MY USA TODAY COLUMN FOR TOMORROW: Further thoughts on Islam’s tarnished brand.
Archive for 2015
January 11, 2015
ED DRISCOLL: You Stay Classy, David Brooks.
Related: Peak CNN Reached.
AT AMAZON, take control of your closet.
ROGER KIMBALL: “Our gutless surrender.”
ROGER SIMON: #BarackNEstPasCharlie: Why Didn’t Obama Go to Paris? “None of his high-level associates went either – no vice-president, no secretary of State (although John Kerry did express condolences in his supposedly fluent French. Je me demande….). AG Eric Holder was in Paris and reported to be attending but at the last moment demurred. He was in a ‘meeting — with whom was never specified because most of the world’s leadership was marching in the streets. So why didn’t POTUS show up? A liberal friend emailed me that it was admittedly a ‘political mistake.’ ‘Political,’ yes, but ‘mistake’? I doubt the decision was made innocently or even faintly by mistake. Obama is a man known for his political expediency more than anything, indeed above anything, and also for being a constant campaigner. It was obvious that going to Paris would have been good public relations and that therefore not attending was a deliberate choice.”
UPDATE: The New York Daily News front page.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Politico: Barack Obama’s French kiss-off: The president’s decision to skip the Paris march raises eyebrows.
THE DEFINITIVE TAKE ON THE PETRAEUS CASE: “Guy who helped win war in Iraq to be prosecuted by man who lost it.”
IT WOULD BE EASIER TO BELIEVE HIM IF THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HADN’T BEEN POLITICALLY WEAPONIZED: Holder defends Petraeus leak investigation. I don’t trust Holder, and I don’t trust his underlings.
WHY MOVIES USED TO BE GOOD: They Shot The French Connection’s New York Car Chase Without Any Permits.
NONSENSE, PHONE-BUYING IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF FUN: Never Buy a Phone Again.
AT AMAZON, Winter Cleaning Deals.
THEY’RE TAKING EVERYBODY’S JOBS: Robot Journalist Finds New Work on Wall Street.
TECHNOLOGY: Her Task Is To Wean The White House Off Floppy Disks. Actually, for security’s sake we should probably do everything on old, un-networked Exxon Office Systems machines and sneakernet 8″ floppies around. Try hacking that, China!
NEXT TIME, THEY SHOULD CARRY PITCHFORKS: ‘Unprecedented’ rally is largest in France’s history, officials say. “French media estimate up to 3 million are taking part, more than the numbers who took to Paris streets when the Allies liberated the city from the Nazis in World War II.”
UPDATE: Obama’s ‘embarrassing’ absence at unity march gets lampooned [photoshop].
But Clint Eastwood found him. Honestly, everyone who made fun of that empty-chair routine should apologize. It perfectly foreshadowed Obama’s second term.
HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE, LEGAL EDUCATION EDITION: The Troubling Decline of 25th Percentile LSAT Scores at ‘Bottom-Feeder’ Law Schools.
SO TRUE, AND YET THE DESIGNERS SEEM TO ALWAYS SHORTCHANGE THAT: Forget Wearable Tech. People Really Want Better Batteries. I’d be happy with a 1/4″ thicker iPhone that lasted for 2 or 3 days.
IN THE MAIL: What’s the Big IDEA?: A Guide to Understanding Special Education.
Plus, today only at Amazon: Up to 50% Off Core Fitness Equipment.
TAXPROF ROUNDUP: The IRS Scandal, Day 612.
TEACH WOMEN NOT TO RAPE! (CONT’D): Fourth teen victim of Utah teacher comes forward alleging sexual assaults.
Yet another victim has marred a former Utah teacher’s rap sheet, accusing Brianne Altice of having sex with a teen after she was arrested in connection to a similar crime. . . .
Altice’s trial was expected to begin last year, but additional victims kept coming forward to report alleged wrongdoing by the former English teacher from Davis High School.
The first victim allegedly seduced by Altice claimed to have sex with the teacher between January 2013 and September 2013, but their inappropriate relationship started with mere kisses between classes. During those months, Altice allegedly had sex with a second victim.
Evidence from the third victim who came forward last month alleging sex abuse in August 2013 and September of 2013 will be presented at a hearing next week.
Remember, one reason male teachers are so rare is that people fear they might be sexual predators.
Related: Connecticut teacher accused of sexual assault re-arrested for threats. “A former Connecticut high school teacher who pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with an underage student has been arrested on a separate charge of threatening someone connected to her case, police said Saturday. Danielle Watkins, 32, of Norwalk, was taken into custody on Friday after approaching a former student whom she was barred from contacting and making unspecified threats, according to a police report.”
DEFENSE: Gunless In The Wild Blue Yonder.
The F-35 is supposed to be the do-it-all solution in the skies for every branch of the military, a Swiss army knife whose strategic value lies in that it absolutely ensures American air superiority in any situation for the foreseeable future. This announcement doesn’t make an already delay-plagued program look any better, and highlights again the problems with our outmoded procurement policies. Even if the F-35’s guns are operational by 2017 as the program office says—and history suggests that they may not be—”good enough” isn’t good enough for the intended lynchpin of American airpower.
The country’s in the very best of hands.
WHY AREN’T THESE LIMITS AIMED SPECIFICALLY AT MALE ORGANIZATIONS A TITLE IX VIOLATION THEMSELVES? Could You Plan a Fraternity Party Under UVa’s New Rules?