I’ve been following this story for a while, and frankly, I’m not sure why it was an issue to begin with: The issue surfaced when Muslims tried to donate copies of the Quran to Guilford County’s two courthouses. Two judges declined to accept the texts, saying that taking an oath on the Quran was illegal under state law. What exactly … Read More
There They Are!!
I’ve been worried about the much-reported absence of honeybees and its effects on the food supply. Apparently, they’re all here.
Falwell’s The Ends Well
The post-mortem deification begins. So, in the interest of equal time, let’s also remember some of Falwell’s greatest hits, courtesy of the Carpetbagger: March 1980: Falwell tells an Anchorage rally about a conversation with President Carter at the White House. Commenting on a January breakfast meeting, Falwell claimed to have asked Carter why he had “practicing homosexuals” on the senior … Read More
Tammy Faye Death Watch
Jerry, then Tammy. These things happen in threes, right? Don’t know who’s the third.
Falwell Dead? [Update: Yes]
Breaking news Obviously, I’m no fan, but it’s always momentous when an influential man passes. His zenith was in the Reagan era, when he set this country on a path which dictates much of the social and political landscape today. UPDATE: Retrospective from the Carpetbagger. Also, the GOP ’08ers are having a debate tonight. Look for lots of lavish praise … Read More
Hello, Andrea!
The first hurricane (okay, it’s just a tropical storm right now, and probably will stay that way) of the season has arrived. Earlier than expected. More to come, I’m sure. As a matter of fact: Two national hurricane experts say they expect an especially active storm season in the Atlantic this year, with one predicting 17 tropical storms and hurricanes. … Read More
Disaster Preparedness Is A Disaster
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius was complaining about the lack of Kansas National Guard people at home long before her state was struck by an F5 tornado last week: "The Guard cannot train on equipment they do not have," Sebelius continued. "The more resources that are left behind, the less able our guardsmen are to prepare here at home. And in … Read More
Where Are The Bulldozers And The National Guard?
A category F5 tornado virtually destroyed the town of Greenburg, Kansas this weekend. Now the rebuilding begins. Except, not so much: The rebuilding effort in tornado-ravaged Greensburg, Kansas, likely will be hampered because some much-needed equipment is in Iraq, said that state’s governor. Governor Kathleen Sebelius said much of the National Guard equipment usually positioned around the state to respond … Read More
What’s Where’s The Buzz?
I’m kinda getting worried about this bee thing: Honeybee die-off threatens food supply Unless someone or something stops it soon, the mysterious killer that is wiping out many of the nation’s honeybees could have a devastating effect on America’s dinner plate, perhaps even reducing us to a glorified bread-and-water diet. Honeybees don’t just make honey; they pollinate more than 90 … Read More
Opening Night
Lots of good theater this weekend in the Winston-Salem area. This year marks the 50th year of the debut of West Side Story, and the North Carolina School of the Arts is mounting a huuuuge production of the classic, with a cast of over 100. The musical is being directed by the directorial assistant of the original Broadyway production, using … Read More
I Oughta Be In Pictures
They’re filming the George Clooney movie "Leatherheads" in front of my office building this morning. This is pretty common for L.A. and New York, but it doesn’t happen very much in Winston-Salem. Clooney wrote the movie — he’s also starring in it, and he’s directing it. It’s a movie having to do with football in the 1920’s, and that’s about … Read More
David Halberstam, R.I.P.
The man who first recognized Vietnam as a "quagmire" — years ahead of his fellow journalists and the rest of the country — was killed in a car accident yesterday. A prescient, smart man — he is a voice that should always have been listened to. Here, for example, are his comments just 3 days after 9/11: We are in … Read More
BREAKING: Supreme Court Upholds Ban On Partial Birth Abortion
MSNBC story here. Opinion here. No time to read the opinion and give my expert legal analysis, but it’s clear that Stenberg v. Carhart (2000) is effectively overturned (although the majority opinion denies that they are doing so). The different between that case and this one? Alito is on the Court; O’Connor is not. UPDATE: Lyle Denniston of SCOTUSBLOG does … Read More
Sanjaya Lives; Vonnegut Dies. There Is No God.
In memory of Kurt’s passing: Many years ago, I was so innocent I still considered it possible that we could become the humane and reasonable America so many members of my generation used to dream of. We dreamed of such an America during the Great Depression, when there were no jobs. And then we fought and often died for that … Read More