Latest Analysis, Commentary and Opinion*
(The title of each article is linked to the complete article)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

What Reagan Meant
   The Republic piece by Bruce Walker (2/3/11)

On February 6, 1911, one century ago, Ronald Reagan was born.  Seven years ago, when Reagan died, millions of Americans waited for hours to share a brief moment with this greatest of Americans.  Mourning dead presidents is not unusual:  JFK, FDR, and Lincoln all had lavish funerals.  Mourning dead presidents who left office fifteen years earlier and who had been out of public life for nearly that long was simply unprecedented, not only in our national life but in the life of any modern nation.  Reagan was great in a way that transcends our notions of greatness.  Why?

Wyoming RINO Republicans Undermine Conservative Momentum
   Ruling Class piece by Christopher Adamo (2/3/11)

2010 will likely be remembered in the coming decades as the year when Americans turned back from the brink and reasserted their devotion to the traditional values and principles that have produced the most powerful, most prosperous, and until recently, the freest nation on earth. The elections of last November were a thunderous refutation of the arrogant elitists in Washington and an irrefutable declaration from the people of the heartland that they are not ready to relinquish their national inheritance to the counterculture and the political left.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

‘Why Israel Worries About a Post-Mubarak Egypt?‘
   Middle East piece by Aaron Goldstein (2/1/11)

There is no country that finds itself at greater unease with the developments in Egypt than Israel and for good reason.

The Pet Rock versus Obamacare
   Socialism piece by Guest: Paul A. Ibbetson (2/1/11)

In 1975 advertising executive Gary Dahl had one of the simplest and most rewarding marketing ideas of the decade. He placed a shiny little rock in a box decorated as an animal carrier and offered it to consumers to buy and keep as a “pet.”

‘Is it Time to Expand the Fairness Doctrine?‘
   Information Police piece by Selwyn Duke (2/1/11)

In keeping with the demagogue’s credo “Never let a good tragedy go to waste,“ some among us are extracting as much mileage from the Jared Loughner massacre as they can.  It is being used to raise money and reduce freedom, with the latter amounting to calls for gun and speech control.  And among these calls is the proposal to resurrect the Fairness Doctrine (FD).

Time for an Intervention
   Government piece by Guest: Michael R. Shannon (2/1/11)

I’m concerned about Virginia’s Gov. Bob McDonnell. He seems to be embarking on a white-whale situation involving his obsession with privatizing the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). This unnatural focus is a damaging, negative influence on his administration.

North Korea - Waiting for the Endgame
   Socialism piece by Guest: Chris Clancy (2/1/11)

When socialist revolutionaries come to power, they have to set about putting their grandiose talk of creating some kind of worker’s “utopia”, into practice. This is the beginning of a descent into ad hoc madness and, at times, high farce.

Animal Rights and the Globalist Agenda
   Progressivism piece by Tom DeWeese (2/1/11)

While everyone knows that Animal Rights (A/R) is at the far left extreme of the political spectrum, most people do not understand what A/R is or where they fit into the New Age/Globalism scheme. A/R, like the Green movement, is a multimillion dollar business that is a cabal for taking people out of the natural structure of the earth. And while most people sense that A/R is extreme, they have no idea of what the A/R movement’s core beliefs are. People confuse animal rights with animal welfare which are as different as black and white.

New Study Affirms Natural Climate Change
   Climate Change piece by Dennis T. Avery (2/1/11)

CHURCHVILLE, VA - It’s nice when people validate your work. Fred Singer and I—co-authors of Unstoppable Global Warming Every 1500 Years—are currently basking in the glow of a new paper that affirms the earth’s long, moderate, natural climate cycle. The study is by Dr. U.R. Rao, former chair of India’s Space Research Organization. He says solar variations and cosmic rays account for 40 percent of the world’s recent global warming.

The Great Race Deception
   Racism piece by Selwyn Duke (2/1/11)

Just about two years ago, people were speaking of a new era: post-racial America. Well, it occurs to me that if we get any more post-racial, we’ll have a race war. And the latest on this front is a new exhibit at the Boston Museum of Science (MOS) called “RACE – Are we so different?” Reports American Thinker’s Peter Wilson(1):

‘A Call for Reason (Part II) - Why Inalienable Rights?‘
   Society piece by J.J. Jackson (2/1/11)

You no doubt have the reason to understand why inalienable rights exist and why their pursuit and defense once captured by the public is true and noble.  As a reasoned being you have no doubt the wisdom to understand that of which I just spoke where societies that promote liberty are good and those that seek oppression are bad and that such good or bad stems from how well inalienable rights are preserved within the citizenry.

Amanpour Fails to Understand History, Says Political Climate Just Like the 1960s
   Progressivism piece by Warner Todd Huston (2/1/11)

The inch deep analysis that we get from the illiterati in the left-media shows that they have agendas, sure, but no grasp of history, logic, or facts. No better example of the facile nature of the Old Media can be had than Christiane Amanpour and on ABC News she strutted her imbecilic excuse for historical analysis once again.

All the News That’s Good for You
   Newspapers piece by Guest: Michael R. Shannon (2/1/11)

One of the reasons newspaper circulation and TV news ratings are falling is because people no longer trust journalists. They are tired of being mislead as reporters select and distort news coverage to conform to the media’s ideology.

Obama’s Dangerous Gamble
   Progressivism piece by J.J. Jackson (2/1/11)

How important is two percent?  When it comes to the reduced rate employees are contributing to the federal coffers via pay roll taxes this year, it can be very important to our wallets indeed.

Humanists Betrayed Humanism
   Society piece by Guest: Alexander Nussbaum (2/1/11)

I consider myself a secular humanist, but I would have to strongly qualify that these days as a politically conservative, pro-capitalism, pro traditional western values, secular humanist. Secular to me means believing in the existence of an objective reality, one disclosed by the scientific method, and humanist to me means that the rights, worth and dignity of the individual are paramount. But unfortunately Humanism today is polluted with “progressive” or “liberal” politics.

Here At Home With Laws and Lawmakers
   Government piece by Thomas D. Segel (2/1/11)

Harlingen, Texas, January 2011:  The lawmakers are back in Austin, Texas for another round of restricting individual liberties.  They assemble here in Texas every two years for 140 days and create a lot of mischief that makes many people very unhappy.

Monday, January 24, 2011

A Call for Reason (Part I) - The Conditions Of Mankind
   Society piece by J.J. Jackson (1/24/11)

My fellow Americans, I appeal to you that reason dictates to all that men can only exist in one of a few limited conditions while they are upon this Earth.  I also submit to you for your consideration, and ultimately your acceptance after reasonable debate, that illogic and non-reason will masquerade in the guise of reason to try and subvert any discussion of this truth and that it will seek to lead us to the most unwelcome and unkind of these conditions.  Further, I believe, that we all can accept that it is important that when seeking to tell right from wrong, reason from illogic, that it is important to see if there is indeed a mask to be lifted on that which comes before you and claims to be reason.

‘What The Heck Happened to the Anti-War Movement?‘
   War piece by Warner Todd Huston (1/24/11)

Remember those hoary days of raucous protest when anti-war protesters sent thousands of people into the streets sometimes with only a days notice? Now consider this: have you seen any of these giant protests since 2008 presidential election?

Mind-Game Victim? This $63 Million Welfare Federal Program Can Help!
   Femi-Nazis piece by Carey Roberts (1/24/11)

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington has never seen a government stocking-stuffer she couldn’t learn to like. So when spiraling costs galvanized Congress to take on welfare reform in 1996, the unflappable Mom in Tennis Shoes knew she would have to act fast to take the sharp edges off of “the end of welfare as we know it.“

Friday, January 21, 2011

Democrats look to dupe GOP at State of the Union address
   Politics piece by Guest: Paul A. Ibbetson (1/21/11)

The Democratic Party, if anything, is consistent with their actions. They took advantage of an ideologically weak Republican Party that failed to rein in spending in 2006. Democrats managed to place one of their most liberal politicians into the office of president in 2008 and then proceeded to pass bill after bill that would expand government control by monumental leaps in the hopes of fundamentally transforming the nation.

The 8th Deadly Sin: Procrastination
   Elections piece by Robert R. Owens (1/21/11)

He who hesitates is lost. - When we have the opportunity to accomplish something and we miss that opportunity because we fail to take action or we allow ourselves to be diverted from the best to accomplish the good that isn’t defeat it is capitulation.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

‘Natural Selection: Can The Postal Service Escape Extinction?‘
   Government piece by Alan Burkhart (1/19/11)

The US Postal Service has been bleeding money for a number of years and revenue shortfalls are in the billions. While no one I know is predicting immediate collapse, the obvious fact is that the Postal Service is becoming outmoded. Why would I bother with “snail-mail” when I can just send an e-mail and know that the recipient will have the correspondence within seconds instead of one to three days?

Tunisia’s Uncertain Impact
   Africa piece by Daniel Pipes (1/19/11)

The sudden and yet-unexplained exit of Tunisia’s strongman, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, 74, after 23 years in power has potential implications for the Middle East and for Muslims worldwide. As an Egyptian commentator noted, “Every Arab leader is watching Tunisia in fear. Every Arab citizen is watching Tunisia in hope and solidarity.“ I watch with both sets of emotions.

Food Chain Not Stretched to Limit—Yet
   Food piece by Dennis T. Avery (1/19/11)

CHURCHVILLE, VA - The cable network MSNBC is warning that the world food chain “has been stretched to the limit” by rising world demand and a series of crop failures in several countries. The TV network’s warning is premature. The U.S., in fact, could ease the current global food price spike with one administrative action - limiting the amount of U.S. corn that gets turned into corn ethanol.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

The Great ‘Climate Change’ 2011 Taxpayer Rip-Off
   GreeenIsm piece by Alan Caruba (1/16/11)

Unless I am seriously mistaken or misinformed, the rate of unemployment in the U.S. remains high and the foreclosure rate on homes is approaching the level of the Depression years. Two major bond rating companies, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s just warned that, if the federal government doesn’t stop spending and borrowing, America’s Triple-A highest ranking will be down-graded.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Five Steps to Troubleshoot Your Wi-Fi Network
   Computers piece by Offsite (1/14/11)

Wi-Fi gives you freedom from wires, but can also give you a headache if you have connection problems. The attenuation and distance of wireless signals varies with two key factors: the construction material of the building and nearby interference.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Chris Christie’s Jersey Attitude
   Government piece by Alan Caruba (1/13/11)

It’s the curse of having sat through too many local town council meetings and too many speeches by politicians; it’s taking notes as they speak because you want to keep what’s said fresh in mind. Regular folks don’t do this, but anyone who has spent any time as a reporter will tell you it is a hard habit to break.

Loughner: Psychology, Demonology and Presumption in the Body Politic
   Society piece by Rev Bresciani (1/13/11)

Jared Lee Loughner is charged with killing six people and wounding others in the recent tragedy in Arizona. Days of media coverage has raised controversy, speculation and a sea of voices all trying to handle and assess what seems almost incomprehensible in a civilized nation.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

‘Emanuel Pushing Anti-Teachers Union Line in Race for Chicago Mayor?‘
   Elections piece by Warner Todd Huston (1/12/11)

Rahm Emanuel is not the union’s favorite man. He has had union detractors since his days pushing the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) during the Clinton administration. Since then there have been other clashes between Emanuel and unions even as he served President Obama as his Chief of Staff. Now, as he takes after the Chicago teachers union, he seems to be tweaking unions yet again as he runs for the top seat in City Hall here in Chicago.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Apocalypse Not!
   Bird-Brain Flu piece by Alan Caruba (1/10/11)

There is no religion, past or present, that has not generated an End Times prediction. As the year 2011 begins, you can be sure that the media will begin to fill up with articles about the Mayan calendar prediction that the world will end on December 12, 2012.