Monthly Archives: June 2011

A star is born?

It will be interesting to see if Michele Bachmann’s media quasi-luster lasts. Liberals in particular seem to praise her as kooky but effective in getting her “malevolent message” out. There’s no contempt and condescension in the aversion. Yet.

Posted in Uncategorized | 14 Comments

The value of democracy

Obama Opts for Faster Afghan Pullout: President Obama plans to announce Wednesday evening that he will order the withdrawal of 10,000 American troops from Afghanistan this year, and another 20,000 troops, the remainder of the 2009 “surge,” by the end … Continue reading

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Millet systems are stable (relatively)

Comment below: Furthermore, Millet systems are extremely unstable, to say the least. There being a reason there’s no longer any Ottoman or Austro-Hungarian empires. I take a different lesson. The Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungary (if you include its de facto … Continue reading

Posted in culture | Tagged | 9 Comments

“Liberal Orientalism”

The “farewell apology post” the “Gay Girl in Damascus” stated: This experience has sadly only confirmed my feelings regarding the often superficial coverage of the Middle East and the pervasiveness of new forms of liberal Orientalism. “Orientalism” is a term … Continue reading

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Satanic Versus: Ayn Rand as Scarecrow (4)

Here’s Joe Carter writing in the theocon journal, First Things: Devotees of Rand may object to my outlining the association between [Rand and vintage Satanist Anton La Vey]. They will say I am proposing “guilt by association,” a form of … Continue reading

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Move Along, Nothing To See Here

Cross-posted on the Corner. Via the Daily Telegraph: Police have been accused of “covering up” a campaign of abuse, threats and violence aimed at “Islamicising” an area of London. Victims say that officers in the borough of Tower Hamlets have … Continue reading

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Annals of the Arab Spring (ctd.)

Cross-posted over at the Corner: Via the Wall Street Journal: QENA, Egypt—Five weeks after the fall of the Egyptian regime, Ayman Anwar Mitri’s apartment was torched. When he showed up to investigate, he was bundled inside by bearded Islamists. Mr. … Continue reading

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The Retreat from reason (ctd.)

The defendant in this case may or may not have lost her senses, the judge that sentenced her clearly has: A young woman who repeatedly stabbed her mother as she slept has walked free from court after a judge accepted … Continue reading

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The Dalai Lama, Again

Via USA Today: Usually what we hear from the Dalai Lama is an insistant yet soothing voice for compassion and peace. So Tsering Namgyal, a journalist based in Minneapolis, was jolted by the Dalai Lama’s talk to 150 Chinese students … Continue reading

Posted in philosophy, politics, Religion | Tagged | 3 Comments

Blow Ye The Trumpet in Houston

A message from Texas governor, and possible GOP presidential hopeful, Rick Perry: Fellow Americans, Right now, America is in crisis: we have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. As a nation, we must come … Continue reading

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