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Thursday, December 18, 2003

A Perverse Winter Pleasure

Yesterday I had to fire up the old shovel.  First time this season.  Although we had received accumulating snowfall prior to this, mother nature had done my work for me.  But yesterday, with temperatures cold enough for the snow to stick around, I did some shoveling.  Twice as a matter of fact.  And I enjoyed every minute of it.

I can’t say I’ve always had this attitude.  At the age of six, when my Dad first placed a shovel in my hands and said “I want to be able to see the curbs,” I didn’t think much of shoveling snow.  Especially after, I thought, I had completed shoveling the driveway and gotten my keister back in the house.  Invariably, my Dad would poke his head round the basement stairs and say, “I can’t see the curb.” So back outside I’d go and toil some more.  This went on until my folks changed the locks on the doors as a way of letting me know that my shenanigans weren’t going to be tolerated any longer in their home.

After, I like to say, moved out, on my own, I didn’t bother much with shoveling.  I’d just run whatever winter beater vehicle I was driving through any snow that had accumulated.  If the snow was especially deep, I’d have to make a couple of passes in order to pack it down to a navigable surface.  By the end of winter, the drive would be packed like a glacier, and you wouldn’t see the curbs til late Spring.

Later, after joining the Navy, I didn’t have to do much shoveling for five years.  Being stationed in Hawaii had some distinct advantages, even beyond not having to shovel snow.  But after I got out and returned to Michigan, shoveling needed to be done once again.  The funny thing was, I ended up shoveling like my Dad always wanted me to when I was a kid.  I always wanted to see the curb.

Now, twenty plus years after getting out of the service, shoveling every winter, I take a perverse pleasure in wielding my shovel.  The scrape of the blade on cement, the piles of snow growing each time I shovel and the cold air making my nose run.  It’s quite satisfying.

People always ask me why I don’t get a snowblower.  I guess it’s because I can’t stand the sound of them, or, because I just enjoy shoveling.  It’s kind of mindless work, but with verifiable results.  Besides, a snowblower just doesn’t clean the snow from the curb real well, and the exhaust doesn’t go well with a cigar.

A Home for Plagiarists

Does the New York Times run ads for journalists that state one of the requirements for being hired is an ability to falsely claim others work as your own, or, lacking that ability, to conjure quotes?  Nicholas Provenzo, at The Rule of Reason, looks at Michele Malkin’s story on this entitled “Another Jayson Blair."

This is Logic?

Joan Jacobs Brumberg, writing for the New York Times, opines,

"But new research in the behavioral sciences suggests that we should start to think about violent youths in a different, more logical way. Studies by the MacArthur Foundation’s Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice are finding that the cognitive, emotional and social development of adolescents is incomplete, and that boys well into their late teens have difficulty curbing their impulses, thinking through long-term consequences and — most relevant to Lee Malvo — resisting the influence of others. These problems persist in adolescent behavior, past or present.

While it’s hard to establish exactly when maturity occurs, conflating childhood and adulthood is a relic of Charley Miller’s time. As a country, we need to exempt youthful offenders from capital punishment, just as the Supreme Court excluded the mentally retarded in a recent case. Kentucky’s governor understood this and set matters right. Let’s hope the jury now deciding Lee Malvo’s fate does the same."

When I read this type of drivel, it calls to mind the many biographies I devoured about the early presidents, statesmen and other personages of the U.S. when I was a lad.  Daniel Boone, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Kit Carson, George Washington etc.  The books, written for young people ages 10 - 15 or so, would provide details of these eminent peoples’ lives; such as they were providing food for the family larder, via hunting, at the age of 12.  Or, that at the age of 14 or 15, said biographical individual, was in charge of the family books or some such task of importance.  My question is, have people de-evolved so drastically since these times that maturity never is reached and taking responsibility for your actions is nothing more than a rumination for philosophers?

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

What if I'm Wearing It?

The headline reads, “Religious clothing generally allowed in U.S. schools." So I doubled checked my dictionary, and based on my research, I’m wondering if the clothing in question, in this case scarves, in French schools, cause immediate conversion, to whatever faith, if an infidel happens to don said article of clothing.  Now that’s some powerful faith.

Via Google News.

Yep, Fodder

I am not against medical research or cloning, per se, but this statement,

"The bill prohibits the use of human cloning for reproductive purposes, but allows cloning to create unborn children only to be killed—either early after their creation for their stem cells or at any time before their birth."

from an article in LifeNews.com, made my eyes pop out.

The article reports on the New Jersey legislature passing a bill, 41-31, which, according to the article, will allow just that.

But I guess this is okay because according to New Jersey Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D) we can,

"Do this for your children and your grandchildren."

Via J. Bowen at No Watermelons Allowed who entitled his comments on this madness "Conceived to die."

What a Relief for the Catholics

The Pope has spoken, so all those who lead their lives, according to the edicts emanating from the Vatican, can, in good conscience, watch Mel Gibson’s upcoming film "The Passion. The Pope’s, concise, review,

“"It is as it was."

as taken from the Wall Street Journal.

Yeah, but how was the acting?

Via Drudge.

Update to "Robin Hood, Incorporated" Below

Yesterday, see below, I linked to a post by Greg Swann concerning a project his son Cameron completed for school.  I noted in the post that Cameron had received a 100% for the project.  It seems his teacher has had a change of heart.  Here’s the link to Greg’s letter to the school, addressed to Dr. Voinovich, in regards to the matter at hand.

Update to Update Greg’s heard from the school.

"Cameron’s grade is restored, but the principal of his school informs me that this weblog has been referred to the Washington Elementary School District’s attorney to determine if I have committed libel. Nothing will come of this, of course. Even attorneys can read the United States Constitution."

You Gotta Wonder

You gotta wonder at the absurdities that surround us in the name of the law.  In Texas, undercover cops are arresting people for selling vibrators. That’s using resources to “protect” the populace.  Cops have no self respect.

Via The Obscure Store.

"Cookie Rebels"

A FOX news story, written by Wendy McElroy, informs that groups of conservative students, their words not mine, protesting affirmative action, are being denied their right to sell cookies on campus because,

"The cookie rebels are doing the one thing political correctness cannot bear: revealing its absurdity and laughing in its face. They are not merely speaking truth to power; they are chuckling at it."

I’ll take a half-dozen chocolate chip.

Via Mike Schneider.

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

Definitely Misplaced Outrage

The post immediately below is titled "Somewhat Misplaced Outrage." The outrage expressed in this article is definitely misplaced.

The article informs us that Cardinal Renato Martino is upset at the video footage of Saddam in the hands of the military.  A couple of Martino’s comments,

""I felt pity to see this man destroyed, (the military) looking at his teeth as if he were a cow. They could have spared us these pictures,”...

“Seeing him like this, a man in his tragedy, despite all the heavy blame he bears, I had a sense of compassion for him,..."

I think these type of comments from political leaders and church leaders are nothing more than expressions of fear.  Fear of the possibility of their time in front of the cameras for being supporters, and wielders, of tyranny themselves.

Via Drudge.

Somewhat Misplaced Outrage

In today’s Grand Rapids Press there is an article about gift cards.  One of the dead tree copies I saw, while getting my haircut, displayed a headline along the lines of “Couple angry they cannot buy gift cards with cash,” or something to that effect, which deserves some commentary itself.  Can you imagine not accepting cash payments for goods or services?  Anyway, the online article is entitled “Watch out for the fine print in gift cards" and the story informs us that many gift cards you may purchase must be used prior to a certain date or fees are assessed decreasing their value.  Bearer bonds they are not.

The article is interesting in the fact that it names retailers that do start dipping into the cash value of a card after a certain period of time and others, one actually, that does not.  Wouldn’t it be nice if individuals could apply their same outrage of gift card loss of value, through fee assessment, to paycheck loss of value, through excessive taxation.

I Wonder if I Can Fit My Fly Rod In The Trunk?

“Wooden Ferrari."

Via Fred Lapides’ Posted by John Venlet on 12/16 at 06:32 AM
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