tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.comments2012-06-16T11:59:35.014-07:00<center>Runes</center>M.J. O'Brienhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-45051015953584071542012-06-16T11:59:35.014-07:002012-06-16T11:59:35.014-07:00Scholars have concluded that the man in the baseba...Scholars have concluded that the man in the baseball cap is Blazes Boylan, a "special friend" of Molly Bloom for many years (and nemesis of Leopold).M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-53920564462783918242012-06-16T11:18:20.289-07:002012-06-16T11:18:20.289-07:00Wonderful tribute to Joyce! The music works perfec...Wonderful tribute to Joyce! The music works perfectly. Who is that guy in the baseball cap?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-3064224973414226772012-03-09T15:11:36.693-08:002012-03-09T15:11:36.693-08:00Muito bom! A kora é um instrumento delicioso.Muito bom! A kora é um instrumento delicioso.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-30887678941448252942007-05-03T12:33:00.000-07:002007-05-03T12:33:00.000-07:00To Justadog...Try Iran or Saudi Arabia, where publ...To Justadog...<BR/><BR/>Try Iran or Saudi Arabia, where public executions by various means are routine. <BR/><BR/>As for deterrence, there's no persuasive evidence that capital punishment serves to deter murder. And it costs more to execute a prisoner than to provide the "free room and board" and other perks that Justadog finds so enviable. You could cut the cost of capital punishment only by eliminating appeals and executing some people who aren't guilty. (Maybe that's a price Justadog is willing to pay.)<BR/><BR/>As for making it hurt, Justadog no doubt would support the revival of such ancient techniques as slow disembowelment and the breaking wheel.M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-46901507011647273912007-05-01T12:51:00.000-07:002007-05-01T12:51:00.000-07:00I prefer electrocutions, and would prefer public a...I prefer electrocutions, and would prefer public airing of all executions.<BR/><BR/>Capital punishment has become so sterile and hidden it is hardly a deterrent anymore.<BR/><BR/>There will always be those that favor the violent criminal, that have no problem with these social defects living on the dime of honest citizens - free medical, free dental, free room and board, free food, etc.<BR/><BR/>I say make it HURT - only then can it be a deterrent.JustaDoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10003082580136787667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-40904936037478490112007-04-23T00:30:00.000-07:002007-04-23T00:30:00.000-07:00Alternatives to Prison"... Hmmm... Check out gra...Alternatives to Prison"... Hmmm... Check out gracetowne.blogspot.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-24995563971764480222007-04-22T15:00:00.000-07:002007-04-22T15:00:00.000-07:00OT--your list of favorite music is terrific. :)OT--your list of favorite music is terrific. :)Scott Lemieuxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06701388686242654576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-46470835553758682182007-04-09T22:35:00.000-07:002007-04-09T22:35:00.000-07:00Thanks, anonymous. Good points, all. (Maybe I wa...Thanks, anonymous. Good points, all. (Maybe I was trying too hard to preserve my own "impartiality.")M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-87393084452871215402007-04-09T21:13:00.000-07:002007-04-09T21:13:00.000-07:00Two problems with your analysis - claiming Doyle d...Two problems with your analysis - claiming Doyle distanced himself. That is an out of context quote that has been used to attack Doyle. Second, Biskupic as impartial. That is based on the former Democrat AG is giving him cover. Doesn't fly in state though. She was arrested for drunk driving after she was found passed out in a ditch in her state car. She continues to be pissed that the Governor backed an opponent in the primary that beat her. Who would ever think that an Attorney General arrested for drunk driving in a state car would run for reelection, let alone feel they are entitled to support?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-18301880039567462762007-04-05T21:58:00.000-07:002007-04-05T21:58:00.000-07:00I appreciate SC Eagle's comment and don't mean to ...I appreciate SC Eagle's comment and don't mean to suggest a deliberate misrepresentation by his blog.<BR/><BR/>If you look at the bare text of the 14th amendment's guarantee of equal protection, SC Eagle would be right: the WEA/ERA wouldn't be necessary. But (as this post tries to explain) the courts have narrowly construed the 14th and haven't deemed gender to be a "suspect classification" like race or religion. The legislative history of the 14th contains no evidence that it was intended to prohibit gender discrimination. The WEA/ERA would correct that historical "oversight." <BR/><BR/>To be completely accurate here, there's one notable exception to my statement that the courts have "narrowly construed" the 14th. That came in 2000, when the conservatives on the Supreme Court shocked legal observers by relying on the 14th in deciding Bush v. Gore.M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-1976259114468082162007-04-05T21:48:00.000-07:002007-04-05T21:48:00.000-07:00To Anon.A friend suggested we not allow anonymous ...To Anon.<BR/><BR/>A friend suggested we not allow anonymous comments, and now I'm reminded why. And why we need the WEA.<BR/><BR/>Stil, as someone once wrote: "I may disagree with what you say, but I'll defend to the death my right to ridicule you."Geaghanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02418809643367026516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-13845812376870145642007-04-05T19:52:00.000-07:002007-04-05T19:52:00.000-07:00I am surprised to see myself categorized as "predi...I am surprised to see myself categorized as "predictable misrepresentation".<BR/><BR/>If anything, I think my stance is very pro-women. My argument is that women ARE equal, AND that the Constitution <I>already</I> says so.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the link.SCEaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05163045845623090983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-7385539504395606582007-04-05T17:10:00.000-07:002007-04-05T17:10:00.000-07:00This is one of my favorite songs! Thank you so muc...This is one of my favorite songs! Thank you so much for sharing this!Amandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12317601929907137628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-22411483444397774922007-04-05T14:24:00.000-07:002007-04-05T14:24:00.000-07:00must be all democrats - i mean it's not enough tha...must be all democrats - i mean it's not enough that women have all that they have nowadays - they got to push it further and further.. funny how " one nation under god " wound up being one nation where people can do whatever they want , engage in numerous sexual immoralities , murdering their unborn and taking life for granted.. all because of one freakin right. this is coming from a woman who would rather be just a woman than someone who could choose the fate of the unborn. It's disgusting..this whole bit is disgusting and either fueled by cold heartless murdering b*tches or a bunch of butch lesbians .... disgusting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-11093235708851346872007-03-13T01:45:00.000-07:002007-03-13T01:45:00.000-07:00Certainly I agree with Anon's major points, includ...Certainly I agree with Anon's major points, including the idea that men also suffer from the many expectations (and stereotypes) that are imposed on them. And I'd prefer that <I>no one</I>, male or female, ever get drafted. Maybe we'd have to reconsider in a genuine national emergency, when total mobilization is unavoidable.<BR/><BR/>Anon also sez: "Feminism shouldn't be about holding women to the standards we set for men; it should be about throwing away unrealistic standards altogether." And again I totally agree. That was a major point I was trying to make in my post. <BR/><BR/>As for the "positive aspects of femininity and masculinity," that's where I begin to struggle. I haven't heard a convincing case that women are <I>born</I> "feminine" and men "masculine," apart from their anatomical assignments. "It may be impossible to know if those traits are inate or learned," as Anon says, but I'm content to start with the assumption that they're learned. To concede that those qualities are innate is too limiting--for <I>both </I> women and men. As our culture becomes more enlightened and less sexist, maybe it can figure out how to preserve and promote the best of what we now consider to be "masculine" and "feminine" qualities.M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-9328588964505751372007-03-12T22:10:00.000-07:002007-03-12T22:10:00.000-07:00Thanks, Oliver. I'm not familiar with the original...Thanks, Oliver. I'm not familiar with the original lyrics, but now I'll go check it out. I just discovered Bettye LaVette's wonderful voice, thanks to American Routes, and I've really enjoyed the interviews I've found online. I checked her <A HREF="http://www.rosebudus.com/tourdates/lavette.html" REL="nofollow">tour schedule</A>, and she won't be coming to the Portland area until a year from now (March 15th). I'll put it on my 2008 calendar as soon as I have one.M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-35186585151653933842007-03-12T22:01:00.000-07:002007-03-12T22:01:00.000-07:00Although I agree with you in principle, I am wary ...Although I agree with you in principle, I am wary of taking the idea of "equality" too far. First of all, there are differences between men and women in the medical realm that are sometimes dangerously overlooked. For instance, women experience heart attacks very differently than men and may not be diagnosed until it's too late.<BR/><BR/>When men talk about feminism, they often seem to take "equality" to mean that we should treat women the same way we treat men. As a woman that doesn't appeal to me. Men may have it easier than women, but they are also held to a ridiculous standard of masculinity, and expected to be strong and fearless in the face of every obstacle (including armed combat). I don't want women to get drafted into the army for the same reasons I don't want men to get drafted - nobody deserves to be forced into that situation. Feminism shouldn't be about holding women to the standards we set for men; it should be about throwing away unrealistic standards altogether. Feminism shouldn't mean expecting every woman to be physically strong, assertive, good at math, and career-minded. It should be about tossing out the idea that a woman can't be any of those things, along with the idea that men must be all of them.<BR/><BR/>But we shouldn't throw out the baby with the bathwater and forget about the positive aspects of femininity and masculinity. Any psychologist will tell you that men and women think and feel differently. It may be impossible to know if those traits are inate or learned, but it doesn't matter, because it will probably stay that way for the foreseeable future. The important thing to remember is that the traits that both sexes bring to the table are equally valuable, and equally necessary to the human experience as we know it.<BR/><BR/>That's the kind of equality I'm interested in.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-80371289987433852432007-03-12T18:48:00.000-07:002007-03-12T18:48:00.000-07:00Bettye LaVette changed the song completely. She c...<B>Bettye LaVette</B> changed the song <I>completely.</I> She changed all the rural locations mentioned by Ms. Williams in the original and substituted places that had an impact on her <I>own</I> career.<BR/><BR/>She is truly one of the great singers of all time. And, what a performer! <I>Do not</I> miss Bettye if she comes to your town. She's also one of the nicest stars in show business.Oliver Pennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12168983155155341664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-40804570723802311232007-03-11T13:39:00.000-07:002007-03-11T13:39:00.000-07:00Thanks for the comment (I guess). The trip wasn't...Thanks for the comment (I guess). The trip <I>wasn't</I> the result of an accident--I checked. It was caused by a "perfect storm" of conditions: one of the hottest days of the year, on a Sunday, at the intersection of two very busy highways (101 and 18) near the casino in Lincoln City. A three-hour delay is unusual, but heavy weekend traffic on the coastal highways of Oregon is the rule rather than the exception. <BR/><BR/>While I probably agree with you about population as a contributor, I don't think that population <I>always</I> correlates with out-of-control autocentric development. The EU has a much bigger population, but automobile culture isn't as well established there--yet. Unfortunately, that seems to be changing, despite the ease of using efficient public transportation to travel just about anywhere. <BR/><BR/>As for going "back to New York," it would be refreshing to offer a critique of the place where one lives without being told to go "back to X."M.J. O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494821452318393286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-60746933254365806102007-03-11T12:42:00.000-07:002007-03-11T12:42:00.000-07:00Good Heavens! Go back to New York!Your trip most ...Good Heavens! Go back to New York!<BR/>Your trip most likely took longer due to an accident. Your true complaint is more based on population control, ie. population reduction, than on cars.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-17313470957409205022007-02-28T18:18:00.000-08:002007-02-28T18:18:00.000-08:00Hello Comrades,Please visit http://ministryoflove....Hello Comrades,<BR/>Please visit http://ministryoflove.wordpress.com to learn about our creative protest of the Military Commissions Act, which was passed in October 2006 and which negates Habeas Corpus in America. Or watch our video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOq5yHDkQgY<BR/>Regards,<BR/>O'BrienComrade O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15441031648778098652noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-87205924993107196232007-02-26T20:29:00.000-08:002007-02-26T20:29:00.000-08:00You would do well to post a follow-up article abou...You would do well to post a follow-up article about lumber alternatives - recycled materials can be used to make paper and build houses, with no threat to forests. Look up Earthships (cheesy name, I know) and those nifty cement dome houses.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-53277159782702787692007-02-20T19:17:00.000-08:002007-02-20T19:17:00.000-08:00Father Geoghan was no doubt murdered for his crime...Father Geoghan was no doubt murdered for his crimes of child abuse as much or moreso than for his gayness.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-50944630696409430492007-01-30T17:31:00.000-08:002007-01-30T17:31:00.000-08:00Book "Journey Toward Justice" Memoir by Dennis Fri...Book "Journey Toward Justice" Memoir by Dennis Fritz: This Book Changed my mind about the Death Penalty. I feel the more people know about these issues maybe some things will change. At one time I wrote this about the book I read: Where Is Dennis Fritz, You may say after reading John Grisham's Wonderful Book "The Innocent man", Grisham's First non-fiction book. The Other Innocent Man hardly mentioned in "The Innocent Man" has his own compelling and fascinating story to tell in "Journey Toward Justice". John Grisham endorsed Dennis Fritz's Book on the Front Cover. Dennis Fritz wrote his Book Published by Seven Locks Press, to bring awareness about False Convictions, and The Death Penalty. "Journey Toward Justice" is a testimony to the Triumph of the Human Spirit and is a Stunning and Shocking Memoir. Dennis Fritz was wrongfully convicted of murder after a swift trail. The only thing that saved him from the Death Penalty was a lone vote from a juror. "The Innocent Man" by John Grisham is all about Ronnie Williamson, Dennis Fritz's was his co-defendant. Ronnie Williamson was sentenced to the Death Penalty. Both were exonerated after spending 12 years in prison. Both Freed by a simple DNA test, The real killer was one of the Prosecution's Key Witness. John Grisham's "The Innocent Man" tells half the story. Dennis Fritz's Story needs to be heard. Read about how he wrote hundreds of letters and appellate briefs in his own defense and immersed himself in an intense study of law. He was a school teacher and a ordinary man from Ada Oklahoma, whose wife was brutally murdered in 1975. On May 8, 1987 while raising his young daughter alone, he was put under arrest and on his way to jail on charges of rape and murder. Since then, it has been a long hard road filled with twist and turns. Dennis Fritz is now on his "Journey Toward Justice". He never blamed the Lord and solely relied on his faith in God to make it through. He waited for God's time and never gave up.Barbara's Journey Toward Justicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09888004395206383450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37862565.post-23478809473220144022007-01-20T02:50:00.000-08:002007-01-20T02:50:00.000-08:00I don't think we really disagree about much, here,...I don't think we really disagree about much, here, but I would take a little bit of issue with the description you give of the outcome of my position: <br /><br />"If each war as a "particular case," we end up in the pragmatist position of doing a cost-benefit analysis that might go something like this: is war in a given situation likely to produce a better result than refraining from war, or conversely, is it likely to result in less overall harm?"<br /><br />While this is strictly-speaking true, I worry about this way of framing it, because we are <b><i>very bad</i></b> at making these calculations. It's not enough, as Comrade Max pointed out, that a war be aimed at some kind of tangible benefit--it has to be a really, really big and important benefit, like survival. The point of my "principled pacifism" is that I think it would be better to have a general rule that we don't even bother making these calculations. In particular cases where the benefits would be absolutely overwhelming and (crucially) indubitable or at least widely agreed-upon, we could make exceptions.<br /><br />The trouble with this, of course, is that it's always possible to argue that your own pet war fits these conditions. If my version of "principled pacifism" were to be widely accepted--ha!--this problem might become less acute, though, since it's usually laughably obvious that pet wars don't fit these conditions if you start out with even the slightest skepticism toward solving problems militarily.ellishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15308264045246008025noreply@blogger.com