Anybody got an explanation for this? Why on earth should England have to jailbreak its own soldiers out of an Iraqi government prison? And what do we make of the claim that they were arrested in the first place for firing on Iraqi civilians in downtown Basra? Something doesn’t seem right here…

I was not exactly in the brightest of moods today.

University of Wisconsin Law Professor Ann Althouse has a compelling op-ed dealing with, among other things, the use of foreign law in American cases.

…and President Hugo Chavez has the “documentary” evidence to prove it. What a nut…

In response to the recent decision striking “under God” from the Pledge, Joe penned a post that was harshly critical. However, I think it glosses over some critical aspects of Church/State jurisprudence and minority rights in general that require further examination. Before I go on though, I just want to note how few sites would geniune positive clash between their co-bloggers. Especially considering Joe pretty much runs this show and we are here at his invitation, it just goes to show...

Have you ever read one of my posts and thought: “This kid can’t write to save his life”? Do you wish that you could point out a boneheaded spelling error or logical fallacy before the oh-so-flawed finished product? Well, now you can! For this one-post offer, you can critique one of my pieces before it reaches its final destination. I’m thinking of using this story as an introduction to an article I’m writing. I’m interested in any reactions, comments, suggestions,...

I’m not going to take up any more space here on it (see Joe’s stellar post if you want something on TMV), but I am just stunned, stunned, to see Bush take responsibility for something. Oh yeah, and so is the rest of the blogtopia. It’s like our worlds have turned upside down, man!

Yale Law Professor Jack Balkin relays this joke out of Baton Rouge: Q: What’s George Bush’s position on Roe v. Wade? A: He really doesn’t care how people get out of New Orleans. Wicked.

But alas, I’m trying. So here’s take two of why supporting an interventionist foreign policy doesn’t make me a conservative.

If you’re going to attack me, at least label me right. It’s neo-liberal, and I’ll defend it as true liberalism any day of the week.

This NY Times Magazine article inspired a very thoughtful post by Tom Strong of The Yellow Line on how telling a good story can influence even somewhat suspicious people to adopt (or at least listen to) one’s own argument. Strong notes that his “reflexive[ly] pacifist” views were counterbalanced by the strong narrative weaved by pro-war liberals, such as Tom Friedman, Dean Esmay, Michael Totten, Dan Savage, and others. These men (and I count myself in this group as well) believe...

What with the rampant spree of homosexuals killing heterosexuals (and being let off the hook by sympathetic juries to boot), gay youth slurring heterosexual kids in school (”you suck, straightie!”), and the continuing march of the homosexual agenda as it devours our children, our values, and our very way of life, I suppose it is understandable when someone considers even discussing gay marriage with a homosexual to be “threatening.” But that doesn’t make it right.

After listed the 11 GOP Representatives who voted against Katrina aid, some folks asked if these Representatives might just be acting on a consistent and principled opposition to frivilous spending (check the comments). I examine the claim, and for 9 of the 11, it just doesn’t fly.

I’m going back to the lovely Carleton College this Saturday. Since it’s been awhile since I left, I’m going have to think extra hard to avoid any of those infamous faux pas that plague college students. So, note to self: Don’t invite my female Professors to keggers.

Oliver Willis has the list of the 11 GOP representatives who are a bit too keen on the drowning part. All 11 voted against sending an aid package to Katrina victims: Rep. Joe Barton – TX Jeff Flake – AZ Virginia Foxx – NC Scott Garrett – NJ John Hostettler – IN Steve King – IA Butch Otter – ID Ron Paul – TX James Sensenbrenner – WI Tom Tancredo – CO Lynn Westmoreland – GA I never thought Sensenbrenner and Tancredo could prove themselves...

Why are the poor poor, and are we justified in doing anything about it? How do liberals and conservatives view the question, and what are the limitations? Moving beyond the dualism of bad luck and lack of pluck (guess what category three is?), I explore the question at The Debate Link. Armchair Capitalists (a highly underrated blog) and Angry Bear get credit for provoking the discussion in the first place.

3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6 (6). Andre Agassi, coming from two sets down and battling back from break point after break point, bested James Blake to advance to the US Open Semis at age 35. I’ll come straight out: I was rooting for Blake. The emotional and physical trauma he’s gone through this past year, you couldn’t help but root for his fairy tale trip as a wild card this year. And even with the loss, Blake showed once and for all that he will be a force on the ATP tour. But Agassi...

If New Orleans was destroyed because of its wicked ways, then does that mean the poor people who actually died are the most wicked of all?

In the wake of the California State Senate’s recent vote legalizing gay marriage, I give a protracted defense of why gay marriage bans don’t even satisfy the relatively relaxed “rational basis” test–responding specifically to points raised by Dafydd at Patterico’s Pontifications.

The response from the blogosphere in the wake of Katrina has been nothing short of incredible. Everybody is giving, and encouraging others to give–there has been no party line to generousity. But in the halls of power, the Republican response to Katrina has been absolutely and utterly shameful. This isn’t about taking a political potshot. It’s saying that the RNC needs to get divert its attention from repealing the Estate Tax for just one minute and tell its millioniare donors to...

Moderate Republican has the scoop.

Cross-posted to The Debate Link. John Cole gives a needed reminder about those who “chose” to stay in New Orleans: I have said I am out of touch with America regarding what is expected for disaster relief. Maybe, but the people spreading the meme that the vast majority of who did not evacuate New Orleans did so because they simply chose to ignore the warnings are out of touch with reality. I just heard James Carville state that the Governor and Mayor did all they could, and that some...

Two photos, both showing Hurricane victims dragging items while wading through chest-deep water. Two captions–the first in which the man is labeled a “looter,” the second, where the couple are “finders.” Who can guess the difference between photo one and two? More at The Debate Link.

The latest FRC briefing contains a double-whammy: marginalizing anti-Semetism in the Armed Forces (which was to be expected), and then lionizing racist ex-Senator Jesse Helms (which I’ll admit stunned even me). I parse both issues at The Debate Link. For background on the Air Force’s response to religious harassment, see here, here, and here. For background on Helms and his new book, see here.

Via Andrew Sullivan, this story on gay Penguins: A good friend of mine worked on “Rock Island” at the Baltimore Zoo for several years after college. Rock Island is the home of the zoo’s colony of African (Black-footed) penguins. If memory serves, African penguins mate for life rather than seasonally — which included the for-life pair of Bob and Dave. Apparently some of the (heterosexual) mating pairs weren’t terribly adept at caring for their eggs or young, so when these...