By the by...

Please update links.

Modern Commentaries has been reborn at the following web address:

www.moderncomments.wordpress.com

See you there!

I'm there...I hope

Patrick at Badger Blogger is reporting there will be a Milwaukee Constitution Day TEA Party at Veterans Park, Saturday, September 19 from 3-5 pm.

One of the speakers will be author of the best-selling book, Culture of Corruption -- Michelle Malkin.

I'm back. Kind of.

This morning I sent in an application to be the Milwaukee Catholic Correspondent for Examiner.com. I don't know yet if I'm going to get the gig but, if I do, I'll be back to blogging. Probably here because this is where I am/was established...but I'm still working on that.

Summer Vacation

Sigh.

I've been thinking about doing this for a while. A part of me is sad because I've had over 37,000 visitors in just over three years (which comes to roughly 1,000 people a month), but a part of me is tired. Too tired to continue blogging and I don't even do current, news-intensive type stuff (like James Wigderson, who's also closing up shop for the summer, I see). I can't imagine how people who have jobs outside the home and families do such intensive blogging. I admire it.

Right now my priorities need to be preparing for the expansion of our family and that includes all sorts of not-fun but practical things like washing stored baby clothes and cleaning our apartment and car. And I feel like our routine's been getting off-track (if we ever really had one) so while blogging is not something that consumes a lot of my time, crossing it off the list is a way to make me feel like I don't have this specter hanging over my head, where I feel guilty for not blogging for days or even a week. After the second baby comes, we've both committed to getting ourselves in shape so that at this time next year, we'll be half the people we are now.

I might, in the future, kick off a new blog, take it in a new direction, maybe on a new server (i.e., Wordpress). I am - for now - NOT deleting this blog, because there's 3 years of stuff here that I want to archive. But, like blogging, that's something that's on the back burner right now. And I'm still debating about whether or not to update the Prayer Blog, which has been sorely neglected, and something I think is of more importance now than my personal thoughts and editorial comments. Or I might combine the two in to one mega blog. We'll see. But don't count on anything until late summer or fall at the earliest. More likely than not, it'll be after the new year. When I do make a decision, it will be published here.

But blogs come and go, ultimately. Some don't even make it to the publishing of a first post.

Thanks to all of you who've read and commented over the years. I will still be browsing the blogs in my link list and commenting there, so I'm not totally out of the loop.

I just need a break and what better time to do it when the sun is shining, we can wear flip-flops, and the days last until well after 8 pm?

Memo to school administrators:

Receiving diploma is not contingent on one's conduct at the graduation ceremony.

A diploma indicates that a student has successfully completed the educational curriculum set forth by the school district, state, and - sometimes - federal guidelines. You cannot deny a person their diploma if they do something childish, but ultimately harmless, at the graduation ceremony if they've met all the criteria to receive said diploma.

I looked up the graduation requirements, per the Bonny Eagle High School Student Handbook, and they are as follows:

Graduation Requirements:

As a minimum for graduation from high school, the prospective graduate
must successfully complete a total of the following Carnegie units
(credits) at the secondary level (grades 9 - 12). Students must also
successfully meet the standards of the Maine Learning Results as
determined by the districtʼs comprehensive local assessment system.

Class of 2009 – 2012 24 credits

English 4 Credits
Social Studies 3 Credits (Global Village, U.S.
History, Government, Economics)
Science 3 Credits (earth science, biology,
and a physical science)
Mathematics 3 Credits
Physical Education 1 Credit
Health 1/2 Credit
Fine Arts 1 Credit
PLP** 1 Credit
Academy 2 credits (Class of 2007 & beyond)

The remaining credits may be selected by the student based upon the
studentʼs interest, abilities, and the requirements of the field that the
student plans to enter upon graduation. Students must also
demonstrate a knowledge of computer skills according to the Districtʼs
standards for computer literacy, proficiency, and performance, and must
complete the Maine Studies requirement.

No where do I see anything in the requirements to graduate anything about behavior at the graduation ceremony, neither in the graduation requirements or the section on behavior and conduct. Since a diploma is an indicator of the successful completion of the above requirements, and not conduct, there's no grounds to withhold it from Justin Denny.

Even the kids here in Wisconsin who were not allowed to attend their graduation ceremonies received their diplomas because their administrators realize the graduation ceremony - and conduct thereat - is not a requirement to receive said diploma.

The administrator who withheld his diploma also threatened other students who threw a beach ball around at graduation. Again, childish, but not grounds for denying them something they've already earned, especially when you consider the period for reporting final grades is well before the graduation ceremony takes place.

Liberal creep of the day

The media is all aflutter because Barack Obama - gasp! - swatted a fly today. The praise and adoration for this act, which most normal and sane people consider not that important, will turn your stomach.

And, honestly, the media's about one fly-swat away from polishing Obama's shoes with their tongues or praising his bathroom habits.

But on Michelle Malkin, one resident liberal creep decides the undying adoration of a man who can kill his own insects (no doubt the next bill that crosses his desk will have a $250,000 earmark to hire an official presidential personal exterminator, so Obama won't have to sully his hands with fly guts) isn't enough and takes a cheap shot at John McCain. I quote:

I’d like to see McCain try that stunt.

It's pretty common knowledge to anyone with an IQ higher than a troglodyte's that McCain can't raise or move his arms because of the years of torture he endured while a POW in Vietnam. In other words, this creep took a cheap shot at a man who did what Obama would never be able to do in order to preserve his freedom to go around insulting injured vets.

Most ironic is that this loser goes by the handle ilovemycountry, which must surely refer to Iran or Cuba or North Korea because AMERICA was built by and on the sacrifices of people like John McCain, not fly-swatters like Barack Obama.

Are you an injured or disabled vet? Do you know a vet who was injured and disabled in the line of duty? Leave a comment below and I'll be sure to share them with our veteran-bashing friend.

Wednesday news round-up

Yeah, blogging's been light. It probably will continue to be because life is busy. So here's a brief round-up of some of the news going on with my comments.

1. How is it that the old media is suffering in the ratings and circulation? Could it be because they make Pravda look non-partisan and unbiased? Obama's health care plan is socialized medicine. If you have a chronic illness, or an elderly relative, and are willing to see them (or yourself) denied treatment, support it. If you're willing to give the government permission to control everything you do with your body - from what you eat and drink to how you spend your free time - go right ahead (they won't, of course, stop you from sleeping around or providing treatment for your STDs, 'cause that's like your right as an American. Or something). To all you journalism majors and professors out there, how is this not a serious violation of the ethics of journalism? Or don't those matter now, in the era of hopenchange?
   
2. Barack Obama compares our current health care system to General Motors. Seeing as the government bailout/restructuring of GM isn't too popular, and that 41% of people predict the quality of GM vehicles will suffer, I think this is a good metaphor to stick with. It'll really give people confidence that you'll do the right thing with their health when they don't trust you to manufacture their cars. And considering the "47 million uninsured" number is grossly inflated when you extract the people who go without coverage for a short period of time (even 1 day), the number of people who qualify for government programs but don't apply to them, the number of people who choose not to purchase health insurance (including those who make more than $75,000 year), and the number of illegal immigrants, the urgency is more about control (as in what you eat, how you exercise, and pretty much anything you do with your body).
3. Jim Doyle's approval ratings, and his prospects for another win in 2010, are narrowing. Good. Don't let the door hit you on the way out of the mansion, Guv.
4. David Letterman, who I've never watched because I've never found him funny or entertaining, makes a crude joke about the rape of the Palin's 14-year-old daughter, Willow (and, before someone tries to excuse him, Willow was with her mom at the Yankee's game, not Bristol. Willow is 14. Alex Rodriguez is in his 30s. Ergo, joking about a 30-something baseball player impregnating a 14-year-old girl, is joking about statutory rape, according to the laws of the state of New York, and is joking about rape). Letterman makes two half-hearted apologies, the latest of which Palin accepts (good for her). People, including the boys over at HillBuzz, are not happy with Letterman, his spin (he insists the joke was about the 18-year-old, Bristol, as if that makes it appropriate or funny), or the rampant Palin-bashing which seems to be totally acceptable because she doesn't lock her kids up in the basement (but imagine the uproar if he said something so lewd about the Obama girls...). Ultimately, the Freakish Enemies of the Normal* always reveal their true colors, and they hate the nuclear family. Also, you learned all you needed to know about Letterman's character when he made comments 3 or 4 nights in a row after Conan O'Brien took the helm at "The Tonight Show." Even my brother looked at me and said, "Nah, do you think he's just a little bitter?" on day 3 or 4.
   
5. Because gun-control laws really don't eliminate all crime, but push criminals to find new ways to either import guns or kill you, the UK reveals a stab-proof knife. It's like kid-friendly scissors, effective only if you don't want to really cut a damn thing with them. Says the inventor, "Nobody could just grab one out of the kitchen drawer and kill someone." Actually, I can think of a way they can and probably will, but - more to the point - they've just taken away one of the few weapons left to UK citizens to defend themselves and their homes in the event of a violent break-in. When knives are outlawed, only outlaws will have knives. Or something.
6. A taxi-driver who helped two MPD officers shot last week is receiving some unpleasant feedback. Why? Because he's a black man, and some in the community wonder why he'd help the police. Not too long ago, after picking up my husband from work, I saw a woman walking from a bus stop with a "Stop Snitchin'" t-shirt on. I've got a novel idea for her, and anyone else who doesn't like "snitchin'" - tell your neighbors to stop committing crimes. To stop robbing, assaulting, and murdering people and maybe then the police won't need to get involved.
   

Happy Birthday, Dad & Uncle Mel

Today is my Dad and Uncle Mel's birthday. They are identical twins, and when they were born my grandmother swore up and down she (who already had two sons) was going to have a girl. This was, of course, long before prenatal tests and ultrasounds were the norm, but she was so certain she started buying girl clothes for her daughter.

At the time, the department store where she shopped offered a deal. For a dime a week, she could purchase "twin insurance" - if she had twins, the store would give her duplicates of anything she bought.

My grandma declined the offer.

Then, on June 12, she gave birth to twin boys.

Happy Birthday!

DTV Transition

It's tomorrow, in case you forgot. Because, you know, they haven't been harping on this for the past year (at least).

Sorry if I sound snarky but

1. Why does the government care how stations broadcast? After Obama's massive tax increases and cap-and-trade go through, most people won't be able to afford television of any kind, anyway. Oh, and his press for nationalized health care - complete, no doubt, with a Food & Exercise Czar who will oversee and dictate what we can and can't eat or do with our bodies - pretty much means we'll all be out doing government mandated exercises. That doesn't leave a whole lot of free time to catch Mythbusters or House.
2. Why does the government have to act as if it will be a crisis of universal proportions if people don't have converter boxes? Television is not a right, it's a privilege. Get off your duffs and pick up a side job raking leaves for an elderly neighbor to pay for the box.

Good gracious.

Today in the car I remarked that in a few years' time we won't even be deemed capable of wiping our own bottoms. Some government hack will do that for us (with eco-friendly TP, of course), because modern-day America seems hellbent on co-depending itself out of existence.