1. Mike Martin on October 4th, 2005 at 10:31 am
   

   Pursuant to having been called an “America-Firster” I’d like to recommend a book by Dinesh D’Souza as a source of influence for my line of thinking. The book is What’s So Great About America. If any of you have read it please pass along your views, if not, I would recommend reading it.

   One amazon.com review:

   Look again at the title of this book: it’s not a question, but a statement. “America is the greatest, freest, and most decent society in existence,” writes Dinesh D’Souza. “American life as it is lived today [is] the best life that our world has to offer.” There are those who hate it, or at least essential elements of it, from radical Islamists to the likes of Patrick Buchanan (on the right) and Jesse Jackson (on the left). But they are wrong to hate it, and D’Souza grapples with all of them in this engaging and compelling volume. D’Souza is the author of provocative books such as Illiberal Education and The End of Racism, plus the appreciative Ronald Reagan. This may be his most personal book, with parts written in the first person as the India-born D’Souza describes his encounter with the United States, first as an immigrant and now as a citizen. Foreign authors such as Alexis de Tocqueville and Gunnar Myrdal have offered some of the most penetrating assessments of America, and D’Souza clearly shares in this noble tradition. “I am constantly surprised by how much I hear racism talked about and how little I actually see it,” he writes. What’s So Great About America is also vintage D’Souza, full of feisty arguments and sharp humor. He is perhaps better at explaining why America’s critics are wrong than explaining why America’s celebrants are right, but he’s very good at both. Written in the months following the September 11 terrorist strikes, this book should find a large and receptive audience. –John Miller
2. squawkbox on October 4th, 2005 at 10:37 am
   

   Seems to be a question running through some of the threads about who is trolling, who is a troll etc. Here is my definition that I use to moderate.

   Computer Slang: Troll - A person who posts messages in order to provoke an angry response or to start trouble without adding anything worthwhile to the conversation.

   If you have any questions about the rules to follow, here are the rules of the road again.
3. Songbird on October 4th, 2005 at 11:23 am
   

   Mike (re: What’s So Great):
   Sounds like a great read, so I just checked online to see if it was available at the local library. Luckily it is, but I just had to share the (somewhat biased) review they included for the book on the library web site:

   It’s easy to see the appeal of D’Souza’s patriotic cheerleading. A former domestic policy analyst under Reagan, he sees the world in black and white: on one side, America “the best life our world has to offer” on the other, “the enemy, which conducts its operations in the name of Islam.” To his credit, D’Souza lays out his case well, although little here is new: America, he says, is a land of opportunity and freedom (D’Souza himself immigrated to the U.S. from India), and those who oppose American policy are simply jealous. But he doesn’t stop with exhortations to fellow citizens about why the war against terrorism is righteous. D’Souza, a leading conservative thinker, revels in thumbing his nose at his ideological opponents… Along the way, he spares no chance to bash those who he thinks have “denigrated” America and trivialized its freedom: multiculturalists, feminists, hippies and vegetarians. … In the end, reading D’Souza’s book is similar to spending an hour listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio his fellow travelers will love it; readers on the left will hate it.

   Just loved the “America, he says, is a land of opportunity and freedom.” You just can’t get away from the liberal attacks on our country these days.
4. Feagan on October 4th, 2005 at 11:28 am
   

   I have many books stacked up on my desk, but I will attempt this one. It is always interesting to see what people have to say re. the current situation facing our “place” in the world. I am especially interested in the thoughts of those who came to this country from another.

   I would also submit “The world is Flat”. I am sure there are those here that will say Thomas Friedman is liberal etc. etc. But the points he makes in his book are timely.
5. Mike Martin on October 4th, 2005 at 12:07 pm
   

   “The World is Flat” sounds like an interesting prospect. I’ll check it out. A part of the review I read particularly intrigues me:

   Globalization 3.0, as he calls it, is driven not by major corporations or giant trade organizations like the World Bank, but by individuals: desktop freelancers and innovative startups all over the world (but especially in India and China) who can compete–and win–not just for low-wage manufacturing and information labor but, increasingly, for the highest-end research and design work as well.

   I have a vested interest in that subject, as we’ve discussed before. I’ll keep an open mind as I read.

   -MM
6. teacher on October 4th, 2005 at 12:16 pm
   

   Oops - fingers slipped! I have a question about two local school boards and wondered if anybody knew anything. LST has said that Friendswood ISD is under investigation for colluding with the tax appraisal district, and now I see that the Fort Bend ISD School board is being investigated by TEA. Is this a trend? Does anybody have insight to either one of these districts?? Thanks!
7. Mike Martin on October 4th, 2005 at 12:46 pm
   

   There is an interesting poll going on at CNN now as to whether or not England should change the design of their flag to appease Muslims who have been offended by it. Interesting that only 14% of respondents think it should be changed. Here’s the whole deal in context:

   http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/10/04/britain.redcross/index.html

   And you thought the Piglet thing was crazy…
8. Mike the Grate on October 4th, 2005 at 3:01 pm
   

   D’Souza’s “What’s So Great about America” is a very enjoyable read, if a bit short. If you want a little more meat from D’Souza, you should definitely try “The End of Racism”. In it, D’Souza explores the historical underpinings of racism, slavery, and the “disparities” between racial groups. It’s on par with anything I’ve ever read by Thomas Sowell.
9. Greg Hines on October 4th, 2005 at 4:00 pm
   

   “Forge’s Evacuation”
   Your comments are totally unfair. The Govenor, his staff, his department heads. The mayor, his department heads, in summary the best minds Texas has to offer developed, practiced and implemented this “evacuation PLAN”. I emphasise PLAN because they would have you believe it wasn’t the PLAN at fault, It was that “glitch” that caused the problem.
   Let’s see. Houston has a 4M population. The mayor said to evacuate. He didn’t anticipate you would do it. He never has said, “Now Houston, 500K can evacuate”. The remaining 3.5M do the best you can.
   Not to woory, The Mayor is going to bring on an additional 10 people, their saleries, numerous meeting, extensive travil and all the other expenses his cronies can charge to us for another in a long list of FAILURES.
   You will never hear of an independant investigation into the Deaths. They met the “glich”. They experienced the “unanticipated”.
10. gregg on October 4th, 2005 at 4:20 pm
    

    Had to copy this to a fresh thread.

    You lefties out there. OK, I admit,Iraq is an absolute debacle. For some reason these Arabs dont want to be dragged into the 21st century.Anyway, at least give us credit for trying. OK, now what? What is your solution other than putting out tails between our legs and running like girls. No offense to girls.

    Gimie 4 things, no psychobable.
    1.
    2.
    3.
    4.
11. doctormonroe on October 4th, 2005 at 7:07 pm
    

    1. Cap in hand to the UN requesting to multilateralize the “occupation”.
    2. Reduce troop levels as troops from UN countries like Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Morrocco come on board.
    3. Work with those troops to establish a multilateral pan-arab solution to iraq’s civil unrest.
    4. Maintain a reduced presence in the region for 30 to 40 years.

    Unfortunately, it cannot happen with a republican administration; domestic credibility won’t allow it, and the nations we need to help won’t come on board if bush/giuliani/mccain are in the driving seat here.
12. gregg on October 4th, 2005 at 7:23 pm
    

    I love it.
    1.Cap in hand. Let the thieves who ran O.F.F. have a billion or so more to steal.

    2.These countries couldnt protect a Wal-Mart from NO looters.

    3. See #2.

    4.The Islamofacists want us completely out or they wont stop blowing themselves up. Try again

    Fortunatly the Red State voters think Democrats are a bunch of girly men and cannot be trusted with national security.
13. Feagan on October 4th, 2005 at 7:55 pm
    

    anyone find the 9 billion dollars missing from Paul Bremers (sp?) Iraq. Just wondered since Gregg is concerned with the Oil for food money.

    And at this point I will take “my generals” over your generals. No disrespect.
14. doctormonroe on October 4th, 2005 at 9:18 pm
    

    gregg:

    You asked for suggestions. I gave you some. You ridiculed them. I think they were reasonable, if a little idealistic. Perhaps you could build on them rather than knocking them down. Is that too much to ask?
15. doctormonroe on October 4th, 2005 at 9:29 pm
    

    I’m not sure where the objection to moderate, democratic or quasi-democratic arabic nations contributing to the iraqi project comes from.

    I honestly cannot see a more viable solution to the long term issue of islamo-fascist terrorism than giving these moderates a stake in the outcome.

    We might seek contribution from other islamic states; malaysia, indonesia, to name two.

    Oh, as for the WalMart looter analogy; we don’t seem to be doing a very good job either.
16. Dean Jones on October 4th, 2005 at 11:03 pm
    

    News Flash!
    Seabrook city council, hotbed of racism and igmos. A Seabrook city councilman made several references to a “tar-baby”, a politically incorrect choice of words but appropriate to the situation, in recent statements regarding a problem with a piece of property under the Seabrook-Kemah Bridge. Outraged, ignorant fellow council members and citizens cried out against his use of RACIST terms.
    Reported by Channel 11 this evening at 10PM, a clip was shown of Quanel(?)X (noted Houston igmo) telling of the origin of the term. X must mean he is 10X more ignorant than the others hearing the story and reporting; he invented a horror story out of whole cloth depicting the mid-1930s South (of course)which is too vile and untrue to be repeated. (We’ll let Mr. X do that, until it becomes true.)
    Even a fellow from Pasadena knows the “tar-baby” story from the Roosevelt and Harris retellings of the Br’er Rabbit Tales which came out of the black folktales from Africa told by slaves to their children and children’s children through the decades. Walt Disney told this tale in his classic “Song of the South” animated feature over 50 years ago which has been enjoyed by all kids of all races until this day!. This tale has been told for well over a hundred years in this country let alone the ages in Africa.
    Yes, Mr. X, the “tar-baby” is an age-old tale of a trap set by Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear to fool and capture Br’er Rabbit. Even on African-American literature sites on the Internet the tale is repeated as the fable it is with a lesson to learned. Now, Mr. X, where is that TV camera??
    It appears the “Tar-baby done kotched anudder fool” and “It be you, Mr. X, and you, Channel 11 news crew, and you, Seabrook City Council members!”
    Good Lord, what a bunch of boobs! Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
17. Mark in OC on October 10th, 2005 at 5:03 pm
    

    Check this out:
    Shield Law
    http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001263585

    I remember a while back you said that you would grant all who link your blog to their blog would possible get a press pass should this pass. That still active?

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