Nov
30
Stay classy, Yankees fans
November 30, 2009 | 2 Comments
After witnessing their team buying winning their 27th world championships, one would think that Yankee fans would be fairly mellow and content, but then you wouldn’t know Yankee fans. I’ve never fully understood what drives people to root for the Mets over the Yankees — I mean, I get that Walter O’Malley ripped a huge [...]
Nov
30
Huckabye-bye
November 30, 2009 | 5 Comments
Sure, it may not be fair to lay the blame at the feet of the former Governor for having pardoned a guy nine years before he went out on a killing spree, but I’m having a real difficult time feeling sorry for Huckabee, especially when he can’t be bothered to muster up a credible defense [...]
Nov
29
The Adventures of Headless Turkey Claus, part one
November 29, 2009 | Comments Off
It all started on the Donneybrooke Farm. I was just sitting there, minding my own business, drinking my drink – a delicious concoction that is three measures Gordon’s Gin, one measure Gordon’s Vodka, a half mesaure of Keena Lillet, and a twist of lime – when this lunatic came at me with an axe. Suddenly [...]
Nov
26
Happy Thanksgiving
November 26, 2009 | Comments Off
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and your families. I personally have much to be thankful for, and perhaps nothing more than the fact that I get to have another slice (or more) of Goode Company pecan pie in a few hours. :)
Nov
24
Federalist 22 – Hamilton
November 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Alexander Hamilton continues to examine the deficiencies of the American confederacy in Federalist 22. He begins by noting the problems with regulating commerce under the current system. The want of a power to regulate commerce is by all parties allowed to be of the number. The utility of such a power has been anticipated under the [...]
Nov
21
Goode Company til the day I die
November 21, 2009 | 10 Comments
Our plane landed in Houston at 1:30. At 3:00, I was finishing up a piece of pecan pie from Goode Company. I love Texas.
Nov
19
Viva la revolucion! The Baseball Writers get another one right, again looking past the wins column and awarding Tim Lincecum his second consecutive Cy Young award. As was the case last year, this was probably the closest of the big four awards to call, though the difference between Lincecum and Carpenter was a little wider [...]
Nov
19
Almost Chosen People
November 19, 2009 | 1 Comment
I am proud to announce the formation of a new blog, dedicated to American History up to the time of Reconstruction. It is called Almost Chosen People, and features Don McClarey of the American Catholic, Dale Price of Dyspeptic Mutterings, frequent commenters Mouldfan and G-Veg, and former Political Spectrum co-blogger GipperClone. I will be mainly [...]
Nov
18
Federalist 21 – Hamilton
November 18, 2009 | Comments Off
Having explored some of the theoretical and historical problems with confederacies in the general sense, Alexander Hamilton now moves the discussion towards the specific defects of the American confederacy. In Federalist 21, he begins to outline what he sees as the current system’s major flaws. His first topic is the lack of sanction behind the [...]
Nov
18
Thus speaketh the Shea
November 18, 2009 | 3 Comments
It’s probably not even worth the time to respond to, but the latest bit of Sheasian stupidity (as linked to by Jay Anderson) contains this little nugget: There is, in short, no There there. Thus says the guy who has just rambled on for three paragraphs, and for another one following, without providing one substantive [...]
Nov
17
One for one so far
November 17, 2009 | Comments Off
In an age when the mainstream sports media is still dominated by the flat earth, anti-sabermetrics crowd, it’s refreshing to see a huge majority of sportswriters go against type and make the right call with Zack Greinke, who earned the AL Cy Young award. Joe Posnanski has more details, including why this is such a [...]
Nov
17
The Palin Obsession
November 17, 2009 | 5 Comments
Sarah Palin’s book, Going Rogue, is being released today. As we all know, Governor Palin is a cancer on the body of the GOP who cannot possibly win a national election. She is an inconsequential nothing who Democrats are completely not afraid of, which is why she is the topic of two op-eds in the [...]
Nov
15
A quiet Sunday
November 15, 2009 | 1 Comment
Sometimes Sunday Mass can be a challenge when one has a little one to deal with. Throw in some political controversy, an extended homily period, sick parishioners, and much more, and you have the ingredients for an adventurous hour and a half. It all started when we peeled into the Church garage at 10:00, desperate [...]
Nov
15
Daddy’s Little Girl
November 15, 2009 | 3 Comments
Ladies and gentleman, we have an Italian. Hey, you talkin’ to me? Food or drink? Oh no, I think I’ll have both. And when all is said and done, we can have a bath, followed by some fun over by the electric socket.
Nov
13
Three cheers for Peter Wehner
November 13, 2009 | 5 Comments
In the midst of unfortunate revival of Ayn Rand amongst conservatives, Peter Wehner explains why we ought to shun her philosophy. Yet there are some strands within conservatism that still veer toward Rand and her views of government (“The government should be concerned only with those issues which involve the use of force,” she argued. [...]
Nov
11
Before You Go
November 11, 2009 | Comments Off
Donald McClarey has a beautiful post about the World War II generation. Please go over and read it, as well as the other posts he has put up to remember the troops on this Veterans Day.
Nov
10
Federalists 18-20 – Madison (and Hamilton?)
November 10, 2009 | Comments Off
Before looking at Federalists 18, 19, and 20, I note that there’s some dispute about the authorship of these three. Madison is universally credited with being at least the co-author of all three essays, and many sources give sole credit to him. The Benjamin Wright edition that I use lists Madison singly as the author, [...]
Nov
10
Like, I don’t know what I’m talking about
November 10, 2009 | 4 Comments
It’s always helpful when one story lets me blog about two different topics. Thank you Michael Steele, who has once again said something completely idiotic. On Sunday, Steele was on NewsOne, a network aimed at African Americans, for a political talk show hosted by Roland Martin. During the program, Martin and Steele had this exchange: [...]
Nov
9
On Representation
November 9, 2009 | 1 Comment
So, anything happen this weekend? I guess not – it’s not like the US Congress ever conducts business on the weekends. Oh, I guess there was that vote (or pair of votes). I’m sure Harry Reid is just thrilled. Honestly, I don’t think it’s time to get too worked up. There’s no way this version [...]
Nov
5
Federalist 17 – Hamilton
November 5, 2009 | Comments Off
In Federalist 17, Hamilton discusses the balance of power between national and state governments. He begins by laying out the reasons why people should not fear the augmentation of national power. An objection, of a nature different from that which has been stated and answered, in my last address, may perhaps be likewise urged against [...]