Saturday, March 20, 2004

Principles

"In applying one’s principles in conduct, one should be like the boxer, not the swordsman; for the latter lays by his sword and takes it up again, but the boxer’s hand is always with him and he has nothing to do but double up his fist."

Marcus Aurelius, The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, Book XII

Posted by John Venlet on 03/20 at 07:13 PM
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Pick on Someone Your Own Age, Andrew

The other day I linked to the story about the doings down in Rhea County, Tennessee and wondered what Mencken would write about this controversy as compared to the Scopes trial.  Rhea County was in the news this time because the county commissioners had voted 8-0 to ask the state to amend the law so as to make homosexuality a crime against nature. Sullivan’s post noted and linked to an updated story on Rhea County which reported that the county commissioners had voted, 8-0, to reverse this request to the state. Good for the Rhea County commissioners for coming to their senses.  Sullivan’s post then noted the following quote from a 12 year old girl.

"But 12-year-old Caitlin Kinney, attending the meeting with her mother, said she supported the commissioners’ initial vote. “I think they should go further, try to see if they can ban them,” she said. “It’s not a Christian thing."

Sullivan, then had this to say about that quote.

"The evangelicals brought her up well, didn’t they?"

Thinking about Sullivan’s poke at the evangelicals, I thought that the same could be said about parents from Sullivan’s chosen religion Catholicism, or Baptist parents, Methodist parents, Pentecostal parents, Lutheran parents, Seventh Day Adventist parents, straight secular parents, etcetera.  I then wondered what Sullivan would have individuals with religious leanings, or secular leanings, teach their children.  Would Sullivan require all parents to teach their children that sex with either a man or a woman is just a matter of what feels best to you?  Would Sullivan desire to have sex education classes in public schools teach that having sex is simply a matter of pleasure?  It really doesn’t matter what type of orifice you choose to fill, or not fill, boys and girls, do what feels good to you.  C’mon kids, get out there and rut around, homosexuality happens in the animal kingdom more than you know.  Well animals eat their young, too.

I’m thinking about this because I was brought up in Protestant background, Dutch Christian Reformed to be exact, with evangelical leanings and Calvinistic to boot.  When I was 12 years old, I, in all likelihood, would have made the same type of comment the 12 year old girl quoted above made.  Would I say that now?  No.  As a parent, though, I’m wondering what Sullivan would have me say to my kids?

I know what I do say though.  In conversations where the topic of homosexuality has been broached in this home, regarding homosexuals whom are in our circle of friends, when I was asked “Why are they homosexual, Dad?,” I tell my kids I don’t know, for certain, why.  When I was asked about homosexuality being a “sin,” I answer my kids that no one sin is any different than the other.  When my kids stated that homosexuality seems “weird” to them, I stated that I don’t necessarily understand it either, but if individuals choose to be, or are, homosexual, as long as this does not effect me, I cannot, and will not, judge them.

Sullivan’s poke at parents with evangelical leanings is specious.  His use of a quote, from a 12 year old girl, to take this poke, is as childish as a 12 year old.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/20 at 07:37 AM
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Friday, March 19, 2004

An Islamic Sheikh or a Capitalist CEO?

Forbes has a very interesting article by Matthew Swibel titled “Arabian Knight." The article takes a look at the kingdom of Dubai and its ruler/CEO Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.  Here’s one interesting bit of information concerning Dubai’s wealth.

"Thanks to his restless enterprise, Dubai’s nominal GDP has exploded from $8 billion to $20 billion in the last decade. That wealth does not derive from oil, which represents only 8.5% of output; nearly two-thirds comes from trade, tourism, real estate, construction and financial services."

Here’s another interesting bit.

"Fewer than 15% of its 1 million residents are nationals; most of its immigrants hail from Pakistan, India, Iran, Egypt and other Arab nations. Women in black burkas revealing only their eyes stroll on Sheikh Zayed Road past a line of sequined halter tops waiting to get into the smoky Zinc nightclub, where booze is served. While muezzins call the faithful to prayer, you can hear bells ringing at the Catholic church. Tourists with Israeli stamps in their passports breeze through customs. “We want to be the one place in the world which offers the best option for everything--business opportunities, world-class sporting and entertainment events,” says Mohammed."

If it wasn’t for the fact that Islam is the state religion, and foreigners cannot own property, Dubai could be close to the country that Bob Murphy is describing in his online book Minerva.

Link to Forbes article via Mises Economics Blog.

Forbes requires registration, or feel free to use login name nytimesoops, and password nytimes, which I have begun to use as login names and passwords for many sites requiring registration.  Just remember to logout, please.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/19 at 01:16 PM
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Cat Out of the Hat

Dr. Seuss on appeasement.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/19 at 01:02 PM
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Got Principles?

"A rational agent is one who has the power to act in accordance with his idea of laws--that is, to act in accordance with principles."

Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals, Translated and analyzed by H.J. Paton, Analysis of the Argument, Chapter II, Outline of a Metaphysic of Morals, pg. 25

Posted by John Venlet on 03/19 at 07:46 AM
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"Poll Commentary"

David Yeagley, an American/Comanche Indian of Christian persuasion, holds some strident views.  His latest post, titled “Does the World Think?," relates some of those views as he looks at William Lester’s writing on poll commentary regarding world opinion on America, with an emphasis on the Islamic fanaticism which currently plagues many countries.  Yeagley’s solutions are a bit over the top, as far as I am concerned, but his concluding comment to this piece speaks clearly.

"This is all a deception.  America is what it is because it holds different values than other countries. Superior values. For others to come here and parade their inferior values as if they somehow belong on America’s international smorgasbord of multi-culturalism is ludicrous, and highly destructive to American culture. This is the work of white liberal Leftists, America’s worst enemies. They are using the world to destroy America. They are the ones seeking “world dominion.” Never mind what the world thinks. Never mind the polls."

Posted by John Venlet on 03/19 at 06:47 AM
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Rumsfield in The New York Times

”...She asked me, “Why should Koreans send their young people halfway around the globe to be killed or wounded in Iraq?"

”...It’s a fair question. And it would have been fair for an American to ask, 50 years ago, `Why should young Americans go halfway around the world to be killed or wounded in Korea?’"

Rumsfield’s answer can be read in an op-ed titled “The Price of Freedom in Iraq."

Posted by John Venlet on 03/19 at 06:21 AM
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Neolithic Rock n Roll

Music has a long and ancient history in the world and runs the gamut of chants and grunts to bone whistles and clackers.  BBC News has a short piece available that looks at a recently rediscovered site in southern India that is not only a petroglyph site, but was a gathering place, they think, for shamans and others to gather to make music.  With rocks.

The piece is titled “Ancient Indians made ‘rock music’." I wonder if the archaeologists have considered that the site just may be an early form of a men’s drumming gathering.

Via Fred Lapides.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/19 at 06:02 AM
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Thursday, March 18, 2004

"Democracy is healthier."

So says Polish researcher Witold Zatonski where life expectancies have increased by four years since being released from the yoke of the former Russian behemoth. 

Tyler Cowen takes a look Zatonski’s premise, and at health trends in Russia versus Poland, since the collapse of Communism in a post titled “Why has Russian health collapsed?" Cowen has embedded many links in his post to additional information on this subject.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/18 at 08:03 AM
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I Wonder What Mencken Would Write About This?

When I was reading A Mencken Chrestomathy, I had more than one laugh at his descriptions of the Scopes trial and the individuals residing in Rhea County, Tennessee.  I’m sure I would enjoy his insights on the happenings down in Rhea County today.

"The county that was the site of the Scopes “Monkey Trial” over the teaching of evolution is asking lawmakers to amend state law so the county can charge homosexuals with crimes against nature."

Via Arthur Silber.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/18 at 07:25 AM
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Keeping the Heat On

On February 26, in a post I titled “Chicken Little," I took a poke at calls for more money to fund the building of asteroid protection apparatus.  You all know where the money would come from, your pocket, of course.  Today, Drudge’s blaring headline, “Recently Discovered Asteroid Makes Record-breaking Approach to Earth," fans the flame for just this altar call.  Better wear a hard hat to work today.

Here’s the article from NASA that details our close call.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/18 at 06:10 AM
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Is That All It Takes?

So, if the U.S. would just admit it was actually Socialist, and vowed to pull its troops from Iraq unless the UN was in charge, would Al-Qaeda leave us alone?

“Al-Qaeda group calls truce in Spain: report." From the article.

"Because of this decision, the leadership has decided to stop all operations within the Spanish territories… until we know the intentions of the new government that has promised to withdraw Spanish troops from Iraq,” the statement said."

John Kerry is probably licking his lips and scheming over how to use this type of claptrap for his advantage.

Via Andrew Sullivan.

Update: Thomas Friedman thinks this is a fantasy.

"The notion that Spain can separate itself from Al Qaeda’s onslaught on Western civilization by pulling its troops from Iraq is a fantasy."

Posted by John Venlet on 03/18 at 06:10 AM
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The Asparagus Growers Are Onboard, I See

I enjoy a good bunch of asparagus, that ancient treat much beloved by the Greeks as early as 200 BC.  Drizzle some olive oil on the asparagus and toss it on the grill, what a treat.  When asparagus is out of season, though, it can get kind of pricey, up to $4.99 per pound I’ve seen it.  Now, though, I’m wondering if the priciness of asparagus is simply a seasonal flucuation due to supply and demand.  Why?  Because Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R) has signed up the asparagus growers to enjoy the government’s largesse, which of course means taking money out of our pockets to give to the asparagus farmers.  This year, Hoekstra has pushed for the government to purchase 6.9 million pounds of the succulent stalks, because those darn Peruvians are “flooding the market.” Of course, Hoekstra would have us believe there are other positive reasons for the government to be screwing up a free market.

"It provides much-needed support to growers while providing a nutritious product to recipients of federal food programs."

The nutritious value factor.  How could I miss that benefit?

Who will the government sign up next?  Radish farmers, cabbage farmers, collard green farmers, brussel sprout farmers?

Posted by John Venlet on 03/18 at 06:10 AM
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Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Are the Differences "Only Apparent"?

Roderick Long analyzes Tibor Machan’s “Anarchism and Minarchism: A Rapprochement,” which was published in the Journal des Économistes et des Études Humaines 12, no. 4 (December 2002), pp. 569-588). Unfortunately, Machan’s article doesn’t seem to be available online, unless you are a subscriber, but Long’s analysis, titled “The Great Divorce," which should not be confused with C.S. Lewis’ tome of the same title, is available.  From Long’s post.

"Dr. Machan maintains that both “the individualist anarchists and the so-called minarchists – those who support a properly limited government – are right and their differences are only apparent.” In this post I assess Dr. Machan’s arguments."

Posted by John Venlet on 03/17 at 03:39 PM
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Friends in High Places

"A former Minnesota congressman, convicted in the traffic death of a motorcyclist, shouldn’t have to pay any damages in the case, a U.S. attorney says."

Why, you may ask?

""I find that the individual defendant, William Janklow, was acting within the scope of his employment as a member of the United States Congress at the time,” Heffelfinger wrote."

Yep, it definitely pays to have to criminal friends in high places.

The article “Bill Janklow damages may be paid by U.S."

Via The Agitator.

Posted by John Venlet on 03/17 at 06:54 AM
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