* Water on Mars? Sure. In the form of ice.
Matter of fact, there’s enough ice there, that if it melted, it would cover the entire surface of the planet about 30ft. of water.
Interesting.
* So McCain thinks he can restart the “straight talk express”, does he?
The problem, of course, with that, is that we learn from the last time around, and his version of straight talk is anything but.
* In listening to the usual back and forth over “American Idol” on one of the local stations, here, I’ve become more firmly convinced than ever, that the only reason some people are alive is because it’s illegal to kill them.
* One of the problems with the current level of assessment of what’s going on in Iraq is that most people figure the thing is going to go on right through the first couple commercials of the NEXT show. Being patient seems to be a bit of a lost art, in this age of nonstop instant gratification. I am shocked daily by the level of self absorption. well, perhaps shocked is too strong a word.
That is, until I’m stuck behind the hybrid- driving morons doing 45 in the left lane in rush hour traffic on I-390. its at that point that I can think of a number of stronger words.
* McQ has a great post up on “The Transmission of Culture”.
The result is now beginning to tell with a vengeance in Britain as well as parts of Europe. Balkanized immigrants who haven’t assimilated and, even if willing, wouldn’t really be able to find out much about the national culture they should embrace. The transmission has, for the most part, ended because those who’re charged with the job have unilaterally decided that the traditional culture isn’t worth transmitting anymore.
In my opinion multiculturalism, or as I prefer to refer to it, cultural relativism, is one of the most dangerous philosophies since Marxism. Its first requirement is that adherents must suspend one of the most basic and necessary functions inherent to a human being: making judgments. That, of course, means one must eschew morality. If morality is simply the difference between ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ (according to a defined set of principles) and judgement gives us a method by which to categorize actions, activities and ideas using those principles into right or wrong, cultural relativism tells us that for the most part, our principles are suspect as we relate them to other cultures.
And it is that paradigm shift which has infected Britain and is infecting the US as we speak. What is interesting to me, however, is how the Muslim tradition is being transmitted so strongly in Britain. Through Muslim schools. Given there is no requirement to assimilate, and given the cultural relativity found in British schools which makes real assimilation impossible, Muslims increasingly choose to reinforce their culture through private Muslim schools.
This is precisely the argument I’ve been making for years now. This all falls down on whether not we are actually transmitting our own culture to our children, and in transmitting it, also communicating that our culture is worthwhile, even crucial to our survival.
Someone who believes in their own goal or purpose will invariably trump someone who doesn’t believe in their goal or purpose. If those who were teaching our children, about our culture, don’t believe in our culture, where we left?
We end up spending our time wondering how long it will be before the next landlord takes over.
* My older dog, has developed the habit of getting me up and 3:00 in the morning, wanting to go outside to take care of her business. I wouldn’t mind that so much, much as it disturbs my sleep, if someone could explain to me; if she’s in such a darn hurry to get out to the back yard, cause she’s gonna go, why does she still insist on taking three or four laps around the back yard, nose to the grass that she’s been over thousands of times covering it at rates that would make an earthworm look speedy?
* I see James remarking about the New York Times, who has apparently decided that their “TimesSelect” program is a failure, at least insofar as making money is concerned. Bainbridge and I agree, here, saying this is…
….a pretty blatant long-term marketing strategy. Hook students now, so they pay later. But I doubt it’ll work. Students will get used to getting the news for free and, when they no longer have a .edu address, will switch to other free news sources. In addition, lots of schools now give their alumni lifetime .edu addresses, which means there will be lots of off-campus folks getting free access to NY Times Select forever. Anyway, it’s a huge boon for academic bloggers.
Thing is, the professor is assuming money making is what this is about. I’m less than convinced of that. Granted, that the scenario only makes sense in making money is what you think Sulzberger is about. But we both know better, don’t we?
The political left-leanings of the New York Times are legendary.I stopped regularly quoting them here, years ago, for that very reason. Offering their product to teachers and school age kids, seems an interesting way to get around restrictions on overtly political material.
Imagine with me, if you will, an overtly right wing publication offering its product in a similar manner… what do you suppose the reaction would be?
The timing of this move, also seems suspect; right at the bottom , the beginning, of the presidential election cycle for 08.
* Watching Johnson go up against mental midget Glenn Greenwald, is about as one set of the contest is anyone could devise on their sickest day. It’s almost painful to watch, it’s so one-sided… But I’ll do my best.
* I see the jackals have started on Nathan Tabor. I suppose that it hasn’t occurred to any of these clueless idiots, that Tabor may be writing what he does because that’s what he’s thinking. If they really consider that people don’t say things a certain way unless they’re being paid for it, then what are we to say about 90% of the output at HuffPo?
I had arguments with Tabor in the past, but believe me this isn’t one of them.
Tags: BitsBlog
