Monthly Archives: March 2015

Did the Virginia State Bar tell its members the truth?

Featured image I wrote here and here about the Virginia State Bar’s decision to cancel a seminar it had scheduled in Jerusalem. The cancellation occurred after a small number of anti-Israeli petitioners objected. VSB president Kevin Martingayle tried to defend the decision in two letters to members. I reprinted the first letter, which announced the cancellation, in my first post and the second letter in my follow-up piece. The second letter, co-written »

“If You Like Your Peace In Our Time…”

Featured image In Lausanne, talks with Iran continue past the supposed March 31 deadline. This is no surprise, since the deadline was wholly arbitrary. The Washington Post reports: Negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program blew past a Tuesday deadline, U.S. officials said, with diplomats struggling to reach consensus on the difficult issues of sanctions, enrichment research and future limits. … The decision to keep talking suggests negotiators believe an accord in some form »

The Germanwings Crash and Gun Control

Featured image Co-pilot Andreas Lubitz carried out a horrifying mass murder of the passengers aboard Germanwings flight 9525. It has come to light that he was diagnosed with serious mental illness, but medical professionals were prevented by German law from communicating his condition to the airline, and Lubitz hid his psychological issues: Strict medical privacy laws mean the companies were oblivious to the potential dangers lurking in Lubitz’s mind as the first »

ALANDO, LITTLE STRETCH, AND FRANK THE TANK — ALL-TIME WISCONSIN BASKETBALL GREATS

Featured image For the second year in a row, the University of Wisconsin has made it to the Final Four of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Last year, I tried my hand at naming Wisconsin’s all-time basketball greats. I did not include any members of the 2013-14 team. This year, I think some of Wisconsin’s current stars need to be added to my list. After all, this group has twice accomplished what »

How Long Can Noah Tread Water?

Featured image The Daily Show has announced little known South African comic Trevor Noah as Jon Stewart’s replacement, and going with an unknown talent is an understandable move for such an iconic show. (Some initial media reports predictably referred to this South African as “African-American” because they’re afraid to say “black,” because PC.) But speaking of PC and compromised comics, the furor that has erupted over some of Noah’s old un-PC tweets »

Harry Reid, Serial Liar

Featured image Perhaps the lowest of the 2012 presidential election’s many low points was Harry Reid’s absurd claim, asserted on the floor of the Senate, that Mitt Romney hadn’t paid any income taxes in ten years. It was a classic Democratic Party lie, too dumb to be believed by people of any sophistication–which, of course, didn’t prevent it from being widely reported–but catnip to the party’s base. Now that Reid has announced »

So much for Hillary’s “one device convenience” excuse

Featured image I doubt that anyone believed Hillary Clinton when she claimed she exclusively used a personal email address on a home server for “convenience,” so that she could carry a single device. In this day and age, the assertion is sufficiently implausible that only a Clinton would offer it. Now, the Associated Press reports that Clinton used an iPad in addition to her BlackBerry to email staff. In response, Clinton admits, »

An MSNBC state of mind

Featured image As an outlet for political news and commentary, MSNBC is not completely worthless. It provides a window onto the left-wing mentality. Indeed, it gives us a comprehensive view: the political ego/superego/id of Al Sharpton & company. One gets the impression that medication has already done all it can do to make it fit for public consumption. A kind of cure will come only when management pulls the plug. The Free »

The Clinton/Kendall claptrap

Featured image After seeking a two-week extension within which to respond to the outstanding subpoena issued by the House Select Committee on Benghazi for Madam Hillary’s email and request for email server, Clinton attorney David Kendall responded by letter that copies of all responsive documents had been turned over to the Department of State and the server had been wiped clean. The Democrats on the House Select Committee have posted David Kendall’s »

Losin’ in Lausanne (6)

Featured image Omri Ceren writes by email from the negotiations in Lausanne: After a bruising week for the Obama administration – where literally every news day started with a scoop about another Western concession or Iranian backtrack – things are limping to a close. The AP says there will be something by tonight, which the wire gingerly describes it as “a statement that lacks specifics[.]” It’ll take about 7 seconds for today’s »

Iran moves the goal posts again

Featured image In negotiations, parties tend to moderate their positions as the deadline for a deal approaches. Sometimes, though, the parties (or at least one of them) aren’t willing to compromise. Instead, they continue to insist on the positions they have maintained throughout the process. What’s quite unusual is for a party, at eleventh hour, to insist on a position it hasn’t previously taken. When this occurs, it means one of two »

Americans Support Nuclear Deal With Iran?

Featured image The Washington Post reports that a “clear majority” of Americans support President Obama’s proposed nuclear deal with Iran: By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Americans support the notion of striking a deal with Iran that restricts the nation’s nuclear program in exchange for loosening sanctions, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds. As always, we need to know what question was asked. Here it is: Q: Thinking now about »

What Can Bristlecone Pines Tell Us About the Gulf Stream? Um, Nothing.

Featured image A recent, highly-publicized article by Stefan Rahmstorf and the notorious Michael Mann claimed that the Gulf Stream is slowing down due to global warming, with potentially significant consequences for northern Europe. Rahmstorf describes the article: Climate models have long predicted such a slowdown – both the current 5th and the previous 4th IPCC report call a slowdown in this century “very likely”, which means at least 90% probability. When emissions »

Deal With Iran? It’s In Allah’s Hands!

Featured image John Kerry is in Switzerland, negotiating with (or on behalf of) the Islamic Republic of Iran. On Friday, a reporter asked whether a nuclear arms deal can be reached by tomorrow’s deadline. Kerry’s reported reply: “Inshallah!” “Allah willing!” #pt kerry said 'inshallah' holding up both hands with his fingers crossed — Laura Rozen (@lrozen) March 27, 2015 God help us. »

GOOSE, SKY, AND MONSTER MASH — ALL-TIME KENTUCKY BASKETBALL GREATS

Featured image Over the weekend, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Michigan State, and Duke advanced to what looks like an attractive Final Four in the Men’s NCAA basketball tournament. Once again, I will present all-time all-star teams for these programs. I have previously done so for Wisconsin and Kentucky, who were in the Final Four last year. Wisconsin’s list will need to be redone. As for Kentucky, the combination of (1) a phenomenal history, (2) »

The Virginia bar continues to disgrace itself [Updated]

Featured image As we reported here, the Virginia State Bar (VSB) cancelled its midyear legal seminar trip to Israel. In response to stinging criticism of this decision, including from the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, VSB president Kevin Martingayle sent this letter trying to justify his decision: Dear Fellow Members of the Virginia State Bar, On Friday March 27th, we canceled the Virginia State Bar’s planned Midyear Legal Seminar trip »

“Genderflect” With Pep Boys!

Featured image I’m too old to stay up for Saturday Night Live any more, but I wish I had been able to monitor the outrage on social media among the Social Justice Warrior set this last weekend, when SNL took down both Starbucks and the whole swollen transgenderism fetish in one fell swoop. If you missed it too, it is definitely worth two minutes of your time for this: »