Mar
20
2007

URLs du Jour

2007-03-20

  • If Zach Wamp be for us, who can be against us?

  • San Francisco State University has declined to punish the local College Republican organization where paper Hezbollah and Hamas flags (containing the word "Allah" in Arabic) were stepped on, drawing the ire of people who get irate about such things.

    However, this was only after dragging the CR's to a "hearing," raising the threat of disciplinary action against clearly protected free expression. Chilling effect, anyone? Says Greg Lukianoff in the linked article:

    … the fact remains that the university should never have investigated or tried them in the first place. This was a protected act of political protest and it is impossible to believe the university did not know that from the start.
    "Indeed."

  • Yesterday, I remarked (with many others) about Hillary Clinton's immortal line:
    "I turn off a light and say, 'Take that, Iran,' and "Take that, Venezuela.' We should not be sending our money to people who are not going to support our values," she said.
    That's scary enough on foreign policy, but Iain Murray points out that it's also pretty idiotic energy policy.
    Switching off a light doesn't harm Iran or Venezuela in the slightest. It most likely harms the ordinary coal miner in West Virginia or Kentucky. Electricity, Madam Senator, comes from burning coal or natural gas, sometimes from nuclear and just occasionally from a renewable source like wind or solar. Oil-fired power stations are a thing of the past.
    I suspect, in Hillaryland, if you feel you're being tough and effective, that's good enough.

  • Jeopardy! fans … well, you probably already read Ken Jennings' inside look at game tactics, and what the show "encourages" (but doesn't requrire) you to do. ("The answer may surprise you!")

    Ken's post was inspired by the recent first-ever three-way tie at the end of the show a few days back. Ken got a tip from the Jeopardy! publicist about it, and blogged to his readers about the upcoming "never-before-seen occurrence". The post's title: "Once ever[y] twenty years, without explanation, Alex does the whole show in French." Heh!

  • Ann Althouse has the definitive word on the "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" high school free speech case recently argued before the Supremes:
    "Bong Hits 4 Jesus," "Bong Hits 4 Jesus," "Bong Hits 4 Jesus"...

    It never gets old, does it? It's funny, and it will always be funny. "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." People will be laughing about that line in Conlaw classes years and years from now.

    … if they're high.
    I hope the Supreme Court writes an interesting opinion, so it can be a main case in the case book, to lighten the load of studying free speech forever. Oh, you think I'm not taking drugs seriously enough... taking drugs seriously... taking drugs ... heh heh heh... what are you, the principal or something? The Principal of the Blogosphere? Eric Alterman already has that job, so settle down. It's time to talk about "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." Heh heh... It never gets old, does it?
    I suspect it's one of those things that never gets old … if you're high.
    … I haven't been anywhere near marijuana since I sat next to those guys at a Kinks concert in 1973.
    Ah. Pretty good simulation, though, Professor.

Last Modified 2007-03-21 9:25 AM EDT