I have little to say. I’m not big on anniversaries anyway, given that they’re actually just random contingent events, resulting from the distance of the earth from the Sun. And I’ve been talking about it, on and off, for much of the last year. And I have a lot of (non-blogging) work to do.

I grieve for those who lost loved ones a year ago, but, more importantly, I fear for those who may lose loved ones in the future. I fear that our government isn’t up to the task of preventing further atrocities, further outrages, because a year later, it appears to remain more concerned with bureaucratic empire-building, self-aggrandizement, and local pork than with preventing a repeat of what happened a year ago.

I hope that appearances are wrong, and that at some point, we clarify the nature of the war in which we are engaged. It isn’t a war against terrorism. It is a war against a radical belief system that is ideologically opposed to almost everything upon which our nation and civilization is based. Until it, and the governments that support it, are defeated decisively, the war will not be over, and we will not truly be able to feel safe again.

That is all.

David Galernter has some harsh but necessary words for the idiotarian academicians who think that we just need to “understand” why they hate us.

And along those lines, here’s how UC Santa Cruz is going to commemorate the occasion. Read the CVs of the professors at the teach-in, and then read this:

Participants will be invited to write thoughts and wishes on a strip of colored cloth and “weave” their comments into a large “loom” structure, creating a commemorative tapestry. UCSC firefighter Mike Quinton will preside over the tolling of a ceremonial Indonesian gong, and violinist Michelle Witt will perform during the weaving ceremony.

Let those of us who can, give thanks that our children are not enrolled there.

David Galernter has some harsh but necessary words for the idiotarian academicians who think that we just need to “understand” why they hate us.

And along those lines, here’s how UC Santa Cruz is going to commemorate the occasion. Read the CVs of the professors at the teach-in, and then read this:

Participants will be invited to write thoughts and wishes on a strip of colored cloth and “weave” their comments into a large “loom” structure, creating a commemorative tapestry. UCSC firefighter Mike Quinton will preside over the tolling of a ceremonial Indonesian gong, and violinist Michelle Witt will perform during the weaving ceremony.

Let those of us who can, give thanks that our children are not enrolled there.

David Galernter has some harsh but necessary words for the idiotarian academicians who think that we just need to “understand” why they hate us.

And along those lines, here’s how UC Santa Cruz is going to commemorate the occasion. Read the CVs of the professors at the teach-in, and then read this:

Participants will be invited to write thoughts and wishes on a strip of colored cloth and “weave” their comments into a large “loom” structure, creating a commemorative tapestry. UCSC firefighter Mike Quinton will preside over the tolling of a ceremonial Indonesian gong, and violinist Michelle Witt will perform during the weaving ceremony.

Let those of us who can, give thanks that our children are not enrolled there.

My friend (and drug warrior) Iain Murray has been impressed with UCLA Professor Mark Kleiman’s past takes on the dangers of the Evil Weed.

I suspect that he won’t be as thrilled with this post from his new blog. Or this one…

Billy McKinney is losing his election by a margin of two to one.

But sadly, Janet “Shake’n’Bake” Reno is losing to McBride. He’s got about half the vote so far.

[Update at 9:40 PM]

Well, both lost. It wasn’t clear if Ms. Reno was “shaken” by the news…

While I would have liked to see her win, because it would have been an entertaining campaign that she wouldn’t have had a snowball’s chance in Hades of winning, it is nice to see another Clinton crony repudiated at the polls. When Elian is older, he’ll be gratified to see this. I just hope that he lives in a Cuba in which it’s possible to learn about things like this.

[Update, after the Reno loss]

It’s deja vu all over again.

Now she’s going to challenge the election, due to problems with the voting machines.

Like I said, you couldn’t make it up…

William Saracino is still upbeat about Bill Simon’s chances against Grayout Davis:

Virtually every registered voter knows and has an opinion about Gray Davis, and all he can pull is 41 percent and 37 percent. Bill Simon is still a cipher to many voters, which is one reason Davis has spent so much trying to define him. Both the PPIC and Field polls indicate that, so far at least, Davis?s money has not been well spent: it has pulled the incumbent down as fast or faster than it did Simon.

To summarize: Simon has had a horrendous six-week run of negative coverage (perhaps the worst six-weeks of bad press in my memory, which goes back farther than I care to admit). Davis has spent $25 million and his share of the vote is lower than at the first of the year. He has spent more than $15 million attacking Simon and portraying himself as the lesser of two evils ? and can barely break 40 percent. Until a few days ago, Simon had spent virtually nothing in response ? and is within 11 or six points.

And in another Simon story, the Wapo is trying to spin the brilliant E-Gray web site as a Simon negative, because it says that Ebay is thinking about suing for trademark infringement.

I’m not a lawyer, but I doubt if they have a case. It’s clearly a parody, and should constitute fair use. I wonder if Gray’s offered them any favors, though…? The best part was this:

Simon’s campaign told the Associated Press that it has no plans to take down the site. A Davis spokesman, meanwhile, said he does not believe the site will win many converts.

Sounds like he might be whistling past the gra(y)ve yard…

William Saracino is still upbeat about Bill Simon’s chances against Grayout Davis:

Virtually every registered voter knows and has an opinion about Gray Davis, and all he can pull is 41 percent and 37 percent. Bill Simon is still a cipher to many voters, which is one reason Davis has spent so much trying to define him. Both the PPIC and Field polls indicate that, so far at least, Davis?s money has not been well spent: it has pulled the incumbent down as fast or faster than it did Simon.

To summarize: Simon has had a horrendous six-week run of negative coverage (perhaps the worst six-weeks of bad press in my memory, which goes back farther than I care to admit). Davis has spent $25 million and his share of the vote is lower than at the first of the year. He has spent more than $15 million attacking Simon and portraying himself as the lesser of two evils ? and can barely break 40 percent. Until a few days ago, Simon had spent virtually nothing in response ? and is within 11 or six points.

And in another Simon story, the Wapo is trying to spin the brilliant E-Gray web site as a Simon negative, because it says that Ebay is thinking about suing for trademark infringement.

I’m not a lawyer, but I doubt if they have a case. It’s clearly a parody, and should constitute fair use. I wonder if Gray’s offered them any favors, though…? The best part was this:

Simon’s campaign told the Associated Press that it has no plans to take down the site. A Davis spokesman, meanwhile, said he does not believe the site will win many converts.

Sounds like he might be whistling past the gra(y)ve yard…

William Saracino is still upbeat about Bill Simon’s chances against Grayout Davis:

Virtually every registered voter knows and has an opinion about Gray Davis, and all he can pull is 41 percent and 37 percent. Bill Simon is still a cipher to many voters, which is one reason Davis has spent so much trying to define him. Both the PPIC and Field polls indicate that, so far at least, Davis?s money has not been well spent: it has pulled the incumbent down as fast or faster than it did Simon.

To summarize: Simon has had a horrendous six-week run of negative coverage (perhaps the worst six-weeks of bad press in my memory, which goes back farther than I care to admit). Davis has spent $25 million and his share of the vote is lower than at the first of the year. He has spent more than $15 million attacking Simon and portraying himself as the lesser of two evils ? and can barely break 40 percent. Until a few days ago, Simon had spent virtually nothing in response ? and is within 11 or six points.

And in another Simon story, the Wapo is trying to spin the brilliant E-Gray web site as a Simon negative, because it says that Ebay is thinking about suing for trademark infringement.

I’m not a lawyer, but I doubt if they have a case. It’s clearly a parody, and should constitute fair use. I wonder if Gray’s offered them any favors, though…? The best part was this:

Simon’s campaign told the Associated Press that it has no plans to take down the site. A Davis spokesman, meanwhile, said he does not believe the site will win many converts.

Sounds like he might be whistling past the gra(y)ve yard…

In another display of the moral and intellectual bankruptcy of the American left, an Israeli-American college student tells of being called a Nazi at a protest against neo-Nazis, because she proudly carried an Israeli flag.

I must admit that I, like many young Jews and Zionists my age, feel betrayed by American liberals. With regards to the Middle East, there seems to be no appreciation of the moral ambiguity, the political nuances, the multiple layers of media spin. Faced with such a complex situation, young people too often ask others to chew it, swallow it and digest it for them, and then tell them in absolute terms which side is most appropriate to their general belief structure.

Are you in favor of affirmative action? Are you for civil liberties and women’s rights? Why, then, you must be pro-Palestinian! Anti-Globalization? Humanitarian? Pro- Palestinian! Ever voted Democratic/ Libertarian/Socialist or even abstained from voting for a Republican? Then Palestine is the side for you!