Alarming News: I like Morgan Freeberg. A lot.
American Digest: And I like this from "The Blog That Nobody Reads", because it is -- mostly -- about me. What can I say? I'm on an ego trip today. It won't last.
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: We were following a trackback and thinking "hmmm... this is a bloody excellent post!", and then we realized that it was just part III of, well, three...Damn. I wish I'd written those.
Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler: ...I just remembered that I found a new blog a short while ago, House of Eratosthenes, that I really like. I like his common sense approach and his curiosity when it comes to why people believe what they believe rather than just what they believe.
Brutally Honest: Morgan Freeberg is brilliant.
Dr. Melissa Clouthier: Morgan Freeberg at House of Eratosthenes (pftthats a mouthful) honors big boned women in skimpy clothing. The picture there is priceless--keep scrolling down.
Exile in Portales: Via Gerard: Morgan Freeberg, a guy with a lot to say. And he speaks The Truth...and it's fascinating stuff. Worth a read, or three. Or six.
Just Muttering: Two nice pieces at House of Eratosthenes, one about a perhaps unintended effect of the Enron mess, and one on the Gore-y environ-movie.
Mein Blogovault: Make "the Blog that No One Reads" one of your daily reads.
The Virginian: I know this post will offend some people, but the author makes some good points.
Poetic Justice: Cletus! Ah gots a laiv one fer yew...
Aslim Taslam
Thinking independently, I have noticed, is something like driving a car competently. Everybody understands there’s an issue here. Nobody’s going to ‘fess up to being part of the problem — it’s always the other guy pissing down his leg. With everyone commenting on themselves, it seems we’re all just a bunch of Indy 500 racecar drivers out there.
And yet, if we all thought independently, it wouldn’t be worth anybody’s time to bribe, blackmail, bully, intimidate, coerce, and threaten over what is presented to people, before they do that independent thinking.
My rant is inspired by the similarities between the letter from Senate Democrats over the “Path to 9/11” controversy…
The Communications Act of 1934 provides your network with a free broadcast license predicated on the fundamental understanding of your principle obligation to act as a trustee of the public airwaves in serving the public interest. Nowhere is this public interest obligation more apparent than in the duty of broadcasters to serve the civic needs of a democracy by promoting an open and accurate discussion of political ideas and events.
:
Should Disney allow this programming to proceed as planned, the factual record, millions of viewers, countless schoolchildren, and the reputation of Disney as a corporation worthy of the trust of the American people and the United States Congress will be deeply damaged. We urge you, after full consideration of the facts, to uphold your responsibilities as a respected member of American society and as a beneficiary of the free use of the public airwaves to cancel this factually inaccurate and deeply misguided program. We look forward to hearing back from you soon.
…and events in the aftermath of the Pope’s speech about Islam…
At a press conference in Gaza City, a number of Muslim clerics said the pope’s statements were “the result of his hatred for Islam and not the result of ignorance.”
One of them, Dr. Imad Hamto, called on the pope to “repent and ask for forgiveness.” He added: “We want to use the words of the Prophet Muhammad and tell the pope: ‘Aslim Taslam'” Aslim Taslam is a phrase that was taken from the letters sent by the Prophet Muhammad to the chiefs of tribes in his times in which he reportedly urged them to convert to Islam to spare their lives.
Some Muslim scholars, however, have endorsed a more moderate interpretation of the term, arguing that its real meaning was that those who surrendered to the will of God would find peace.
How come it is, both in the east half of the world and the west, it has become so commonplace for people to threaten each other for having the wrong opinions or for saying the wrong things? In a land where all are independent thinkers, this kind of control over what is said & what is thought, would be worth nothing; it, plus $3.25, would get you a foamy latte.
Well, we got here a land where every man thinks he is an independent thinker. And yet — we have the arm-twisting. So much energy being put into it. Everywhere, it seems. Why is that, if people are really capable of thinking things through? It’s like the body shops and the tow trucks and the insurance investigators — why so much demand for their services, if everyone is blessed with such great driving skills?
Aslim Taslam — if I’m understanding it right, it’s telling people what to think. It seems to have a place in the world, if we make such a place for it. And appearances being any indication, it has a place. That says something bad about everybody.
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