May I write a post that is entirely self-interested? (Although some of my critics among you may find all of my posts self-interested!) I don't write much about myself either here or at The Reaction. I prefer to let my posts speak for themselves. But allow me to mention that today is my birthday, my first as a blogger. And, as always, the last few lines of Pink Floyd's "Time" … [Read more...] about One year older…

Last week, I mentioned that I have a new co-blogger at The Reaction, Grace Miao, who is writing extensively about the upcoming Canadian federal election. Grace's latest post -- an astute dissection of the advertising campaigns of the two major parties, the ruling Liberal Party and the opposition Conservative Party -- is here. ********** I have another new co-clogger based in … [Read more...] about Politics in Canada and Britain: Liberalism, conservatism, and the quest for electoral success

The end finally came for Stanley Tookie Williams who was executed here in California early this morning but there is no end in sight for the debate over the issue of capital punishment. The AP reports the latest developments this way:CALIFORNIA prison officials last night executed Stanley "Tookie" Williams, 51, the ex-leader of the Crips gang who killed four people in 1979. He … [Read more...] about Stanley Tookie Williams Finally Executed But Debate Rages

Coverage of the French riots was all the rage, at least until the riots died down and the story became, well, a non-story. But now there's a new and similar story coming out of Australia, where riots are engulfing parts of Sydney and other areas of New South Wales: Violence triggered by race tensions has hit Sydney for a second night, with youths damaging cars and shops. A … [Read more...] about Sydney’s shame: Race riots down under

Just ran across this story that came out last week. From the AFP: Paul Wolfowitz suggested that US forces might not have invaded Iraq if Washington had known then that the regime of Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction. "And I'm not sure based on the evidence we know now that we could have been absolutely convinced that there was no danger, absolutely no danger," … [Read more...] about Wolfowitz Rethinks Iraq’s WMDs and War

Dan Froomkin's daily "White House Briefing" has recently been accused by the Washington Post's own ombudsman as being "liberal and opinionated." Froomkin takes issue with that, as do I. … [Read more...] about Washington Post Columnist Defends Himself

Democrats who think it's going to be enough to simply be the anti-Bush or go on the assumption that President George W. Bush's poll numbers will remain low might think again: Amid a relentless and detailed political makeover, George Bush's political numbers continue to go UP:WASHINGTON — President Bush's job approval rating, on a long slide since his re-election last year, … [Read more...] about Bush Poll Numbers Continue Rising Amid Political Makeover

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger yesterday denied clemency to Crips street gang founder Stanley Tookie Williams, who is now scheduled to die tonight at the hands of the people of California. I am opposed to the death penalty in all cases and I am tempted to criticize Schwarzenegger for refusing to do what seems to be the right thing. Yet I must agree with Ann Althouse on this, at … [Read more...] about Schwarzenegger denies clemency to Tookie Williams

Hurricane Katrina devastated many lives and aspects of routine lives along the Gulf Coast when it wreaked its destruction this summer. And it absolutely DECIMATED Mississippi coast libraries. Libraries are a gathering place, a vital spot for youths, places where knowledge is spread and culture is perpetuated...and they need your help. Read The Kudzu Files HERE to find out … [Read more...] about Another Big Hurricane Victim: Mississippi Libraries

Eugene Volokh wrote a post today slamming a prominent Atheist leader for rather naked anti-Semitism. Then, he did something all too rare. He made sure to stand up for atheists in general, and the prejudice they face in America today as a matter-of-course. I comment further over at The Debate Link. … [Read more...] about The Right Way To Condemn

BBC: A strong earthquake has hit north-eastern Afghanistan, the US Geological Survey (USGS) has said. The tremor of 6.7 magnitude struck the mountainous Hindu Kush region bordering Pakistan early on Tuesday, it said.... … [Read more...] about Afghanistan hit by strong quake

Remember that Saudi donation that Rudy Giuliani turned down? The same source has decided to donate $20 million each to Georgetown and Harvard universities. According to the Washington Post: A prominent Saudi businessman said yesterday that he is donating $20 million each to Georgetown and Harvard universities for the study of Islam and the Muslim world as part of his … [Read more...] about Harvard and Georgetown to Become Saudi Havens?

Hey, here's an idea for all our readers on the right, left, and middle: if your elderly father disagrees with you politically, then suggest he's senile:"Fox News Sunday" anchorman Chris Wallace says father Mike Wallace has "lost it" - after the legendary CBS newsman told the Boston Globe last week that the fact George Bush had been elected president shows America is … [Read more...] about A Glimpse Of A Newsman’s Soul?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10355657/">No clemency: Ex-Crips' leader to be executed California Gov. Schwarzenegger rejects Stanley Tookie Williams' request UPDATE: CNN Breaking News (9:40 pm) -- U.S. Supreme Court refuses to stay the execution of killer and Crips gang founder Stanley Tookie Williams. … [Read more...] about MSNBC: No Reprieve for Tookie Williams

From the Latin America desk: This is the new Chile — the Chile of democracy and free elections, not the Chile of CIA-supported dictatorship, of Pinochet and Missing. Center-left candidate Michelle Bachelet, who leads the Concertacion bloc, which has been in power since the end of the Pinochet dictatorship in 1990, won 45.8 percent of the vote in the first round of … [Read more...] about Chile set for run-off presidential election

I posted below and at my own weblog Random Fate on a case of abuse of eminent domain in Florida, and I commented on how the governmental system in the United States is beginning to resemble that of China when it comes to property rights. From CNN.com, here is an illustration of the state of affairs in that country: Government banners hung at the village entrance said, … [Read more...] about A brief follow-up on land seizures by government for the profit of others

Yet another Sign of the Apocalypse is Heidi Fleiss's plan for an all-male bordello (for women only) in Nevada. Isn't it great that she's back in the news? … [Read more...] about Heidi’s Stud Farm

A must-read in Newsweek: "Bush in the Bubble" by Evan Thomas and Michael Wolffe. (I've got some reaction here.) … [Read more...] about Bush the Bubble Boy

A couple of days ago, I mentioned an upcoming piece in The New York Times by Michael Crowley on the power and influence of the conservative blogosphere. My initial post, with a link to an interesting take by Atrios, is here. Crowley's (rather short) piece is here. Here's some of what Crowley has to say: "Liberals use the Web to air ideas and vent grievances with one another, … [Read more...] about The nature of the conservative blogosphere

According to The New York Times, Mel "Lethal Weapon" Gibson "has a new project under way: a nonfiction miniseries about the Holocaust". Does anybody else see a problem with this? … [Read more...] about Mel Gibson and the Holocaust