Monday, April 12, 2004

Comrade, Your Grass is Too Long

"The grass might be greener on the other side of the fence, but if it is too long, Alpine Township officials could send someone out with a tape measure and mower.

A proposed ordinance would limit grass and weed height in residential areas to eight inches. The ordinance is being proposed because of increasing complaints about shaggy lawns."

“Township considers limit on grass length."

After reading that, I am going to grab a beer, go outside, watch my grass grow and bemoan the continuing strangulation of my country, America.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:47 PM
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Dumbing Up

Prior to reading our local rag tonight, I would have still used the term “dumbing down” to express my opinion on public education practices here in the U.S.  Many classes, taught in schools throughout the country, have gutted curriculums to appeal to the lowest common denominator in each class, and this prior to the “No Child Left Behind” claptrap.

But tonight, after reading an AP article titled "Failed math or English?  No problem," not only will curriculums continue to be dumbed down, but students will be dumbed up.  What, you may ask, do I mean by that?  This, as reported is happening down in Houston, Texas.

"City schools are dropping a policy that required high school students to pass such core courses as English and math before moving to the next grade."

CNN titled their story on this “Houston approves new student promotion plan."

Here’s a quote from the CNN story that almost makes me cry.

"I view this policy ahead of us as compassionate high standards,” said district trustee Dianne Johnson."

WTF are “compassionate high standards?”

The New York Times titled their story “Houston Schools Ease Rules on High School Promotion."

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:27 PM
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A Modern Day Timon

Unlike the ancient Timon, Jose Montaner doesn’t appear to be a misanthrope, but he does have a little island retreat off the coast of Miami that he calls home.  Unfortunately, Montaner’s habitation on the little island is ruffling statist feathers, and he is in danger of being forcibly removed, because of statists like Stuart Sorg.

"Stuart Sorg, a Coconut Grove resident and member of the Miami Waterfront Advisory Board, sees the situation differently. He wants Mr. Montaner off the island immediately, especially after reading in The Miami Herald last week that Mr. Montaner had been arrested for minor crimes in the past. “We’ve got to go through that island and disassemble everything,” said Mr. Sorg, who has complained about Mr. Montaner to city officials. “This city has become too sophisticated, too cosmopolitan for that type of thing."

Some people just can’t stand individuals being independent.

From a New York Times piece titled “A Paradise of Detritus (Plus Ducks)."

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 06:29 AM
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Free Market Rising

"It’s been over a decade since I was in Moscow last and what a difference there is. I try to be careful not to infer too much about the state of Russia — or even of Moscow — from short trips, but nonetheless the difference is truly astonishing. I remember from the Soviet time how drab, shabby, dirty, and utterly depressing Moscow was. It’s now ablaze with advertising, signs, beautiful restaurants, and shops full of goods. Furthermore, whereas the streets had in the past been full of downcast and depressed people, the open gaiety and liveliness among those walking is quite remarkable. Imagine what a rich, progressive, and wonderful place Russia might be today had they not been taken down such a disastrous wrong turn by the Bolshevik criminals in 1917."

Tom Palmer commenting on the change in Moscow since his last visit.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 06:10 AM
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Freedom of the Press, Scalia Style

"A federal marshal guarding Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ordered two reporters to erase audio recordings they were making of Scalia’s speech to a group of high school students in Mississippi on Wednesday, prompting protests from local journalists who said they were victims of official interference with the press.

As Scalia was addressing an afternoon assembly at the Presbyterian Christian High School in Hattiesburg, Deputy U.S. Marshal Melanie Rube confronted the journalists and told them they must erase their recordings because they violated the justice’s policy against audio- or videotaping of his public appearances."

I guess he thinks he has achieved rock star status.

From this Washington Post article.

Via the Modulator who also links to Eugene Volokh’s thoughts on this.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:59 AM
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Surf's Up

Here’s a surfing move I never saw in my years living in Hawaii.  It’s called the “Superman.”

Here’s a link to a few other surfing photos.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:49 AM
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Sacred Guns

The private ownership of guns is a decisive issue here in the U.S.A.  At least for some individuals.  David Yeagley is looking at this from a historic and religious perspective in a piece titled “Can A Christian Pull the Trigger?, Thoughts on Self-Defense."

My answer.  Yes, they can.

A couple interesting historic notes from Yeagley’s piece.

"In 1619, the colony of Virginia had statutes that not only required everyone to attend church on Sunday, but “all such as bear arms shall bring their pieces, swords, powder and shot” or be subject to a three-shilling fine.  That same statute was renewed in 1632, and again in 1738. 

Connecticut law in 1636 declared that the militia leader of each settlement was required to have “two pounds of gunpowder and 20 bullets” in his home, and he was to inspect the other men’s arms for serviceability.  A year later, 1637, a fine of five shillings was imposed on anyone failing to meet the law.  In 1650 Connecticut required every man above the age of sixteen to possess “a good musket or other gun, fit for service."

Yeagley’s concluding statement.

"But take it from me, an Indian:  turning your weapon over to someone else means only one thing—surrender.  It has never meant anything else.  It means you submit to a greater power. 

So, is the American government greater than its people?"

The comment thread is interesting reading, also.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:32 AM
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Fun With Peeps

I’ve never cared for Marshmallow Peeps. When I was a kid, from time to time I would receive them in an Easter basket, but they would never be eaten.  After a time, the little Peeps would become stale, and harden up, and at that point the little Peeps would become instruments of war between my brothers and I.  Duck projectiles.

Claire Wolfe has found another use for Peeps.  As shooting targets.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:18 AM
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Break It Down

"Anyone who lives in a city like mine and interests himself in the fate of the world cannot help wondering whether, deeper than this immediate cultural desperation, there is anything intrinsic to Islam—beyond the devout Muslim’s instinctive understanding that secularization, once it starts, is like an unstoppable chain reaction—that renders it unable to adapt itself comfortably to the modern world. Is there an essential element that condemns the Dar al-Islam to permanent backwardness with regard to the Dar al-Harb, a backwardness that is felt as a deep humiliation, and is exemplified, though not proved, by the fact that the whole of the Arab world, minus its oil, matters less to the rest of the world economically than the Nokia telephone company of Finland?"

Theodore Dalrymple, writing for City Journal, in a piece titled “When Islam Breaks Down."

Via Arts & Letters Daily.

Posted by John Venlet on 04/12 at 03:05 AM
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