April 27, 2010
I AM SPARTACUS
Here's what I said yesterday only better:
Jon Stewart Flunks His Spartacus Test(And I don't think Stewart's bit was that bad...but the article has good parts.)
-- I'm back. I feel like I should elaborate. Stewart is right that Comedy Central pays the bills and has the right to censor whatever they like. He's also right that the radical Muslims are the true enemy and can bleep themselves. But...shouldn't we hold a bit of contempt for Comedy Central for caving? Paying the bills or not, they took the cowardly route, and he kinda excused them. He made the bigger point, but I can see where Jeffrey Lord thinks that the bigger I-am-Sparticus would have been for Jon Stewart to berate Comedy Central for not standing with Parker and Stone.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Don’t look for principles and values from Jon Stewart.
Posted by: tim at April 27, 2010 03:25 PM (vb4Ci)
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Agreed. Stewart is a comic, not a journalist. (Not that I expect any kind of integrity there, either.)
I think comedy central has every right to censor their station--they DO pay the bills. Parker and Stone have every right to go John Galt, and move to a network, one that will allow them to express themselves more openly.
Do I think comedy central has a double standard? Absolutely. (Remember Merry F'ing Christmas?) What are their options? Cave, and let the cartoonists do what they want, or censor. What are the results of each? If they cave, either Islamic Rage Boy kills someone, or multiple someones, or they don't. If they censor, Islamic Rage Boy is appeased, nobody dies.
CS was in a lose-lose, and I don't think it's worth pissing off half the muslim world (ask Salman Rushdie about that) over a cartoon. Had CS not caved, it'd be a tempest in a teacup for certain, but they'd have garnered nowhere near the same amount of publicity as they have for censoring it. They took a lose-lose and turned it into a win-lose-win.
Posted by: C huck at April 27, 2010 09:44 PM (bMH2g)
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April 26, 2010
EVERYBODY DRAW MUHAMMAD
After so many years, it's not surprising that South Park would have some hit or miss episodes, but the previous two episodes were fantastic. Good for Parker and Stone for pushing the Islam envelope, and shame on Comedy Central for once again caving to pressure. You have to beep Muhammad's name and black him out
when he's wearing a bear costume? Thanks for showing how deep the hypocrisy goes. Buddha can do coke, and Jesus watches porn and poops on George Bush...but we can't even say the name Muhammad on TV anymore.
So a cartoonist declared May 20th "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day"...and then
backed out when the idea went viral.
What a bunch of wimps we've become.
Free speech is easy to defend when it's uncontroversial. All this hullabaloo about freedom of speech to criticize Bush's war or Obama's health care plan. No one is threatening our freedom to do any of that. We throw around "freedom of speech" for the frivolous things and like to pretend we're being brave by "speaking truth to power." Oooh, your "free speech" might get some mean comments on your blog or make your co-worker ticked off. But there is a real and growing threat from radical Islam that we've been childishly ignoring for far too long. It is times like this that it's
most important to stand up and defend the right of cartoonists to draw whatever satire they wish. It's crucial to make a stand and say that we refuse to be cowed by ignorant barbarians who seek to threaten and murder others for holding different beliefs. Or just for making a joke they don't like.
I'm drawing Muhammad here on May 20th. The lady who came up with the idea for the day may have decided she's too scared to stand up for her values, but I think it's of the utmost importance for many people to band together and say that we're not going to accept this pandering to Muslims anymore.
And if I were Parker and Stone, I'd put Muhammad in every single episode from now on.
Man, I love those guys.
Posted by: Sarah at
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AGREED! I saw a tweet from someone I follow the other day. It was awesome, so I'll just copy and paste it here:
"
Derka derka. RT @: If your
religion is endangered by a crudely drawn cartoon, it's time to
re-evaluate your belief system. "
I think I will participate in Everybody Draw Muhammed day, too. Sounds like fun.
Posted by: Deltasierra at April 26, 2010 06:47 PM (/Mv9b)
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The South Park incident reminded me of a passage from Sebastian Haffner's memoir about growing up in Germany in the 1930s. Haffner was a refendar, something like a law clerk, at the Kammergericht, the Prussian high court. That morning, the court had bowed to the Nazis demands and all Jewish judges and other employees had been expelled. In the evening, Haffner went to a comedy club, the Katakombe, with his girlfriend. The performer was a man named Werner Fink:
His act remained full of harmless amiability in a country where
these qualities were on the liquidation list. This harmless amiability
hid a kernel of real, indomitable courage. He dared to speak openly
about the reality of the Nazis, and that in the middle of Germany. His
patter contained references to concentration camps, the raids on
people’s homes, the general fear and general lies. He spoke of these
things with infinitely quiet mockery, melancholy, and sadness. Listening
to him was extraordinarily comforting.
In the morning, the Prussian Kammergericht, with its tradition of
hundreds of years, had ignobly capitulated before the Nazis. In the same
evening, a small troop of artistes, with no tradition to back them up,
demonstrated the courage to speak forbidden thoughts. "The Kammergericht
had fallen but the Katakombe stood upright."
(my review of Haffner's book is
here)
Posted by: david foster at April 27, 2010 09:16 AM (Gis4X)
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Great idea but why limit it to one day and just a picture? We should name our dogs Mohammed, our pork dishes should have the name Mohammed in them (Mohammed ribs anyone?) and lastly we should call our more unpleasant tasks/experiences after the war mongering, pedophile - “Man, I just took a big ole Mohammedâ€., “Dude, you just stepped in Mohammed.†The possibilities are endless!
Posted by: tim at April 27, 2010 11:46 AM (vb4Ci)
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April 19, 2010
THE SLIPPERY SLOPE OF RIGHTS
I'm learning the ropes of taking care of a baby, but I still don't get on the internet that often. (Example: my friend said, "So how about that volcano business?" and I said, "What volcano?") However, today I did read something that got my goat.
Via Mark Steyn, who
says, "No matter how fast Obama Europeanizes America, you can't out-Euro the
Euros":
Vacationing a human right, EU chief saysThe European Union has declared travelling a human right, and is
launching a scheme to subsidize vacations with taxpayers' dollars for
those too poor to afford their own trips.
Antonio Tajani, the European Union commissioner for enterprise
and industry, proposed a strategy that could cost European taxpayers
hundreds of millions of euros a year, The Times of London reports.
"Travelling for tourism today is a right. The way we spend our
holidays is a formidable indicator of our quality of life," Mr. Tajani
told a group of ministers at The European Tourism Stakeholders
Conference in Madrid on April 15.
And this is the slippery slope of rights. Once we believed that we only had "
rights to action." Now by declaring that we have the right to health care, we have fundamentally shifted to saying we believe we have the right to someone else's labor. So where does it end? Once you have the right to money from another taxpayer's pocket, who's to say it should end with health? It's good for your health to be stress-free, and vacations help you relax.
So then they're a right too.
I find this slippery slope frightening...
Posted by: Sarah at
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I'm still on the Internet a lot, but I didn't know about this new "human right."
This article lists thirteen "third rails." Will vacations be a fourteenth?
Posted by: Amritas at April 19, 2010 06:38 PM (hBtE2)
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Sarah, I don't know if you caught Chuck's definition of a right: http://tcoverride.blogspot.com/2010/03/simple-definition.html
It is amazing how much you can appreciate someone you hardly know.
Posted by: Kate at April 20, 2010 01:41 PM (J1l7A)
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Wonder how the "right" to vacations interacts with the "right" to "a carbon-free environment?"
Posted by: david foster at April 21, 2010 09:45 AM (Gis4X)
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Kate, thanks for the link to Chuck Z's definition.
A government-given "right" is wrong. And government "giving" always entails
taking from someone else.
Posted by: Amritas at April 21, 2010 02:50 PM (+nV09)
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david,
Initially travel expenses will only be paid to those who pledge to use ground-based mass transit to reach their destinations. Only the One, St. Al, and other elites should have the right to fly. Eventually "travel expenses" will be redefined as expenses incurred during travel by bicycle or by foot. Then bicycles will be banned ... oops, forget we said that. Propaganda campaigns will tout the value of vacations spent at home. One can take a day off without leaving a big carbon footprint.
Posted by: kevin at April 21, 2010 03:47 PM (+nV09)
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Wow, that is really interesting. I live in a system where my money from my pocket pays for health care for those that can't afford it, and I have been ok with that so far. But paying for someone else's vacation? Not sure I'm on board with that! I guess it really can be that slippery slope.
Posted by: Stacy at April 22, 2010 01:55 PM (qlReK)
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April 08, 2010
HEADS UP
In addition to the
octopus photo, there was one other thing I was itching to do when my daughter arrived.
After too many times of
flipping tails, we finally flipped heads.
She's our
John Elway baby, our
non-mutant child, our lucky head's up penny.
She's 100% here and 100% ours.
(Heh, I love the photo of us. She's looking at me like, OMG no one told me my mom was a mutant...)
Posted by: Sarah at
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She just read your t-shirt!
How did you make her shirt? It's a shame she'll soon outgrow it. But I assume you'll keep it and someday explain to her what it means.
Posted by: Amritas at April 10, 2010 01:21 PM (hBtE2)
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You can buy printer-compatible iron-on transfers. So I could print in mirror image and then iron on to a onesie.
Posted by: Sarah at April 10, 2010 02:41 PM (OwYFI)
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In the books I used to (still?) read, the mutants were usually the heroes with special powers.
Posted by: David Boxenhorn at April 10, 2010 02:57 PM (fcRFv)
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What a cutie! Love the shirts. We can't wait to put Noah in a wifebeater with a cigar :-)
Posted by: Beth at April 10, 2010 05:42 PM (6gU1+)
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She's so adorable! You look radiant. Motherhood suits you. :-)
Posted by: Heather at April 10, 2010 06:22 PM (V8+gP)
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Great pictures. Thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Lucy at April 10, 2010 09:41 PM (YNvUz)
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She's so adorable! Love the t-shirts!
Posted by: awiv at April 10, 2010 10:09 PM (4McD6)
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That is such a special picture! I'm sure she will treasure it when she is older. Your daughter is a miracle, in the truest sense of the word.
Posted by: Allison at April 11, 2010 12:11 AM (HroE/)
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LOVE it!
How adorable!
Posted by: Deltasierra at April 11, 2010 01:20 AM (/Mv9b)
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You both look wonderful, and she looks absolutely adorable.
Thank you for sharing, all along.
Posted by: Eowyn at April 11, 2010 05:28 AM (Henzy)
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Your husband must be very proud to have two beautiful females in the house
Posted by: Laura, A Military Mom at April 12, 2010 01:25 PM (oLHZ3)
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Why didn't you tell her that her mommy was a mutant? And that penny shirt ... adorable and appropriate all at once!! Love it!
Posted by: Darla at April 13, 2010 11:35 PM (RAPsl)
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That's awesome! Congrats on your beautiful baby. I'm so happy for you guys.
Posted by: Tiffany at April 14, 2010 12:57 PM (zXoai)
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Congratulations Sarah.
Posted by: tim at April 15, 2010 03:03 PM (vb4Ci)
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What a beautiful little girl! And what a happy momma! Love the shirts, they're awesome.
Posted by: sharona at April 15, 2010 09:03 PM (BeRta)
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You crack me up! This is perfect.
This year for Halloween maybe instead of a spooky skeletal system, you can "dress up" as a mutant and she can dress up as a lucky penny.
Thanks for posting these. So cute!
Posted by: Guard Wife at April 16, 2010 01:35 PM (joIc3)
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April 06, 2010
THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD...
My husband is in DC for the funeral service for the soldier in his company who was killed on deployment.
We had an FRG meeting last week, and the unit provided details for the families who would be heading to Arlington for the service. As I sat there holding my new baby, the baby who looks just like my husband, all I could think about was this soldier's wife. His pregnant wife. Pregnant with a little girl...
When I thought I'd go into labor before my husband came home, I had a meltdown. I couldn't make myself go to the hospital. I was packing my suitcase while weeping, in agony that things had not gone as I'd wanted them to go, that it wasn't supposed to be this way, that he was supposed to be here with me and for me. I wanted to stay in complete denial and refuse to go to the hospital. I felt deep in my bones that I just couldn't have that baby without him, that despite how capable I am, this was the one thing I couldn't handle on my own.
And I think of this woman whose husband won't be there at all when her baby is born, and I can't stand it. I am sick for her. Just sick.
I'm so thankful for my husband and child.
Posted by: Sarah at
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The military certainly helps us figure out our priorities... Prayers to that family.
Posted by: Amber at April 06, 2010 03:23 PM (AxTjH)
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And everytime I hear about another that is leaving behind a family my heart breaks. Prayers for them.
Posted by: Laura, A Military Mom at April 06, 2010 04:15 PM (oLHZ3)
Posted by: Lucy at April 06, 2010 04:53 PM (YNvUz)
Posted by: Heather at April 06, 2010 05:46 PM (k6tVi)
Posted by: Connie at April 06, 2010 07:37 PM (L6nIP)
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When Mrs. P lost her husband a few weeks ago, knowing he never met his little girl, I sobbed. I sobbed for the inequity of it. I was angry for her and for the life that was taken from them. And for the last few weeks, every time I've gotten angry at my husband I thank God that he's here to annoy me. And I thank God that there isn't a doubt that he'll be in that delivery room to hold my hand. And for the first year of his son's life. You know what's in store for us at the end of this training, and I keep thinking, if something should happen, at least I had this time. At the very least I had this time.
Posted by: Sara at April 06, 2010 08:36 PM (Z8H9d)
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I would've bawled and bawled in your position as well. I have this complete and utter fear that what happened to your friend may happen to me. This military is such a different fear than civilian life. Everytime I see a photo of a military widow being handed a folded flag by an Honor Guard member my heart melts. They are our friends and our family ... if by branch alone. I know two things to be true that if my husband or one of my two sisters ever pass away the world will stop spinning on its axis. Hold your baby and cling to the hope that only that small life brings you. I try and think that the only thing that could ease the pain of my husband passing would be if I had a child to look at and remember him by. His legacy. Now that we are adopting it will be nature versus nurture if that.
Posted by: Darla at April 06, 2010 11:05 PM (RAPsl)
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Makes my heart and my head hurt.
Posted by: Guard Wife at April 09, 2010 10:50 PM (UI/tE)
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I also had a friend from my husband's company who lost her husband this deployment while she was pregnant with their first baby girl. They hadn't even been married a year. My heart ached for her, too. Still does. I pray for her and her beautiful little girl (born right around the same time as your little darling) every day, and am thankful that she has oodles of loving family and friends and faith to support her. After all she's been through, I think she is probably one of the strongest people I know, and I hope and pray that I never have to find my strength the hard way, as she did.
Posted by: Leofwende at April 10, 2010 12:28 AM (28CBm)
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April 05, 2010
MY NORMAL
I am knitting and watching Krauthammer.
I just wanted to document it because two weeks ago, I really and truly thought that part of my life was over. I thought "me time" was a thing of the past.
I am figuring this out. And baby is a napper, which is great.
Posted by: Sarah at
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Oh fantastic! That's really good news. Will be calling you today.
Posted by: Sara at April 05, 2010 12:06 PM (Z8H9d)
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So you are at the one month point and BabyGrok has gained enough mass to take longer naps. Congratualtions.
Those naps will be longer after you add solids (such as rice cereal) to the diet.
Get your rest while you can. In another 14 months, she will be mobile and you will have to chase her.
Posted by: The Thomas at April 05, 2010 12:42 PM (pe9DT)
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I'm glad you're doing better, the me time was the hardest part to recover when mine was that small. Naptimes are the bomb.
Posted by: dutchgirl at April 05, 2010 10:08 PM (Yg8bq)
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Go naptime! Hooray for knitting time again!
Posted by: Darla at April 06, 2010 11:06 PM (RAPsl)
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Anything that involves "watching Krauthammer" is EXCELLENT by my estimation.
Posted by: Guard Wife at April 09, 2010 10:49 PM (UI/tE)
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