Gems Of The New York Times

Ken AshfordHistoryLeave a Comment

As some of you may know, the New York Times has dropped its TimesSelect subscription program, making large parts of its online archive available for freemaking large parts of its online archive available for free.  This means that you no longer have to pay to read some of its editorials (many of which I have linked to in the past, despite the subscription firewall).

But it also means you have free access to little historical gems:

A report on the sinking of the Titanic.  Another small mention of the sinking was published in the paper the previous day.

First mention of Harry Potter. Before it became a phenomenon, it was just another children’s book on the fiction best-seller list.

A report during the First World War of the Germans using mustard gas.

The first mention of television (as a concept) in the Times, from February 1907. "The new ‘telephotograph’ invention of Dr. Arthur Korn, Professor of Physics in Munich University, is a distinct step nearer the realization of all this, and he assures us that ‘television,’ or seeing by telegraph, is merely a question of a year or two with certain improvements in apparatus."

A front page report on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, including a seismograph of the quake which the Times labeled "EARTHQUAKE’S AUTOGRAPH AS IT WROTE IT 3,000 MILES AWAY".

An article about the confirmation of Einstein’s theory of gravity by a 1919 expedition led by Arthur Eddington to measure the bending of starlight by the sun during an eclipse.

Early report of Lincoln’s assassination…"The President Still Alive at Last Accounts".

A report on Custer’s Last Stand a couple of weeks after the occurance

Happy browsing!

The first mention of the World Wide Web in the Times in February 1993

They’re Not Dead; They’re Resting

Ken AshfordRed Sox & Other SportsLeave a Comment

So says Fox Sports:

Repeat after me, Red Sox Nation:

It’s not 1978.

In 1978 — hello — there was no wild card.

After the Red Sox blew their 14-game lead to Bucky Bleepin’ Dent and Co., they had no chance to win the World Series.

Now, the Sox are taking steps to enhance their chances of winning the Series, even if it costs them the American League East title.

To succeed in the postseason, the Sox need to rest their pitchers and mend their position players. Finishing ahead of the Yankees is — and should be — a lower priority.

***

The bottom line is that the Sox are taking the sensible approach by resting certain players and testing others. Any other analysis is sheer Yankee-phobia, nothing more.

No question, the Sox would rather win their first division title since 1995, hold down the Yankees and enter the postseason on a roll.

But consider the alternative.

If the Sox had kept Matsuzaka and Schilling on their normal schedules and then faltered in the Division Series, they would have been rightly accused of losing sight of the forest for the trees.

In their position, even losses can be instructive.

On Tuesday night, manager Terry Francona all but conceded a game by allowing struggling reliever Eric Gagne to blow a 2-1 lead to the Blue Jays in the eighth inning.

If the game had true significance, Francona would have summoned closer Jonathan Papelbon to help Gagne escape the jam. But the manager needed to find about Gagne — and, unfortunately, got his answer.

In any case, the Nation needs to relax.

The Sox aren’t collapsing. They’re exploiting the advantage they gained in the first five months of the season.

O.K., then.

“I Don’t Subscribe To The Slogan ‘Free The Jena 6′”

Ken AshfordRaceLeave a Comment

I don’t subscribe to that slogan either.  From all appearances, the 6 black kids commited a crime, but as this commenter points out (at Michelle Malkin’s site, after Malkin tries to pooh-pooh the story), that is not the issue:

Ms. Malkin, I don’t think that this should be classified as a “race hustler” story. Although many will argue that this is a race issue, there are facts about the case that need to be heard.

I read an excellent commentary on CNN about the march:

Much of the reporting and commentary on this has been shallow, choosing to see it as a black-white issue, as opposed to the various views of how do you define equal justice in America.

Let’s try this exercise for a moment. We can remove all racial tags and ask ourselves some critical questions.

If you heard that six teens had beaten up another teen leaving him unconscious, would you think that those accused deserved to be tried as adults and face upwards of 80 years in jail?

If a group of teens hung a noose on a tree, and the principal recommended to expel them, and then the school board overruled them, what would you say about that?

Prior to Justin Barker being beaten, another teen (who was black) was beaten, and no charges were filed against the (white) students in that case, would you question the district attorney’s action in Barker’s case?

Lady Justice in America is supposed to be blind. We all want to have confidence in our legal system so that when someone is prosecuted, it is fair and just. But so many people know that is not the case.

Look at O.J. Simpson. Thirteen years later, people are still mad that he got off.

Fine. So if you’re mad about O.J., are you equally offended about Jena?”

Ms. Malkin, are you not outraged that the hanging of nooses is not classified as a hate crime?

From the New York Times:
(quoting marcher Latese Brown)

If you can figure out how to make a schoolyard fight into an attempted murder charge, I’m sure you can figure out how to make stringing nooses a hate crime.

I, for one, do not subscribe to the slogan “Free the Jena 6″ because I think that they should be punished for beating another student up. They aren’t angels. Your point is valid.

But I think that there are people who think that justice is not always allocated fairly. Surely you can see that because you attack sanctuary cities and illegal aliens all the time.

This country has some serious conversations that it has to be having right now. “Race Hustlers”, “Race Card”, “racial demagoguery” and other buzzword catchphrases distract from the fact that for once, people are willing to get out and march and protest for what they feel is an injustice. Just like you encourage people march for the GOE and other causes, people are calling attention to what they perceive to be a serious, serious problem.

If justice is applied fairly to all parties involved regardless of race, as a result of this march… I say more power to them.

O000000H, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia

Ken AshfordPopular CultureLeave a Comment

MaureenEven in my randiest pubescent years, I couldn’t have imagined this — sexual "hijinks" on the set of The Brady Bunch . . . between Maureen McCormick and Eve Plumb:

Wholesome former THE BRADY BUNCH star MAUREEN MCCORMICK is set to reveal the beloved 70s TV series’ most shocking secret in a new book – she and her on-screen sister had a lesbian fling. MCCormick’s tell-all, Here’s The Story, won’t hit bookstores until 2008, but publishers are already buzzing about the big reveal. As well as talking candidly about her well-documented eating disorder and drug problems in the book, TV’s Marcia Brady will come clean about a romance she had with co-star Eve Plumb, who played her sister Jan on the hit show. A source tells America’s National Enquirer, "The most explosive comments will be how the then-blonde, blue-eyed cutie developed a crush on Eve Plumb, which led to some sexual play. "This book will certainly come as a shocker. While Maureen is not a lesbian, she reveals there were some sexual hijinks going on behind the scenes. "It’s bizarre because she played such a virginal character on the show."

Eveplumb_2It kind of makes you want to revisit Jan’s favorite phrase: "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia".  Maybe she meant it in a longing kind of a way, rather than a whiny "I’m jealous" kind of way.

The mind reels.

A Republican For Gay Marriage

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Andrew Sullivan:

The Republican mayor of San Diego just reversed himself on marriage equality and agreed to sign a a City Council resolution supporting a challenge to California’s gay marriage ban (also opposed by the state legislature). Moving video moment here. He’d previously vowed to veto it. He has a lesbian daughter, it turns out, and like many other parents of gay children, simply didn’t believe it was a positive step to keep her segregated from her own family and community and stigmatized as inferior.

Click through to the video.  It really is moving.

I think it is easy to oppose something like gay marriage in the political abstract, and I suspect that most opposers simply do oppose it in the political abstract.  But as the San Diego mayor found it, when it affects your family and friends, there simply is no justification to keep a certain segment of society "separate but equal".

Let The Jokes Begin

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

Ouch:

A Croatian motorbiker’s penis was zapped by lightning as he stopped beside the road to take a leak.

Ante Djindjic, 29, from Zagreb, said: "I don’t remember what happened. One minute I was taking a leak and the next thing I knew I was in hospital.

***

Djindjic, who suffered light burns to his chest and arms, added: "Thankfully, the doctors said that there would be no lasting effects, and my penis will function normally eventually."

I left out the most interesting part:

"Doctors said the lightning went through my body and because I was wearing rubber boots it earthed itself through my penis."

That’s right — lightning literally shot out from his, uh, unit.  He gets 100,000 boasting points for that. 

A (female) co-worker of mine (who shall remain nameless) quips: "Could have been worse.  Instead of taking a leak, someone could have been giving him [oral graitication] at the time."

Yes, that’s true.  Worse for who, though?

Terrorizing Your Kids

Ken AshfordWar on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

If the objective is terrorism is to spread terror, then this guy is doing the terrorists’ work.

Here’s how he prefaces his "chlidren’s book" (which is really a Flash animation) about terrorism:

Dear Concerned American
On September 11, 2001, a most vicious and dangerous enemy attacked our nation and gave a wake up call to every American.  Now nearly eight years after that tragic day, a day that we pledged to never forget, there is a generation coming to a tender age that have never witnessed the evil achievements of the terrorists with their own eyes.
I feel it is my duty as an American, a Parent and as a man of faith to prepare this tender generation as well as the generations yet to come for the dark future that could lie ahead of them.  In today’s haze of liberal propaganda, it is hard to know whom to trust and these vicious left wing tactics of trying to dispel the obvious terrorist threats around us are only confusing our children.
And so in order to "dispel" myths and inform our children about the "true"ness of terrorism, we get a little animated book with true-to-life images like this….

Whyterror3

That’s right, kids.  Terrorists are in your bathroom.  Four of them to be precise, if you count the one sticking his bazooka through the bathroom window. 

And don’t be fooled by that rubber ducky you play with.  It’s actually glued on to the helmet of a terrorist!  You might think you’re safe from him, because explosive belts probably don’t work in the bathtub water.  But you’ld be wrong — there’s that other terrorist lurking around the wall ready to blow you up.  And if that’s not enough, there’s the machine gunner terrorist crouching behind the toilet who will riddle your pre-exploded body with bullets.  And for good measure, of course, the terrorist outside has a bazooka to totally waste your pre-exploded bullet-ridden prepubsecent body.

And you thought the bullies at school were bad!!!

What to do?  Pray to God?

Whydoterror1

Yeah, good luck with that, kid.  The terrorists are listening in….

Of course, there is a happy ending.  That last image shows George W. Bush holding an assault rifle as he stands surrounded by adoring toddlers.  Phew!  Our hero!

Click here to enjoy the truth-filled animation.  Or, as the site’s proprietor says, "So turn off the television, gather the family around the easy chair and enjoy these fun and educational stories that you can cherish in your family forever."

Grade Inflation 101

Ken AshfordBush & Co.Leave a Comment

Bush today at a press conference:

QUESTION: Do you think there’s a risk of a recession? How do you rate that?

BUSH: You know, you need to talk to economists. I think I got a B in Econ 101. I got an A, however, in keeping taxes low and being fiscally responsible with the people’s money.

It’s nice to see that Bush admits to not being an A student in economics.  Unfortunately, he’s still lying.  If you look at his economics grade at Yale, he got a 71 and a 72.

That’s a C-.

UPDATE:  Like Carpetbagger, I don’t quite understand why Bush thinks his anti-intellectualism is cause for merriment.

Today, Aurora (Illinois) Is Ground Zero Of Abortion Wars

Ken AshfordWomen's IssuesLeave a Comment

Interesting little controversy.

Planned Parenthood wanted to open a women’s health clinic in Aurora, Illinois.  I’m not using "women’s health clinic" as a euphemism for "abortion clinic" — it really is a women’s health clinic.  Among the services they were to provide: gynceological exams, cancer screening, HIV testing, pap smears, etc.  And oh yes, surgical and medicinal abortions.

Now PP knows from experience what happens whenever such a clinic is introduced in to a community.  Picketing of the construction site, harrassment and threats to the owners of the construction company, and so on.

So this time, PP did something different.  When seeking permits and city approval, they hid behind the name of a subsidiary company, Gemini Office Development, and were vague when asked along the way about the identity of prospective tenants for the $7.5 million facility.  They didn’t lie or commit fraud — the land is zoned for (among other things) medical clinics.  The only thing they did was just not make it widely known — to Aurora city officials — that they were intending to build a perfectly legal women’s health clinic that would (among other things) perform abortions.

The subterfuge almost worked, but the local paper revealed the plans.  And Aurora city officials, having already signed off on the plans for the 22,000 square-foot clinic, felt the pressure from anti-choice advocates.  They ordered an independent review, ostensibly to examine the legality of the tactics Planned Parenthood employed to fly under the radar. 

Truth be told, there wasn’t much to review — only a handful of documents.  But the "review" dragged on and on, for reasons unknown.  It became quite obvious that Aurora officials used the excuse of this ongoing investigation to prevent the clinic from opening on schedule.   Eventually, Planned Parenthood had to go to court seeking an order allowing them open the clinic.  That motion is being argued today, and being liveblogged here.

While the focus is supposedly on Planned Parenthood’s alleged "fraud", what is clearly at issue is abortion.  As one lawyer argued this morning, "We wouldn’t be here if this was a foot care clinic."  So true.

While it is clear that PP attempted to hide their identity, it is also clear the deceptions were an effort by Planned Parenthood to be sure the law is followed, and not thwarted.  They wanted to be sure their plans and proposals were considered as though they came from an organization engaged in lawful activity. Which, in fact, they were.

From what I’ve seen and read, it’s hard to find actual "fraud" here (it is common for business to work under the name of subsidiaries, and this is not in fact "fraud").  But there may be facts that I am not aware of.

The irony here is that Planned Parenthood offers such as contraceptive counseling, pregnancy testing, adoption referrals and disease screening.  Collectively, these services does more to lower the overall number of abortions (by providing the birth control that blocks unwanted pregnancies) and to save lives than all of the protests, prayer vigils and campaigns of harassment by its enemies put together.

UPDATE:  According to the liveblogger, the judge is denying PP’s motion, "saying that there is a dearth of evidence showing discrimination and that there was not enough time for a reasonable investigation."  Not a total loss for PP, just a loss for today….

What I Miss On Daytime Television

Ken AshfordGodstuffLeave a Comment

Not much, apparently. 

I hear/read a lot about "The View".  Seems those women are always fighting about something.  But this video made me spit up my Pepsi.

One of the co-hosts of The View, Sherri Shepherd (center), said she didn’t believe in evolution.  So co-host Whoopi Goldberg asked her if she believed the world was flat or round. She wasn’t able to answer, using the excuse that she was too busy being a good little housewife to think about complicated things like matters that science settled hundreds of years ago. Amazing.

Partial transcript:

WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Is the world flat?

SHERRI SHEPHERD: Is the world flat? (laughter)

GOLDBERG: Yes.

SHEPHERD: …I Don’t know.

GOLDBERG: What do you think?

SHEPHERD: I… I never thought about it, Whoopi. Is the world flat? I never thought about it.

BARBARA WALTERS: You’ve never thought about whether the world was round or flat?

SHEPHERD: I tell you what I’ve thought about. How I’m going to feed my child–

WALTERS: Well you can do both.

SHEPERD: …how I’m going to take care of my family. The world, is the world flat has never entered into, like that has not been an important thing to me.

ELIZABETH HASSELBECK: You’ll teach your son, Jeffery, right?

SHEPHERD: If my son, Jeffery, asks me ‘is the world flat,’ I guess I would go…

JOY BEHAR: You know, didn’t some person already work this question out? I mean, why are we doing this again? (laughter, applause)

I love that excuse, bu the way:  after the exhausting work of feeding her son and presumably doing other feminine duties, Shepherd has had no time to consider whether or not the earth is flat or round.

That’s all very well and good, but it bears the question: then why is this women giving opinions on a national television show?

He Just Wants To Pump (Clap) Them Up

Ken AshfordRepublicansLeave a Comment

Hans_franzLast week Arnold told California Republicans that the GOP was "dying at the box office." On Wednesday he explained what he really meant:

If I see you gaining weight and gaining weight and gaining weight, I would eventually — if I cared at all about you — I would say: "You know something? If you continue this way, you may get into serious trouble. You may get a heart attack or have problems with diabetes and stuff like that and can’t move around as quickly and get tired.

"But here is what I would do if I were you: I would go and exercise every day, stop eating at night, eat only two meals, be disciplined and blah, blah, blah, all of those kind of things. I will give you a plan and you can follow it or not.

"So it’s not I’m criticizing you. It just really means I care about you, and I want you to live and feel as good as I do and do as well as I do." And that’s what I basically did with the Republican Party.

That’s world class political analysis.