Feb
25
2005
Well, this isn’t totally surprising, now is it! I don’t see why it would be shocking, or even unexpected, that someone who has no qualms about faking that he is a Native American Indian would steal the artistic property of others. And has anyone looked into this guys book and published papers (if one could even stomach such a thing)? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was discovered that this guy had borrowed intellectual property from various literary sources as well.
Perhaps he’ll decide to move to England, change his first name to Winston, and write a series of books about the second world war! Perhaps if he does he’ll earn tenure at Oxford!
(Stovepipe hat tip: Michelle Malkin)
Feb
22
2005
Collaring Michael Schiavo
Filed Under Law and Ethics | 23 Comments
Collaring Michael Schiavo
Filed Under Law and Ethics | 23 Comments
What will the morning bring for Terri Shindler-Schiavo? Today brought one Judge who allowed Michael Schiavo to have her feeding tube removed, and another Judge who ordered an emergency stay which blocks the removal. [also here]
And, on the radio I just heard a portion of a news cast which suggested there will be an application for a new legal battle based on the assisted suicide laws. How obvious! Of course this case falls into that arena, Mr. Schiavo’s entire case hinges on his contention that he had a suicide pact with his wife should she ever need life support! I am not a legal expert, but I am hoping that his attempt to become an accomplice to her suicide puts him in legal jeopardy.
At the very least, let’s all hope that her parents win their battle to become her guardian.
The parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, sought the stay in hopes of keeping their daughter alive long enough for them to file additional legal pleadings. They are trying to oust their son-in-law as her guardian and seeking medical tests which might back their assertion that their daughter has some mental capabilities
If attempts to have it recognized that she does have some mental capacity fail, another new strategy to keep her alive comes with the Pope’s pronouncement that hospitals are “morally obligated” to continue nutrition and hydration to people in vegatative states. The family is prepared to file a motion which contends, that,
“Terri, as a practicing Roman Catholic, would have obeyed the pope and would not choose to have her tube removed.”
Tomorrow there will be additional news about this case. And maybe one morning Michael Schiavo will be relegated to unconcerned observer, and her parents will be allowed to give her some real care.
Update 2/23 5pm: I see, on Google, that Govenor Bush is attempting to intervene once again. The article linked is a subscription page of the Atlanta paper, I will wait to see the details when I can find another source.
I also feel it necessary to post this link to Abstact Appeal. The page has not been updated in some time (10/22/03), but contains explanations for many of the major steps in this matter. This is presented as background material as it helps put many of the issues in context, even though some of the conclusions are not supportive.
Feb
22
2005
Must DNC Head Be A US Citizen?
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Must DNC Head Be A US Citizen?
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Over at Wizbang Jay seems to have nailed the Democrat’s opposition strategy. The concept, they are against anything Bush is for, is not new; but the presentation is hilarious.
No, it isn’t.
Yes, it is!
Feb
22
2005
On birthdays… and Life & Death!
Filed Under Law and Ethics | 2 Comments
On birthdays… and Life & Death!
Filed Under Law and Ethics | 2 Comments
Today is my birthday…44! My feelings on birthdays tend to conform to that of most people: The first 21 were anticipated because there was always some benefit (real or perceived) to attaining that next age; the next 10-15 (to about age 35) there was ambiguity; at age 35 or so it begins to dawn on you that, with the life expectancy being about 70, you have lived HALF of your life… so every birthday after 35 just sucks! In talking with my father though, I know that feeling will change somewhere around the age of 70, because after that the feeling is “Whew! Made another one!”
Unfortunately, today is also the day that Michael Schiavo can, with the blessing of several State and Federal judges, starve his wife to death. For those of you who are not familiar with this case, here is a brief synopsis: Somehow, Terri Shindler-Schiavo suffered a neck injury, and her ribs and parts of her body suffered fractures. According to a neurologist who was asked by a court to examine Terri: “Right now we have a woman who had a collapse with no known cause. No evidence of infection, heart attack, respiratory failure or anything. The only thing found in the emergency room is a damaged neck.” The result is that Terri suffered brain damage when the flow of oxygen to her brain was cut off for a period of time. Medical examinations have ruled out heart attack, cardiac arrest and potassium imbalance, meaning that it is likely that her oxygen supply was cut off when her neck was somehow injured to the point of extreme rigidity. And now the woman’s husband, Michael Schiavo (who may or may not have been complicit in her obtaining those injuries), wants to have the tube that provides Terri with food and water removed because he claims that he is honoring his marriage vows by carrying out the wishes of his wife that she not be kept alive by “artificial means.” Terri is cognitively disabled, she is not brain-dead, not in a comatose state, not terminal, and not connected to a respirator. If the feeding tube is removed, she will starve to death. Whatever she may or may not have said to her husband, I do not believe any human being could consider food and water as artificial means, do you? But so far, the courts and legal system in this country have been either unable or unwilling to side with Terri’s parents efforts to keep their daughter alive. And today, unless something is done, Michael Schiavo will be allowed to starve his wife to death, all the while claiming that it is what she wants. Oh, did I fail to mention that the altruistic Michael Schiavo has been living with another woman for years (and has two children by her) and will gain financially from Terri’s death? And, by the way, there is currently only one person alive that could confirm exactly how Terri received her injuries, and that’s Terri. Should she be starved to death, that secret dies with her. How convenient!
(Read this to understand better!)
From what I can tell, the people that are supporting Michael Schiavo’s efforts (read ACLU, Death with Dignity, Hemlock Society, et al) are telling Terri’s parents, family, friends and the world that because she cannot function the same way she could before the “accident” that put her in her present condition, that she would not want to continue living – that this is her wish. To those people I wish to ask, do you think that Terri would have the same death wish were she aware of the affect her plight has had on millions of people across the country? And can you even be sure she isn’t aware?
I have a designation on my drivers license identifying me as an organ donor, not because I wish for some misfortune to befall me, but in an attempt to turn any misfortune I may have into the greatest possible good for others. It gives me a good feeling now, while I am alive, to know that if something does happen, I could help save or improve the lives of others. It’s a sad fact, but I only know who Terri Shindler is because of her misfortune, but don’t you think she would want the same opportunity as me? As any of us? Don’t you think she would want to do the greatest good for others that she could? I do. Terri’s life, her struggle, as hard as it is, serves as an inspiration. I know for a fact that her life has had a greater positive affect on more people than mine ever has, and probably ever will. People have begun examining to a much closer degree the value we as a society place on human life, and that is a very good thing.
I also know her death, through the actions of anyone other than God, would only benefit a few, and possible only one.
Feb
18
2005
Mass. Citizens Fight Back
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
Mass. Citizens Fight Back
Filed Under Politics | 2 Comments
The Gay Marriage judicial activism in Massachusetts has not gone unchallenged within the State. A surprising reaction from a state which is traditionally overwhelmingly liberal.
It seems the people of the Commonwealth which sent Kennedy and Kerry to the Senate also understand that judges are not supposed to make laws, only interpret those passed into law by the legislature.
Also surprising is the news that the #1 political talk show in New England is the one hosted by right-wing bombast Jay Severin! Severin, who is cutting edge, while a self-described “libertarin/libertine”, even angers Libertarians, yet he must have more interesting things to say than anyone else in that region or he wouldn’t have those numbers. (his station also broadcasts the radio shows of Laura Ingraham, O’Reilly, and Hannity, further evidencing the New Englander’s desires for non-liberal views)
Another traditionally Democratic Commonwealth, my home state of Kentucky, is also showing signs of leaving the failed liberal ways behind, as a recent poll shows support for the Bush’s plan in Iraq.
Feb
18
2005
Beyond Red State, Blue State
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Beyond Red State, Blue State
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I knew it was more complex than two colors could describe!
Stovepipe Hat tip- Colby Cosh
Feb
18
2005
Miller Time- Done
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | Comments Off
Miller Time- Done
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | Comments Off
Please excuse the flippant note of Arthur Miller’s passing as a title; it was the first thing that came to mind. Actually, I wouldn’t be noting his death here at all if not that this Colby Cosh remark completely summarizes my own thoughts in elegant brevity.
” I don’t have much to add, not being terribly familiar with Miller’s oeuvre. When I think about the man who wrote plays about how capitalism thwarts human aspirations, and then got married to Marilyn Monroe, I’m afraid about all I can do is giggle.”
Feb
16
2005
No additional comment necessary.
(Stovepipe hat tip: Cox & Forkum)
Feb
15
2005
Paging Mr. Jones
Filed Under Internet and Blogging | 1 Comment
Paging Mr. Jones
Filed Under Internet and Blogging | 1 Comment
As you may or may not already be aware, members of the Watcher’s Council hold a vote every week on what they consider to be the most link-worthy pieces of writing around… per the Watcher’s instructions, I am submitting one of our posts for consideration in the upcoming nominations process.
Here is the most recent winning council post, here is the most recent winning non-council post, here is the list of results for the latest vote, and here is the initial posting of all the nominees that were voted on.
Feb
15
2005
The Grammys?
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | 1 Comment
The Grammys?
Filed Under Entertainment and Sports | 1 Comment
Did anyone watch the Grammy Awards this past weekend? Judging from this article (hat tip: The Drudge Report), not many of you did. But if you had you would have seen a classic example of what is wrong with the Artsy-fartsy, Hollywood, celebrity, elite crowd – style over substance.
In what I consider to be a Herculean effort to feel good about themselves, the members of the Recording Academy decided to award Ray Charles the two most prestigious Grammy awards available – album and record of the year.
Now, please don’t misunderstand me – Ray Charles was an excellent and inventive musician. I have been a fan of his music since I was old enough to know what good music was, went to see Ray the first night it was out and ask for, and received, Genius Loves Company for Christmas. But I must say, having listened to both that CD and Alicia Keys’ Diary of Alicia Keys, there is no way Genius Loves Company should have won either of those awards! It is a good album, but Diary of Alicia Keys is great!
IMHO, Alicia Keys is the best musician in a generation or more, and it is a travesty that her CD was pushed aside just so the members of the Academy could honor a great musician who just happens to have died this past year – because it made them look good to the people they feel are important, and made them feel good about themselves. I guess their rational is (write this down, and mark the date ’cause it will happen!) that they can always make it up to her by giving her those awards next year.
Ray Charles’ music does deserve recognition – it always has! That’s not my point. My point is, if the Academy really thought that Ray Charles deserved an award for is music, why didn’t his Ultimate Hits Collection (my fav) win one? Why didn’t more of his earlier work? Look, I was a musician in High School and have (or at least had) nominal talent – not a great deal, but not zero either – and I knew way back in the mid seventies that Ray Charles was exceptionally great, just as I know now that Alicia Keys is exceptionally great. Why give a good album awards that should go to a great album? Why not just do a big tribute to honor him and leave it at that? Or better yet, why not just play clips of Ray playing the songs that we all know and love? Clips from when Ray was at his best – being Ray.
Perhaps the Recording Academy saw an opportunity to make themselves look good, feel good, and at the same time, to assuage some of their guilt for past oversights, and it was just too sweet to pass up. Too bad really. Ray Charles should have been lauded more during the years he was alive, and Diary of Alicia Keys should have been recognized – this year – for being what it truely is… album and record of the year!
Feb
13
2005
Lincoln’s Birthday
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Lincoln’s Birthday
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A day late we take notice that the 196th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth has arrived. President Bush took notice yesterday hosting a retrospective of the 16th President at the White house. He added his own words extoling the virtue of the great man, including these remarks.
“The Civil War was decided on the battlefield. The larger fight for America’s soul was waged with Lincoln’s words.”
He said Lincoln was a master of the English language, but that his “mother tongue was liberty.”
Today we are again at war, and now we have a President who recognizes the battle is for security and human dignity and who believes that the war will be decided by liberty. Lincoln would be proud.
Abraham Lincoln- Wikipedia Entry
Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project
Feb
13
2005
Terri Shindler-Schiavo. It is, I believe, with intent that the group National Right To Life identifies Terri by both her married and maiden names. Their point, as I take it to be, is that she belonged to the Shindler family before, and since, she became a Schiavo.
And, I also believe, given that Mr. Sciavo no longer has an interest in her existence, while her parents wish her to continue on, using her maiden name and thereby reaffirming her heritage is more appropriate than it is to continue to recognize her marriage as valid. For while marriage is not necessarily permanent, blood is. Mr. Schiavo is determined to bring a permanent ending to his relationship to Terri, her death. Her parents want to help her recover. And his powers to act on her behalf toward this unalterable end is based on his connection to her through an alterable arrangement, marriage; sad. (his powers to call for an end to her life-support are also based on his contention that she wished to not be kept alive atificially). The courts say her parents have no powers in the matter.
Especially sad when the state of her condition is in doubt, with experts on each side of the possibilties strongly holding that she either is, or isn’t, aware of her surroundings. Either can, or can never improve. Terribly sad when we consider that her parents are willing to take on the responsibilites of her care and rehabilitation. Her parents, who have known her longer than anyone, and, who believe that she responds to them.
And, who is to say what is possible? Consider the story of Sarah Scantlin; brain-damaged for twenty years, and then suddenly she regains the ability to speak. The experts did not predict, and can not now explain, her recovery! How can anyone be certain that Terri Shindler-_______ could not also recover?
This woman, Terri, who came to be injured under suspicious conditions, has been denied the treatment and therapy which may promote the sort of miracle which Ms. Scantlin has created. Yes, which Ms. Scantlin has created; not the doctors and nurses, though we gratefully acknowledge them for the care and expertise they have provided, (and I won’t presume to give credit to the hand of the Lord, for I have no evidence that he directly intevened). I credit the miraculous powers to heal ourselves which we all possess, and which,in her case, Sarah Scantlin exercised. How she, and the rest of us, came to be endowed with such powers is a discussion I will leave for another time; my point is to illuminate the fact that we all possess such powers, and that the extent to which they will be exercised is unknowable beforehand. Though we do understand some of the parameters within which such recovery is more likely, and we know that Michael Schiavo has been denying those contributory conditions to the Shindler’s daughter for the past ten years.
The possibility that Terri will heal herself only becomes a certainty when she either achieves that goal, or her body dies. Until that time comes, anything is possible. Miracles happen!
Ask Sarah. For the first time in two decades she can answer.
[I wish to compliment Sarah on that achievement. And, I thank all who had a helping hand in her recovery. Lastly, I pray that Michael Schiavo will get out of the way, turn Terri's care over to her parents, and allow her the very best opporunity to get better.]
terrisfight.org
A tip of the Stovepipe Hat to Two Dogs for the link.
Feb
11
2005
Ann Coulter: Flaming Conservative!
Filed Under Education | 4 Comments
Ann Coulter: Flaming Conservative!
Filed Under Education | 4 Comments
I like Ann Coulter. I appreciate her acerbic wit, even if it can be over the top at times. To me she’s like gasoline in search of a flame – sometimes making a beautifully roaring fire that warms you up, and occasionally making a raging inferno that scorches everything close to it.
This time? All I can say is… break out the marshmallows and let’s start singing “Kumbaya My Lord”!
Feb
9
2005
I have always been suspicious of Dick Morris, but always respected is political instincts immensely. The fact that he was instrumental in getting Bill Clinton elected being the most obvious reason for both the suspicion and the respect. But Mr. Morris has been quelling my suspicions of late and increasing my respect because he seems to have become (in his mind, perhaps always has been) more interested in advancing an agenda that is actually good for America, not just a political party or ideology.
And now, today, Dick Morris has finally come around and completely rehabilitated himself and allowed me to forgive him of his Clintonian transgressions – he now agrees with me!
The nut of what he say is the core reason why Chris, Rick and I maintain this blog…
America longs to put the period on the disgraceful chapter in our nation
Feb
9
2005
Pleasant surprise
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As you may or may not already be aware, members of the Watcher’s Council hold a vote every week on what they consider to be the most link-worthy pieces of writing around. Since I’m so vapid as to forget to submit something each week, we rarely get any exposure there.
This week, someone spotted our recent post, A Man for Our Time, and was kind enough to nominate it for consideration.
So as not to seem ungrateful, I’ll belatedly reciprocate by following The Watcher’s instructions for the nominations process. Here is the most recent winning council post, here is the most recent winning non-council post, here is the list of results for the latest vote, and here is the initial posting of all the nominees that were voted on.
Good luck to all, and to our anonymous admirer, thanks for the nomination.