New Uncle John

Here is another article from Uncle John. I may as well rename this the Uncle John blog the way thing have been going lately.

Hillary has chosen a theme song. What a load off my mind. She chose one performed by a Canadian. I wonder how politically savvy that is. Her hubby chose "Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow" by Fleetwood Mac. That is the only Fleetwood Mac song that Ginger hates.

I made fun of Indiana's seat belt laws after I learned that they exempted all pick up truck drivers. Well, in between that trip and the just finished trip, Indiana decided to go overboard the other way. Not only are pick up trucks now covered under the law, but now all passengers in a vehicle (yes, even rear seat passengers) will be in violation if they fail to buckle up.

I saw a bank called "Fifth Third Bank." I wondered if there was a "Third Fifth Bank." Why not just make it the "Fifteenth Bank?"

The Passport Office has announced a 17 month delay in their new rule since they were already hopelessly behind.

I read an article that kept referring to "Jones" or "Mr. Jones." After a while I began to think that that the name was bogus and the author was providing anonymity. But toward the end, the first name was revealed, and its absence theretofore was understandable. The name was "Tyqwiice."

Nifong, the Durham, NC prosecutor who botched the Duke Lacrosse team case whilst breaking most ethical and legal guidelines for a prosecutor, got beat up pretty good last weekend. To me, his most egregious misconduct was withholding the exculpatory DNA evidence from the defendants' counsels. His explanation for not having turned over the evidence clearing the accused was that he had become somewhat unfamiliar with the laws applying to criminal cases since he had been focusing on traffic violations during the past three years. Don't you just want to punch this idiot?

The Dems blasted the GOP, and rightly so, for all manner of "ear marking" abuses on pieces of legislation. This is the technique by which non-related spending initiatives are tacked onto various bills. The Dems naturally promised to end this nonsense when they swept to power. Just as naturally, "ear marks" are still ubiquitous in new legislation. Some reporter actually pointed this out to Speaker, San Fran Nan. She said the examples cited were not "ear marks" but rather were "directed legislative spending." There you go. Not surprisingly, the approval rating of Congress is now 14%. There is surprisingly little mention of this in the papers and network news.

I have learned indirectly via NT that our beloved announcer Mike Shannon is or was known as "moon man." I have no idea what the origins of that moniker were but somehow it seems so appropriate. I will repeat my favorite of the Mike Shannon pearls. As a switch hitter came to the plate, Mike said "You just can't imagine what an advantage it is to be able to bat from either side; I would have given my right arm to be ambidextrous."

Father's Day was special here. My children assembled and joined forces with their mom and they all collectively kicked my behind in a game called Crack Uno. I had a really good time. Well, if I'd have had crack, maybe I would have had a good time.

The last challenge word went unanswered. It is my first shut out. "Propitious" means favorable, favorably inclined. The states with capitols beginning with the same letters are Delaware, Hawaii, Indiana, and Oklahoma. The lyrics were from American Girl by Tom Petty. I paid good money to take our gang to a Tom Petty concert last summer.

The new challenge word is "excoriate." The new trivia challenge is: According to Mary Poppins, what word, even though the sound of it is something quite atrocious, if you say it loud enough you''ll always sound precocious? The new lyrics challenge is: "I have a mansion, forget the price;/ Ain't never been there, they tell me it's nice./ I live in hotels, tear out the walls;/ I have accountants pay for it all./ They say I'm crazy, but I have good time;/ I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime."

Saturday with Uncle John

I am a little slow posting this, but here is another one from Uncle John.

Happy Father's Day to all fathers out there. Happy beginning of summer. Happy St. Jean Baptiste day to all you Quebecers.

I have a proposal. If your broadcast or article includes a feature on what Paris Hilton ate during each of her three daily meals in jail, then you should no longer be allowed to call your program a "news" show or to refer to yourself as a journalist. There, I think that would pretty much rid us off the whole lot. On that same lame subject, I see her dad is planning a huge getting out of jail party for her. He is allowing the big Vegas venues to fight over who gets the honor. He, being a bit short on cash I guess, is asking the site to put up $50,000 or more for the party. I think it's fair to say that any good father would have done the same for their daughter.

Roger Federer fans had to watch him struggle and fail against the irrepressible Nadal at the French Open. Late in the match, commentator Mary Carillo said, "Roger's break point numbers don't look impressive." Well, Mary is a master of understatement. At the time Federer had secured one break in 17 opportunities. I would wager that beyond not looking impressive, this was record shattering. All the American men contestants bowed out in the first round. That too is unbelievable.

After two series against American League teams, the Cardinals had given up 53 runs in 6 games. Mike Shannon said, "It hasn't been very enlightening to say the least." I think Mike may have invoked the wrong word there. It has been VERY enlightening, but it hasn't been very enjoyable. Those figures preceded the recent series against the Royals. Kent proclaimed that he would visit great bodily harm upon himself if we lost to the worst team in baseball. They beat us 8-1. The Redbirds won game 2. With the Cards scoring 8 runs in the rubber game, Kent would seemingly have escaped his own intemperate remark. Alas, our pitching surrendered 17 runs to the mighty Royal lineup in that game.

While on the subject a baseball, why is it that every time the camera shows fans behind the plate in a close up shot, a large number of them are using cell phones? When the close up is on other parts of the crowd, few if any are using their phones.

In previous episodes I have chronicle how the terminology applied to border jumpers who stayed here changed from "illegal aliens" to "illegal immigrants" to "undocumented immigrants" to "immigrants awaiting their paper work." Senate Majority leader Harry Reid has now taken it another step. He now refers to the illegal aliens as "undocumented Americans."

While on the subject of Harry Reid, he boasted that the Senate was going to give Antonio Gonzalez quite a comeuppance. I'm not sure who this Antonio Gonzalez is. I think he might be a striker on the Juarez soccer team. Meanwhile the loudmouthed obstructionist minority blocked an attempt to defame attorney general Alberto Gonzalez.

Mr. Hilton isn't the only one short on cash. John Edwards was speaking to an audience of mostly students and the event charged $17 for tickets to hear the fabulously rich malpractice lawyer speak. I hear him almost every day, but at least it's free.

Cardiovascular problems are still the number one killer, by far. Virtually everyone has a stake in advancements in this field. Relatively few are likely to be affected by HIV AIDS and most of these are folk who knowingly ignore the known preventions. Despite the fact that it affects vastly fewer people and despite the fact that means of it's prevention are known for the vast majority of its victims, more medical research money is spent on HIV AIDS than cardiovascular issues. Hmm.

Kris recently purchased an ATT/Singular service. She applied for the hefty rebate. She had to jump through quite a few hoops. She got a text mail message saying that her rebate had been mailed and that she should expect it within three weeks. I am wondering where they mailed it from (please excuse the grammar).

Apparently precious little of the billions allocated by Congress for border security measures has been applied to the task so far. Homeland Security Director Chernov does not seem to think he or his department share any culpability in this matter. He says if we want better border security, we must "give him the tools." I have to admit, I am very confused about all this. I would swear that every bureaucrat in the past has always used "give me the money" as the response.

The city of St. Louis, ever keeping its citizens in mind and looking for sources of revenue other than taxes, launched a suit against past manufacturers of lead based paint. Lead based paint was banned by the federal government in 1978. The suit was dismissed. Some court actually did something intelligent.

The last challenge word was "turpitude" meaning baseness or vileness. There have been several infamous instances in which the guest speaker was introduced or the official was characterized as a person of great moral turpitude. This is always intended to convey great praise it seems but actually is a grievous blow. In the case of politicians, the usage is accidentally correct. The lyrics challenge was from The Air That I Breathe. NT alone gave the Hollies as the artist. This song is currently being used in NAPA Auto Parts ads for air cleaners. This application seems somewhat less romantic than the original thrust of the song.

The new challenge word is "propitious." The trivia question: name the states that have a capitol beginning with the same letter as the state. The new lyrics are: "Well, it was kind of cold that night;/ She stood alone on the balcony./ Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by;/ Out on Four forty-one like/ Waves crashing on the beach./ And for one desperate moment there,/ He crept back in her memory./ God it's so painful when something that's so close,/ Is still so far out of reach./ Oh yeah,/ Alright./ Take it easy baby, ..."

Friday Links

This first story comes as no surprise to me. In fact, I have been arguing this for years. New research shows that the oldest boy in the family has a higher IQ than his little brothers. Again, I am not surprised at all. Read about the study here.

A Minnesota boy just won a $100,000 verdict against his parents. This is one of the strange aspects of the law, where the parents actually wanted to lose this case because the insurance company would be the one paying out. Don't we have a problem with the system if the defendant's want to lose. In the old days, a child could not sue a parent, or a wife sue a husband for that matter. There was a day when the law recognized the sacredness of family unity. That day is mocked as an antiquated, sexist, relic in my law school. Read about the case here.

Diplomatic immunity is a beautiful thing. Apparently, the US embassy in London has $3 million worth of unpaid fines for not paying the road tolls. I hereby name you all ambassadors of the New Right. Now you shouldn't have to pay your parking tickets. Good luck. Read more here.

Finally, read about the growing tension between current NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the former mayor Rudy Giuliani here. Think about this very real possibility. If Rudy wins the GOP nomination (possible), and Hillary wins the Democrats nomination (probable), and Michael Bloomberg runs as an independent (also probable), the three candidates in the race will all be from New York (well, Hillary sort of is from NY). I don't like the sounds of that.

Uncle John

I have been busy. Here is something from Uncle John to tide you over.

I see the Reds have a new player. The name is Homer Bailey. Now there's a baseball name. Tragically, Homer is a pitcher. I think I'd put in for a name change. When I was a kid and a hopeless Reds fan, their catcher was Ed Bailey. Bill Bailey never made it as a baseball player because he would never go home. I see the LPG has a young golfer named Birdie Kim. Maybe Spike Lee should have been volleyball player. I wish he were doing something other than what he is.

Quinn Snyder, who led the Mizzou Tigers from a perennial strong basketball team to a total shambles in a few short years, just got hired by the NBA to coach a team in their "development league." I didn't know there was such a thing. As far as I know he couldn't find a job anywhere last year. At the other end of the spectrum, Mr. Donovan is going to continue coaching college ball down in Florida for $3.5 million/year.

Have you ever noticed that when you decide to be charitable and send some money to one of the outfits seeking contributions, the thank you notice that comes a few days later invariably contains a solicitation for additional giving.

There was a beauty contest in Saudi Arabia. No, of course they would not debase women in this way. Further, it's hard to judge a woman's beauty when her face is covered. Rather, this contest was for camels. Hundreds of camels were picked from the throngs as being the most appealing. The owners of the winning camels were each given an SUV. There is some irony here.

Did I read that Hillary seeks suggestions from the public as regards what her campaign theme song should be? This seems like just too rich a straight line for any comedian or adverse pundit. I'm a loser, Cold as Ice, the list could go on and on.

William Jefferson, not William Jefferson Clinton but just plain William Jefferson, congressman from New Orleans has been indicted with 16 corruption related felony counts. This is the cat who commandeered a rescue helicopter and crew to take him to his home in the flooded section of New Orleans after Katrina where he retrieved some goodies. He is also the cat who had $90,000 cash in his freezer in his government office. Now that's what they mean by "cold cash." He won reelection despite these things having been known. He was then put on the Homeland Security committee until the obstructionist loud mouths protested too intently.

The STL public schools have gone through a multi-year process of losing accreditation. Apparently it isn't easy to lose. You get several chances. It's sort of like that time the USSR beat the USA for the gold medal in the Olympics. Unlike the USSR, STL couldn't make good on any of the do overs. The school board is in chaos and has been for a long time. They have paid millions to outside consultants; they have built beautifully renovated facilities, only to have them trashed; they have had wretched attendance by students and teachers alike; etc., etc. Though it certainly is not among the top problems, the district is also short on revenues. But then again, so is every school district ever known. The state finally has announced it will be appointing a team to run the STL public schools. Now the state has been sued. By whom? Well, by the STL school board. I guess they weren't out of money after all.

I heard a doctor on the radio being interviewed about raising certain points of interest on the upper torso of mature ladies. He was asked about scarring. He said they always endeavored to minimize scarring. I didn't think this was a very responsive answer and apparently neither did the interviewer. The interviewer persisted with, "Well, how visible will the scar be?" The good doctor said it depended on the degree to which they drooped before the procedure and on the degree to which the patient wanted them raised. I'm suddenly thinking that one can be an idiot and still be a doctor.

The Cardinals had injuries or illnesses to their left fielder, third baseman, shortstop, catcher and a utility player within a short spell. Most have returned but now the back up catcher also went down. The Redbirds hired this fellow named Stinnett who has caught the past few games. I suspect he is one of those folk who is younger than he looks. He looks like he could have caught Warren Spahn. The Cards were doing pretty good when playing the Pirates, Rockies, Astros, and Reds. I'm not sure if the recent experience is representative of what awaits.

I see our Senate voted against a provision to deport felons among the 12 million illegal aliens. Hmm.

I see Paris Hilton tired of jail rather quickly. Somehow she got transferred to detention in her home because a shrink said she would have a breakdown otherwise. Can you imagine all the inmates across the country slapping their foreheads, regretting that they had never thought to try that one. Anyway, some judge intervened and had her roused from her house and sent back to the brig. I'd love to know what exactly transpired to facilitate her release.

[My wife] and I went to a Shakespeare in the park event last night. This year it is "Much Ado about Nothing." They put on a very funny production.

I've been adding 5 miles per week on my weekly long bike ride. I'm up to 55 now. I got off to a late start this year. At the risk of repeating myself, it's the global wind increase, not the temperature increase, that is being made manifest. I'm sure Frisbee players will confirm this. [My wife] and I have a balloon ride pending but it is forever being canceled due to wind. My main beef about the wind, however, is the aggravation it causes me on bike rides.

What to do on Monday nights now that "24" is over?

I see the government is suspending it's new passport requirements for travelers to Mexico, Canada, etc. They were helplessly asea and impossibly behind. They were wrecking plans of about half a million travelers, and counting. Is there any bureaucracy anywhere that operates at even a minimally acceptable level? Maybe it is time that politicians quit running on what they will do on all the big issues and just simply run on a pledge to make the myriad agencies responsive to the citizens who pay them and who expect a service from them from time to time.

The last challenge word was "bibulous," meaning fond of alcoholic drink. I wonder if many people knew this but pretended they didn't lest they appear guilty by association. The trivia question was "CBS" which stands for Columbia Broadcast System. The lyric was from "19th Nervous Breakdown" by the Rolling Stones. These three challenges almost comprised a no hitter.

The new challenge word is "turpitude." The trivia question is: name five of the characters in the cartoon "Peanuts." The new lyrics challenge is: "If I could make a wish,/ I think I'd pass./ Can't think of anything I need./ No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound,/ Nothing to eat, no books to read./ Peace came upon me and it leaves me weak,/ So sleep, silent angel, go to sleep./ Sometimes, all I need is __ __ __ __ __,/ And to love you."

Weekend Reading

It looks like the Senate will be reviving the immigration bill this upcoming week. Without massive changes, this bill should be buried. Again, I am really surprised by many Republican Senators who don't understand why this upsets Americans. They know better than us commoners I guess. Read about it here.

Planned Parenthood had its best year yet last year, performing a record number of abortion and taking in a record amount of revenue. This group, started by the rebid racist Margaret Sanger, is a terrible force in this country. Read more about it here. Also, on the topic of abortion, read this story about Mitt Romney addressing the National Right to Life's annual convention. Sounds like Romney won over most of the crowd. While some remain skeptical of his conversion to the pro life cause, line like this will satisfy most people, "I am evidence that your work, that your relentless campaign to promote the sanctity of human life, bears fruit."

Here is a disturbing trend. UCLA offers all sorts of different graduations. For instance, there is a Vietnamese, Filipino, Hispanic and Iranian commencement. One of the terrible byproducts of the multicultural movement is things like this. We are rapidly moving to a society that is more and more stratified and divided along racial and ethnic lines. Read about UCLA's multiple graduations here.

Now for a couple of local Minnesota items. It is not often I agree with a DFL member of the MN State Legislature, but here is one. Representative John Lesch of St. Paul is going to introduce a bill banning five breeds of particularly dangerous dogs. I couldn't agree with him more. Plainly, certain breeds of dogs are especially dangerous in comparison with other dogs. I can think of no good reason to justify defending peoples right to own these dogs. Get a lab, or a golden retriever. I challenge anybody to give me one good reason to own a pit bull. I am sure some of you disagree with me. Tell me why I am wrong. Read more about Rep. Lesch's bill here.

Finally, read this column by Nick Coleman of the Star Tribune criticizing the Minneapolis City Council for passing stricter measures on panhandlers. Try not to puke. I am a big supporter of this types of "livability" laws. For example, cracking down on the "squeegee men," graffiti, and other petty crimes in New York City led to a big drop in overall crime, especially considering these panhandlers are often involved in other violent crime. Anybody want to stick up for the panhandlers?

Please leave your thoughts in a comment!

Thursday News

Studies are saying that there is less oil supply than was previously believed. A study for BP claims that there are 40 years of proven supplies based on current consumptions rates. Read about it here. The good news, however, is that our capacity to find and access new oil increases all the time.

An Obama financier is in a bit of trouble with a recent fraud indictment. Here is my problem with this. It has got to be tough to keep tabs on all the people who give you money. In a way, I don't blame Obama for this one. Read more here.

The City of Seattle is considering banning microwave popcorn. Seriously. This headline is a little sensational, but read the story here anyways.

Finally, from the UK, Why Liberal Parents are Breeding a Generation of Little Terrors.

And really finally, a three year old boy terrified of a tonsil operation vowed to not speak again if the surgery went ahead. Well, he just broke his vow of silence . . . ten years later. A man of his word, and perhaps the most stubborn child ever. Read about him here.

Learning from the French?

From JB:

Learning from the French? Conservative voters should think long and hard about who they will nominate for President in 2008. There are a few 'Hard-Lessons' conservatives need to learn first. Newt Gingrich explains just one of these lessons in and interesting column he wrote for the London based Financial Times. Where does Newt draw this lesson from? The French! Read the whole article here.

Tuesday's News Highlights

We will start today out with a couple of light hearted stories.

The Chinese are having a surname shortage. Apparently, over 1 billion Chinese share only 100 surnames. Here is the amusing story of how the Chinese are attempting to create more last names.

In another amusing story, President Bush had his wrist watch stolen while glad handing the crowd during his recent stop in Albania. Read the story here.

It looks like Fred Thompson has almost caught Rudy Giuliani in the polls. Read about it here. Thompson hasn't had a chance to get roughed up yet, so I would suspect he will take a hit at some point. Regardless, the Thompson phenomona is for real.

Finally, read about the "graying" of Minnesota (and across the whole nation) suburbs. The backbone of any growing organization, be it a Church or a country, is always strongest when made up of young families. In a way, this is a really depressing story. Read it here and here.

Agree? Disagree? Post away!

Another Monday

Supporters of the immigration bill, including President Bush are trying to revive the immigration bill that looked dead last week. Read about it here.

Newt Gingrich is warning of large Republican losses in 2008 unless the GOP nominee is a sort of anti-Bush, who doesn't have to run on the defensive the entire campaign. I suspect Newt thinks that he would fill that role nicely. For my money, the eloquent Romney is the right man to fill this role. Read more about Gingrich's comments here.

Apparently McCain is having trouble raising money. It is still a long way off until the primaries, but it looks as if McCain is done. Read about it here.

Bush may not be popular in the United States, or in most of the rest of the world, but tiny Albania gave Bush a hero's welcome when he visited Sunday. It seems the tiny former communist country was thrilled to host its first visit from a US President. Read more about the visit here.

Colin Powell is giving Barack Obama foreign policy advice. What is up with that? Read about it here. Speaking of Obama, read this article talking about how he is starting a grass roots campaign of street campaigning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is constitutionally barred from serving another term is not ruling out running again in 2012. Mark my words, he will run, and he will win. Russia's experiment with democracy is fast ending. Read more about Putin's comments here.

Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman has recently said that the US should consider a military strike on Iran on account of their meddling in Iraq. Thank you Joe, for the clear thinking and courage to take an unpopular position, especially for a Democrat. Read more here.

Ding, Dong, The Immigration Bill is Dead

As late as the early evening yesterday, it looked as if the immigration bill was going to pass. But some great maneuvering by Senators Jeff Sessions and Mitch McConnel led to the bill being withdrawn. This probably saved some people their jobs. This vote would have lost the next election for more than a few members of the Senate. Read the full story here.

Europe is dying a slow death. But wait . . . news from the UK is that births are at the highest rate since 1980. Some are even calling it a "baby boom." Before you get too excited, note that the birthrate is still only 1.87, and the most popular baby name is Mohammed. The articles here and here report on the rising birthrate in the UK due to immigration. Before you scoff, remember that we might read similar stories here in the US in a few years reporting that the most popular baby name is Jose, or Miguel.

In a related story, Japan is bracing for a future filled with old people. Already the "oldest" country on Earth, by mid-century two out of every five Japanese will be older than 65. This is staggaring. Has a society lost all confidence and will when it stops having children? Read the sad story here. The future belongs to those who are still here. And you know who is having the babies to still be here. Probably not your favorite countries.

Oh, but wait. It isn't just Japan. This article from Minneapolis' Star Tribune details the labor shortage expected right here from the retirement of baby boomers. "We need older workers," the State Economist says. So, to my middle-aged readers (Jethro, Jarrod, Uncle Trick), don't plan on hanging it up anytime soon.

A quote from Katherine Kersten's Star Tribune article:

Take the Macalester curriculum. What comes to mind when you think of an American Studies Department? At Macalester, its overwhelming focus is on race, gender and ethnic minorities. For example, you can take a course like "Black Queer Positionality: Narration, Negotiation, Identity," which aims to "more fully understand and articulate a black queer 'theory in the flesh.' "

Macalester's History Department offered no courses on the American founding or World War II during this last academic year. But it listed many courses with titles such as "Gender and Sexuality in Colonial America and the Early Republic" and "Consumer Nation: American Consumer Culture in the 20th Century."

In the vast majority of cases, college makes you stupider.

John Edwards is attacking Hillary Clinton's statement from the last debate that the United States is safer now than were were before 9/11. Recall that Edwards recently called the war on terror just a bumber sticker. It is scary when the most palatable choice from the Democrats is Hillary. Read it here.

Democrats are considering a 4% extra tax on America's wealthiest households. Read it here.

Mitt Romney is now the confirmed man to beat in the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primaries. With victories in both of these places, it is unlikely that he could lose the nomination. I want to thank Romney, for it looks that he is going to prove me (NT) right. For more on this subject read here. And here is a great piece explaining why skipping the Ames straw poll is smart for McCain and Giuliani.

Please leave your comments.

Can One be a Christian Environmentalist?

Here is another great exclusive piece by JB. Please comment. Post you critiques, challenges, and agreements, and additions.

Can a Conservative be an Environmentalist?

At the recent Republican debate, in New Hampshire, a member of the audience asked "can a Republican be an environmentalist?" to which all of the candidates generically replied with answers like "of course, I am a proponent of bio-fuels" and "America must act to reduce global warming,"and etc. However, it is my suspicion that most people don't believe conservatives can be environmentalists and when Republicans announce that they are it is often met with skepticism.

People generally identify environmentalism as a liberal issue, not a conservative one. Allow me to define these terms and make some very broad generalizations. From here on, "liberal" will refer to those who advocated a secular and progressive agenda, while "conservative" will refer to those who advocate a libertarian and traditional-values agenda.

I do not think that any prominent conservative has given much thought to conservative environmentalism in contrast to the theological and philosophical consequences of popular environmentalist theory. For liberals, global warming is a logical extension of their world view. To many secular liberals, there is no God, no human soul. All that exist is the material. To them, the material has been given sacred and moral prominence. Thus the greatest thing of value in the universe is the Earth, which supports all material life. This is why pollution is so wrong, it damages the sacred material (i.e. the planet). Further, global warming is a perfect cause, because it confirms the human condition and explains why humanity is disconnected from the rest of nature.

Global warming then, is original sin, the thing that explains why humanity is corrupt. In this world view, environmentalism takes on a radical form. As the sacred material is assigned greater value than humanity, bizarre policies and ideas seem to sprout up like wild flowers. For example, making the statement "Global Warming is the single most greatest and urgent problem to ever face mankind." Note that war, hunger, poverty, and human oppression are now less significant than global warming. This makes sense to liberals as the problems of war and hunger only involve mere human suffering where Global Warming involve the suffering of this sacred planet. I wonder how many charitable resources have been diverted from fighting Aids, and poverty to reducing carbon emissions?

This is the type of secular Enviro-Relgion that many conservatives vehemently and loudly oppose. For many conservatives, the nature of the universe and existence involve a type of dualism. That is, the recognition of the material and of the spiritual. Many conservatives believe in a non-material God and that humans have a non-material existence known as the soul.

In this Theistic world view, God and the souls made in his image are given sacred prominence in relation to the rest of the universe. This is why conservatives often freak when they hear it said that Global Warming is the greatest problem facing mankind. Statements like these give preference to the material planet over humanity.

In each oppressed, starving, diseased or victimized human being there lies a soul. A soul that is sacred to the extent that it was made to reflect the image of it's creator. All that lies within a warmer planet is dirt,rocks, and water. So what has greater value, the souls of men or dirt?

Further, conservatives recognize the material world as God's gift to mankind for mankind to cultivate, protect, and subdue. The Earth has value, because it is of value to mankind. Its resources should be shared to bring abut peace and prosperity for all mankind, and to that extent we must be stewards of this gift in order that we preserve it for the future of humanity. So a distinction can be drawn between Environmentalism as Religion and Environmentalism as Stewardship.

Conservatives must oppose the radical elements of Environmentalism as Religion, but in doing so present, and champion, environmentalism as Stewardship. Republican candidates for President are getting beat up on climate change only because they are accepting the liberal understanding of environmentalism - that a true test of an environmentalist is religious - like commitment to environmentalism. What conservatives need to do is begin to communicate that there is an alternative to environmentalism than to that espoused by the extreme.

Thursday Links

Let me start with what is to me the most disturbing news of the day. Guess what the most popular baby name in England is. Oliver . . . nope . . . Thomas . . . nope . . . Jack . . . nope. How long would it take you to guess the right answer, Mohammed. Trust me, your country has reached the point of no return when the most popular baby name is Mohammed. Europe will be majority Muslim in my lifetime (barring a drastic and unforeseen demographic shift), and that is very, very sad. Read the story here.

Giuliani and McCain announced yesterday that they are skipping the Ames, Iowa straw poll, conceding the event to Romney. This is good news for Mitt. That said, Iowa has way too much power in the presidential selection process. Better them then a lot of others though. Read the story and read more about the Ames stray poll here.

Stem cells can now be made from adult skin. This should end the stem cell debate, but it won't. Read it here.

Newt Gingrich puts his odds of jumping in the presidential race at 4-to-1. I think Fred Thompson out-maneuvered him on this one. Read more here. Meanwhile, a more interesting question is whether Gore will run. I suspect he has the ego that won't let him say no.

Canadians are going to be asked to pay 12 cents more at the pump for gas to avert climate catastrophe. Let's hope we stay saner here. Plus, would a warm-up really be that bad for Canada?

Have a great Thursday and please share your comments.

More Wisdom From Uncle John

If anyone caught the debate last night, please comment below with your impressions. I missed it, so I need a recap from people who watched it. Thanks. Here's Uncle John. -NT

No birthdays, anniversaries, or holidays to report. Kevorkian has been let out of jail.

The paper and broadcasters here don't give the Indy 500 its due. As near as I can tell it was won by a driver named Mr. Ashley Judd.

The worst thing about the younger generation is that I don't belong to it.

The House voted to make gasoline price gouging a federal crime. That would be interesting.

The Minister of Agriculture in Japan was alleged to have been involved in a funding scandal there. He hanged himself. I find myself wishing that our own politicians had a similar response to being outed.

Romney moves three giant steps forward (that phrase is for all readers who remember the "mother may I?" game that was really big in the 50's) by having passed the Beatles test. Apparently he correctly identified Sergeant Peppers and When I'm Sixty-four. This is key. I still can't believe Sharpton didn't get slapped down for saying voters who believe in God will keep Romney out. The reverend seems to enjoy a pass.

Brazil will supply an inventory of birth control pills for a whole year for the equivalent of $2.40. I'm thinking why not just make it free? The rationale for the give away was that this gives the poor the same chance to plan a family as the rich has. Though we often hear the phrase "only in America," it clearly isn't always only in America.

We tax payers now pay for the radio and TV ads that assure the public that the traffic cops are out there arresting unbuckled motorists like never before. It's hard to believe that the governments can claim they need more money ifthey have money enough to pay for these broadcast spots.

Even the great O'Reilly says the 12 million illegal aliens (I mean the 12 million awaiting their paper work) will not be a hit on entitlements because itis stipulated that they must work 90% of the time or else they'll be deported. Even the great O'Reilly seems not to admit that all our welfare programs are focused on households with low wages. Virtually all these folk will qualify forthe entitlements even while working full time. I'm not sure where I stand on the new bill but I sure wish proponents would not be playing this deception.

Our local water company is petitioning for a 24% increase. They haven't even said why. They say you can learn more from their web site. It has nothing onthe matter. They say you can come to one of their public hearing sessions to learn more. Idiots.

The Earned Income Credit feature of the IRS is interesting. Up to a point, the filer can get more cash welfare from the IRS as the filer's income increases. As we well know, the IRS generosity does not usually improve as incomes increase. So this puts a new twist on things. Traditionally, folk tended to forget or under report certain incomes. Here there is an incentive to invent or over report certain incomes. Now that's what I call a new paradigm.

I used to feature a quote from Cardinal broadcaster Mike Shannon in eache mail. I have not done that for a while. He owns a restaurant near the ballpark and the Cardinal pitcher who died a few weeks back had been there before his fatal car crash. The father has sued Shannon's restaurant, the tow truck driver whose vehicle was struck, and the driver of the disabled car the tow truck wastending to. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a son, but this son clearly was responsible for his own death and this law suit seems like a tawdry, cheap, seedy response. Maybe Josh inherited his tendency to make bad choices.

Push lawn mowers are reportedly making a comeback. These are the non-motorized machines. Supposedly they are made only by a company in Indiana. I wonder how much smaller one's carbon footprint becomes by switching to one of these. I don't think a smaller carbon footprint would be enough to persuade [my relatives] to make the change.

Of course if you just can't reduce your carbon foot print, you can salve your conscience by arranging for some carbon off sets. Many places are now promising to have trees planted on your behalf if you pay a nominal fee. An outfit called "Trees for the future" will plant 400 trees in a developing country forthe very reasonable price of $40. So I guess it only costs a few cents for each tree, it's land consumption, it's planting, and it's maintenance. So far as I know, even if the 400 trees were to be planted, the offset might not cover much more than one's lawn mower emission. A lot of CO2 emissions come from exhaling. San Fran Nan is going to Greenland, Germany, and Belgium to discuss CO2 emissions. I suggest that she reduce exhaling (and certainly she is going to hike, bike, and kayak all the way).

A case involving the KKK in Mississippi is now going to trial. The crime was in 1964. The wheels of justice grind slowly.

The last word was sleazoid. Curiously enough, it means a sleazy person. The trivia question was Evil Knevil's famous canyon jump site. It was the Snake River Canyon. The lyrics were from Queen's "We Will Rock You." The new challenge word is "bibulous." The new trivia question is what do the initials CBS stand for? The new lyrics challenge is: "You're the kind of person/ You meet at certain/ Dismal, dull affairs./ Center of a crowd/ Talking much too loud,/ Running up and down the stairs./ Well it seems to me/ That you have seen,/ Too much in too few years./ And though you've tried/ You just can't hide,/ Your eyes are edged with tears./ You better stop/ look around/ here it comes, ..."

Romney and McCain, Bush and Putin, & Democrats and Republicans

John McCain and Mitt Romney are engaged in a high-profile spat over the immigration bill. Read about it here.

Read here about the rapidly diminishing U.S.-Russian relations. As Bush kicks off his European tour, Putin is calling himself the worlds only true democrat while threatening to aim missles at Europe.

The honeymoon is over, if they (Democrats) ever had one that is. This poll shows that Congress' approval ratings are now lower than they were before Democrats took control in the last election. Bush's approval rating: 35%. Congress: 39%

Finally, read this shocking article from the UK which cites a study showing that 60% of female college graduates nearing 40 years old are childless. Again, shocking I say.

A reader tip from Jethro led me to this article. Hillary explains how "faith" saved her marraige to Bill. Read it here and here. You can also read about some of the things Obama and Edwards had to say about faith. For instance, Edwards tells us that he "prays and sins every day." At least one part of that statement is true. It is interesting to see the Democrats make a concerted effort to be "religious" in this election.

Monday Morning News

Happy Monday!

Iranian President Ahmadinejad has said the "countdown" button to Israel's destruction has been pushed. This kind of rhetoric should not be tolerated by the international community. Just remember this if (when) Israel strikes to take out Iran's nuclear capacity and liberals worldwide howl in disapproval. Read the story here.

Bill Clinton said recently that the economy during the Bush adminisration has been great for rich people. Is this a bad thing? I don't think that it ever occurred to Clinton that what is good for the rich might be good for everyone else. I hope the economy is good for me when I am rich. Read Clinton's comments here.

Read this criticism of Christopher Hitchens's new book God is not Great. What makes this criticism worth reading is that it is written by his brother Peter. While not the best criticism out there, it is worth the read because the Hitchens brothers are some of the most popular and widely read in the UK.

The quote from Al Gore: "Only an insignificant fraction of scientists deny the global warming crisis. The time for debate is over. The science is settled." What makes this quote interesting is that Gore made it is 1992, when the majority of climate scientists did not believe in global warming. Read this story highlighting some high-profile global warming skeptics.

Also, read this article by George Will arguing that the public may prefer competency over ideology in '08. This would explain why Hilary is so far fending off Obama and why Giuliani is outpacing more conservative candidates for the GOP nomination.

Finally, read this piece by Frank Pastore explaining why he, as a Christian, cannot vote for Mitt Romney. Needless to say, if you have read the New Right you know that I disagree with this position. If we can only vote for candidates who are model Christians, we won't be casting many ballots.

Terror Plot Foiled!

Kudos to the people who stopped the planned terror attack on Kennedy airport in NY. Read about it here. No matter what one says about the Bush Administration, I don't think anyone would have believed we could continuously prevent terrorist attacks for the last 6 years. Someday, one will get through though.

Also, US warships bombed an Al Qaeda target in Somalia. Seems that they were trying to get the operative that was responsible in the embassy bombings in 1998. Let us not forget this war started before 9/11. Read about it here.

Finally, and a bit off topic, an article about Fred Thompson's candidacy titled: Why Fred Thompson. Read it here.

Immigration Bill Defended!

Wow, what a day. This is the third post and I am excited to bring it to you. Read this exclusive article written for the New Right by JB. His is a defense of the President's immigration bill. Please comment and let JB know what you think.

The Immigration Bill is exactly what America Needs.

I don't think the critics of the proposed immigration bill (both on the Left and Right) are Racist, Xenophobes, and etc. I just think they are wrong. There are pragmatic and National Interest reasons why America needs a guest worker program.

Why this bill is in America's Long Term National Interests:

1. America needs workers. America's unemployment rate is at historic lows. Economists will tell you that unemployment below 5% can be unhealthy for an economy. America needs workers most in low-paying agricultural and manual labor jobs. There are hundreds of thousands of people willing to work these jobs for low wages. An economy runs on its human resources, right now the American economy is beginning to exceed its human resource capacity.

2. The agricultural and manual labor jobs represent products that all Americans use and need (i.e. food, housing, and etc.) It is in every American's best interest to keep the price of these goods low, especially in time of slower economic growth.

3. Developed countries (like America and those in Europe) are running out of people. As the global market expands, the fight between developed countries will be for people. Who will get these people? If America wants to stay ahead, it has to win this fight.

4. Whether America is now, or not, it needs to become a Assimilating Machine. We need an immigration policy that favors those with skills.Whether these skills are agricultural or engineering, in order to continue to be the World's Economic Superpower we need people to keep the economy expanding. Our immigration policy needs to be tailored to turn immigrants into Americans. Critics of the bill will agree with this, but the only way they see this working is to let a small amount of immigrants into America over long periods of time. Unfortunately this approach is inefficient, takes too long, and fuels illegal ( or, undocumented/ black market) labor.

5. At the present time, American employers have resulted to acquiring human resources from the "Black Market" that is illegal immigration. In some cases these undocumented workers do not pay taxes, abuse government programs, and can not be easily regulated by state and local governments.America's immigration policy has to provide incentives to take these resources off the black market and give them back to the employers who need them through a documented and regulated process.

6. This bill is the best of both worlds, it will allow for American employers to meet their human resource needs, increase tax receipts,enable America's economy to grow, provide a higher standard of living for foreign workers, all without giving away certain benefits of citizenship(i.e. voting rights, access to welfare programs). Granted citizenship can be obtained over time, and if these workers meet certain criteria, this program will not all at once hand over citizenship. It will force immigrants to work towards citizenship.

Why this bill is Pragmatic:

1. The border will never be completely sealed. A good offense is the best defense. In the immigration issue, America's defense is border control and its offense is its immigration policy. For those that slip through the borders, or are here already, America's immigration policy must provide a way to track these workers, ensure they are paying taxes,and determine if these immigrants represent a threat to security.

2. If you can't beat them join them. America needs workers, millions of workers are dead-set on getting to America. They are coming whether America likes it or not. We need to make this work in America's best interest. This is why America needs to become and assimilating machine.

3. Letting the market work itself out, allowing business to conduct itself without government interference, connecting a willing employer with a willing worker is at the heart of Conservatism. Conservatives have an opportunity to bring in a huge segment of the population by crafting and immigration policy that exemplifies conservative ideals.

4. If America wants to seal the borders, make the American economy an exclusive "invite-only county club," and retain and preserve its popular cultural norms, then this bill is not for America. But if this is the case, then as America becomes more isolated, in an increasingly interconnected Global economy, America will also loose its competitive edge and its influence in the world.

Finally Friday Part II

A televangelist in Florida is recently said that voting for Mitt Romney is voting for Satan. I wonder is he would make the same statement about pro-choice Rudy Giuliani, or the foul-mouthed John McCain, not to mention any of the Democrats? If he would, then at least he is consistent . . . one can only vote for committed Christians. However, even if consistent, this is an immature position that would lead to Christians abstaining completely from the business of politics. I hope that Romney doesn't get unfairly singled out and judged by a different standard, but by a sizable chunk of people he will. Read the story here.

Here is more on Bush's attempt to alienate "the 30 percent of people who still like him," and why this immigration issue i so personal for him.

Finally, read this article talking about the prediction of Carl Djerassi, inventor of the birth control pill, on what the future will hold. While his invention of the "pill" gave us "sex without children," Djerassi explains the future will hold :children without sex." Someday when I have more time I will write on why I am convinced that birth control was perhaps the most devastating development of the past century.

As always, please comment and share!!!!

Finally Friday!

Shake off the working blues and let the good times roll. . .


You can read here about how President Bush is angering conservatives with his criticisms of their criticism of the immigration bill. Seems everyone opposed to the immigration bill is a nativist, or worse, a racist. I am not sure what is so wrong with thinking of the United States as an exclusive private country club, where members are invited in for their skill. It shouldn't surprise anyone if members are upset when they find the golf course is full of guys wearing cut-off jean shorts and muscle shirts toting cases of beer.

Hillary Clinton has unveiled her new technology plan. Let me take a wild guess. It involves heave government participation. Read it here.

Obama apparently was a basketball star in Hawaii. Read about that here. I bet he is also and excellent cook, father, poet, etc.

Apparently the choice of college commencement speakers has veered left in this past year. That has got to be a hard thing to do. Liberal out numbered conservative 8-to-1. Read it here.

British education ministers are set to recommend that teachers stop asking kids to raise their hands in class. This is so the more timid children will have a chance to participate. Read it here. I couldn't be more strongly against this. What this will really do is squelch the enthusiasm of the eager learners. I fail to see how this de-motivation can be a good thing. This is part of a long trend of feminizing schools by taking away the competition. Kids (mainly boys) quit trying because what's the point. This is a massive problem, with colleges moving close to being populated by 60% women. Who are these girls going to marry? I could go on and on. Feel free to share your own experiences. I know there are a few educators reading this.

Let me conclude with some thoughts I had last night. After my softball game (our team has given up a total of 1 run the last three games, unheard of in softball), there was some chat about sports news. One of the stories discussed was the Alex Rodriguez controversy (general womanizing by a married man). The other story was Michael Vick's trouble for running a dog fighting ring. I had these thoughts. First, it shocks me that a sizable chunk of the population is more disturbed by dog fighting than by womanizing. In one, only dogs are involved, whereas in the other, people are. Secondly, in assigning moral blame to the two activities, it seems absurd to me that one can go to jail for dog fighting but face no criminal penalties for womanizing. I am not advocating such penalties, but only trying to point out where our criminal law sends what I think is the wrong moral lesson. If in 2525, future generations dust off the law books to get a sense of what was important to our society, they would conclude that dog fighting is very bad, and womanizing is not a big deal. Sadly, I fear this conclusion is right.