Don't Get Your Theology on Angels From Movies

When you think about it movies give a lot of bad info on this subject. CBN has The Truth about Angels

Tip of the hat to Spirit Daily

In 25 Years Will There Be A Papal Statement on Robots?

An interesting piece here at Hardware: Evolving Robots Learn To Prey On Each Other .

Some concerning stuff. The CYLONS and Matrix are closer than we think.

However this brings up other issues that I have thought about. What happens when warfare can be conducted just by robots. Are there real moral questions here?

On the battle field no human glory, no pain, no loss, no comradeship, no appreciations of the lessons of loyalty and cowardice, no intense personal moral lessons learned, no watching your friends die, no family loss, no putting your life on the line for ideas, etc etc. Will robots bring on Armageddon?

What do we lose? It appears this world is fast approaching. That is one reason when I hear of aircraft that have no humans, tanks that have no commander, and ships with no crews I start wondering if we want to go down this road.

What about new Just War theory issues? AN inequity between nations that can have robots do the dying for them and those that have to use real live human beings?

However there is no stopping it. Soon we will have to deal with the moral and ethical questions involved here.

Tip of the Hat to Instapundit

Update- WOW Instapundit Links me. So this what it feels like. Thanks

How the French Revolution Was Good For Catholics In the Anglo World

American Catholic has an interesting post here at Burke on Marie Antoinette

Washington D.C. Episcopal Bishop John B. Chane to Retire- Great News

Bad news I don't expect much a change in viewpoint with the successor. However we can hope. MCJ has background here at JOHNNY B. GOODE

I have not been a big of his over the the years. His reather disgraceful actions surrounding President's Obama's inaguration pushded me into the vocal ANTI CAMP. See SCHADENFREUDE.

Some Thoughts On Attempted Tea Party Take Over of State GOPs

Instapundit had something I talked about last week.

ALL POLITICS IS LOCAL: Tea Partiers aim to remake local GOP. “They are doing it here by the hundreds by filing as candidates in the May 4 primary election for the office of precinct executive, the lowest rung of the political party structure. . . . It is a strategy that has worked elsewhere – Tea Party activists essentially took over the Nevada Republican Party earlier this month; and, in Florida, they were successful in forcing out a state party chairman who was seen as too centrist.” Ignore the bias — “too centrist” — and note the lesson. It’s often pretty easy to take over your local party apparatus with just a few hundred well-organized supporters, especially if that apparatus is hidebound and complacent. Heck, you might manage to take over both of ‘em. . .

EXACTLY!!!!! I have been screaming this for years!! Now though I am not a Tea Party person I welcome this. I think on the whole it is good. People that rant against the two party system miss the point. A Third Party will not cure ills. The problem is lack of involvement at the local level.

Some thoughts.

I am not threatened by this. If the Tea parties can do it then I expect others will form factions to get their people in. WIN WIN adn the big winner being Democracy .

ARE PRO-LIFE DEMOCRATS PAYING ATTENTION. Instead of complaining non stop how the pro-life movement is too welded to the GOP and talking about the numerous sins of GOP pro-lifers 24/7 take over your own party at the local and State level. You can do it too!!!

Last but not least, will the Tea Party folks be loyal GOP people or go AWOL if they don't win or worse.

That is something I want to observe. When you are elected to a GOP position there is some need for overall party loyalty. You are an very important cog in the process. In this position these folks will have enormous influence in advocating for positions and candidates in the primary. However what happens if their guy or guy does not win the primary. Will they unite behind the winner in the general and live to fight another day? Or will their Tea Party viewpoint kick in as they wage war on the winner they perceive to be a RINO.

I have no indication that they will not be loyal and fair . I suspect these are largely GOP friendly tea party folks anyway However I am reminded of a situation with the Louisiana GOP where Republican Governor Mike Foster took over the party on the basis of "reform". The reform was that these people did not care about the party just Mike Foster. The GOP was pretty must neutered for years. Not a good development.

I hope not. Because in the end that would be destructive on all sides.

Major Catholic Union Leader Says USA Heading to Socialism

That Union leader Lech Walesa!!!!

Now I don't throw around the word socialism left and right as some people do. Still I think his opinion on this and other things should be noted.

Louisiana Catholic Bishops Say No to Home School Athletes?

AKA no Louisiana version of Home School Tim Tebow for us. See LHSAA decisions deal with more than just football .


The organization that governs about 99 percent of Louisiana High School Athletics had their meeting in Baton Rouge where some significant votes were taken.

This caught my eye in the article:
The plight of home-school students in Louisiana knows no geographic boundaries, but it faced a clear mountain to allow such students to remain eligible to play in LHSAA athletic events.
Using a roll-call vote, each principal in attendance stood and shouted their name and vote.
Only five schools — Christian Life, Evangel, Riverdale, Hosanna Christian and Episcopal School of Acadiana — supported the proposals to allow home-school students to compete in LHSAA events.
On the second proposal to make home-school students ineligible to participate, eight total principals voted against it.
Current LHSAA by-laws allow home school participation under strict conditions.
Henderson encouraged principals to vote their conscience on the issue prior to the meeting. After the meeting, he said he was surprised at how overwhelming the statement to the state's legislature was, but that he knew the fight to keep home-school students out was just beginning.
"That was a slam dunk," Henderson said.

Now I am too shocked at the vote. I thought there would be more for this proposal. Of course this is a issue that people have good arguments for and against.

Now most non Catholic religious schools also voted against this proposal too as we see. However it appears significant to me that there is not one Catholic school in any Louisiana Diocese that voted to allow home school kids to participate in LHSAA.

Now one expects of course coordination in a individual Diocese. I am sure for instance in New Orleans there might be an uproar if Jesuit got home school folks and Archbishop Shaw did not. However I suspect that the various Dioceses in the State got together to discuss this.

It is not beyond reason, with the importance of sports in Louisiana, that the Bishops were very interested in the topic.

In fact in schools with numerous Catholic Schools it appears they would have to be in on this because of the internal Catholic school politics in their own Diocese.

I really don't believe these individual Catholic principals were voting their own individual conscience on this issue. They were of course getting orders from above.

So it appears advocates of home school students in Louisiana athletics have a high mountain to climb. To climb that mountain they are going to have win over what appears to be a major foe. That is the Louisiana Catholic Church who I suppose will throw their weight into this discussion in the State legislature.

So better start taking out the Bishops and big Catholic Donors to various schools out to Ruth Chris's steak house or something when you lobby them :)

The New Hate and Racism - Attacking John Edwards

A bizarre article from a pretty interesting African American web site called THE ROOT. I have not read enough of The Root to see how politically diverse the views are however so far the articles and posts are a enjoyable read.

However this progressive has perhaps what is one of the absurd posts on there. See In Defense of John Edwards

He basically goes after Dems that have the nerve to be critical of Edwards. He also has this:
In my estimation, a real progressive need have only two things: a belief in forgiveness and an understanding that there are no absolute truths. I'm not sure that I would get an abortion were I a pregnant woman, but I don't begrudge women who do, because I have no idea what their realities are, what truths shape their world and their decisions. I think drug addicts should go to rehab, not jail, because I forgive them for poisoning themselves, and I don't believe that what they're doing is necessarily good or bad—it just is. I don't support the death penalty because, if anything in America represents the unforgiving nature of human beings, it's that.

Progressives don't believe in absolute truths? That would be news to some.

But he ends this piece:
Forgiveness and understanding are the cornerstones of the progressive movement, but good luck finding anyone currently willing to apply those principles to the John Edwards scandal. Instead, it's all name calling and moralizing.
John Edwards made a lot of poor choices during a tremendously difficult period in his life, and that's unfortunate for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the trail of destroyed emotions he left in his wake. But liberals discussing Edwards' affair with judgmental superlatives need to realize that absolute truths and vengeful motivations are what cause people like Pat Robertson to say that the devil-worshiping Haitians had it coming. They're what tighten the fists of gay bashers and narrow the eyes of racists. And "scumbag" is closer to the N-word than you might imagine.

Oh good grief. There is some truth here with the insanity in this piece. Forgiveness is needed. However the reason people are upset are the deceptions upon the deceptions. This is much more than about a affair. It is about a man that had a huge scandal on his hands yet still was running for President and while this was really about to explode was trying to get Obama to promise the Attorney General job too him. They are upset that people covered for him. They are upset that it appears a large amount of people might have furthered this deception.

Yes I suspect some people are real mad about that among other things in these weird drama. People feel they got used and many of us are thanking God he did not become VP in 2004.

Obama Makes U.S. Pro- Life Movement More International

An interesting side item I shall try to explore more today regarding the recent March For Life.

I agree with Cashwell. There were tens of thousands of young women at this year’s March, as I was able to see with my own eyes. I am perplexed by Gesaman’s assertion and cannot understand what march she was observing.

The “internationalization” of this March for Life is also noteworthy.
Pro-life leaders from Africa, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania were present to protest the radical expansion of anti-life policies under the Obama administration.
“America’s March for Life is now the world’s March for Life,” Joseph Meaney, Director of International Coordination for Human Life International (HLI), said. “It has become the world’s pro-life protest because of the aggressive promotion of abortion and population control that is now official policy of the United States, thanks to the administration of President Barack Obama.”

“This is not only the anniversary of Roe v. Wade , which has led to the destruction of almost 50 million American children,” Dr. Ligaya Acosta, HLI Regional Coordinator for Asia and Oceania, said. “This is now the anniversary of President Obama’s allowing Americans’ taxpayer funds to be used to promote abortion and other assaults on life in my own country of the Philippines, in Africa, in China… all over the world where 40 million babies are killed every year. It is wrong and we are here to tell him and Congress to stop paying to kill our children!”

(Dr. Acosta was referring to President Obama’s January 23rd, 2009 reversal of the Mexico City Policy, which had, under the Reagan and both Bush administrations, restricted the use of federal funds to support any organization that promoted or performed abortion abroad. In December, this reversal allowed Congress to pass an omnibus spending bill, signed by President Obama, which included almost $700 million for abortion-promoting organizations internationally.)
“These aggressive policies are undeniably hurting America’s stature with the people of the world, even if they help America appeal to the cruel international elites who want to run everything,” said Raymond DeSouza, HLI’s coordinator for Portuguese-speaking nations. “When international aid is tied to abortion, it’s like holding a nation hostage, telling them that children are bad, which translates into hopelessness for the future. This is a terrible violence against the families and children of the developing world.”

The Space Station and Sarah Palin

I saw this incredible article Space Station Is Near Completion, Maybe the End
Plan to 'De-Orbit' in 2016 Is Criticized in the Washington Post. It is amazing after spending billions we are about to crash the darn thing to earth. This is one affect of the gutting of the space programs.

There is a extreme irony in this. We watched Huckabee and Brownback and every other Republican asked about their views on Evolution non stop as if they were running for School Board President. We see Jindal criticized as anti Science. Then the left made absurd claims that Governor Sarah Palin was anti science and if she was elected Science education would suffer and we would go into the dark ages..

Yes the pure science and inspiration we get from the Space Program is being decimated by the Obama administration. Yet hardly a peep from the left and all those GOP critics.

Sad Sad Sad.

LSU Sports Cease to be Entertaining Diversion, LSU Basketball Instead Saps All Joy From Human Existence

I am borrowing this line from a Georgia fan that had similar thoughts on another team. However it is apt because of how I am feeling right now. It helps I can think of the Saints and I know I will get a whole lot happier. However WHAT HAPPENS THOUGH AFTER NEXT WEEK!!!

Yes just finished

LSU 51 @ Mississippi State 67, Final.

WHEN is the last time we won a significant game. It feels like 1973 .

Now I am going to keep on rooting for them and I know the boys are trying real hard. I will not abandon ship. Still ugggh

GEAUX TIGERS

Southern Baptist Alabama Boy Becomes A Jihadist

A sad , frightening , and fasinating story. See at the NYT The Jihadist Next Door (Like must read of the weekend)

How does this happen. How does a good ole Baptist Southern kid that his age would be ranting about Nick Saban and bama football and going down to Gulf Shores for the weekend come to this. Perhaps the story has answers.

Tip of the Hat to Rod Dreher

Pope Benedict has His Own Italian Politician Problems Too

You thought Nancy Pelosi was bad

I know ZILCH about Italian politics for the record except it is one of the few places in Western Europe where a good many people have not got the word the communists lost. Oh those Romans.

Chiesa has a interesting articles here at Pope and Antipope. The Strange Case of the Administrative Elections in Rome and the Region

Black Eastern Orthodox Priest Enlightens All White Town

Plus he is converting the populance and making them stand up for two straight hours in Church, fasting from Dairy Products in Lent, and singing the Praises of Mary. All things I suspect are not usual in ASH GROVE, Mo. Progress!!!

A very interesting story in the New York Times. See Black Priest Shares Past, Enlightening White Town

Tip of the hat to Titusonenine

Queen of England Gets Involved in Anglicans to Rome Controversy

Well this is interesting. See 'Unhappy' Queen sends Lord Chamberlain to ask Archbishop Nichols about Pope's Anglican plan at the Uk Telegraph.

The Queen should not worry. From what I can see Catholics are her most loyal Subjecst. She needs to be concerned about more urgent matters in the the Anglican Communion and in her CofE that is causing this.

Wishing Conservatives Would Quit Quoting CNN’s Jack Cafferty

He was a mean ole ranting blowhard when he was against Bush every single day and my view has not changed since he is NOW a critic of Obama. I can get better political advice and commentary from my pet rock.

Why CNN keeps him I have no clue. It just make Wolf Blizter look bad that sadly has to share a stage with. Not wanting to pick ON MCJ here. Everyone is doing it.

If we keep quoting him then CNN might never get rid of him. His "I am mad as Hell and I am not Going to Take It Anymore" Network routine adds nothing .

No War War Crime Trial Or Impeachment For Former LSU Law Professor

Thank God!! This witchhunt was getting dangerous. I feel much better about the Republic right now.

Bybee one of the Lawyers that was being persecuted is a Federal Judge and was a former LSU Law Professor.

See Justice Official Clears Bush Lawyers in Torture Memo Probe

Houston Catholic Nun Raises $40,000 For Haiti- Will Now Jump of Plane

Aggies Catholics has the story at The REAL Flying Nun

Want To Win Political Office- Get Fat and Eat a Lot

Ann Althouse has

The people instinctively know what Caesar knew: Don't trust skinny men.

Maybe this is the key for success for Democrats against Jindal. Jindal is so thin it looks like a strong wind could blow him away.

David Vitter's Democrat Opponent Is Having Horrible Fundraising

And the folks in D.C. are noticing. See via the Hill Melancon's fourth quarter falls short.

At end we see this

Melancon won't have more money than Vitter, but getting out the message about Vitter's personal problems will take funds. He has some money, but he's not raising it as fast as his party would probably prefer.

Is this the plan!!! It appears so from what I heard people that were around Melancon up at Washington Mari Gras. NEWS FLASH everyone is aware of Vitter's personal problem down here. We have newspapers, tvs, radios, and the internet!!

Vitter has worked in a quite effective way to deal with this with parts of the base and the public at large. I think if Melancon makes this the focus of his attacks it will backfire. It is folly. Louisiana folks needless to say have had a history electing people that have had sins of the flesh problems. Louisiana residents are much more concerned about the Health Care Bill(that polls show they oppose) and Cap and Trade than Vitter's past problems. They understand that the current situation of democrat dominance where nothing can be slowed down is a potential disaster.

Now you might think that is bad. That Louisiana residents should be concerned about the Vitter's past pre Senate actions. However this is the reality. They appear to be making a informed judgement about what is best for their interest. It appears Vitter's problems before he became a Senator is not ranking high up there via other concerns. This is just the political reality. YOU CAN'T WISH IT AWAY. First problem is before you go after Republicans and Independents you have to jazz up your own folks. Democrats do not seemed jazzed at all about Melancon. He has to correct that.

If the Republicans had 50 to 52 seats maybe Melancon could make a case. However for him the current 59 Dem seat majority in the Senate and the huge Dem majority in the House is his worst enemy right now.

That is what he has to focus on and overcome.

Does President Obama Think His Meddling in the BCS is Going to be Popular?

SI has a piece that shows that the Obama Administration is very serious about getting involved. See Justice Dept.: Obama administration may take action on BCS.

I am of course a big fan of how the system is right now. No Playoff!!!

However after listening to to numerous big fans of a playoff system on sports talk radio, in the media, on the Internet, etc they all seem to be against Government intervention. They suspect , correctly in my view, that this is open up a can of worms and give a precedent that will not have a productive outcome in the end.

There is still a huge AMOUNT of controversy over applying Title IX (Gender equality legislation) to college sports that has resulted in some major negative unintended consequences.

Archbishop Chaput talks About Satan

A excerpt and link here at The Inconvenient Angel via Southern Appeal

Education Secretary Says Katrina Best Thing to Happen To New Orleans School System (The Real Question)

Now it is easy to make cheap easy political hay over these comments. However to do so is to miss the real question. If vouchers and charter cchools that were enacted by Jindal and the Louisiana legislature is good forNew Orelans then why is it bad for D.C. and the rest of the country.

Is anyone going to ask that!!!

Tip of the hat to Instapundit

Same Sex Unions Killed In Hawaii

The state that in some ways started it all has a reversal.

Why Are Anti Torture Folks Not Up In Arms Over Pelosi

I keep seeing on Catholic sites references to the Bush torture regime.. How come this similar attitude is not taken toward Pelosi and other Democrats in the know? I mean they are actually still in office!!! Why the double standard.

The Washington Post reports again on this issue at House Majority Leader Tom DeLay Indicted

A Short Response to the Instapundits and Other Conservatives For Gutting Space Programs

I saw this post We Haven’t Lost The Moon

There is no doubt that NASA can be reformed. There is also no doubt we need to be thinking outside the box and trying to do ventures between private industry and the space program.

Both are needed .However There are reason why FDR did not delegate the creation of the atomic bomb to FORD. I have huge doubts if Iran is delegating their nuclear hopes to private enterprise in their country.

Again there can be and needs to be reform. But the gutting of NASA will do nothing to achieve the USA aims in space.

It is a sad state of affairs that INDIA looks to have more vision than we do. Perhaps that is where the vision is.

Ever see those great magazine covers on Popular Science. You know 99 percent of the crap that will be in the future but never seems to come to reality. I am still awaiting the SPACE ELEVATOR that private enterprise was suppose to give us.

We need to reform but there is still a needed role for Govt funding in the early days of this still new era.

The exploration in our history of the "New World" was a combination of both private and govt funding. Both were needed. Both showed failures but both together bumbled along until the private enterprises could carry it on its own.

We need to be careful about making huge mistakes here.

How would private enterprise with a huge amount of stockholders demanding profit make money off the Mars Rover or the Hubble telescope? Can someone give me those answers.

Vatican and Vietnamese Man File Suit Against NFL

From this breaking report

.................................The office of the Vatican's Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has sent a cease and desist order to the NFL for the use of the term "Saints."
Apparently, in the year 602, Francesco Roccaforte, the Secretary of State under Pope Gregory I (also known as Gregory the Great for his great business acumen) filed for a perpetual international trademark on the term Saints.
In a press release the Cardinal Bertone's office stated:

"We love the great people of New Orleans, their great football team, and their 300-plus years of Catholic tradition. However, we have found that the illegal use of the nickname Saints by the NFL franchise in New Orleans has caused great economic and spiritual harm to the Church. It has caused confusion among the faithful and we insist that the league immediately cease using our trademarked name."

The amount of damages are not known, but bleacherreport.com financial analysts estimate the potential amount to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
There is also rumor that the Vatican may be filing a similar claim against the Arizona football franchise for use of the term Cardinals.

Spurred by the NFL's claim against the Who Dat nation and the recent action by the Vatican, numerous other claims have been filed against the NFL and related subsidiaries.

On Monday, the Eagle Nature Foundation has demanded that the NFL and the Philadelphia franchise immediately cease using the term "Eagles" in any and all publications.

According to a spokesperson for the Apple River Illinois based foundation, "Use of the term Eagles by the Philadelphia NFL franchise has caused great confusion in our efforts to bring this majestic bird back from the brink of extinction. Every time we hold a fundraiser, we have to explain that we are in no way associated with convicted dog-abuser Michael Vick."

Later that day, the Merlin Falcon Foundation of Bellingham, Washington filed a similar claim with essentially the same basis as that of the Eagle Nature Foundation. Spokesman Chris Anderson stated "We do not wish to be associated with a franchise also known as 'the dirty birds.' It is causing confusion among potential donors."

Tuesday, the estate of the late William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody filed for an injunction in federal court against the Buffalo, NY franchise and the NFL claiming that "the gratuitous use of the name of our late great ancestor has caused permanent financial harm to those of us who make our living from the legacy of this great American hero."

Also on Tuesday, the Wisconsin Dairy Council sent a cease and desist order to every Green Bay Packer fan demanding "that all references to the term 'Cheesehead' be immediately terminated."

The claim by the Madison, Wisc.-based organization goes on to list unspecified financial damages. According to spokesperson Mots Zarella "The use of cheeseheads has caused confusion among potential consumers. Many do not realize that cheese is a food and believe it solely to be a head ornament."

Wednesday, the EverReady Corporation filed suit in California Superior Court against the NFL, the San Diego football franchise and Chargers owner Alexander Gus Spanos. Apparently, the term Charger has been trademarked as the name for their latest product, a wireless charging system, also know as Inductive Intelligence.

Later that day, former Dallas Cowboy Dat Tan Nguyen (Vietnamese:Nguyễn Tấn Đạt) issued a brief statement as follows. "Who Dat? I'm Dat. The use of my name in such a manner has caused me insurmountable financial and emotional problems. When my daughters tell their friends that their dad's name is Dat, their friends immediately break out with 'Who Dat say gonna beat dem Saints' causing my daughters to run home crying."
It is not known what action Mr. Nguyen is planning or if he will be seeking financial damages.
Where will this all end?

Senator David Vitter Takes Stand on NFL Who Dat Controversy!!!

LOL Look at the fine print on the shirt and who is sponsoring it.

Democrats, Republicans, Liberals , and Conservatives Unite For Space- THERE IS STILL TIME

I think this a good Bi Partisan effort!! From what I have seen people cheer leading him on are bi partisan too so we better get Organized.

From the Corner:

Obama Is No JFK [Jeffrey H. Anderson]
Yesterday’s announcement that the Obama administration plans to scrap funding for voyages to the moon and to Mars, shows how low President Obama’s horizons truly are.
As Charles Krauthammer wrote ten years ago this week:

It took 100,000 years for humans to get inches off the ground. Then, astonishingly, it took only 66 to get from Kitty Hawk to the moon. And then, still more astonishingly, we lost interest, spending the remaining 30 years of the 20th century going around in circles in low earth orbit, i.e., going nowhere.

It’s been ten more years of going nowhere since Krauthammer wrote these words. Obama now proposes another ten to come. As Krauthammer has rightly noted elsewhere, the most dangerous part of space exploration is leaving and entering the Earth’s atmosphere. The most interesting and exciting part is getting as far away as possible.

So, what does President Obama propose? That we stay close to home. As Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D., Fla.) puts it, “The president's proposal would leave NASA with essentially no program and no timeline for exploration beyond Earth's orbit.”Furthermore, at a time when the president claims his focus is on jobs, scrapping these programs — on which we’ve already spent nearly $10 billion — would cut public spending in one area that actually creates jobs.

You know those great pictures of Earth from outer space, showing our planet suspended against the blackness, a beautiful blue ball? No one has seen that view since the Apollo program ended 38 years ago. No astronaut has seen that view since then. We’ve all just seen the pictures.Now, unless Congress rejects the president’s recommendations, the next people to see that view will likely be the Chinese.Whether it’s tax cuts or defense spending; or whether it’s the courage, ambition, and sense of wonder that combine to lead great souls to great feats of exploration and discovery; one can surely say this much about Barack Obama: Mr. President, you’re no Jack Kennedy.
01/29 03:34 PMShare

Good point!!! However us REPUBLICANS AND CONSERVATIVES FOR SPACE need to realize that in our neck of the woods we have people that agree with the President on this. We need to be counter acting the Libertarian argument that is going around that this is a area for the Private Sector only!!!

Ralph McInerny has Passed On

Southern Appeal has what I expect will be many tributes from around the world. See Ralph McInerny, resquiescat in pace

First Thoughts has Ralph McInerny (1929-2010)

First reaction from the Corner here

Politicians Confuse the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence

And so do the people.

Hot Air has a interesting post at Obamateurism of the Day

Now to be fair this is a bi partisan affair. We see this happen all the time in both camps.

I would not be shocked if in the thousands of speeches Ronald Reagan gave he played loose with this too.

Last year one would get the impression that Doug Kmiec in his arguments for Obama were confusing the two. Trust me he knows the difference. However he kept mixing the two because well he knows people are just sort of cloudy on that

The fact is that the Declaration of Independence has no legal authority. I am not saying it is not important but again it does not have any binding legal authority like the Constitution. Though people on both the left and right would like it too. I think the Natural Law Advocates very much would love for it be elevated for instance .

However when one goes to Law School there is rarely a class called the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE like there is for Con Law, Torts, Contracts, etc

The last President that seemed to try to press the claim that the Declaration of Independence had some binding legal authority similar to the Constitution was Lincoln. He made some eloquent arguments but they never really took hold.

Still it is important. It is the Country's DNA as it were. But for binding positive law not so much.

Obama Really Talks to the GOP -Update Conservatives React

This sounded good

Re: Obama and the GOP [Daniel Foster]
The president just concluded — after running over time — his exchange with the House GOP. There was, of course, a lot in what he said that we can and should take issue with, but the mere fact that this meeting happened, and that (unlike the president's meetings with his own party) it was televised, is remarkable in its own right.

More remarkable still is that it would be hard to argue the exchange is anything but a plus-plus for Obama and the GOP. Both sides emerged from it looking as if, contra the public's greatest fears, they more or less know what they are talking about on issues like the deficit and health-care reform. The president avoided the temptation to speak in platitudes and sound bytes, and the Republicans went a long way toward showing that they are hardly a party of obstructionists with no solutions to offer Americans.

Obama's lengthy back-and-forth with Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wisc.) was particularly compelling, as it was clear that the president realized he was in the presence of a razor-sharp wonk and one of the most effective critics of his administration.
Maybe it's just that the novelty of the Q&A has yet to wear off, but that was — for lack of a better phrase — pretty cool.
UPDATE: C-SPAN will replay the "question time" in its entirety tonight at 8 P.M.

Update- I wonder if people get what is really refreshing about this. We are actually seeing elected leaders talk to each other and not just pundits. We do more of this and Hannity and Olberman might be out of a job.

Update II (More Conservative reaction here)

Question Time With the President
This afternoon's event was the closest Americans have come to a version of Questions With the Prime Minister. Like everyone else, I think this event did Obama a great deal of good; it was the antidote to everything that was insufferable about the State of the Union - the uninterrupted platitudes, the dishonest framing, the aversion to acknowledging alternative views, the endless droning, etc.
The questions from the Republicans were pointed but fair, and I think every member who asked a question thanked Obama for coming. I think most intriguing was when Obama was basically asked to take some responsibility for Pelosi shutting out House Republicans on major pieces of legislation. I've mocked some of Obama's recent town halls, with questioners tending to ask deeply personal or sometimes simply inane questions. This setup eliminated the 11-year-old girls asking President Obama why some people were so mean. It was serious, it was substantive, and it had a decent level of detail.
The fact that it went so long, and that Obama didn't head for the door quickly, suggests that he enjoyed it.
Two big questions arise from this event: Will he do a similarly- formatted, televised Q-and-A with Democrats? And if this turns out to be the mutual political winner that is seems to be, how soon will we see another?
01/29 01:58 PMShare

The not so Positive Conservative Reacton here

I only saw parts of it so I will reserve full reaction till I see all of it. Still from what I am reading it is does not sound all that bad. Both sides think they are right in this and yes having a opportunity to air it out and get frustrations in the open is a good start

Where Do Breakfast Cereals Go When They Die

Well it is to The Grocery Aisle of long forgotten breakfast cereals

Tip of the hat to Jonah

Seminarian Ball Player Grant Desme Interview

The Deacon Bench has the link at How is baseball like the priesthood?

Lech Walesa Is In the House !!! Working to Elect a Pro-Life Republican

See Welcome, Lech!.

I wonder does this guy got a chance. I must say over that last few years I have not been too impressed with the Illinois GOP. THey remind me what the Louisiana GOP was like for well decades. Have they got their act together. I guess I find the situation so hopeless I tune out

Just curious on his chances.

Update-
It appears not

January 24, 2010. Money may not be able to buy happiness, but it may be able to buy an election–which would be happiness for the winner.
Perhaps.
Given the financial collapse that is Illinois, the winner may just end up with the booby prize.
Anyway.
Former Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna has leveraged his enormous financial muscle into a lead–albeit slim–in the 2010 Illinois Republican primary for Governor, according to a new poll, by the Chicago Tribune, closely followed by former Attorney General Jim Ryan and State Senator Kirk Dillard.

Here’s how the Chicago Tribune breaks down the GOP race:
[
Another 9 percent backed state Sen. Bill Brady of Bloomington, while Hinsdale transparency advocate Adam Andrzejewski had 7 percent and Chicago political pundit Dan Proft had 6 percent. Another 17 percent were undecided in the survey of 592 likely Republican primary voters.

DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom of Naperville, who had 2 percent support in the survey, dropped out of the race Friday and announced he’s backing Ryan.

Though Ryan is ostensibly in second place, the real contest now is between McKenna and Dillard. The former two-term attorney general, who has little money and little organizational support, has been coasting on name identification, and is now, well, fading.

McKenna’s money and Dillard’s credentials are propelling them to the top of the GOP heap. Brady, if he had the money, could have been more of top-tier contender. Ditto Schillerstrom.
In fact, Brady has a strong TV ad on the air waves, but has too little money to support it. In fact, it has attracted only 506 views on YouTube.

So can the two Republcian front runners win the General if they get the nod?

Does Obama Hate Being President

Bryon York has a good piece that mirrors some talk you see off and on in blog land. See Has Obama become bored with being president?

The dangers of electing someone tht had so little experience and whose background and life story and what we knew of it seemed so "controlled".

This is again why people in both parties like Governors.

When I think of Obama I think of former Louisiana Congressman and Governor Buddy Roemer. Great Congressman. He just made you feel more intelligent being in the room with him. As Governor not so hot.

His intentions were in the right place but one got a sense he might not really have liked the job. So he was out in one term. Buddy would have in hindsight made a GREAT Senator as Governor perhaps not so much.

We never got to see how Obama liked being a Executive of course. Heck we barely got to see how he liked being a Senator. Which is perhaps part of the problem

Catholic Priests For Keeping the Space Program!!

Geaux Father Z!!

I know my third posts on this but this issue gets to me. I am not sure Americans are aware of what we might lose in all this.

A look at the Series Caprica

The Catholic Key has it here

Pro Choice Groups Says Tebow's Mom Is Lying

CMR has more at Pro-Choicers Call Tebow's Mother A Liar

Why Do We Have State Liquor Store Monopolies?

I keep hearing of these strange creatures outide God's Country( Louisiana) but the whole concept still seems idiotic to me. Rod Deher who has moved to Texas to a State that has this curious regime comments. See The idiocy of state liquor store monopolies

WHO DAT WHO DAT WHO DAT!!! Come Sue Me NFL

The NFL does not own WHO DAT!! See Who Dat belongs to the ages, not the NFL: Peter Finney and NFL: 'Who Dat' Gear Violates Saints Trademark.

Related to this is the NFL seems to be making the same statement as to various Fleur-De-Lisss. Sorry the Vatican has a much better claim on that than the NFL. Perhaps the Archdiocese of New Orleans can come in as a third party in the lawsuit!!

Mark Krikorian is Right On Obama and Immigraton Reform

My comments are below the Krikorian piece.

Amnesty Deported from SOTU [Mark Krikorian]
Since I knew His Majesty wouldn't say much of anything about immigration, and I can no longer stand the sound of his voice, I just went to bed. But he said even less than I expected:
We should continue to work at fixing our broken immigration system to secure our borders and enforce our laws and ensure that everyone who plays by rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.
That's it? I was figuring at least three sentences, or maybe two. As Roy Beck put it:

But the President couldn't bring himself to utter the words "comprehensive immigration reform" or "path to citizenship" or "legalization" or "more immigration" in his State of the Union Address.
I'm reminded of Elliott Abrams's reaction to Jimmy Carter's welcome to the neo-conservatives for supporting his election — they got one single foreign-policy position, not for Indonesia, not for Polynesia, not for Macronesia, but for Micronesia.

If they have any sense, La Raza et al. are kicking themselves for not backing McCain.
01/28 11:21 AMShare

Well he is correct and so is Beck. The smoke and mirrors we shall have on this issue from the White House and Democrats will be swallowed hook , line and speaker.

Sadly Catholic Social Justice groups will be duped( well we might be getting passed the duped stage and call them willing particpants) in going along with this.

Look at the evil conservatives over there at GATEWAY PUNDIT see Figures. Obama’s Socialist Advisers Are Behind His Push For Immigration Reform. Now of course a lot of social conservatives, libertarians and others want immigration reform but that is another post.

If only these people were not blocking it. So now we shall see this big dance as the immigration reform issue is used by various factions to raise money but in reality will go nowhere as Nancy Pelosi has already indicated.

This would be a great expose at Vox Nova when they finish what now must be the 100th post on how Pro-lifers are just a bunch of GOP sell outs. Or at In All things where general Obama fan Michael Winters at America is talking about what is wrong with the GOP and why they are not just helping Obama. Note it seems to escape Mr Winters attention what Krikorian gets or perhaps he does get it and well just playing along.

We have seen this show before. Compare Senate Majority Leader Reid's action on Immigration Reform to his actions on the Health Care bill. On the Health Care bill it seems that no effort cannot be expended. WE MUST DO THIS NO MATTER WHAT THE COST. Yet in 2007 on immigration reform he took almost the opposite tact. Hey this is the President's bill he is responsible and we just cannot stay on this issue forever.

In the House Nancy Pelosi kept talking about how many Republicans Bush must get to come over before she could bring the bill up. See how different her tact has been on Health Care.

Now in some ways there is a legitimate argument that this is not the best time to bring up the issue with the economy and all. That if political capital is to be used it must be used when there is the chance of success. I can see that.

Still lets be honest about it and not play the political theatre on this issue.

Update- I should also say besides the more "progressive" site I mentioned that more Conservative Catholic sites should take a look at this too. Such as American Catholic, Catholicvoteacton, and even Mark Shea who has no problem in telling us the Catholic Position is on subject x,y, and z on various political topics.

There seems to be almost unspokn tenedency not to talk about it because the issue is so hot and controversial for various reason all in our own camps.

The Catholic View of Conscience and the Law

A nice essay that is linked here at Mirrors of Justice. See Conscience and the Common Good

Hereis the abstract:
Our longstanding commitment to the liberty of conscience has become strained by our increasingly muddled understanding of what conscience is and why we value it. Too often we equate conscience with individual autonomy, and so we reflexively favor the individual in any contest against group authority, losing sight of the fact that a vibrant liberty of conscience requires a vibrant marketplace of morally distinct groups. Defending individual autonomy is not the same as defending the liberty of conscience because, while conscience is inescapably personal, it is also inescapably relational. Conscience is formed, articulated, and lived out through relationships, and its viability depends on the law’s willingness to protect the associations and venues through which individual consciences can flourish: these are the myriad institutions that make up the space between the person and the state. This essay is taken from my new book, Conscience and the Common Good: Reclaiming the Space Between Person and State (Cambridge Univ. Press 2010). The book seeks to reframe the debate about conscience by bringing its relational dimension into focus.

Should Catholic Charities Hand Out Syringes

My thoughts after the thoughts from the Corner:

Some Days, It’s Hard to Be a Catholic [Jack Fowler]
Up in Albany, the Diocese chooses to facilitate sin. Today it’s syringes. Maybe tomorrow, condoms? From the Times Union.

Catholic Charities will take one of its boldest steps yet on Monday: passing out free syringes to IV drug users in two urban neighborhoods to prevent the spread of the disease.Anticipating criticism, the social services agency of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany spent five years planning and vetting the needle exchange program, which received approval from its trustees and board chairman, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard."I understand there will be questions, but this is common sense," said Sister Maureen Joyce, CEO of Catholic Charities. "I strongly believe in this. It will save lives. . . .”An $83,000 custom van will be stocked with syringes and other medical supplies intended to reduce the risk of infection spread by sharing contaminated needles and unsanitary injection methods.The van will be parked in the city's South End and Arbor Hill neighborhoods, closest to where police believe injection drug use is most prevalent.

Jehosaphat, we’ve come a long way from Aquinas.
01/29 09:50 AMShare

Let me say I am not sure what I think about this. I am not going to go on the conservative bandwagon and start yelling this is wrong. YET

It might be. However on this matter I have generally been not an opponent when this happens in the civil sphere or when cities do it.

Now for some reason I see a difference between this and lets say Catholic Charities passing out condoms. However that is just a gut feeling and one I can't articulate very well just minutes after seeing this story. I could be very wrong. In fact I suspect the odds are great that I am. But perhaps that gut feeling is not wrong.

Still this is a interesting and important thing that should be engaged before people all go into their respective corners and start battling it out over this.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Says Haitians Are Responsible for Earthquake

Get Religion points out in this well done piece on how many people will start quoting this. Pat Robertson is a easy PC target for the pundits, blogs, and folks at the Washington Post On Faith Page. However what do you do with the Russian Orthodox Church.

See
Who will quote the Moscow patriarch?

Most disturbing Graphic Political Ad Ever (VID - NOLA Coroner's Race)

LOL what in the hell is going on down there.

Who is this Dwight Mckenna guy :)

Excellent Article on Cardinal Mahony's Pending Departure

Whispers has a very good and fair overview. See For Mahony, Twilight... and "Shadow"

A Republican Defends Landrieu and the "Louisiana Purchase"

That Republican being me. Though I am Vitter supporter I am not going to down his likely democrat's opponent on this comment

“Senator Landrieu found one possible solution, and, although I opposed the health-care bill in the House, I’m glad she found a way to help Louisiana,” Melancon said.

Vitter replied:
“I’m afraid that legitimate arguments in favor of the Louisiana hurricane-Medicaid fix will never be focused on now because of the deal-making over the Obama health-care bill,” Vitter said.

They are both right. Louisiana was not getting some extra freebee with these funds. It was to correct a bizarre consequence in computation that resulted from the Hurricanes.

My main complaint was that Mary Landrieu did not get this deal attached to another piece of legislation that was not the Health Care Bill. From a political standpoint that seems folly.

Regardless there has not been a lot of outrage from the Vitter and especially the Jindal camp on the "Louisiana Purchase". I understand why that is so.

But here is the real question and what is frustrating. Conservatives missed an opportunity here. In fact liberals and conservatives are asking and focusing on all the wrong things. here. Only one Conservative blog of note seemed to pick up on it that I saw.

The real issue is why is Obama and the Senate Democrats holding Louisiana and its poor hostage like this. Why did this deal have to be made at all. It was common sense. Yet the supposed "we are out for the poor" democrats and Obama administration seemed to link their support to a important measure to her vote.

That is the real issue that has sadly been missed. The Charade continues.

Louisiana Federal Judge About to Get Impeached

Above the law has more at Impeachment Looms for Judge Thomas Porteous

17 Million More People Watched Saints / Vikings Game than State of the Union

Don Durber has this

Obama’s TV ratings drop 22%
TV By The Numbers reported that last night’s State Of The Union address drew 40,767,134 viewers on 9 networks.
This was a drop of 22% from last year’s SOTU (technically not a SOTU) audience of 52,373,000 viewers.
That’s an ordinary drop.
He’s become a very ordinary president.
Hope. Change. Ordinary.

That being said I think that is an impressive average number. There were a few people whining yesterday about the concept of the State of the Union in modern times. I think it serves an important purpose and 41 million is not bad really. Of course I am one of those big CIVIC RELIGION people .

The Saints / Viking game had 57.9 million viewers

Still what Durber is saying is significant. Perhaps if the President's TV ratings drop much more we can put him on just in re runs in three years.

Catholic Bloggers Give Blog Tips to the Pope on NPR

Well goodness I hate I missed this live. However you can listen to it online. EVEN THE ANCHORESS was on there. She had one of the best lines. See Anchoress and Benedict on NPR

Saint Basil On Tradition

Canterbury Tales has a good post on this at Saint Basil on the Nature of Unwritten Tradition

Christopher Hitchens Gives Facts of Life to A Liberal "Christian"

I usually don't give links galore to Christopher Hitchens view on Faith but boy he nails it here. Rod Dreher has Atheist pwns liberal Christian

How Pelosi Is Losing the House (Excellent Jay Cost Piece)

I like Jay Cost a good bit. He offers always some good insight on how the political system works. For those that not only enjoy the whole back forth of politics but also have a huge interest in how this thing called the American Republic really ticks he is a must read.

He posted yesterday at Real Clear Politics a very interesting piece that shows evidence that Peloisi has a significant backbencher rebellion on her hands. See Could Nancy Pelosi Lose Control of the House?

Can Catholics Really Discuss Torture

Speaking as someone that I guess would be labeled in the "fog" camp on this issue I have doubts. However I am hopeful.

Pro-Ecclesia raises some issues on the latest attempt. See Just WHAT, Exactly, Is Being "Clarified"?

Catholics in Vietnam Being Persecuted- Anyone Listening?

A important read at America this morning. See SOS for Vietnam Catholics.

On a Louisiana note since we now have the honor of having the only Vietnamese Congressman in the USA ,I hope this issue that Congressman Cao cares about gets more play in the secular press.

Audio of Archbishop Of Canterbury's Great Speech When Accepting Catholic Award

I forgot this was occurring. There has been a little humor over this but I don't think most people saw it as a scandal.

Mike Potemra , who is always a joy to read at the National Review and if I recall correctly from a email I had with him is some sort of Presbyterian like Calvinist, had a nice post on this today.

Exhausted by Obama? [Mike Potemra]
I gather that a very long, tedious, self-absorbed, and self-congratulatory speech was shown on a number of the TV networks last night. Let me offer, as a change of pace, an example of the exact opposite — a succinct, profound, and moving address (audio available here) by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was here in New York on Monday to accept the Campion Award from the Jesuits of America magazine. The choice of the leader of the Anglican Church to receive a prize named after a Catholic martyr of the English Reformation has been found scandalous by the sort of people who find that sort of thing scandalous. But the Archbishop’s remarks fit the occasion superbly: He reflected on “the fathomlessness of grace,” martyrdom as an assertion of human dignity and of the limitless nature of human possibility, the Christian life as one of forgiveness and reconciliation — and speculated on the tantalizing (but unproven) possibility of a meeting between William Shakespeare and St. Edmund Campion. All this — in a speech of just twelve minutes. I have had some reservations about some of Dr. Williams’s speeches and writings over the years. His political lucubrations are occasionally untutored; his style of writing, on purely theological issues, is often so clotted as to leave the reader in doubt as to what his point actually is. But I must give credit where credit is due: He certainly rose to this occasion.
01/28 04:52 AMShare

Update Pics here at Campion Award Photos

Washington Post Columnist Gets Nervous After Attending March for Life

Maybe he needs to work for Newsweek that recently reported there was nothing to be nervous about since the only people there were about to go in the retirement home.


See WaPo columnist after attending March for Life: "Roe supporters (including me) are justifiably nervous"

Tip of the Hat to Pewsitter

Federal Immigration Judge Gives Political Asylum to German Homeschoolers

Well this is pretty big. I am sure there is going to a lot of discussion over this. I am pretty much in pro asylum camp here.

The Judge in this case was particularly blasting of Germany and their policy in various reports I have Seen. I will try to update with other links including if I can German Press reaction

See Asylum in the U.S. for German Homeschoolers?

A Look at China's Gendercide

Get Religion has a look at this and brings up another problem. The rising tide of sexual trafficking. See Got news? China’s missing girls

Far Left Wonders Who All those Ethnics Were With Va Governor in SOTU Response

The pic and their observations here.

The answer to who they are here.

SOTU- Regarding Obama's Attack On The Supreme Court

Hmmm let me say - MOST STUPID MOVE EVER in a State of a Union

Do people vet these speeches. It is mind blowing that Obama the former Law Prof and intelligent people in the White House thought this was good move. You can bet even the "liberal" Judges did not take kindly to it.

Instapudit has some links to thoughts on this.

Best summation so far at the link above:
In the history of the State of the Union has any President ever called out the Supreme Court by name, and egged on the Congress to jeer a Supreme Court decision, while the Justices were seated politely before him surrounded by hundreds [of] Congressmen? To call upon the Congress to countermand (somehow) by statute a constitutional decision, indeed a decision applying the First Amendment? What can this possibly accomplish besides alienating Justice Kennedy who wrote the opinion being attacked. Contrary to what we heard during the last administration, the Court may certainly be the object of presidential criticism without posing any threat to its independence. But this was a truly shocking lack of decorum and disrespect towards the Supreme Court for which an apology is in order. A new tone indeed.

followed by

“When you hear the president of the United States demagoguing the First Amendment, you sit there and you take it, son.”
No, actually, you don’t, and Alito didn’t. And that will step on Obama’s press tonight and tomorrow, turning his demagoguery into a negative for him. That’s why Presidents usually act Presidential. Not so much because it’s dignified. But because it’s smart. That’s something that Obama, with his limited experience on the national stage, hasn’t figured out yet.

Again mind blowing.

See Awkward Moment At the State of the Union Address at The Volokh Conspiracy.

From a comment
"To their credit, Breyer, Ginsburg and Sotomayor seemed mortified. Just imagine if Bush had used a State of the Union address to insert an applause line about how the Court’s Gitmo rulings were going to leave America defenseless from terrorist attacks . . . he’d be accused of demagogy, with good reason.
I wish Alito had not succumbed to the human temptation. More than that, I wish the president had not caused Congress to rise up around the Justices like that and cheer his direct criticism of one of their decisions. Most of all, I hope the Justices just stop going to these things.
What a disgraceful move by the president.
p.s. Isn’t this decision now a “precedent” we’re required to respect? Let’s tune in to what the New York Times has to say .

and another

Obama lied about the Court’s decision and berated the justices in a setting where they had to sit and have others cheer against them (and Obama knew darn well the kind of applause that line would get from the Dems). He did this with full knowedge that, unlike politicians, the justices would not call a press conference to correct the public on his lies. Cowardly and disgusting.
I am now totally finished with this President. January 20, 2013 can’t come soon enough.

Update- Law Prof Ann Althouse likes that the New Jersey Alito was on display tonight

On the Day People Are Cheering Obama's Axing Space Programs

We recall three American heros died on this day. See Godspeed Apollo 1

Related from today Depressing Bi-Partisan Consensus on Obama Axing Space Programs

Husband of Actress Zsa Zsa Enters California Governor Race

That is Prince Frederic von Anhalt to you. His fascinating platform is here.

Tip of the hat to Kausfiles

Can We Wear Religious and Political Symbols in Federal Buildings

A pretty astonishing story here at "Separation of Pro-Life and State" via Mirrors of Justice.

Who will be next?

Depressing Bi-Partisan Consensus on Obama Axing Space Programs

I am seeing this everywhere.

It seems there are a depressing number of liberals and conservatives that have no vision. Further wait till we have to beg a ride with the Russians and China into Space.

Is this now my Generation? Yack

Also see my On the Day People Are Cheering Obama's Axing Space Programs

Catholic and Episcopal 2010 Super Bowl- The Bad Vestements Championship

I am picking the Episcopal Church. Strangely this was not a close game for many years with the Catholic Father Moonbeams just pounding the Episcopalians. The Catholic Church had dominance during those glorious decades of the 70's 80's and 90s.

However the Episcopal Draft has picked up a lot of old Catholics and Catholic vestement ideas. So now what was unthinkable just years ago has happened. The TEC is the in lead while the Catholic Church is regressing by having a return of that ole Fogey vestment style.

MCJ has more at TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Catholic Monks Have Sign language

Thisi s pretty interesting. Canterbury Tales has Monastic Sign-Language Dialects and My Own Parental Sign Language

Marine band Gets Crunk For New Orleans Saints (VID)

Awesome. Background vid here

Great Game Vid here



Of course this is the fans and the game version

The Public is Safe- No more Dungeons and Dragons In Prison

Maybe its me but I have a feeing if more inmates played D @ D they would be better productive citizens on the outside.

See 7th Circuit Upholds Prison Rule Forbidding Inmates to Play Dungeons and Dragons, All Dungeon, No Dragons, and What Kinds of Crime Might Dungeons and Dragons Inspire?

Maureen Dowd Really Not Liking Obama

OUCH OUCH OUCH
I expect this problem to get worse with the press a whole. Especially if they keep Mr smarty pants Gibbs as Press Secretary that appears to be getting on the Press nerves more and more

People Finally Defending Poor Wine Making Scottish Monks

A little update to this story I posted a couple weeks of ago. See Don’t blame the monks for the drunks: It looks like gravy, tastes like Benylin and has the kick of a chorus line – my brush with Buckfast

What Likely Happened With The O’Keefe / Landrieu Office Stunt

I pretty much agree with this.

Here’s my initial reaction. First, given the facts of the case as reported so far, I doubt the kids were trying to install some kind of wiretap on the senator’s office phone system. I doubt they would even have the expertise to pull that off. What I think they were really doing was recording video (and audio, thus the reported use of listening equipment by one of the kids outside the building) of a fake repair visit in order to create a piece ridiculing Landrieu for voting for Obamacare despite the legions of phone calls from constituents against the bill. “Why didn’t she listen to the voters?” the gist of the stunt might be. “Were her phones not working?”.

More at the link.

Reasons I think this:

Well first these guys (at least most of them don't seem the wiretapping type. It seems a very un Libertarian thing to do

One of the attorneys had made comments of the "Oh boys will be boys" nature.

There appears to be no indication any wiretapping items was found on them. Asking for access to the Telephone/communication closet was part of the ruse (which seems the most stupid part of the plan)

These guys seemed non bothered by this as they were leaving jail. Shouting phrases in Latin and stuff.

I have a hard time imaging Robert Flanagan trying to tap someones' phone. Though his stupidity here is huge. I mean even if all this was innocent this was going to cause problems for his dad who is a well respected Acting U.S. Attorney in charge of the Western District of Louisiana.

Still a stupid move. I am perhaps wrong on all this but what has been presented so far I think this is the most likely scenario.

Governor Palin Defends Tim Tebow Pro-Life Ad Goes After NOW

Geaux Governor Palin

BAD HABIT HAS A GREAT POST on this at CHOICE

The Original New Orleans Saints Catholic Prayer (From 1968)

This is pretty cool

From the Archdiocese of New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS -- On All Saints Day in 1968, the New Orleans Saints were born, and not without the blessing of the local Catholic Church.
Fearing that naming the team the "Saints" would be viewed as sacriligious, but with the desire to do so as the announcement would come on all Saints Day, the owner went to then Archbishop Philip M. Hannan for permission. Not only was permission granted, but Archbishop Hannan became an original "Who Dat" -- a long-time fan that still attends the Saints home games.
At the inaugural Saints and Sinners Dinner, Hannan presented the "Prayer for the Saints." Below is the text of that prayer, and here is a PDF file of the prayer for printing.
God, we ask your belssing upon all who participate in this event, and all who have supported our Saints. Our heavenly father, who has instructed us that the "saints by faith conquered kingdoms... and overcame lions," grant our Saints an increase of faith and strength so that they will not only overcome the Lions, but also the Bears, the Rams, the Giants and even those awesome people in Green Bay.
May they continue to tame the Redskins and fetter the Falcons as well as the Eagles. Give to our owners and coaches the continued ability to be as wise as serpents and simple as doves, so that no good talent will dodge our draft. Grant to our fans perseverance in their devotion and unlimited lung powered, tempered with a sense of charity to all, including the referees.
May our beloved "Bedlam Bowl" be a source of good fellowship and may the "Saints Come Marching In" be a victory march for all, now and in eternity.

Can You Get Away With Murder In Baton Rouge?

Red Stick Republican’s Rantings has a not so cheery post on the murder rate in East baton Rouge Parish. See Redstick Murder Rate Escalates

I had no idea it was this bad.

However this jumped out to me
of the 88 murders reported:
55 resulted in NO arrests (62%, not “half” as reported by The Advocate – someone grab them a calculator, please!) .

Does that not seem sort of high?

Soft Huggable Catholic Saint Dolls

These look pretty cool. Wounded Bird has the link at Soft and Huggable Dolls of Catholic Saints

FBI Looking At Fake Clementine Hunter Paintings Scam

A very interesting article here on this.

Tip of the hat to New Orleans Ladder

John Paul the II Practiced Self Mortification

An interesting article here at Pope John Paul practiced self-mortification, postulator confirms

Louisiana Democrats Try to Link Vitter to "Louisiana Watergate".

Good grief who is running the show down there. See Breathless State Dems Attempt To Tar Vitter For O’Keefe Caper

The more I look at this the more this advise seem apt. See Follow Breitbart’s Advice On The O’Keefe Arrest

I am not sure what they were doing but it seems that trying to "tap" a phone seems unlikely. I mean these guys are not idiots. You just can't tap people phones and then put that stuff on the internet.

Update- I agree with Kiss My Gumbo if we are going to name this "caper" we need to be original and not just call it "Louisiana Watergate" See My 2 cents on “Poydrasgate”

I am still not convinced they were trying to tap phones. On a side note their first mistake was sending in 3 guys as telephone repair people. When do you have three telephone repair people show up anywhere.

The liberal NOLA blogger Your Right Hand Thief has a interesting theory and I have to admit it sounds like the average wackiness that occurs often in both parties in the Land of New Orleans. At Big Pimpin' [Pimpgate]

....Umm, but an inquisitive person might wonder: what would motivate this celebrated conservative "investigator" to work with a team to allegedly bug Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office, and why would they attempt to do it right now? (A complimentary magic jack installation? I doubt it.) Hmm... Well, Mary's brother Mitch is running for mayor of New Orleans, and despite absolutely no evidence, it's an article of faith among conservatives that Mary Landrieu has made a deal with national Democratic party party interests to assist her brother's election. Although lack of proof never stopped them before, perhaps they wanted to uncover evidence of some coordinated plot, in order to throw the race in a tizzy. The latest poll on the mayoral contest showed Mitch doing well in every demographic, including 37% of GOP voters (who voted for against Landrieu and for Nagin last time around, based on some of the stupidest "rationales" that I'd ever seen). Unless something fairly dramatic happens, the current campaign dynamics are very favorable for Mitch. Isn't it conceivable that this alleged attempt to bug Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office had something to do with derailing her brother in the mayor's race?

Discussion is continued at my thread What Likely Happened With The O’Keefe / Landrieu Office Stunt

From Van Halen to To The Priesthood

See Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love? Why This Gen-Xer Is a Priest