It's open-thread Friday. Sound off on whatever, however.

I saw this item over on the LewRockwell.com blog and wanted to pass it on (thanks Anthony Gregory).

This is Yaron Brook, executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute, on just war theory:

"Directly targeting civilians is perfectly legitimate," Brook said. "If it's possible to isolate the truly innocent - such as children and freedom fighters - at no military cost, then do so. But insofar as the innocent cannot be isolated ... they should be killed without any moral hesitation."

In his speech, Mr. Brook also recited the standard myths of how Dresden, the Tokyo firebombings, and the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima - all of which killed hundreds of thousands of German and Japanese innocents -"saved lives."

Its interesting that Mr. Brook, as a Rand Institute director, claims to represent some sort of libertarianism yet worships at the altar of the Rooseveltian/Truman American warfare state.

Interesting topic and insight James. But hey, it's Friday. Let's bring it down a notch, baseball is in full swing. The RED SOX starters have pitched over 48 innings with only six earned runs. That's a 1.13 ERA. And they are the only team in the majors who has not allowed any first inning runs. Come on MAURY please chime in on this great news.

It's not a secret that the Sox can score runs. But pitching was the unknown. My thoughts WERE that as long as they could score, the deficiencies in their pitching staff could be overcome.

Lo and behold, their pitching has held up remarkably well. Wells and Clement pitch shutouts and Shilling's last outing, although rocky, was still encouraging.

Jumping on the wagon early here, hypocrit that I am, just like last year.

Viva la Sox.

I see so many fat people everyday here in Washington, DC and I’ve begun to think that maybe if people could have some minor degree of self-control then maybe everyone who isn’t obese wouldn’t have to pay so much for healthcare. The fact that some people will simply not stop eating food that is horrible for them is directly related to the skyrocketing costs we all pay in healthcare. Why should I have to pay higher premiums for coverage (that I don’t even really use) because other people want to be unhealthy and then abuse healthcare coverage? This comment is not directed towards individuals who have legit hereditary medical conditions (even though I think anyone who really wants to be somewhat in shape can be) that would put them in the above average weight category. This is directed at lazy people who have become fat because they just don’t care, because we as a society have simply decided not offending anyone is easier than saying “it’s time to control yourself so we all aren’t paying for your unhealthy lifestyle.” If we weren’t moving towards socialized medicine then I probably wouldn’t care if lazy people just wanted to keep getting fatter, but since we’re all in this together (in the sense that we all pay higher costs when people abuse any system of insurance or government program) I do care. Personalized health saving accounts and allowing market forces to play larger rolls in the healthcare system than they have in the past are directions in which we should be moving to ease financial burdens we all pay now for healthcare.

Warning: This post contains a reference to Terri Schiavo.

I've gotten sick of hearing "what conservatives did" during the Schiavo starvation. What we did is stand by and let a woman starve. Terri didn't waste one second of that time not starving. The judges saw to that.

What some of us did was try to run water into a state-starved human being. That's what some of us did---it didn't even require anyone to do laundry. Still, the liberals should be happy to know that Terri wasted no time, not starving.

So apparently now, you not only have to stand by and watch them starve a woman--whose will to live in this situation is unknown, you have to be okay with it. Don't raise a fuss.

If a majority of half-informed people in the nation wouldn't want to "live like that" (regardless of the extent that they understand what "like that" is) then you need to "respect her right" to die based on her husband's sayso. It doesn't matter at all that he never cared to have her treated for sepsis early, early on in the process. No, we must respect that he is qualified to speak to her, because one judge decided that he was.

This is the "rule of law": One judge, one vote.

Well, since we're all engaging a collective "bitch session", I'll throw mine in: I'm sick of the damn mosquitos. Why they hell don't we spray anymore? I'm sick and tired of worrying about making a few birds sick, in favor of exposing people to the dangerous illnesses that get spread by mosquitos. Really, it's only a matter of time before we all start getting malaria (there were cases in N. Va recently). Why are we doing this? It's gotten so bad in my area that a Silent Spring, with NOTHING to bite me everytime I walk outside, is starting to sound like a damn good idea.

My gripe o' the day:

Today I awoke more embarrassed than ever to live in Portland, Maine. This fair city by the sea, with the much deserved moniker of "San Francisco of the East" has pinked up its gayness one huge notch in the past 24 hours.

David Allan Coe, IMHO the greatest living (and still touring) country singer/songwriter, was scheduled to perform here on June 16th. Our esteemed chief of police, Media Mike Chitwood, has forced the city to cancel the event due to his fear of biker gang violence breaking out at the concert.

It even made Drudge for a while this morning. http://www.bangornews.com/news/templates/?a=112407

Now if that ain't country, I'll kick yer a$$...

hmm lets see

I am angry that the maintstream media sits by quiet as a mouse when every day huge amounts of good news come flying out of Iraq, then immediately LEAPS TO ATTENTION when something unfortunate happens, such as the death of those 50 innocents.

Damn...I didn't even realize today was "Earth Day" when I made my little rant...very very weird...

Fat people suck!

For those of us who hold the NBA on a par with the NFL, tomorrow is the beginning of something truely wonderful (unless you're from Cleveland) - the POST-SEASON!

1st-Round Western Conference Predictions:

MAVS (God's team) over Rockets in a clean sweep.
Spurs over Nuggets in 4.
Sonics over Kings in 6.
And for my upset, Grizz over Suns in 7.

1st-Round Eestern Conference Predictions:

Really, who cares?

Enormous bellies are manly.

Calgary Flames are an amazing hockey team.

Pitchers of beer for 6 bucks at Sidebar in Boston.

Open Thread Friday is a good idea.

Mike Harrington has a cool boat.

Coat Of Arms pub in Portsmouth NH is fantastic.

Dan- Manchester By The Sea, Mass has a fantastic used book store to add to your map.

I'm suing this website and its proprieter, Mr. Flynn, for stealing the "Open Line Friday" concept from the Excellence in Broadcasting Network.

I'd just like to add to Robby's comment. That's $6 pitchers of beer *and* 10 cent buffalo on wings Mon, Tues, and Wed. How freaking great is that?

I want playoff hockey. And I mean, like, yesterday. Cafepress should bail on the Bush-bashing clothes and hats and go for a "Bettman Bites" campaign.

Give us back the Stanley Cup, you freakin' stooges!

Ben-T

I'm with you regarding the media coverage of Iraq. The woefully one sided coverage by the main stream media of Iraq bothers me too. Please don't get me wrong. I think the removal of Saddam is a very very very good thing but I am not sure we can say they are truly "liberated" until the terrorists are defeated and the Iraqi finally have much needed peace.

B.Poster

Who cares about "soccer on ice with less people"? It's dead in the U.S. and thank God.

It's bad enough that from November to March ESPN's sports-ticker is weighed down by hundreds of college-basketball games (do we really need to know that Alcorn St. beat Saginaw?). It's downright unbearable when hockey scores get thrown into the mix.

Give it back to the Canadians, and we'll gladly take back MLB and the NBA. Do we really want a sport from a country that plays football with 3 downs?!

Aside from the silly people in Detroit and various inconsequential cities in the North East, hockey had a tenuous hold on the American sports fan. I hope the strike has broken it for good. Amen.

I just want to pass on major kudos to my wife, Raine, and brag about her a bit.

Remember, less than two years ago she showed no brain wave activity...she had less than a 10% chance to live.

Yesterday, she received her GED. At her graduated ceremony she was awarded a certificate for acheivement in creative writing.

She had been saying as of late that she wished she had gotten a degree in social work. Well, yesterday she also received a scholarship to attend university. We aren't sure how to pay for the rest, but God will show us how.

Last night she was asked to give a speech (her first ever) and when she recounted what she had overcome and gave thanks to God, she received a standing ovation.

I will end this with the way she ended her speech, "Never give up....on ANYTHING."

Be well,

Sponge

Who's better... Winger or Dokken? You decide.

Dokken, you tard.

Brad,

You'll make the hockey gods angry talking that way which could lead to you having to deal with serious jock itch when viewing either NBA or MLB games.

Yes, there's room enough for them all. So, if you don't like puck: DON'T WATCH OR READ ABOUT IT!!!

But don't be dissing my sport!

We don't need you anyway.

All I have to say is that the Sox shutdown the O's the last two nights with performances by David "Fat Boy" Wells and Matt Clement. They both threw shutouts against a lineup considered to be one of the tops this season. It's a bit early to predict anything BUT if they can be that consistent most or all of the year along w/ Schill, Wake, Arroyo, and Wade Miller then lookout the Red Sox will be downright scary come October.

And Randy Johnson sucks! He won't win the Cy Young nor will he win 25 games as everyone I've talked to believes. He may 20 at best. I say Johan Santana, Roy Halladay, Mark Buerhle. or Rich Harden for AL Cy Young but who cares, right???

"Do we really want a sport from a country that plays football with 3 downs?!"

EXACTLY!!!

"...various inconsequential cities in the North East,"

Don't diss Boston baby!

Your wrong Homer...homo. Winger dominates Dokken. Enjoy your weekend.

You know what REALLY pi$$es me off? You spend $15 Billion bucks for a tunnel through (as Mayor White used to say) the $hitty of Boston and the @#$%$%@ thing leaks like a sieve!!!

Then the theives that built it in collusion with the theives in the State House who gave them carte blanche want to use more taxpayer money to fix it!!

There otta be a law.

It pi$$es me off when overpaid spoiled brats(MLB)
are starting to get a stadium in every major city in the US and the taxpayers are footin the bill. I dont even go and watch these turds play. I lived in Tampa when the Glazers bought the Bucs and the taxpayers ended up payin for the new stadium. There was nothing wrong with the Big Sombrero. These rich elites think they are doing us a favor by building a new stadium for "our" Tampa Bay Bucs.

on the subject of taxpayers, they need to start paying our police officers and firefighters more, instead of new taxes for a new stadium.Starting off garbage men earn more in the city of Tampa than the Florida Highway Patrol does.

"on the subject of taxpayers, they need to start paying our police officers and firefighters more, instead of new taxes for a new stadium.Starting off garbage men earn more in the city of Tampa than the Florida Highway Patrol does."

I agree those who protect, serve, and rescue should be paid first and foremost instead of using money to build a new stadium for a sports franchise. They're the real heroes.

Spitfly,

I have no vested interest here, but dude, you can't say Randy Johnson sucks and then predict he will win 20 games, that just doesn't add up.

Sponge Daddy,

Great news about your wife. Congrats!

Homer,

The reason we don't spray for mosquitoes is b/c environmentalists are fascist racist utilitarians and they banned DDT thus causing millions of Africans to die.

Just wanted to say hello. I've always enjoyed Dan Flynn's blogs especially his books. Checkout my website if you guys want: www.geocities.com/atheismsucks

About baseball. Has anyone besides me noticed that the Chicago WHITE Sox are in first place in the AL Central. Too much out there about the Red Sox. And we have a curse, too. The 1919 Black Sox Scandal.

Brian and Homer

I thought the enviromentalists are always beating their collective chests about how they care about the Africans. Then they go and ban DDT. With friends like these, the Africans certainly don't need any enemies. Is there a more destructive ideology than modern day liberalis? I think not.

Sponge Daddy

I'm glad to hear about your wife!!

B.Poster

I've always thought it a neat trick that a rich person can buy a sports franchise and then get the taxpayers to pay for a new stadium for his team. He gets the benefit of a very expensive new toy that he does not have to pay for. The citizens need to put a stop to this.

I agree with the other James wholeheartedly on the issue of taxpayers footing the bill for new stadiums - it is nothing more than corporate welfare.

Speaking of corporate welfare, from what I hear the energy bill that just passed the House of Representatives is loaded with massive subsidies and selective tax breaks for oil companies.

Earth day was a big deal yesterday here at NCSU and we had a pretty big crowd out on our brickyard common area to talk to various advocates of sustainable development. Many conservatives merely see these people as environmentalists who have a natural aversion to capitalism, but I'm not quite sure that is the case.

One such advocate of sustainable development is in a few of my engineering classes. During one of our conversations sustainable development was brought up and I proceeded to criticize subsidies for oil companies and other forms of corporate welfare while urging an atmosphere of authentic free enterprise. This person was pretty surprised, I think, because she might have conflated the subsidy/tax break farce with actual capitalism when it violates the principles of free enterprise. I think there are many people who celebrate Earth Day who can be swayed to support conservative political philosophy - particularly with respect to limited government and free enterprise - but conservatives actually have to engage these folks and address their concerns in a meaningful way.

Flynn.

Post some fun things that will inspire fiery debates. Havent been nearly enough of them lately.

Pope Benedict spoke in defense of absolute truth, and Mr. Flynn has highlighted that on this blog. i was sure that would've brought the rabid relativist liberals out of the woodwork. i guess they only like producing animal noises at each other instead of engaging in rational discourse with their opponents, and that's too bad, because i was disappointed i didn't have a chance to counterattack.

Polemical

In order for liberals to engage in rational discourse with their opponents would require them to have a rational argument. Since they have none, all they can do is make animal noises at each other.

Not to rub it in, but since I posted, the White Sox moved up and they now have the best record in all of baseball.

At the CLP Conference that we were recently at, I saw Reggie Jones, and mentioned that I had gotten mentioned in Time (re: that article on the YAF summer conference) because of him... It was that great "bull session" that we had on that Wednesday night! Reggie knew about that Time article, and mentioned the name of the reporter who interviewed us - John Cloud... Jim of the LI was listening, and also knew about the article - it is one that the LI also uses, to spotlight the growing conservative movement on college campuses - When the LI Field Rep. for Illinois came here to UIS to meet with me, he brought along a copy of Mr. Cloud's piece.

I noticed in the last anti-spam comment-closure entry here (posted a week ago), that Mr. Flynn's past entries on that Time piece are mentioned. If you haven't already seen it, all of this was covered in my article for Watchblog from last August... The Flynn Files entries are mentioned in the 4th paragraph there.

I am mentioning all of this now because I just went to David Corn's weblog (yes, I know that he's a lefty, but I actually found out about his site possibly from the e-mail update letter that I received from SAF... I have those 'little red booklets' of theirs that I picked up at the conference this month on my desk here right now... It's good that they are principled, and defend the rights of campus speakers, aside from the issue of ideology). Anyway, Mr. Corn's latest blog entry starts off commenting on the now-famous Ann Coulter cover-story in Time... I had seen something about that online, but I have not read that article; from that blog entry, I see that John Cloud is the author of this one as well. And I also see that liberals are not too happy about this one.

That means, I better go read it.

Mr. Flynn's reviews of John Cloud's aforementioned article on "The Right's New Wing" were accurate... I would be interested to see what everyone thinks about his latest piece on Ann.

Mr. Ruberry what exactly are u rubbing in? The White Sox are in first place and playin well but how can u get excited over the first month of the season. Pitchers are just getting around to their 3rd and 4th starts of the season. I am not sold on the rotation to begin with. Buehrle is a good ace but from there its mediocrity throughout. Freddie Garcia is just ok, Ortiz has never been what he has potential to be and Contreras was a bust. Jon Garland has started off well but he will finish with his typical 12-12 record. I think their offense is strong but that staff will make them a third place finisher in the Central.

Now to the Redsox. Feck, I'm sorry it took so long to reply, I've been a busy guy! The Sox staff has looked strong from top to bottom, sans Shilling, who is still trying to get his legs under him. His velocity looks good but I just think he has to become more confident that his ankle is ok and mix his pitches better. One thing I have really noticed is that he is throwing the split-finger way to often, which would be fine, however he is leaving it waist to knee high which makes it a easy pitch to hit. A few more starts and he will be starting that thing at the knees and it will fall off the table. I am wondering who will take the hit in the rotation once Miller is ready, and I really hope this dude is healthy because he can really help this club out. Bronson may be the fall guy but for some reason I really like him. I'll end it there because I don't even know if anyone will look back on it but once I saw u wanted my opinion I had to reply. Peace

has anyone else run into the problem of meeting several different women only to find out that they are lesbians? i'm a bit disturbed by this trend. i need advice, guidance, and/or relevant social commentary.

Ive met a few lesbians who were really hot, and Ive slept with a few too, so I do have that problem but than again I dont. Ive bedded a few so thats all that matters.

Maury - probably Wakefield or Arroyo will drop out; Wakefield because he's a team guy who has pitched relief before, and Arroyo because he's their weakest starter.

I would have to disagree with you nightfly. It's an easy choice now because Wells is injured but I also think Arroyo is a better pitcher today than Wells is. However it would be highly unlikely that the Sox would play with Wells' ego in such a manor but lets face it he doesnt look very good right now injury or not.