What Happens When Obama Talks Jobs

Well, the Sergeant-at-Arms won't be put into an awkward position. President Obama has agreed to address a joint session of Congress on September 8th, rather than September 7th.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Mitt Romney & The Mendoza Line

I was amused by Jonathan Last's analysis (H/T Mark Hemingway of The Weekly Standard) as to why he thinks Mitt Romney will again fail to win the GOP nomination. Last argues that Romney has no "core constituency" and has an abysmal election record - GOP primaries included:

Combine that with the rest of his runs and you get a 17-year career average of 5-18. I don't think you could find any other figure in politics who has run this far below the Mendoza line and still managed to get taken seriously as a presidential candidate.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Mendoza Line, it refers to the batting futility of Mario Mendoza who played in the big leagues from 1974 to 1982 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers. While Mendoza was a good fielding shortstop, his offense was anemic. In nine big league seasons, the Mexican born infielder had a lifetime batting average of .215. In general terms, the Mendoza Line refers to any batter who has a batting average of .200 or below.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Bachmann Shouldn't Have Joked About Hurricane Irene

It's interesting to see a liberal like film critic Richard Roeper come to the defense of Michele Bachman over her joke yesterday about Hurricane Irene vis-à-vis the deficit and debt.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

A Wonderful Life But Not a Wonderful Book

I read Larry Thornberry's review of George Vecsey's biography of Stan "The Man" Musial this morning which was originally published in the July/August edition of The American Spectator.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Insinuations Candidate Slate Not Sufficiently Religious

Those that express a Christian Reconstructionist or Dominionist perspective are in an uproar that it is imperative that Christians only vote for other Christians.

Some holding to this perspective even contend that only confirmed Christians should be allowed to run for public office and if you vote for someone that isn’t, even if none are running, your soul could very well be in danger of eternal damnation.

Yet there isn't a single Republican candidate that hasn't assented to at least a belief in God.

What is not often deliberately spelled out is that, if a candidate does not agree with this particular subset of the broader Evangelical spectrum nearly 100% on what in Christian thought are categorized as secondary issues, one is not considered to be a Christian at all in the eyes of this perspective’s adherents.

For example, it is not enough for a conservative presidential hopeful to pledge to stand against gay marriage.

Rather, to these fanatics, one is branded an apostate if one believes Old Testament injunctions to put homosexuals to death only applied within the context of ancient Israel and were set aside by Christ Himself when the Lord intervened at the stoning of the adulterous woman.

It must be asked, though it is doubtful they will even answer and even more likely to threaten to report you to Facebook administrators when you raise concerns about these kinds of omissions in their professed ideology, just who in a Rushdoonyian regime will decide whose belief is sincere and pure enough to be granted permission to seek elected office?

The Founding Fathers intended religion in general and Christianity in particular to exert a profound influence over American culture.

However, when the faith’s institutionalized forms end up determining who may enjoy the rights and benefits of citizenship, it has become a very pillar of the kind of tyranny that it was hoped such devotion and piety would serve as a bulwark against in the first place.

by Frederick Meekins

"Angry" Romney?

Well, a prominent ally of the Obama campaign did say they were going to "kill" Mitt Romney.

Exhibit A: Mitt Romney is an Angry, White Male.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thome Returns to the Tribe

Last night, the Minnesota Twins traded DH Jim Thome to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Joey Vento, 1940-2011. R.I.P.

Joey Vento, owner of Geno's Steaks in Philadelphia, died on Tuesday of a massive heart attack. He was 71.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Mike Flanagan, 1951-2011. R.I.P.

While watching the Boston Red Sox-Texas Rangers game, I learned that Baltimore Orioles legend Mike Flanagan had been found dead on his property this afternoon. His cause of death is unknown but authorities in Monkton, Maryland were contacted concerning a "suspicious death." Flanagan would have turned 60 in December.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Projecting Authoritarian Personality Onto Tea Partiers

David N. Bass is perplexed by the recently released study titled "The Cultures of the Tea Party" led by Andrew Perrin of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Steven Tepper of Vanderbilt University. In the study, Perrin and company concluded that authoritarianism was one of the "primary cultural dispositions among those who feel positively toward the TPM."

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Rumblings in DC & Beyond

I am glad to hear from Jim Antle that everyone down at The American Spectator HQ is alright. As of this writing, there are no reports of fatalities from this afternoon's 5.9 magnitude Mid-Atlantic earthquake that could be felt as far up as my old stomping grounds of Ottawa, Ontario.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Health Insurance Isn't Car Insurance

I immensely enjoyed David Catron's piece this morning about President Obama's limited grasp of the Constitution when it comes to Obamacare. I was not aware that Obama had told one of his town hall audiences, "There's nothing wrong with saying to people who can afford to get health insurance, you need to buy health insurance just like car insurance."

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

One of Gadhaffi's Sons Not Captured

Here's yet another reason I am hesitant to say that Libya has entered the post-Gadhaffi era.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Nick Ashford, 1941-2011. R.I.P.

This isn't a good day for songwriters. First, Jerry Leiber of Leiber-Stoller fame passes away. Now comes word that Nick Ashford of the husband and wife songwriting team of Ashford & Simpson passed away today of throat cancer. He was 70.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Jerry Leiber, 1933-2011. R.I.P.

Songwriter Jerry Leiber passed away today after a lengthy illness. He was 78.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Ryan Not Running; Obama Relieved

I know that Jim Antle believes that Paul Ryan and the country is better off with him remaining as House Budget Chairman.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Jack Layton, 1950-2011. R.I.P.

Jack Layton, leader of Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP), passed away this morning of cancer. He was 61.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

It Isn't a Post-Gadhaffi Libya Just Yet

I appreciate the comments of John Tabin, Reid Smith and John Guardiano regarding a post-Gadhaffi Libya. However, Libya hasn't entered the post-Gadhaffi era just yet. At the risk of sounding skeptical about today's developments in Tripoli, I'll believe that Muammar Gadhaffi's regime is no longer in power if he a) is placed under arrest b) leaves the country or c) is dead.

Israeli Flag Removed From Embassy in Cairo Then Burned

This is most disquieting. As about hundred people standing outside the Israeli Embassy in Cairo yesterday cheered a man as he climbed to the roof of the complex which houses the embassy, removed the Israeli flag and then replaced it with an Egyptian flag. He then proceeded to burn the Israeli flag. The Egyptian guards on duty made no attempt to stop him.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

"Russian" to Judge Bachmann

Michele Bachmann is being criticized for making reference to "the rise of the Soviet Union" during a radio interview with Jay Sekulow on Thursday.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Iran Sentences U.S. Hikers to 8 Years Imprisonment

Today, an Iranian court sentenced Americans Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal to eight years imprisonment.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Bataan Survivors Carry On

I greatly appreciate Quin Hillyer's correction. Earlier today, I wrote that Albert Brown was the last American survivor of the Bataan Death March when, in fact, he was the oldest. I have corrected my obituary for Mr. Brown accordingly.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Will The Cubs Hire Kim Ng as GM?

Earlier this year, I predicted the Chicago Cubs would win their first World Series title in 103 years. Not only that but I picked Carlos Zambrano to win the NL Cy Young Award and Mike Quade to win NL Manager of the Year.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Perry "Creates" a Problem for Himself

I am in agreement with David N. Bass when he argues that if the woman in Portsmouth, New Hampshire really wanted to Texas Governor Rick Perry's views on evolution so badly that she should have asked him herself rather than get her young son to do it for her. Clearly, she has no shame.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Nero in the White House

by Mychal Massie
WorldNetDaily

Three significant historical events have been eclipsed by Obama: 1) Jimmy Carter will no longer be looked upon as the worst president in American history; 2) Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton will no longer be recognized as the greatest liars in presidential history; 3) Clinton's stain on Monica's dress, and what that did to the White House in general and the office of the president specifically, will forever pale in comparison to the stain and stench of Obama.

I need not spend much time on the failure of Obama as president. His tenure has been a failure on every measurable level. So much so, in fact, that some of the staunchest, most respected liberal Democrats and Democratic supporters have not only openly criticized him – some even more harshly than this essayist – but they have called for him to step down.

Richard Nixon's words "I am not a crook," punctuated with his involvement in Watergate, and Bill Clinton's finger-wagging as he told one of the most pathetic lies in presidential history, in the aftermath of Obama, will be viewed as mere prevarications.

Read the rest of this outstanding article at WorldNetDaily

Albert Brown, 1906-2011. R.I.P.

Albert Brown, the oldest American survivor of the Bataan Death march during WWII, passed away last Sunday of natural causes. He was 105.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Burger King Dethroned

Joe Lawler draws our attention to the dethroning of the Burger King, the last in the long of monarchs who descended from the House of Whopper.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

MLB Won't Let Nats Honor Navy SEALS

This makes absolutely no sense to me at all.

Major League Baseball would not approve the Washington Nationals request to honor the Navy SEALS killed in Afghanistan earlier this month. The Nats had planned to wear Navy SEAL caps during Tuesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. While MLB had granted permission to the Nationals to wear the hats during batting practice they drew the line at players actually wearing the caps during the game itself.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Lessons In Apologetics #8: Atheism

If the Christian has no assurance that God will triumph from the way the world appears to be going, one would be better off hedging one’s bets by siding with the Devil or sitting the whole thing out all together. There are those that attempt to do just that.

Atheism is the worldview that believes that God does not exist.  Those embracing this perspective tend to do so over both objective and existential reasons.

Those claiming to embrace Atheism for objective reasons often concentrate their attacks on the more scientific approaches to the existence of God such as the cosmological argument.  The cosmological argument for the existence of God holds that all contingent things must have a cause and that this cause is at the minimum Aristotle’s Uncaused Cause and preferably the God of the Christian faith as expounded by Aquinas when he adapted these propositions for Christian usage.  Atheists raise their hands and say hold on a moment to what they see as presumptuous conclusions.

From the Christian perspective, since God exists beyond what we perceive as time, He  is sufficient or  necessary to jumpstart the universe and get the temporal ball rolling.  However, the Atheist has no metaphysical problem with an infinite chain of causality. Yet the laws of thermodynamics might dictate otherwise as these fundamental principles of physics hold that there is only a finite amount of energy available within a closed system.

So even though the Atheist may not have an intellectual objection to a material universe that is infinitely old, such an assumption smashes eventually against the hard wall of reality.  However, seldom has that ever stopped anyone adamant about adhering to their favored delusions no matter what the evidence might say.

The next set of arguments for Atheism against belief in God center around a set of moral objections. All must confess these have crossed our minds at low points in each of our lives.

The most objective of these centers around the nature of goodness and God's relationship to it.  This argument was developed by Bertrand Russell (218).

The moral disproof for God states that good must result because either God decrees it or He does not.  If good is good simply because God says it is and no one can argue against Him since He is the biggest guy on the cosmic block, good is not really good since God has willed it so arbitrarily.  However, if God declares something good because of its own inherent nature or compliance with a standard beyond Himself, doesn't that mean that the standard rather than God is ultimate?  Thus, at best, God ends up being demoted to the status of Plato's less than omnipotent demiurge.

Geisler counters, though, that this is really putting the ethical cart before the theistic horse.  Geisler writes, "Rather than flowing from God's arbitrary will, the moral law may be seen as rooted in God's unchangeably good and loving nature,  then the apparent dilemma is resolved (226).”  Thus, good is something God is rather than something God decides or does.  This brings to mind verses such as John 8:58 where God proclaims “Before Abraham was, I am.”

Other moral objections to the existence of God are a bit less ethereal and considerably more visceral and marked by the pain those leveling them have experienced or witnessed living here in an obviously fallen world.  One such objection raised by Albert Camus in The Plague uses the backdrop of an epidemic to make the point that theism is inherently anti-humanitarian.  The story posits the dichotomy that, if one assists the suffering, one is siding against God by interfering with the work of His judgment, and if one wants to be in His will and not stand in His way, one is therefore opposed to human well being (221).

Other related objections to God over the problem of evil dismiss His existence all together.  A number of Atheists deny the existence of God on the grounds that, because people often suffer disproportionately to what they have done wrong, an all powerful and all good God does not exist.  It is argued a God possessing these attributes would not allow evil.   But because evil is rampant, that is proof that either God is not all powerful and cannot do anything about evil or that He is all powerful but does not do anything about the evil in the world because He is not good enough to care.

Though it is not always a comfort to someone that has befallen an overwhelming tragedy such as the murder of a loved one, the existence of evil does not by default disprove the existence of God.  It does, however, toss the apologetic ball into the theist's court to provide a plausible reason as to why an all-powerful and all-good God would allow suffering to exist.

Known as "theodicy", these explanations attempt to reconcile the simultaneous existence of both God and evil.  It is at this point that the theist must counter claim that the evil in the world is solvable or redeemable.  The Christian especially can point out that God has indeed done something about the evil by sending His only begotten Son into the world to do something about this tragedy in the most personable of ways.

If the Atheist presses this objection too vigorously, the wily apologist ought to turn the argument back on his unbelieving compatriot.  To even make the claim that God does not exist, because the world is not as good as we think it would be if He really did, is actually an indirect argument that He really does.

For to argue that things are not good enough is to assume some kind of standard exists beyond the earthly fray we find ourselves in.  If this material universe was all there ever was, the highest good we could ever know is what we see around us and we’d be unable to criticize anything as the “is” automatically becomes the “ought” in such a context.

Yet there is a deep dissatisfaction that compels most human souls onward towards a better world.  Romans 2:14-15 says, “...when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature  things  required  by  the  law,  they are a law for themselves even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts..."

Secondly, Atheists claiming disbelief in God because, in their view, He has not done enough to stop or prevent suffering in the world often want to have things both ways.  These theophobes not only deny God over the imperfections they see in the world but then hypothesize that, if God existed, man would not be free because human freedom would be, as Geisler puts it, "circumscribed by his divine determination (231)."

However, it is because God loves us so much and respects us as individuals that in the vast majority of instances He does not directly interfere with most actions but rather permits their outcome to propel the world onward to His ultimate plan for all of His creation.  Geisler writes, "If love is persuasive but never coercive, then allowing men to freely determine their own destiny would seem to be the loving way to make them (231)."

Unfortunately, some are in such a state of rebellion against God that they take this animus out on others.  Foremost among such deeds would no doubt rank murder.

Some would respond that, if God really loved the innocent, He would intervene to prevent this crime.  However, as C.S. Lewis hypothesizes in The Problem Of Pain, for our own benefit God has created a world that operates in the vast majority of instances by a series of repeatable and verifiable principles.

For example, according to this moral "steady-state theory", I am able to  pick up a knife  to either slice a steak or slit my neighbor's throat for the purposes of providing man with a rational world where we will not go mad.  Faced with such, the Christian must embrace Romans 8:28 as a comfort in a world that often does not seem fair to our finite minds.

By Frederick Meekins

Assad Never Lost Legitimacy

I read Senator Marco Rubio's statement on Syria today (H/T Daniel Halper of The Weekly Standard) and found myself taken aback by his first sentence:

Bashar al-Assad and his murderous regime's enablers lost their legitimacy to govern a long time ago.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Can Obama Make Assad "Step Aside"?

Today, President Obama called upon Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad "to step aside."

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Terrorist Attack in Israel Launched From Egypt

Today, seven Israelis were killed in a series of terrorist attacks by Palestinian gunmen who crossed into Israel from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and attacked a bus and other motor vehicles. As of this writing, no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thoughts on O'Donnell vs. Morgan

I watched Piers Morgan's entire interview of former U.S. Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell which aired last night. As you are probably aware, O'Donnell abruptly eneded the interview after he asked her about gay marriage.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thinking About a Triple Play

I appreciate Paul Chesser for drawing our attention to how Boston Globe photographer Jim Davis captured the triple play turned by the Red Sox on Tuesday night.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Ready for Ryan

I suppose Jim Antle and I (along with Quin Hillyer) will have to agree to disagree about Paul Ryan's presidential prospects. Fair enough.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Obama: Beware of the "Lone Wolf Terrorist"

Yesterday, President Obama was interviewed by Wolf Blitzer of CNN. Blitzer asked Obama if he thought al Qaeda would attack the United States in revenge for killing Osama bin Laden.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

A Double Take on Triple Plays

Last night I was watching the MLB Network (as I often do) and they were showcasing the Milwaukee Brewers turning a triple play against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Paul Ryan Should Run For President

Earlier today, Jim Antle offered his arguments as to why House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan should not run for the GOP nomination.

With all due respect to Antle, I don't find his arguments convincing.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

The Obama-Truman Narrative

All of a sudden, within the last 48 hours or so, a new narrative has emerged likening President Obama's re-election bid to President Truman's come from behind victory in 1948.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thome Hits 600th HR

ESPN2 took a break from their coverage of the Giants-Braves game to show Minnesota Twins DH Jim Thome bat against Detroit Tigers pitcher Daniel Scherleth at Comerica Park. Thome had hit his 599th career homerun earlier in the game.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Twins Deal Delmon Young to Detroit

I'm not sure anyone saw this coming. Certainly not Delmon Young.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Turkey to Syria: "Time for Words Will Be Over"

Turkey has been peeved at neighboring Syria for some time now. Bashar Assad's wanton slaughter of his own people has driven them to seek refuge in Turkey.

Now Turkey's Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has warned Syria that unless it ceases its crackdown that the "time for words will be over."

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

"Frumming" Down The GOP Field

John Guardiano takes David Frum to task for stating that Michele Bachmann does not qualify for the Oval Office.

Well, if one reads through Frum's piece, Bachmann isn't the only Republican who he deems unfit to be President. He writes, "Disenchanted Republicans have shopped for a credible alternative to Romney. Ron Paul, Sarah Palin, Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann obviously do not qualify."

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Bachmann Isn't McGovern

The silliest thing I've read thus far with respect to Michele Bachmann's triumph in Iowa on Saturday is that she will become the George McGovern of the GOP.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thoughts on Pawlenty

All things considered, Tim Pawlenty did the right thing in ending his presidential bid now rather than to prolong the agony.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Is Bachmann Grasping at Straws?

What should be made of Michele Bachmann's victory at the Iowa Straw Poll?

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Progressives Pray for a Plague on Perry

With Texas Governor Rick Perry's widely expected entrance into the GOP presidential race today, so-called progressives are freaking over his faith. Specifically, the objections revolve around his prayer rally a week ago at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Scott LeDoux, 1949-2011. R.I.P.

Former heavyweight boxer turned county commissioner Scott LeDoux died yesterday after a three year battle with ALS (a.k.a. Lou Gehrig's Disease.) He was 62.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Why I Skimmed The GOP Debate

I appreciate Joe Lawler for his observations of the GOP debate throughout the night.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Misplaced Blame

This morning I read Christopher Orlet's piece about Kelly Thomas, a 37-year old homeless man with schizophrenia from Fullerton, California who died at the hands of the local police on July 5, 2011. After reading the article, I found myself quite disturbed by its tone.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Bachmann vs. O'Reilly on Medicare & Social Security

I hope Michele Bachmann's people were watching her interview last night with Bill O'Reilly because she did not acquit herself well when it came to his question about raising the age of eligibility for Medicare and Social Security.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

$70 off discount on next Americans for Prosperity summit in D.C.

I’m excited to announce that we’re extending the special $70 off discount for one more week.  Now through August 14th at midnight you can continue to sign up for $70 off the VA bus package to the Defending the American Dream Summit by using the code “Bus70” when registering.  Click here to register and take advantage of this special discount! Americans for Prosperity Foundation and thousands of grassroots activists will gather in Washington, DC on November 4th & 5th for the 5th annual Defending the American Dream Summit. Last year, more than 2,600 of our best activists descended on Washington for the Summit to demonstrate to elected officials, government bureaucrats, and the national media that the grassroots movement is alive and well. The 5th annual Summit will be an even bigger event, highlighted by the nation’s top free-market leaders and will ensure our issues remain at the forefront of the policy debate in 2011 and years to come. We have begun to turn the tide of public opinion in favor of economic freedom. We cannot afford to lose momentum now. Summit Highlights Include: Friday Gala Dinner General Session with Keynote Speakers Continental Breakfast on Saturday morning Special Interactive Sessions for Teens & College Students Movie Night featuring Entertaining Films By Liberty Loving Filmmakers Seminars for Youth On Why Freedom Matters and How they Can Make a Difference Bloggers Row Free-Market Job Fair State-Specific Strategy Meetings Network With Leading Activists From Across The Country  … and much more! Click here to register today and help defend the American dream! Defending liberty and promoting prosperity is a family affair. Give your children the gift of freedom and bring the whole family to the Defending the American Dream Summit this year. In fact, we’re offering a discount for families and small groups! Click here for more information about our special packages. Washington is ignoring average Americans. Join us and let’s make sure our voices are heard! Sincerely, Tim Phillips President, Americans for Prosperity Foundation P.S. The $70 discount ends at midnight on August 14th, so act now by registering with the discount code “Bus70” and join thousands of freedom loving Americans in DC this fall. Click Here to Register.

Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFPF believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFPF educates and engages citizens to support restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFPF is more than 1.8 million activists strong, with activists in all 50 states.  AFPF has 31 state chapters and affiliates. More than 90,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial contribution to AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.americansforprosperityfoundation.com

Kill Romney?

Over at Politco.com, Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin quote a "prominent Democratic strategist aligned with the White House" as saying, "Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney."

Kill Romney?

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Nonsense From Nocera

Joe Nocera of The New York Times continues to relentlessly beat the "blame the Tea Party" drum.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thoughts on the U.K. Riots

Given what has happened with the downgrade in our credit rating and the subsequent reaction of the financial markets, the riots in the United Kingdom have been overlooked in this country. Let me state that I am characterizing these events as the U.K. Riots rather than the London Riots for the simple reason that this violence has now spread beyond London into Liverpool, Leeds and Birmingham amongst other areas. While the lion's share of the violence has taken place in London this has become a national emergency and the Cameron/Clegg government had better restore order - fast. The U.K. is turning into something out of an Anthony Burgess novel.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Interesting, in all the discussion of America's declining credit status from AAA to AA, we are never told the ratings of the dictatorships such as Red China & Russia wagging their fingers at us.

The Left Blames Tea Party for Downgrade

Yesterday, The Left came out in full force on the Sunday talk shows to cast blame on the Tea Party for last Friday's credit rating downgrade by Standard & Poor's.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Pirates Lose 10 Straight

A few days ago I wrote a piece about the Pittsburgh Pirates abrupt decline after being atop the NL Central last month.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Thoughts on The Credit Downgrade

When I heard that Standard & Poor's had downgraded the United States credit rating from AAA to AA+ it took me back two decades to when I was still living in Canada.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Google Got Some Splaining To Do

If you have been on Google today you will have noticed their doodle in honor of the 100th anniversary of Lucille Ball's birth.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

In Defense of A-Rod

Let me begin by stating that I am not a fan of Alex Rodriguez and his Yankee pinstripes.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

Obama @ 50: Older But Not Wiser

Today is, of course, President Obama's 50th birthday.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

No More Jerry's Kids

With Labor Day a little over a month away, there comes the shocking news that Jerry Lewis won't host this year's Muscular Dystrophy Association Telethon. He has hosted the annual event since 1954.

To read the rest of his post, please check out The American Spectator.

Bubba Smith, 1945-2011. R.I.P.

Former NFL defensive end turned actor Charles "Bubba" Smith was found dead in his home today apparently as a result of natural causes. He was 66.

To read the rest of this obituary, please check out The American Spectator.

Thoughts on Randy Moss

Yesterday morning, while I was taking a taxi to the Halifax airport, I heard on CBC Radio that Randy Moss had retired after 13 seasons in the NFL.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.

A Nova Scotia Summer

I just got back to Boston a short time ago after spending several days in Halifax, Nova Scotia visiting my younger brother.

To read the rest of this post, please check out The American Spectator.