Addicted to Crunchy Cons

I've yet to read Rod Dreher's book, "Crunchy Cons," but his treatise on how conservatives can be anti-sprawl, anti-consumerist and still be pro-life and pro-family has already spawned a fascinating debate at National Review Online. Check it out here.

I will read it soon, though, and am looking forward to it. One early thought: there's a reason God admonishes us against envy and greed, for He knows that that the people we envy and the things that we covet will not bring us happiness. It is a conservative virtue to think that way, and fully compatible with Dreher's philosophy.

I just hope I don't have to go shop at Whole Foods. I always feel so unworthy every time I go there. I joke with She Who Sighs that every time I visit there, I want to walk up to the customer service counter and ask for a carton of Marlboros, a big bag of Cheese Puffs and a 12-pack of Mountain Dew, just to get a look on their faces.

Drugs and Politics in Maryland

Of course the fact that Doug Duncan is running for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in Maryland has nothing to do with this, right?

Fight On!

Who says it's only a football school?.

Fritz Hollings, Wrong Again

Fritz Hollings had a distinguished career in the United States Senate. On campaign finance, he is all wrong, all the time. This piece in The Washington Post's contains this jaw-dropping argument: "The court held in that decision 30 years ago that the limit on campaign spending constituted a limit on free speech and was thus unconstitutional. On the other hand, limiting the speech of a contributor was deemed constitutional. In this decision, the court frustrated the intent of Congress. We wanted to limit both."

Fritz Hollings, what part of the First Amendment bothers you so?

Limits on donations have made it easy for millionaires to win seats in the Senate. But the fund-raising problem in politics isn't the amount of money, it's the amount of time legislators spend raising money. And that time is increased every time donation limts are imposed. A more radical idea would be to lift donation limits, make Congress work Monday through Friday and require 24-hour disclosure of all donations.

Commercialization of the Olympics run amok

Maybe it's not only the Olympics in the U.S. that over-commercialize the Games. Now the've even gone so far as to have a sponsor for the actual medals, shown here, obviously sponsored by Krispy Kreme.

A Pun I Wish I Had First

Don Surber, a former colleague of mine many years ago at the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, says "no fowl, no harm" in the Cheney hunting flap. I'm jealous, but this is not envy.

It's Never Too Early To Market

Matt Leinart, the greatest quarterback in college football history, has yet to be drafted but he's already got a website. I'm pretty sure my young Eye Roller will be getting on the mailing list.

Leinart has yet to prove himself in the pros. But the record in college is unprecedented. In three years as the USC QB, he won two national AP titles (and one BCS title) and a Heisman. His teams finished 1, 1, and 2 in the AP polls. At quarterback, he had just two losses -- one of those was the national championship.

It has been a magical four years for the Trojans, from Carson Palmer's Heisman year to the past year, even with the heartbreaking loss to Texas. Much of the credit for the thrills during those years goes to #11. Thanks, Matt.

Money For Nothing But Gym Is Free?

A teacher takes money to skip gym class, and gets in trouble. The judicial system apparently will squelch the free enterprise system and the natural desire for all middle schoolers to skip gym class.

Ex-Flack Gets Whacked Around By Warthen

Brad Warthen writes about accepting a column from a former spokesman for South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, and then he proceeds to question his own wisdom for publishing the piece. Brad, what's an editor for? For what it's worth, I didn't find the piece all that enlightening, but I think Samuel Tenenbaum overreacted -- and that's probably about as common as the sun rising in the East. I do wonder, though, if being an ex-flack for a governor might help me get onto the op-ed pages of The State.

1 Billion for ITunes

Apple is now having a contest for its one billionth download. I've only contributed to a couple of hundred of those in about two years. While other download sites might be cheaper , Itunes has a simple interface, an easy-to-use library, and quick compatability with the Ipod product line.

Rachael is an Iron Chef?

One of my favorite "guilty pleasures" is the Food Network's Rachael Ray. She's a little perky (and yes, I think she's cute), but her short zippy recipes have made it possible for me to actually like cooking. At least they do when I have the energy. Now comes this news that Rachael will do an "Iron Chef America" episode. Rachael's not really a chef, which she admits, but it could be either interesting or really annoying, depending on your take about Rachael. "Iron Chef" is another of my guilty pleasures .

(Hat Tip: Rachael Ray Fan listing.)

Huh?

I don't understand this poll, or at least the story about it. It says 52 percent of the country thinks things are going well, and then two paragraphs later, it says 59 percent are angry about the way things are going. Are people upset that things are going well? Maybe everyone is really as confused about things as I am about the poll, so that's why it shows up this way.

I know some solid pollsters. Whit Ayres and Bill McInturff are two, and I've talked to a few more over my life. Maybe they or MysteryPollster will explain.

(Hat tip: National Review Online)

Help me buy lunch for Matt?

Actually, this would be for my daughter. But would I be the greatest Dad of a starstruck (or was that love struck?) teen ever? By the way, I took the photo. Texas fans please note, Matt wore a coat and tie at the White House. Vince Young, I hear, forgot his.

Sammy Sosa

Three years ago, Sammy Sosa hit 40 home runs. Now it appears he may have played his last game. This seems hard to believe. I would have liked to have seen him in a Nats uniform, though it's hard to believe he could have shown any power in the home run grave known as RFK.

Carrying "Rogue" a bit too far

Probably not a fun day for the flack here

First post

Blogs are certainly not archaic. And as you know, we can't have archaic and eat it too.

:-)

Fight on!