Pseudo Link Round-up

I call it a Pseudo Round-up because it's not really a round-up of all the interesting links I find during the day, and there's no particular theme. Some of it is new blogs I find by randomly surfing blogger, some of it just catches my eye for whatever reason. Check back for updates.

Jennifer puts some serious Kung Fu on Maureen Dowd. It's an enjoyable read for all those who think Dowd is a whiny tramp who couldn't construct a rational argument even if she were paid a billion dollars by various UN officials.

Here's an interesting-looking blog that I'm going to have to spend some more time perusing. From what I've seen, it looks like the author is both liberal and not afraid of critical thinking - a rare combination. I could be wrong, as I have not read very much of it, but for starters here's a post about the California teacher who can't teach the Declaration of Independence. Is it possible that I've leapt to an unwarranted conclusion on this case, based on insufficient facts? It's entirely possible, although this blogger seems more to be advancing a theory than an outright refutation. At any rate, I admit that when I first read the original story, I didn't stop to wonder if maybe I was getting a slanted report - so shame on me.

On the other hand, the title of the post is "More on Christians and Intellectual Honesty." If you're going to hector conservatives about leaping to conclusions, and then leap to a conclusion about all (or most) Christians apropos of this story, then shame on you.

Update: Via Bad Thinking, here's an interesting report on Mormons in Scotland getting a restraining order against an Anglican preacher who was harrassing them.

"The judge said that Mr Price, who described himself as a missionary to Mormons, said that his 20-year ministry manifested itself in speaking about what he regarded as the 'sinister, anti-social and non-Christian' nature of the church, which he regarded as a cult.

"He heard evidence that Mr Price had shouted and screamed outside services and meetings, followed missionaries on to buses, tube trains and into Sainsbury’s, gone to their homes and bombarded them with up to 4,000 cold-calls."

That's a good way to spread the gospel: harrass people until they capitulate.

Update: This link is basically for my own benefit. I left a comment on this post, and I want to be able to find it again should the author respond. The author seems to have a problem with how Guantanamo Bay detainees are being treated.

Update: The Barking Dingo quotes an entire story, adding nothing of his own, about a former Republican campaign chairman who got indicted for allegedly jamming the phone lines of a Democrat get-oout-the-vote drive. A few points:

1. Maybe you could try writing some of your own content when violating fair-use rules. Even Instapundit finds it in him to say "heh" or "read the whole thing."

2. If James Tobin, the Republican who was just indicted, really did this, then he should be vigorously prosecuted and receive the appropriate punishment. Partisanship doesn't extend to illegal manuvers that threaten the very foundations of our political system. But note that I said "if" (I really have no idea), and that Democrats only complain about this sort of thing when it's a Republican involved.

3. The story does not mention Sandy Berger even once.

4. Keeping point 2, above, in mind, if you're going to commit election fraud during a Presidential contest, why on Earth do you pick Connecticut?

Final Update: I planned on looking for more political stuff to comment on, but I found this blog which is basically a place to discuss Jewish traditions, got into a conversation about the restoration of the temple and the return of Messiah, and whether the tanakh is closed, and then I ended up chatting live with a Rabbi in California. So I guess I got a little distracted. But you can see why, right? Anyway, the server cut our conversation short, so here I am.