Online addiction

I think I should plead guilty ... a cautionary tale. (tip: Andrew Sullivan)

Experts in subtraction

The latest numbers on newspaper circulation among the top dailies here. I love newspapers and for the most part I learned to read by scanning the sports section with my father in the morning. That habit is dead, and these numbers prove it. Information moves too fast for the morning newspaper, trust in the "objectivity" of reporters is largely gone and the demand for helpful analysis and insight is small. People want to make sense of their world now, but not necessarily the world.

If you don't want to feel dumb

Don't read this obit. (Hat tip: The Corner)

A new way to support the troops

Wear red, Southwest Airlines says. Good for them. (Hat tip: The Corner).

And Why Elections Do Matter

The Supreme Court has upheld, in a 5-4 decision, the 2003 Partial Birth Abortion Act. President Bush's two appointees to the Court, Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, voted with the majority. Others in the majority were Justice Thomas, Justice Scalia and Justice Kennedy. This may not save a great number of children, but for this pro-life voter, just a few is cause for celebration.

Why Straw Polls Do Not Matter

I'm not trying to offend the Anderson County Republican Party, but this South Carolina straw poll shows how meaningless the exercise is. Duncan Hunter won, nearly double the number of votes of the number two finisher, Mitt Romney. Duncan Hunter may be campagning hard in South Carolina, but this straw poll is probably his high water mark

A Tax Cut For Us Vertically Challenged

She Who Sighs Might not like this: Greg Mankiw's Blog: The Optimal Taxation of Height

Hokie Pride, continued

Great photo from Jonathan Martin at the Politico showing solidarity between U. Va and its rival school.

And this from http://www.novahokie.org/:

"Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20, an 'Orange and Maroon Effect' day to honor those killed in the tragic events on campus Monday and to to show support for VT students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends.
We invite everyone across the country to be part of the Virginia Tech family this Friday and wear orange and maroon to support the families of those who were lost and support the school and community we all love so much."

She is with Him now

A touching rememberance of one of yesterday's victims, 18-year-old Rachael Elizabeth Hill, who loved Song of Solomon 8:5: "Who is this coming up from the wilderness/ Leaning on her beloved?" And she says it was her, coming up from the wilderness, leaning on Jesus, her beloved.

Now she is with Him.

Rahcael, and other victims, are barely older than the girl I refer to as the Eye Roller. I know we are headed to the place Rachael is now, but it pains me to think of the grief Rachael's parents must be feeling. They are no doubt comforted by knowing their daughter is experiencing glories and love we cannot imagine.

We are all Hokies today

The tragedy yesterday in Blacksburg is barely speakeable. I pray for the comfort of the parents, and the souls of those who died. May God be with all of them. (Photo from Roanoke Times).

U.S. Attorneys and Assistants

I'm hardly an expert in the U.S. Attorney firing controversy. But this latest from Andrew Sullivan roils me a bit, because Andrew was on his high horse earlier about how the Bush Administration was packing the bureacuracy with evangelical Christians whom Andrew and others think are unqualified for their jobs in part because they didn't go to top flight law schools. But this time Andrew goes after interm U.S. Attorney Scott Schools, who actually DOES have both experience as a prosecutor and is a graduate of some top flight schools. "Money" line from Schools' bio:

>>Mr. Schools graduated magna cum laude from Duke University with a degree in mathematics, and he received his law degree, with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law.<<

I know a little bit about Scott Schools' experience. He was an assistant U.S. Attorney in South Carolina during the first Bush Administration. That office, under U.S. Attorney Bart Daniel, prosecuted "Operation Lost Trust," which led to bribery convictions of several S.C. lawmakers and helped fuel a much-needed ethics reform in the South Carolina General Assembly. The investigation was much-criticized, and there's no point in going into all of the background. The ethics reform would not have happened without that prosecution. I guess that's not worth mentioning because it would be a counterweight to donating to Strom Thurmond.

UPDATE:

Welcome Andrew Sullivan readers. As you can read from my post, I am not weighing in on the facts of the U.S. Attorney controversy, because I just don't know the facts. I remember the Lost Trust case, and I see from Scott Schools' bio that he went to some top-flight schools. Geez, he graduated cum laude in math, for cryin' out loud. Me, I barely made it out of algebra 2A in 10th grade. And to do the math for you -- that ended in January 1979.

Ewwww.

Though if they used a mummy, what happened to the Daddy?

Ha!

USC football, offense

Fascinating discussion of USC's offense, especially the QB position, from offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian at a blog I just discovered, USC Trojan Football Analysis. I don't understand all the lingo, but it has some great insights.