The Misspent Life

Credit Where Credit is Due

Imagine my surprise when I saw that The Hatemonger's Quarterly had added a Blog Machine to their webpage.  Imagine my surprise that when I wondered what their graphic would be I saw that they had sort of used my suggestion for their caption contest back in July.

I was kind of mad that I had to find out by waiting for it to pop up and that there wasn't some sort of a congratulatory e-mail or anything (although I did get props at the time).  I am kind of proud of it becasue I hold the Crack Young Staff (even Chip) in just the highest regard.  To vent my anger I am writing this post as I listen to one of my two Yanni CDs.  Which one?  Reflections of Passion, its got all his hits on it.  That will show them.  I am also thinking about Tony Danza and watching Sally Struthers on TV.  Please excuse any typos, the blood is dripping from my both my ears and eyes onto the keyboard and the keys are starting to stick.  Wait.  What am I doing?  This isn't punishing them, I'm only punishing myself.

The Case for Democracy

As the Iraqi people have turned the page of liberty and begun their journey to develop a free society it is a good time to pause and consider just what it takes to be free. It is one of the big questions of international politics and one that I am constantly wrestling with: what does it take to form a free society, is democracy enough? For the longest time I have been of the mind that democracy does not equal a free society, that a true democracy could only develop out of a society with organic liberal institutions like private property, the rule of law, equal opportunity, and freedom of expression. This is the standard view in the academy and one that I have begun to feel is more and more becoming obsolete.

The Die is Cast, It is Ended

Today I submitted my final two applications.  Now all there is to do is wait.

Someone Is Wondering

If Tears for Fears are homosexuals.  I'm afraid I don't have the answer, but they came here looking for one anyway.  I am wondering what I will have for lunch.

New Blog

There is a new blog called "The Conservative Philosopher."  It looks like it will be good, I know Blimpish and the Peperiums will like it and hopefully Monjo and a few of the others will as well.  Check it out.

Would You Like Hegel With Your Rice?

On a related note to yesterday’s article in the Weekly Standard, we have an article from The New Republic by Jeffery Herf, a professor of modern European history at the University of Maryland, on the alleged Hegelian thought of Condoleeza Rice. He condemns Rice for taking the view that “a decision cannot be judged at the moment but only retrospectively," and that it, "opens up a slippery slope of justification;” logic that relates to Hegel’s philosophy of history.  Now, I am not well enough versed in Hegel to take issue with whether Hegel's philosophy is relevant, or even justifiable, here or not, but I do detect a distinct overreach on Professor Herf’s part.

Yet Another!!

Yet another post from Roger Kimball!!  Great!

RK

Is it just me, or has Roger Kimball been bloggin up a storm lately?  They are all such terribly good posts that I really can't say anything beyond "Go read them" (here, here, here, here, here).

We are certainly blessed.

Say It Isn't True

Did you know that is it impossible to purchase any Spandau Ballet on iTunes?  You just cannot do it.  I was considering today that while I have their greatest hits on vinyl, I did not have any on my computer (and am technologically incapable of transfering vinyl to digital) other than True.  Don't get me wrong, I love True. It is probably my favorite Spandau song, but sometimes you just need to hear a little something else.  Something like Gold.  And I can't do it.  Thanks iTunes.  Thanks for not coming through on that one.

(PS. One can also not get Pat Benatar's We Belong or Bette Midler's cover of In My Life)

Bush the Thomist?

There was an excellent article from the January 31st edition of The Weekly Standard published on their website recently.  It describes how Bush may just be ushering in a new era of Natural Right in the US.  You should read it.  It's definitely made me want to brush off my Natural Right and History.