The Anchoress

I’m trying to deliver this hated book by THURSDAY because I’m out of town on Friday…so, posting will be sporadic (check back) and emails may go unanswered until sometime next week…a quick round-up for today:

This is Pretty Damn Sneaky and even my liberal Li’l Bro Thom calls it “shameful.” It’s not important. But it is, in a way. Important enough for CBS to mention on it’s Couric & Company blog, although in a rather punny (yet to-the-point) manner.

Journalists are complaining that the stupid public isn’t letting them report the “important” news, because all the public wants are celeb-gossip and cosmetic tips, or something. If only we’d let them report on serious issues! Christiane Amanpour is a herrrooooo and all these people want is Tom and Katieeeee!

As Jay Rosen spells out: Journalism is a religion and journalists are the high priests. I think Jonah Goldberg wrote something along the same lines - but shorter and pithier - a few years ago. Journalists have been thinking very well of themselves for a long time.

Mac, on the other hand, thinks they’re a bunch of idiots. And Fausta points out that perhaps not all the crap the press shows is actually what we want to see. (H/T Larwyn)

Siggy just calls ‘em liars.

Dr. Sanity says in the mere 20 days since the election all sorts of happy folk are running wild.

Don’t understand why the pope’s trip to Turkey is important? This explains it pretty well. At least as pertains to the UK, but I’d say the writer is on the right track. Secular ideas are not interesting to the Muslim fundamentalists who are looking at the world through different, anything-but-secular eyes.

The Pope characterised it as a battle between reason and unreason. Scholars may debate the theological and historical soundness of his analysis. But what is indisputable is that this is not an argument that is within the bounds of diplomatic give and take, the traditional stuff of international policy argy-bargy. What we could plausibly offer to the enemy, even at our most craven, would never be sufficient.

What is being demanded is the surrender of everything that Western democracy regards as sacred: even, ironically, the freedom to practise one’s own religion, which, at the moment, is so useful to Muslim activists. We are forced to accept the Islamist movement’s own estimation of the conflict: this is a war to the death, or until Islamism decides to call a halt.

Bring back Saddam! Yes, some liberals in the US are calling that a solution. Kind of begs the question: are the Dems the party of McClellan or McGovern?

Korean War Vet Charlie Rangel disses the troops. He can be as foolish and insulting as he wants to be, he owns the safest seat in the House.

Illegal immigration is still the subject. Medved says oversimplifying things aint the answer.

How you feeling, these days? Un-harrassed? Free to sign a petition without worry? Miss Kelly knows some folks who don’t.

Blue Crab Boulevard is not worried. He happy.

In the midst of all of this madness - Francis has a rumination on the Kingship of Christ. A good read.