No this isn’t a post on FIRE at Binghamton University it is just an FYI that our “internet speech” category has been renamed “internet/free speech” to cover any kind of discussion on free speech. Not just on the net
Posts Tagged ‘misc’
Cleaning up free speech
Posted: February 23, 2009 by datechguy in internet/free speech, UncategorizedTags: fyi, misc
Sunday Random thoughts
Posted: February 22, 2009 by datechguy in baseball, employment, fun, gaming, personalTags: double standards, food, misc, religion, sports
I have a job interview tomorrow. The big grey beard is now gone so perhaps the extra 10 years it seems to add to me being shed will help.
Also got a letter from somewhere that I interviewed back in December. Was expecting a straight rejection but instead was informed the position was placed on hold. With endowments drying up I expect a lot more of this.
Today is Washington’s Birthday. Powerline reminds us of a person who actually deserved the amazing praise a nation gave him looks like.
Was at the dollar store day before yesterday picked up The Stark Truth a book on the most over and underrated players in Baseball history. It appears to be the best buck I’ve ever spent on a hardcover book.
Today’s sermon at Mass was one of the most solid I’ve heard in a while. It was on how Christianity is the religion of positive affirmation not waffling. You are obliged not to waffle on belief and morality. Christians and Catholics sometimes forget this.
Romano’s Market has finally entered the 21st century as their web site has gone up written by the young lady at the register who is majoring at Com Si at a local college.
Speaking of Romano’s they are getting ready for the annual St. Patrick’s day Corned Beef rush. That little place will go though thousands of pounds of corned beef and they work like dogs to get it all ready.
Next door to Romano’s is the Ole Time Luncheonette. I mentioned this place before, it actually opened it the middle of the power outages and the ice storms. The last three days they have been packed. The two ladies and their husband that run the place are there seven days. Drive 25 miles to get there and work hard. I sure hope this keeps up. They deserve it.
And their Fish and chips is the best in town. Just in time for Lent.
Speaking of Restaurants, one of my favorites the Boarder Bar and Grille in Leominster. I was informed by a friend that their appetizers (with minor exceptions) are half price weekdays between 3-6 p.m. and after 9 p.m. as well. As they are rather filling I think this will be the way we manage to hit the place every now and then with money tight.
Do you know the sound the plastic container of Hershey Syrup makes when my son is trying to squeeze the last bit out is exactly the same as the sound of my cat coughing up a hairball? We never had that problem with the old cans.
This story at Gateway Pundit about Witchcraft being the fastest growing religion in the country reminded me of this quote from the Screwtape letters:
I have high hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalise and mythologise their science to such an extent that what is, in effect, belief in us, (though not under that name) will creep in while the human mind remains closed to the Enemy [God]. The “Life Force,” the worship of sex, and some aspects of Psychoanalysis may here prove useful. If once we can produce our perfect work–the Materialist Magician, the man, not using, but veritably worshipping, what he vaguely calls “Forces” while denying the existence of “spirits”–then the end of the war will be in sight.
My witch friends (and I mean that literally) might dispute this; but a lot of people are making large mistakes that they will regret for the rest of their deaths.
And if you like Screwtape and John Cleese you just have to find his reading of the Screwtape letters on tape. He is perfect in the role. We sampled it on this post. Four of them on youtube here.
Speaking of error not two days after my son decided on Fitchburg State College we were surprised to get a letter from the Bishop of Worcester recommending Anna Maria. In view of my visit I was astounded and have typed a response. I’ll post it in full after it is mailed and received. I will give you a taste:
We were very excited when Sam was accepted at Anna Maria and even more excited when they offered the largest (in dollars) scholarship of any of the nine colleges that have accepted and attempted to recruit him. We looked forward to the visit to the college and felt pleased that it would expand both his faith and his educational horizons.
Then we actually visited the college.
The rest they say is history.
We are coming closer and closer to the opening of the baseball season. We are also two weeks away from the World baseball classic. I think I must be the only guy who thinks the latter is worthwhile.
The Red Sox open against the Devil Rays. Two years ago that wouldn’t be much of a deal. Now this has a chance to grow to a mini-Sox Yankees as these teams just plain don’t like each other.
And wasn’t that series in the playoffs just first rate?
Played a game called In a Pickle. It was cute but I wouldn’t recommend it with 8 as it is rated for 6. It’s not a bad party game but I don’t think I’d buy it.
And I have a bigotry against games that de-emphasize winning in the rules.
I don’t think I will ever get sick of watching Ken Burns series “The Civil War.”
I don’t think I will ever not be sick of reality TV. If I wanted reality I get plenty of it every day.
And finally we’ve had days of the media nonsense attacking the New York Post on a cartoon that has absolutely nothing to do with race. Now the NAACP has gotten involved and are talking real nonsense. There was a time when the NAACP was the one of the most respected organizations in the US. Their hyperbole shows that those days are long gone.
Last month I wrote this:
Until the Governor is removed or the laws changed he has the right to appoint a replacement, absent evidence of wrongdoing it is legal and should stand.
It is a bit distasteful but there are many things in life that are distasteful. Of course if evidence is presented that there is something corrupt in this appointment then the senate can take action but for now the law is what it is.
Well now that we have some evidence it will be up to the senate to decide if there is some there there.
Ok kick me out says Geert
Posted: February 12, 2009 by datechguy in internet/free speech, opinion/newsTags: misc
Looks like Gert Wilders is going to make the British eject him:
“A newspaper reports that Dutch MP Wilders has been “taken away” from an airliner at Heathrow Airport, no immediate official confirmation.”
And that: A Dutch newspaper reporter describes a “chaotic” scene aboard an airliner at Heathrow airport as banned Dutch MP tries to enter country.
And here is the money quote of all money quotes:
Mr Wilders told The Times on the flight that the British Government was “the biggest bunch of cowards in Europe”. ”It is easy to invite people you agree with, it is more difficult to invite people you disagree with and this is the proof of the pudding,” he said.
“I am going to Great Britain because I was invited by another politician (Lord Pearson of Rannoch). I am a democrat, I am serving freedom of speech. They are not only being nasty to me they are being nasty to freedom of speech.
He added: “They (the British government) are more Chamberlain than Churchill.”
Me I’ve always said that the answer to speech you don’t like is more speech. England is making a huge mistake here. They are afraid of the fight, you’d better have that fight now while freedom of speech and expression is still strong enough to win it. If not then you will quietly sink into Dhimmitude.
Commentary:
Atlas Shrugs
Bye bye England — they are done. They should be kissing his ring for his bravery and courage in doing what they don’t have the spine to do.
The lesson to me is that if you want freedom of speech, then, like the Muslims in Britain, you must make the authorities afraid to bother you. If you seem harmless, you will be silenced at the demand of those whom the authorities fear. Once again, I note that this is an incentive structure that the British authorities will likely come to regret.
A few days ago Charles Johnson declared a plague on both your houses:
Yes, it’s a disgrace. Geert Wilders has the same right to free speech as anyone else, and the government of Britain is demonstrating once again that they’ve completely lost their way in a maze of multicultural contradictions.
However, Wilders himself does not deserve to be called an icon of free speech, since he explicitly wants to ban the Koran and make Islam illegal in Europe; in other words, he wants to take away other people’s freedom of speech and freedom of religion, and that is simply wrong. Book banning is what totalitarians do, not believers in free speech.
Update: Bad link fixed.
Update II Diana West:
How can the UK call itself a “civilised society” when it has just proven beyond any doubt to the entire world that it cannot and will not and does not wish to ensure freedom of speech against the threat of Islamic violence?
Update III: Mark Steyn nails it:
As to the judgment of the British Home Office, they have no problem admitting to the United Kingdom the likes of Dr Ijaz Mian, who preached as follows at the Ahl-e-Hadith mosque in Derby:
You cannot accept the rule of the kaffir. We have to rule ourselves and we have to rule the others… King, Queen, House of Commons: if you accept it, you are a part of it. If you don’t accept it, you have to dismantle it. So you being a Muslim, you have to fix a target. From that White House to this Black House, we know we have to dismantle it. Muslims must grow in strength, then take over
Just the guy you want over for dinner.
Update IV: The Times of London echos Charles Johnson:
For all the obvious hollowness of Mr Wilders’ credentials as a defender of free speech, the cause is a good one. It is a common notion that the right to free speech must be held in balance with the requirement to avoid needless offence. That is a mistake. The right to oppose, mock, deride and even insult people’s beliefs is essential to a society where bad ideas are superseded by better ones. There is no right to have one’s emotional sensibilities protected, for it is no business of government to legislate for people’s feelings. Mr Wilders’ views are obnoxious, and (not but) his freedom to express them must be defended. It is regrettable that Mr Wilders faces not just ostracism but prosecution in the Netherlands because of his comments about Islam.
Sort of a reverse of love the sin hate the sinner.
Gates of Vienna translates this Jylliands posten editorial. Those guys know a few things about the dangers of appeasing Islam:
At the end, it is probably not about disagreeing with Wilders that has led to this. Actually, it is apparently based directly on fears that there will be riots in the streets if he shows up.
That is, the British government admits that it would rather break its good international character than risk violent reactions from people who argue with violence. It is a day of shame for Great Britain.
A blow to free speech. Geert Wilders was not allowed on the plane to England today.
Wilders produced this 10 minute film called “Fitna” that offended Muslims.Because of this controversial film, England announced this week that Wilders would not be allowed into the country. Wilders was asked to show the film at the House of Lords by UK Independence Party peer Lord Pearson.
He embeds a youtube of the film as well.
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