MORE ON BIRTH TRENDS & DEMOGRAPHY
Mark Steyn argues that it is foolish for the Obama administration to get into an argument about birth control when the demographic stats point to some serious problems ahead. He uses an administration-generated chart to make his point with regard to how a smaller population will ever pay off the debt the US is acquiring.
Will America be another Greece? In Greece, 100 grandparents have 42 grandchildren — i.e., an upside-down family tree. As I wrote in this space a few weeks ago, "If 100 geezers run up a bazillion dollars' worth of debt, is it likely that 42 youngsters will ever be able to pay it off?"
For America: Nevertheless, the Baby Boomers did not have enough children to maintain mid-20th century social programs. As a result, the children they did have will end their lives in a poorer, uglier, sicker, more divided and more violent society.
But what really caught my attention was his reference to Louis XVI's budget in France before the 1789 revolution. For purposes of comparison, by 1788 Louis XVI's government in France was spending a mere 60% of revenues on debt service, and we know how that worked out for His Majesty shortly thereafter. I am not sure where he got 60%, because I have seen higher figures than this one. The French government was so indebted it could not even develop an infrastructure to compete with England in the rising Industrial Revolution.
Will America be another Greece? In Greece, 100 grandparents have 42 grandchildren — i.e., an upside-down family tree. As I wrote in this space a few weeks ago, "If 100 geezers run up a bazillion dollars' worth of debt, is it likely that 42 youngsters will ever be able to pay it off?"
For America: Nevertheless, the Baby Boomers did not have enough children to maintain mid-20th century social programs. As a result, the children they did have will end their lives in a poorer, uglier, sicker, more divided and more violent society.
But what really caught my attention was his reference to Louis XVI's budget in France before the 1789 revolution. For purposes of comparison, by 1788 Louis XVI's government in France was spending a mere 60% of revenues on debt service, and we know how that worked out for His Majesty shortly thereafter. I am not sure where he got 60%, because I have seen higher figures than this one. The French government was so indebted it could not even develop an infrastructure to compete with England in the rising Industrial Revolution.
Friday, February 17, 2012
CULTURE OF CORRUPTION
It sounds like Chicago corruption has hit Washington. Solyndra was just the start of green-energy corruption. And in other cases it just not seem to make economic sense. For example: Our U.S. Navy is spending lots of our green to go green too. They recently committed $12 million to purchase 450,000 gallons of biofuel at about $26.75 per gallon in order to offset requirements for standard JP-5 aircraft jet fuel that costs less than $3 per gallon. The good news is that the total fuel price will be only about five times more (rather than 9 times) after it is mixed with the standard stuff.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
From the Washington Post. Energy companies benefited from "insider" contacts when $3.9 billion in government grants were administered.
White House officials stress that staffers and advisers with venture capital ties did not make funding decisions related to these companies. But e-mails released in a congressional probe of Obama’s clean-tech program show that staff and advisers with links to venture firms informally advocated for some of those companies.
White House officials stress that staffers and advisers with venture capital ties did not make funding decisions related to these companies. But e-mails released in a congressional probe of Obama’s clean-tech program show that staff and advisers with links to venture firms informally advocated for some of those companies.
OBAMACARE
Is it a tax or isn't it?--the administration has presented differing views.
In a hearing of the House Budget Committee Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., pressed Zients on whether the penalty that the health care law imposes on individuals who do not purchase health insurance constitutes a tax. Eventually, Zients said it did not.
But this directly contradicts one of the arguments the Obama administration is making before the Supreme Court in defense of the health care law, which is that the mandate is Constitutional because it's a tax and government has taxing power.
In a hearing of the House Budget Committee Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J., pressed Zients on whether the penalty that the health care law imposes on individuals who do not purchase health insurance constitutes a tax. Eventually, Zients said it did not.
But this directly contradicts one of the arguments the Obama administration is making before the Supreme Court in defense of the health care law, which is that the mandate is Constitutional because it's a tax and government has taxing power.
OBAMA ON FAILED CAMPAIGN PROMISES
"Well we're not there because this recession turned out to be a lot deeper than any of else realized," Obama said about his inability to cut the deficit in half.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
EUGENICS AT YALE
Evidentally the president of Yale only wanted to save children of the staff at Oxford and Cambridge for eugenic reasons. And anti-semitism was a dominant form of thinking as well.
There are now concerns that leaders of the eugenics movement at Yale University may have extended the invitation because they planned to repopulate a devastated Britain with a race of intellectually superior children.
Darwin's son:
Charles Darwin's son Leonard, saw the human race as no different to animals and similarly, 'weak' humans should not be encourage to breed.
There are now concerns that leaders of the eugenics movement at Yale University may have extended the invitation because they planned to repopulate a devastated Britain with a race of intellectually superior children.
Darwin's son:
Charles Darwin's son Leonard, saw the human race as no different to animals and similarly, 'weak' humans should not be encourage to breed.
Friday, February 10, 2012
JFK'S AFFAIRS
A compilation from the Daily Beast. Beast TV comments in video. Historian Robert Dallek on whether JFK was too immoral to serve.
Presidential character matters and not just for the symbolic reasons I mentioned. Wouldn’t the country have been better served taking account of Harding’s moral failings? Certainly, voters acted recklessly in ignoring complaints that Nixon, despite assertions that we were dealing with the “new” Nixon, deserved the epithet, “tricky Dick.” We were certainly forewarned about Clinton’s womanizing, which undermined his presidency. James Monroe’s assertion that “national honor is the national property of the highest value” remains an enduring ideal.
Presidential character matters and not just for the symbolic reasons I mentioned. Wouldn’t the country have been better served taking account of Harding’s moral failings? Certainly, voters acted recklessly in ignoring complaints that Nixon, despite assertions that we were dealing with the “new” Nixon, deserved the epithet, “tricky Dick.” We were certainly forewarned about Clinton’s womanizing, which undermined his presidency. James Monroe’s assertion that “national honor is the national property of the highest value” remains an enduring ideal.
IRAN, SYRIA, AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
I have been puzzled by the Obama administration's policy in the Middle East in general, but especially with how it has handled Iran and Syria. The administration's rhetoric wants to use the negotiation route with Iran but then in Syria it wants to overthrow Assad. Obviously Assad is killing many protestors opposed to him, but Iran has done the same thing over the years. And it is increasingly clear that Iranian troops are helping Assad. So it would seem that it you want to get rid of Assad, one should pressure Iran to stop helping him militarily.
CHRIS MATTHEWS ON OBAMA'S CONTRACEPTION RULING
Even the solidly Democrat TV commentator Chris Matthews disagrees with Obama's decision on forcing Christian organizations to include contraception in their health insurance plans.
OBAMA'S YOUTH PROBLEM
The economic situation of some of Obama's biggest supporters in 2008 is dismal according to a PEW study.
The unemployment rate among 18-to-24 year olds was 16.3% at the end of last year, compared with 8.8% for the rest of the working-age population. That gap in unemployment rates, the Pew study notes, is "the widest in recorded history."
The unemployment rate among 18-to-24 year olds was 16.3% at the end of last year, compared with 8.8% for the rest of the working-age population. That gap in unemployment rates, the Pew study notes, is "the widest in recorded history."
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
NAZI FAMILY VALUES
From the Hoover Digest. A collection of pictures, posters, etc.
Among Nazi memorabilia there exist albums of photographs that once belonged to high Nazi officials. Such albums are visual records of the careers of these officials, as telling as any curriculum vitae, and contain more information than any mere list of “accomplishments” can. Found in the ruins of Berlin at the close of World War II, these and other such albums left Germany through channels both official and unofficial. What matters now, more than sixty-five years later, is not the story of their discovery and transport out of Germany but their ultimate fate. Some were acquired by repositories such as the Hoover Archives, where today they can be consulted by historians and other researchers, especially those interested in what might be called the psychic structure of the Nazi state.
Among Nazi memorabilia there exist albums of photographs that once belonged to high Nazi officials. Such albums are visual records of the careers of these officials, as telling as any curriculum vitae, and contain more information than any mere list of “accomplishments” can. Found in the ruins of Berlin at the close of World War II, these and other such albums left Germany through channels both official and unofficial. What matters now, more than sixty-five years later, is not the story of their discovery and transport out of Germany but their ultimate fate. Some were acquired by repositories such as the Hoover Archives, where today they can be consulted by historians and other researchers, especially those interested in what might be called the psychic structure of the Nazi state.
Saturday, February 04, 2012
OBAMA'S WAR ON RELIGION
A column by Michael Gerson (first appeared in the Washington Post).
In politics, the timing is often the message. On Jan. 20 — three days before the annual March for Life — the Obama administration announced its final decision that Catholic universities, hospitals and charities will be compelled to pay for health insurance that covers sterilization, contraceptives and abortifacients.
Obama's decision also reflects a certain view of liberalism. Classical liberalism was concerned with the freedom to hold and practice beliefs at odds with a public consensus. Modern liberalism uses the power of the state to impose liberal values on institutions it regards as backward. It is the difference between pluralism and anticlericalism.
In politics, the timing is often the message. On Jan. 20 — three days before the annual March for Life — the Obama administration announced its final decision that Catholic universities, hospitals and charities will be compelled to pay for health insurance that covers sterilization, contraceptives and abortifacients.
Obama's decision also reflects a certain view of liberalism. Classical liberalism was concerned with the freedom to hold and practice beliefs at odds with a public consensus. Modern liberalism uses the power of the state to impose liberal values on institutions it regards as backward. It is the difference between pluralism and anticlericalism.
Friday, February 03, 2012
PROBLEMS WITH POLLING FIGURES
The issue of how political polls are administered is always an issue. Hotair is challenging the methodology of the WAPO/ABC polls on presidential preferences.
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
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