Dreaming of a White Christmas

One of our family's favorite Christmas traditions is an annual viewing of WHITE CHRISTMAS. This movie has unfortunately never been particularly appreciated by film critics, but for us -- as for many others -- it grows more cherished with each passing year. Aside from the obvious talents of the cast and the beautiful music, the movie has an indefinable "special something" that makes repeat viewings feel like revisiting old friends, as well as revisiting one's own memories of Christmases past.

There is an excellent DVD release which includes a commentary track by Rosemary Clooney, who looks back fondly on her experiences with long-gone friends. Sadly, Rosie is no longer with us either, but how wonderful that she left her memories on this DVD set.

For more on the history of the title song, WHITE CHRISTMAS: THE STORY OF AN AMERICAN SONG by Jody Rosen is a fascinating slice of pop culture history, well worth a read.

Finally, WHITE CHRISTMAS is a pretty little picture book which includes stills from the movie, photos of movie posters and album covers, and more. The book is in our living room right now as part of our Christmas decorations.

C.S. Lewis's Stepson on Homeschooling

Charlotte Mason Mama has a fascinating post regarding the thoughts of Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis, on homeschooling.

Gresham has a background in dealing with "post-childhood abuse trauma" and has some profound thoughts on God's design for the family and how sending children to school not only runs counter to God's plan, but places children in an environment where their needs are not best-served. His ideas are certainly thought-provoking.

Pendulum Swinging Back to the President?

John McIntyre thinks the Democrats have dug themselves into a deep hole and don't yet realize "the political ground [has] shifted beneath their feet."

This article ties in with an interesting theory Rush Limbaugh shared on this radio show today, that the reason Congressional approval ratings are low is that the media "face" of Congress is Democrats like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. Thus, the public is reacting negatively to Democrats, not Republicans, though Republicans hold the Congressional majority.

Both Rush and McIntyre believe, in essence, that the Democrats are treading very dangerous water by continuing to publicly pound away on their anti-war, anti-Bush positions and that it won't play well with the electorate over the long term.

Update: James Taranto has more in his "Best of the Web" column at Opinion Journal.

Michael Barone on the Lessons of the Last Quarter Century

Michael Barone is always an excellent read and this is no exception. Stick with this one to the end; the last couple paragraphs are particularly good.

Michelle Malkin's Bloggers of the Year

Worthy choices all...I'm struck by the number of sites which were valuable because the blogger specialized in a particular area, such as Brendan Loy of the Irish Trojan who did such a good job blogging Hurricane Katrina, or Just One Minute (nominated by Lorie Byrd of Polipundit), which was on the cutting edge of Valerie Plame coverage.

blogs4God has its own version of Time Magazine's Man of the Year cover which is very funny (and right on!).

UC Admissions v. Christian High School Classes

More on the very interesting lawsuit regarding the UC system's refusal to give credit for certain classes taught in private Christian high schools.

The article mentions that UC "has approved courses from other schools on Buddhism, Islam, Jewish history and the effects of feminism and counterculture on literature but turned down Calvary's submissions in history and literature, as well as a government class titled Special Providence: Christianity and the American Republic."

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

Sound of Music Memories

This article really struck a chord with me (no pun intended!), as I have so many memories connected with THE SOUND OF MUSIC myself. It was the second movie I ever saw; the first was MARY POPPINS, so when I was little I thought Julie Andrews was pretty amazing -- and still do.

I have many happy memories of seeing the movie at various stages of my life, including going to see it in movie theaters several times when it was reissued. Some of those theater visits were with my grandparents, who are no longer with us, so the memories are especially sweet. In turn I have loved sharing this extra-special film with my own children.

I treasure an autographed copy of FOREVER LIESL and am fortunate to own a number of other special SOUND OF MUSIC collectibles, including what is probably a rather unique collection of costume test stills of the children.

My SOUND OF MUSIC connection was rounded out by appearing in the nuns' chorus in two different stage productions when I was a teen!

UCLA Study Verifies Media Bias

Among other points, the study acknowledges that "almost all major media outlets tilt to the left."

Reid Still Having Trouble With the Truth

Last Week Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid lied when he said President Bush said Tom DeLay should not have a jury trial.

Today Reid again struggled with the truth. On Fox News Sunday Chris Wallace twice directly asked Reid whether he'd been briefed on post-9/11 wiretapping.

Reid initially refused to answer Wallace's question, saying instead that the President can't "pass the buck." He finally admitted in a roundabout way that he had known.

Reid's evasive performance today, putting politics ahead of the truth, is another sad example of what is wrong with Democrats.

Religious Christmas Cards Growing in Popularity

The Greeting Card Association reports that in the years since 9/11, use of religious Christmas cards, which is usually about 30% of all cards sent, has been growing.

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

The Only Good Reason Not to Pass the Patriot Act

The hyper-regulation of cold and allergy remedies needs to be stripped from the Patriot Act immediately.

The new regulations encroach unnecessarily on personal freedom, and it's particularly absurd that the proposed laws were attached to an act regarding our country's national security; in doing so, Senators Feinstein and Talent have trivialized the rest of the Patriot Act.

Don't Do It, Arnold

The L.A. Times reports Governor Schwarzenegger may be considering a tax hike for additional school funding.

Such a move would certainly undo the uneasy truce between the Governor and GOP leaders in the wake of the Governor's hiring of a left-wing, liberal activist as his Chief of Staff.

Conservatives have had several disagreements with the Governor, but tax policy has generally been an area of agreement. If the Governor decides in favor of a tax hike, further alienating the Republican base, all bets are off for his re-election.

Australian PM Calls for Christianity To Be Put Back Into Christmas

Gotta love those Aussies. First the Premier of Victoria calls for schools to celebrate Christmas, including religious carols and Nativity plays.

Now Prime Minister John Howard has said Christians need to stop downplaying Christianity at Christmas because of fears of offending others: "You don't demonstrate tolerance towards minorities by apologising for your own heritage...it's silly and it's patronising towards minorities and it's offensive to our cultural history."

He's got my vote! :)

"Senator Reid Tells a Lie"

Be sure to catch this post from Power Line.

The Democrats have no shame.

The President Strikes Back

President Bush has spoken strongly today against the manufactured "scandal" of this week regarding wiretapping, and pointed out that not only is leaking classified information illegal, but Congress has been informed about the so-called "secret" wiretapping on at least 10 different occasions.

Power Line has had several excellent posts over the last couple days including here and here.

Captain's Quarters has a must-read about the New York Times' manipulation of the story, which it's been sitting on for the last year.

As usual, Michelle Malkin has an exhaustive roundup of links on the subject. (Scroll down to yesterday's headline RED ALERT: CHICKEN LITTLES ON THE LOOSE.) Of particular note is a quote from Mark Levin on the damage these kinds of leaks do to national security.

The Democrats and many in the media seem bound and determined to lead us down the road to another attack -- which of course they will then blame on the President.

A Wonderful Story

Mary Katharine Ham, blogging at Hugh Hewitt's site, shares a lovely email about a Marine wife's meeting with President Bush.

A Sad Loss

Actor John Spencer, who played former Chief of Staff and current Vice Presidential Candidate Leo McGarry on THE WEST WING, has died of a heart attack at age 58.

I first came to enjoy Spencer's work when he joined the cast of L.A. LAW as Tommy Mullaney, and he has been one of my favorite cast members on WEST WING. Politics aside, over the years THE WEST WING has been a very well-executed, consistently entertaining show which won me as a viewer despite the liberal political views frequently espoused by the characters. Spencer was one of the actors I most enjoyed on the program. Ironically, Spencer's WEST WING character had a near-brush with death due to a heart attack. The show seemed likely to end after this season, and with Spencer's death hugely impacting the current election storyline, that seems to me more certain than ever.

Spencer was a greatly talented man who has died far too young. He will be missed.

Update: This article includes quotes from some of Spencer's WEST WING colleagues.

The Return of Remington Steele?

Pierce Brosnan is in talks to make a film version of the beloved '80s detective series.

Christian Colleges Growing in Popularity

Enrollment has increased at 102 evangelical colleges a whopping 70+% in the last 15 years, compared to 12.8% and 28% for public and private colleges, respectively.

I think those numbers tell an interesting story in and of themselves.

Christmas Bookshelf: The History of U.S. Celebrations

We have many favorite Christmas books...mainly children's books, a number of which focus on the Biblical Christmas story.

In this post, however, I wanted to mention some very enjoyable, colorful books on the history of American Christmas celebrations. By their nature they are focused heavily (though not entirely) on the secular cultural aspects of Christmas. MERRY CHRISTMAS! CELEBRATING AMERICA'S GREATEST HOLIDAY by Karal Ann Marling (linked above) and INVENTING CHRISTMAS chronicle the evolution of our modern Christmas celebrations, from Christmas trees to Santa Claus to wrapping paper, ribbon, and Scotch tape.

Jock Elliott, the author of INVENTING CHRISTMAS, was a marketing executive who collected Christmas ephemera as a hobby. His collection included a copy of A CHRISTMAS CAROL which Charles Dickens used for public readings. The book is illustrated mainly with old drawings and paintings depicting the origination of various customs and characters in the 1800s. Elliott passed away just a few weeks ago.

Marling's book is not as heavily illustrated as Elliott's, but it contains fascinating tidbits of history such as the evolution of giftwrap and tree decorating. She also has an excellent chapter on Christmas movies -- and points out an interesting anachronism, the use of white tissue paper in LITTLE WOMEN.

IT'S A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS: THE BEST OF THE HOLIDAYS 1940-1965 by Susan Waggoner is pure "eye candy." There are pages of beautiful graphic art, particularly from the 1940s, including catalogue pages, movie posters, and magazine ads.

CHRISTMAS, 1940-1959: A COLLECTOR'S GUIDE TO DECORATIONS AND CUSTOMS by Robert Brenner, and its sequel CHRISTMAS, 1960-PRESENT each contain hundreds of photographs of everything from record album covers to cardboard manger sets to Christmas ornaments and candles. It was fun to recognize some items handed down from my grandparents (such as the aforementioned cardboard manger set) among the pages.

Kerry Advocates Bush Impeachment

John Kerry has stated that "if Democrats retake the House, there is a solid case to bring articles of impeachment against President Bush."

Kerry's spokesman said this was a joke.

Ha, ha.

Rush Limbaugh has the details (above).

Robert Novak on the Barrett Report

More on the independent counsel report I mentioned yesterday: The Democrats, aided by sympathetic judges, are attempting to bury information about possible wrongdoing by President Clinton, the IRS, and the Justice Department.

It remains to be seen whether Senator Charles Grassley, head of the Finance Committee, will have a stiffer spine than some of his Republican colleagues and follow through on making sure that the report is released in its entirety.

New Blog at National Review Online

Kellyanne and George Conway's new blog, "Reconcilable Differences," is the latest addition to Blog Row at National Review Online.

Conway is a well-known longtime Republican pollster. I remember when she was known as Kellyanne Fitzpatrick (grin). Her husband George is an attorney. Looks like fun.

Upcoming Book on Washington and Religion

WASHINGTON'S GOD, by Michael and Jana Novak, examines George Washington and his religious beliefs and relationship with God. The book will be published next March. Looks like an interesting read.

(Hat tip: The Corner.)

CA Sued For Tuition Breaks for Illegal Immigrants

California is being sued by students from 19 states for charging the students higher out-of-state tuition to attend UC schools, while the state gives illegal immigrants the same lower tuition rates as legal California residents.

The lawsuit says California's tuition practice violates a 1998 federal law which requires states to offer in-state tuition rates to out-of-state students if in-state rates are being offered to illegal immigrants. The federal law was intended to discourage states from offering better tuition rates to illegal aliens than U.S. citizens but has been ignored by several states, including California.

The Washington Times has additional interesting details regarding the UC Regents' refusal to implement the tuition law unless they were first given legal immunity by the California state legislature.

"Becoming Mary Poppins"

The first film I ever saw was MARY POPPINS, and it remains my favorite live-action Disney film.

I also loved the books by P.L. Travers, though the "book Mary" was quite different from the "movie Mary" I'd met first. I've always felt that somehow the film caught the essence of Travers' books, even with pretty Julie Andrews in the place of the cranky Mary of the books.

The New Yorker has published a lengthy article on Travers and the film, subtitled "P. L. Travers, Walt Disney, and the Making of a Myth." The article is unfortunately rather dismissive of the film and Walt Disney -- when reading the article I couldn't help but think there are two sides to every story -- but it contains a number of interesting tidbits and is worth a read.

I highly recommend last year's 40th anniversary DVD, which is filled with extras (I haven't had time yet to watch them all!), as well as the Special Edition of the soundtrack.

Barrett Report: A Bombshell That Could Sink Hillary?

Word is starting to percolate around the Internet that the long-delayed Barrett Report, investigating former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, has uncovered evidence that the Clinton Administration used the IRS and Justice Department to harass the administration's enemies.

The news will come as no surprise to those who closely followed the Clinton Administration. The big question is, will the report be released? And when?

(Hat tip: Michelle Malkin.)

More at Power Line here and here.

In November American Thinker published an article by Rick Ballard which is fairly thorough and has several good links, including one to a November piece by Byron York of National Review.

I Want My Sudafed

For some time now California Senator Dianne Feinstein has been hawking a terrible idea, to tightly regulate the availability of cold remedies such as Sudafed, as this will supposedly cut down on methamphetamine production.

I have been deeply disappointed that Republican Senator Jim Talent has also supported this legislation.

I find the idea as silly as gun control -- criminals will find a way to do what they are determined to do, while the innocent pay the price with ever-dwindling personal freedoms. Further, The Orange County Register notes in an editorial today that the legislation's impact on meth production would be minimal, at best.

Under Feinstein's proposed regulation, cold and allergy sufferers will no longer be able to buy their medicine, go home, and start feeling better. Instead sick people will be treated as irresponsible semi-criminals who must stand in line at a pharmacy counter for their non-prescription medication, hand over personal information such as a driver's license, sign a logbook, and have their purchases recorded and shared with government agencies.

As if that weren't bad enough, the proposed legislation has now, incredibly, found its way into the renewal for the Patriot Act. Yes, the government having records of my purchases of allergy medications is going to prevent terrorism.

Uh-huh.

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

Red Cross Chief Quits

This story contained a bit of news near the end that I found shocking: although the Red Cross raised $1.86 billion after Hurricane Katrina, the agency spent the money so quickly they borrowed another $350 million.

Consider that information when you hear that at a House hearing, Representative Jim Ramstad said that in one Mississippi town with minimal damage, residents received Red Cross checks which they spent on "DVDs, jewelry and electronics." Ramstad noted that "If Americans don't think their donations are being used wisely, they might not be so generous when the next disaster strikes."

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

La Shawn Barber's New Website

Popular blogger La Shawn Barber recently started a second blog, Fantasy Fiction For Christians (linked above).

My older daughter, the biggest fantasy fiction reader in the family, reports that the site is filled with interesting links about Narnia, Harry Potter, and more. Analyzing Christian themes found in these books is one of the new site's goals.

Brent Bozell Critiques Newsweek's Latest Bush Bashing

Brent Bozell of Media Research Center has a good piece on the latest silliness from Newsweek.

Brit Hume's Special Report roundtable had a good discussion on this issue on Monday, summarized by Brent Baker at News Busters. The Fox panelists pointed out that Newsweek had the same criticism of President Reagan, and were in agreement that the Newsweek reporters aren't happy because Bush isn't talking to them or hiring Washington insiders.

Meanwhile, Michelle Malkin reports that according to the Washington Post, Washington insider types are also up in arms over the food served on Air Force Two. (Rolling eyes...)

Merry Christmas From Disneyland

We made our annual Christmas visit to Disneyland quite a bit earlier than usual this year due to the unusually heavy crowding at the park this year. It was a good choice as the park was quite busy today, but not overcrowded.

We had a lovely day which included cookie decorating at Big Thunder Ranch and our family being the only passengers riding on the 1958 fire engine which Walt Disney used to like to drive when the park was closed.

The White Witch of Narnia was visiting and was quite something -- when she arrived at Sleeping Beauty Castle, it snowed! Those who wished an audience had to bow before she would provide an autograph or photo. The Witch's pages had shields which visitors could carry with them during the meeting if they felt the need for a little protection :).

I was pleasantly surprised when multiple Cast Members wished us a "Merry Christmas" today. Now if only the park could start using the word "Christmas" instead of "Holidays" in its advertising, at least part of the time!

Wednesday Update: Mouse Planet has a good photo of the White Witch's snowy arrival at Disneyland, as well as pics of the El Capitan in L.A. dressed for its special Narnia engagement. Scroll down and click on the 12/12 Disneyland Park Update. There is also good info here on how to handle the unusual crowds at Disneyland.

Media Bias and Rush Limbaugh

Last night I read a Yahoo News story about Rush Limbaugh winning a court ruling upholding his right to doctor-patient confidentiality.

I was quite surprised, therefore, when I briefly logged on this morning and saw a headline on AOL that Limbaugh had lost the court ruling in this case. The Associated Press chose a completely different spin for the story than what I had previously read on Yahoo.

Analysis linked above at National Ledger, and more can be found at Outside the Beltway.

Chris Wallace Says Father Has "Lost It"

NewsMax has info on a fascinating radio interview with Chris Wallace.

(Hat tip: Michelle Malkin. Michelle's ability to be ahead of the curve on so many stories is a wonder!)

Judge: FEMA Must Continue to Ease Suffering

A judge ruled today that FEMA has been "callous" and "insensitive" and must continue to pay the hotel bills of Hurricane Katrina victims through February.

Since when are legal rulings to be made on the basis of emotions? The judge, a Clinton appointee, in essence said that since the federal law authorizing FEMA created the agency to ease suffering after disasters, FEMA must keep easing suffering as long as the judge sees fit. FEMA's arbitrary deadline was "unduly callous" and victims might be "without shelter for Christmas"...so the judge substituted FEMA's arbitrary deadline with his own.

The judge also said the victims were "discriminated" against due to their "economic status." Personally, I feel discriminated against by the judge due to my economic status...he feels perfectly comfortable taking the hard-earned fruits of my labor to give to others. A new form of taxation without representation? Maybe our representatives need to un-fund FEMA so that a judge can't spend the agency's money for them.

Whatever happened to the idea that family, community, charity, and state should take care of their own, rather than the federal government? And while we're at it, what about the issue of personal responsibility? I live in California, and I pay a substantial amount for annual earthquake insurance. I wonder how many hurricane victims didn't buy flood insurance but had DVD players or big screen TV's? Hmmm.

Incidentally, I'd be really curious to know if FEMA paid nearly half a year's hotel bills for victims of the last couple major earthquakes in California.

(Registration may be required by The New York Times.)

Meanwhile, Michelle Malkin reports that media and political ranting to the contrary, less than half of those who died in Hurricane Katrina were black.

Back to Supreme Court News...

Things have been relatively quiet of late on the confirmation front, but Confirm Them has some interesting updates today, including rumors of attempts by Democrats to persuade Senator Specter to go after Judge Alito on the subject of abortion.

Blanco's Staff Worried About...Her Wardrobe?

A staffer suggested that Liz Claiborne sports clothes were just the thing for Governor Kathleen Blanco to wear post-hurricane, as they looked "kind of Eddie Bauer, but with class," and would "show she is MOVING MOUNTAINS."

Considering the time Blanco & Co. spent planning her wardrobe and blaming President Bush, perhaps it's not surprising she didn't have time to actually manage the hurricane crisis successfully.

Michelle Malkin on the NYT and Bloggers

Michelle Malkin had a great piece this weekend on a NYT article which asserted that liberal bloggers are free thinkers who criticize other liberals, while conservative bloggers stick to a monolithic party line.

As Michelle points out, hasn't the NYT heard of Harriet Miers? Her critique is worth reading top to bottom, she makes many great points.

More Black Families Homeschooling

Issues such as sub-par schools and values cut across racial lines...

(Hat tip: Joanne Jacobs.)

Actress Jean Parker Passes Away

Jean Parker, who played Beth opposite Katharine Hepburn's Jo in my favorite version of LITTLE WOMEN, has passed away at age 90.

I deeply appreciate her significant contribution to a film which has provided me with hours of pleasure and happy memories. My sincere condolences to her family.

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

Christmas Music: Amy Grant

Amy Grant's Christmas albums are modern classics. I particularly love the first and last of her three albums.

Her earliest Christmas album, 1983's A CHRISTMAS ALBUM (linked above), is simply brilliant. Grant co-wrote several of the album's songs, including "Tennessee Christmas," which has become a country Christmas standard covered by singers including Alabama and Lee Greenwood. My favorite tracks are "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," which begins with Grant a cappella and builds to a grand climax with orchestra and chorus, and "Angels We Have Heard on High," which is preceded with an instrumental rendition of "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."

The middle album, HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, is the least impressive of the three, but still a very good listen, including a fun cover of "Jingle Bell Rock."

Grant's most recent CD, A CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER, is the hands-down favorite of my children. I can easily say that everyone's favorite song is "Christmas Can't Be Very Far Away." "Highland Cathedral" is a wonderful track performed by bagpipers, and "Agnus Dei" is stirring. My copy was sold by Target and includes a hidden bonus track of "Merry Christmas, Darling" which is a very nice "extra."

Light blogging this weekend due to Christmas preparations (the tree went up last night!) and family visits. Hope everyone is enjoying the season!

Ditch the SAT Essay Section?

Betsy Newmark, who is an Advanced Placement teacher, has some solid thoughts today on the value -- or lack thereof -- of the new SAT writing section.

Personally, I think the essay is worthless, especially compared to content-driven Advanced Placement essay tests. There was an interesting article in The New York Times a few months ago in which an MIT professor could judge the writing scores from across the room, based on the way the essay looked!

"Life, Liberty, and Digital TV"

Where was Congress with my share of the taxpayer pie when I had to upgrade my Beta VCR?

Cookbooks for Christmas

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a nice article suggesting some of the newest and best cookbook titles for Christmas gift giving.

I highly recommend the cookbook mentioned first in the article, THE AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN FAMILY COOKBOOK. This book combines a huge number of do-able recipes for the average cook with helpful step-by-step photography and photos offering tips for beginners. Want to know the difference in size between minced onions and finely minced onions? There's a photo! Within the last week I made my first-ever Chicken and Dumplings, as well as the Pan-Seared Steak with Red Wine Sauce, and each meal turned out great. One very rarely can go wrong with anything from America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Illustrated.

THE BEST RECIPES IN THE WORLD by Mark Bittman looks like an interesting purchase for the future. Bittman's HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING is one of my most-referred-to volumes. His new book, as one could guess from the title, has an international spin.

Bittman, incidentally, has a nice article on the pleasures of cast-iron cooking in today's New York Times. (Registration may be required by The New York Times.)

Returning to recommended cookbooks: I haven't read it yet but Lisa Yockelson's CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE looks like an amazing feast for the eyes, if not the stomach!

Feeling Safer

Today's shooting by U.S. Air Marshals of an airplane passenger who made a bomb threat sends a powerful message to would-be terrorists.

Some stories indicate the passenger may have been mentally ill, and if so, it is very sad he was in a situation where he could make such a threat and put the marshals in a situation where they were forced to act. It would be hard to imagine the marshals being able to judge instantaneously whether the threat was serious or not. I seem to recall that Richard Reid, the would-be "shoe bomber," looked unkempt and possibly mentally ill, but he was nonetheless a very dangerous person who came far too close to blowing up an airplane.

Regardless of how the details unfold, I'm glad to know that there are marshals out there who are doing their utmost to protect our airplanes.

The Revolt Against Arnold Continues to Develop

Grassroots Republicans aren't at all happy about that controversial appointment of a far-left Democrat as Governor Schwarzenegger's chief of staff.

Mel Gibson's name was floated again in this article. There is now a "draft Mel" website, Mel Gibson for Governor.

Meanwhile, the Governor was hospitalized overnight with a rapid heartbeat. He is reported to be fine.

It's Time for the Annual Barney Christmas Video!

The Washington Post has a link up for the annual fun from Barney and, this year, Miss Beazley...Barney is a little jealous of his sis in "A Very Beazley Christmas."

Congratulations to California's Newest Representative

John Campbell is going to Congress. This is a Very Good Thing.

Hugh Hewitt has more on the election of "the smartest man in Sacramento."

Fred Barnes on Bush's Communications Strategy

Fred Barnes dissects why the President was silent so long in the face of Democrat attacks on his war policy. He explains the President was consciously trying to be "nonpolitical" on Iraq, and consequently paid a high political price; he only reversed course once the Democrats "began a campaign of accusing Bush of lying to the country about prewar intelligence to justify invading Iraq--an impeachable offense."

The President's past attempts to be nonpolitical or bipartisan have been similarly rebuffed by the Democrats. Senator Kennedy was gifted with being the chief architect behind the No Child Left Behind Act -- and repaid the President's bipartisan gesture by being one of his loudest, nastiest critics.

Hopefully this time the President has learned the lesson for good: Democrats never play nice, and Republicans must thus always remain on the offensive.

The CIA Continues Its War Against Bush

What's with "Current and former CIA officers speaking to ABC News on the condition of confidentiality"?

Is it possible these leakers are committing treason?

Power Line says "Nothing short of criminal prosecution is going to stop these CIA leakers from further endangering the national interest. Let's get started. Now."

More on Blanco, the Emails, and the Buses

Last Saturday I posted regarding the emails which clearly showed that during that first week after Hurricane Katrina, Governor Kathleen Blanco was busy shaping a political fight against the President rather than focusing all her attention on managing the ongoing crisis.

Junkyard Blog (linked above) has been pondering this issue and says: "Rather than working strategies to get food and transportation lined up, they were lining up an air war against President Bush. Her actions are beyond criminal..."

Michelle Malkin has further thoughts in "Blanco, Brown, and the Bus Bungle" (scroll down).

I'd like to welcome La Shawn Barber readers who have found this site via the link posted there yesterday in the "From Bubba to Blanco" piece. Please visit again!

Universal Preschool: California Should Learn From Canada

It drives me crazy when I hear radio commercials here in California asserting that a child attending preschool will reap untold benefits not only personally, but for society. One such commercial is playing on KFI at this very moment, narrated, I believe, by Adam Arkin.

As Joanne Jacobs notes above, studies have shown there are some benefits for disadvantaged children who attend preschool, but for other children the benefits are questionable, at best. I recently read an article about a study showing that full-time preschool could actually be damaging for some children.

Beyond the questionable value of preschool, there is the issue of cost. Joanne has a link to an article showing that in Quebec, Canada, their program is not costing the millions originally projected, but is now into the billions.

Kate O'Beirne's New Book

Rush Limbaugh mentioned today that Kate O'Beirne has a book coming out at month's end, WOMEN WHO MAKE THE WORLD WORSE: AND HOW THEIR RADICAL FEMINIST ASSAULT IS RUINING OUR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES, MILITARY, and SPORTS (linked above). Rush wrote a "blurb" for the book.

Over the years I've particularly enjoyed O'Beirne's columns and appearances on THE CAPITAL GANG, and I'm interested to learn more about her book.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Two different papers have run major pieces today on A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

One of my favorite Christmas ornaments is a Hallmark glass ball marking the special's 25th anniversary. It doesn't seem possible that's now hung on my tree for 15 years!

One of the things I like best about this Christmas show is that, unlike many other Christmas specials, the Biblical Christmas story plays a significant role. I always find the scene where Linus recites the Christmas story very moving.

Here is the story from The Los Angeles Times.

Update: Mary Katharine Ham, guest blogging at Hugh Hewitt's site, has a nice post on this subject.

"California Teen Wins Science Competition"

If you read down to the third paragraph, you will find that he's a homeschooled California teen. Most impressive.

Happy St. Nicholas Day

Our children have their shoes lined up in the hall tonight, St. Nicholas Eve...when they awaken in the morning they will find a chocolate Santa Claus and other Christmas candies inside (which hopefully will survive past breakfast!).

Along with our Sunday night Advent celebrations, when we light another candle and one of the children reads a devotional and prayer -- often followed by watching a Christmas movie or special -- celebrating St. Nicholas Day is one of our family's favorite Advent/Christmas traditions.

Christmas Music: Dean Martin

One of my favorite albums not just at Christmas, but year 'round, is Dean Martin's A WINTER ROMANCE (linked above). Recorded for Capitol, Dean is in absolutely prime voice on a variety of winter-related tunes such as "June in January," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and the lovely title tune. Five or six of the album's songs are traditionally associated with Christmas, including "White Chrismas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

A more complete collection of Dean's Christmas recordings can be found on MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT or the more recent release CHRISTMAS WITH DINO. MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT is one of the Christmas CD's most frequently requested by our children.

Dean can also be heard on the fun compilation CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAT PACK.

Thomas Sowell's Christmas Book List

Real Clear Politics has a Thomas Sowell column up with some terrific suggestions for books to give as Christmas gifts.

Two of the books on the list, David McCullough's 1776 and Sowell's own BLACK REDNECKS AND WHITE LIBERALS, are sitting on my shelves waiting to be read.

The main drawback to being in the business of proofreading is I spend so much time reading other people's work I don't get nearly as much time as I'd like for pleasure reading...

Half of DeLay Case Thrown Out

A judge today threw out conspiracy charges against Tom DeLay. This was the indictment reached by a jury after six months. Prosecutor Ronnie Earle then went "grand jury shopping" and secured a second indictment for money laundering in mere hours. DeLay will go to trial on the second charge.

Michelle Malkin has analysis and links (above).

Power Line thinks it's only a matter of time before Earle's humiliation is complete.

Kerry: U.S. Soldiers "Terrorize Kids"

I heard this sound bite this morning on Rush Limbaugh's show and was amazed. According to Senator Kerry, U.S. troops in Iraq are terrorizing "kids and children...women."

Captain's Quarters (linked above) has more.

John Fund on Arnold's "Harriet Miers Moment"

So the question is, will Governor Schwarzenegger, like President Bush, recognize his mistake for what it is and change course?

This Weekend's Movie: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

As I mentioned Friday, I caught up with the film Friday night and thoroughly enjoyed it, though I had numerous quibbles with some of the filmmakers' choices.

The quibbles were part of the fun; it was fascinating dissecting the attempt to give a fresh spin or voice to a familiar story. The film's "revisionist" tone reminded me of the Winona Ryder version of LITTLE WOMEN, as each film attempted a grittier, more "realistic" depiction of its story -- though P&P was mercifully without the feminist overtones of the LITTLE WOMEN remake. (And is it just me, or did Keira Knightley look and act just a bit as Ryder did in LITTLE WOMEN?)

On the whole I found it a worthy entry among the filmed versions of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. They did a fairly good job condensing the plot, although I didn't enjoy the "spinning" seasonal changes, which made me dizzy (grin). I find Wickham a tiresome character and didn't mind seeing so little of him in the film. I found it refreshing that Mr. Collins wasn't portrayed as quite the buffoon he has been portrayed as in the past (although he's still pretty silly!). I particularly liked the re-thinking of Mr. and Mrs. Bennett's relationship in this version; in the Firth version in particular the parents barely tolerated each other, and I enjoyed seeing their marriage portrayed with more affection and good humor. I also liked seeing genuine tender emotion from Mrs. Bennet (i.e., when Lydia left).

As Missy has pointed out, some of the attempts at "realism" did not come off so well. The pig?! Puh-lease. The dance coming to a screeching halt when Bingley and Darcy entered? It just seemed silly. And Lady Catherine "calling" in what appeared to be the middle of the night?! The Bennett dinner table scenes seemed to me to be overdone in their messiness, but they were also visually fascinating. And I thought Chatsworth too famous a site to use as Pemberley; it took me out of the movie's reality, but maybe that's just because I've been there. ("Oh, look, there's the hill with the waterfall we climbed!")

I'm of two minds about the (in)famous ending; I rather liked being treated to a little more "romance" than we're used to with Austen, but I think it could have been handled somehow in a more Austen-like way. (The, er, hand on the leg? Not Austen!)

But enough of the question marks. The cinematography was dazzling, particularly the sequence where the camera moved through room after room at the ball. Matthew MacFadyen grew on me over the course of the film, and I found his Mr. Darcy rather touching. Keira Knightley aquitted herself well as Elizabeth, and the rest of the cast were all quite good. Donald Sutherland in particular was very touching in his last scene.

A well-made, diverting film which I'll certainly be adding to my DVD library in due course.

Goodnight Moon Still Not P.C. Enough?

You may recall that Harper Collins digitally removed a cigarette from a photograph of illustrator Clement Hurd on new copies of GOODNIGHT, MOON. In these politically correct times, Hurd was setting a bad example and the cigarette had to go.

Here is a very funny piece on further work that must be done to the book to bring it into conformity with current standards.

(Registration may be required by The New York Times.)

(Hat tip: Betsy's Page.)

NASCAR Helps U.S. Bobsled Team

A rather fascinating sports story: former NASCAR driver Geoff Bodine builds bobsleds. In the past the U.S. teams have used European-made sleds, but with Bodine's company entering the picture, that has changed, and the U.S. team has been having excellent results this season using Bodine's sleds.

In January ten NASCAR drivers will be in Lake Placid driving bobsleds in a fundraiser for the bobsled team. Among the racers may be Boris Said, whose father was a two-time Olympian.

(Hat tip: Holy Coast.)

Homeschoolers and College

The Los Angeles Times notes that more universities are finding ways to accommodate homeschooled applicants who do not have traditional high school transcripts.

While private colleges have been in the forefront of recruiting homeschooled students in recent years, public universities are increasingly working on ways to increase flexibility in admissions policies within the framework of state laws. The article particularly focuses on UC Riverside's pilot program to admit more homeschooled applicants.

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

Blanco's Staff Was Working to Blame Bush in Midst of Crisis

A series of emails have been released to Congress which show that while New Orleans was in a state of crisis within the first week after Hurricane Katrina, Governor Kathleen Blanco and her staff were hard at work -- not managing the hurricane's aftermath, but figuring out how to blame the federal government for the "slow" response to the hurricane.

Update: Welcome to readers from La Shawn Barber's Corner!

The Cornbread Book

I purchased this book as part of my ongoing quest to find the perfect sweet cornbread. It arrived yesterday from Amazon, and I've been greatly enjoying the author's sense of humor and devotion to all things cornbread. Looks like lots of good recipes, too! I've got one picked out to try for Sunday dinner.

"Free Speech Under Siege"

A must-read by George Will, it particularly addresses concerns about attempts by the government to regulate free speech in the blogosphere and on talk radio.

Louisiana Greed?

Louisiana officials complain they haven't yet received enough federal dollars to fund their rebuilding.

Maybe if the state's representatives hadn't been so greedy, asking for an outrageous $250 billion, they might have received more funds by now?

I note that Walter Isaacson, vice chair of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, says "We're not asking for $250 billion anymore," he said. "We're asking for things that at most would total one-fifth of that." Which just shows to go how wrongheaded Louisiana's initial demands were.

Senator Landrieu insists her actions had nothing to do with the initial resistance to meeting Louisiana's high demands, as she continues to childishly zing the administration: "I'm not sure it was ever the intention of this administration to really help."

Whatever happened to the idea that the state and local communities should take the chief responsibility for helping themselves?

(Registration may be required by The Los Angeles Times.)

Books vs. Movies

Time Magazine recently ran this fun article comparing the book and film versions of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, HARRY POTTER, and THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE.

And on Friday USA TODAY ran an article about the Narnia books as Biblical allegory. (Input "Narnia" in USA TODAY's search engine. Their direct links seem to be glitchy fairly often...)

Brief Thoughts on Jane Austen

I saw PRIDE AND PREJUDICE tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it, even while I quibbled with some of the filmmakers' choices.

A more detailed review will have to wait for the weekend, but in the meantime I wanted to share this most interesting analysis of Jane Austen's writing (linked above).

(Hat tip: Missyisms.)

Blogs of Beauty Awards

Sallie of the blog Two Talent Living is hosting the Blogs of Beauty Awards, created to honor the work of Christian women who blog.

If you are looking for new blogs to visit, I highly recommend checking out the links for some of the nominees and finalists. There are a number of gifted women in the blogosphere writing about motherhood, homeschooling, religious issues, and more.

Some of the award finalists I have particularly enjoyed visiting in recent months are Mrs. Happy Housewife, Life in a Shoe, Spunky Homeschool, Biblical Womanhood (click on "Crystal's Blog" on the left), and Amy's Humble Musings.

As with blogs of any kind, I don't always agree with the points of view expressed in these blogs, but they all make for interesting and sometimes thought-provoking reading.

Macy's Says "Merry Christmas"

USA Today has a brief but interesting article on the "Merry Christmas" policies of various retailers.

Macy's, which saw controversy last year due to stories its employees were forbidden to say "Merry Christmas" -- the article doesn't make clear whether or not that was the actual policy -- is going all-out this year with full-page ads that say "Merry Christmas."

I found it rather amusing that Lowe's attempted to sell "holiday trees" and pulled banners with that phrase from all its stores after receiving complaints. I'm glad to hear that at least they were responsive to the public on that issue. It's always particularly perplexing when stores want to sell "holiday" items which are specifically Christmas related and will thus be purchased only by those who observe Christmas. Who could possibly be offended?

Allen, McCain Favorites?

I'll stay home before I'll vote for McCain, who among other things interfered in the race here in O.C. for Chris Cox's former seat in the House. McCain campaigned for a pro-abortion moderate Republican, who fortunately lost to conservative, pro-life State Senator John Campbell in the primary. Campbell is familiar to many as a regular on the Hugh Hewitt show, and he's in a runoff election for the seat next week.

At this point I'm very positive about George Allen and feel he has great potential...

Filibuster Coming?

Bring. It. On.

And if the Republican Senators turn into a bunch of spineless wimps (again) at this crucial juncture, they won't ever again see a dime of my money, and I'm sure there are many more who would say the same.

Revolt Brewing Against Arnold?

Hugh Hewitt said today on the radio that he is on the verge of regretting his endorsement of Governor Schwarzenegger. When Hugh, a Republican party loyalist to the core, says something like that publicly, you know the situation isn't good.

George Neumayr of The American Spectator (linked above) quotes the California Republican Assembly President, Mike Spence, likening Arnold's appointment of Susan Kennedy as chief of staff to "George Bush appointing Howard Dean to be his chief of staff."

Kennedy, incidentally, is not related to California's First Lady, Maria Shriver, whose mother is, of course, a Kennedy.

A point in the article I question: "They were given a choice between a meaningful victory with real Republican Tom McClintock or a hollow victory with a de facto Democrat, and they chose the latter." As deeply as I admire McClintock, I'm not sure he was a viable candidate against Democrat Cruz Bustamante. Perhaps McClintock might have been able to win with Scharzenegger out of the picture, but the real choice might have been a loss with a "real Republican" versus the "hollow victory with a de facto Democrat." And as much as I dislike some of Governor Schwarzenegger's policies, to date I think we've been better off than we would have been with Davis or Bustamante in office over the past months.

I wonder if there is any seriousness whatsoever to the idea that Mel Gibson's name "is being floated." I suspect it doesn't have much basis in reality, but I was intrigued to receive a fundraising letter for McClintock from ol' Mel a few weeks ago.

The Governor did appoint a Republican as his new finance chief today.

Giving Thanks for Walt Disney World

Kevin Yee of Mice Age has a great column up in which he lists 10 things in each Disney World park for which he's thankful.

I've been very, very fortunate to be able to spend a couple of vacations at Disney World. Being a Disneyland enthusiast (and former employee), I wasn't quite sure, before my first trip, what I would think of Disney World. I fell in love almost immediately. Staying in the themed resorts is almost like staying overnight in one of the parks! If you have the opportunity to visit, by all means do.

It may be a while until I can visit again, but in the meantime, I'll be dreaming of it!

The Cupcake Craze

A fun story from an Australian paper on the current interest in cupcakes, which mentions a couple of my favorite "food" websites: 52 Cupcakes (my source for the article link) and Cupcakes Take the Cake.

Fred Barnes: The MSM Still Has the Power

Fred Barnes has a good analysis pointing out that while conservatives have created a strong alternative media via talk radio and the Internet, the mainstream media still has enormous power to set the agenda, while conservative media usually reacts to same.

He points out some recent -- and disturbing -- samples of the MSM's news fakery which prevails as conventional wisdom, such as the idea Rep. Murtha had suddenly changed his position on the Iraq War. He also mentions the MSM's ability to create "characters" such as Cindy Sheehan "out of whole cloth." A worthwhile read.

Arnold, Arnold, Arnold...

We all know that Arnold is a "social liberal," yet somehow I don't think the Republicans who helped elect Governor Schwarzenegger were expecting him to hire as chief of staff a Democrat Gray Davis appointee. Not only is she a "Davis Democrat," she's an abortion rights activist, who incidentally is "married" to another woman.

The San Francisco Chronicle notes "The move could kick off major protests from conservative Republicans." Um, yeah.

Well, the next few months are going to be interesting, I'll say that much.

Christmas Music: Bing Crosby

Bing's MERRY CHRISTMAS album, linked above, is my "desert island" Christmas album, along with THE GLORIOUS SOUND OF CHRISTMAS (scroll down for yesterday's post). Even seeing the cover, with Bing smiling in his Santa hat, conjures up happy Christmas memories.

The album is balanced between a half-dozen slower-paced, mostly religious songs (this was the first side of the LP version) and a batch of jauntier songs from "Side 2." Bing is joined on three of the songs by the Andrews Sisters, and my favorite track, "Silver Bells," is a duet with Carole Richards. (Richards dubbed for some non-singing actresses in the '50s, including Cyd Charisse in BRIGADOON and SILK STOCKINGS.)

The two-CD set THE VOICE OF CHRISTMAS contains all of Bing's Christmas recordings for Decca, including the songs from MERRY CHRISTMAS. It's very enjoyable and a must for a Christmas music or Bing enthusiast, but doesn't have quite the same overall effect as the familiar lineup of songs from MERRY CHRISTMAS.

The songs on CHRISTMAS WITH BING CROSBY have been released under other album titles -- it's also known as BING CROSBY'S CHRISTMAS CLASSICS -- but whatever the title, it's a worthwhile purchase. My favorite track is "Do You Hear What I Hear?" which gets a lot of radio play at this time of year. My children are partial to the somewhat silly "Christmas Dinner Country Style" which sounds like it might possibly have been a skit in one of Crosby's Christmas shows.

Record Hurricane Year A Natural Cycle

Hurricane experts say that this year's record hurricane season, which ends today, is part of a natural multi-decade cycle and not a product of global warming.

I posted a story on this a few weeks ago, but I think this additional article is worthwhile given the global warming canards so often repeated in the media.

Journal Editorial Report...

...is moving from PBS to Fox News Channel in January.

Senator Reid: Leaking or Lying?

Radio Blogger has posted a transcript of an interview Jed Babbin (subbing for Hugh Hewitt) conducted with John Fund of the Wall Street Journal. They discuss Senator Reid's surprising statement on a Nevada TV show that Osama Bin Laden was killed in an earthquake in Pakistan.

Fund points out the irony that Reid was the same person who called the Senate into closed session because of his supposed outrage over the CIA/Plamegate investigation. And of course Reid's statement begs the question: Is he leaking classified information, or is he lying?

Power Line and Red State have more.

Arnold, Say It Ain't So

Ugh.

The CIA vs. Bush

A disturbing article by John Hinderaker of Power Line about the CIA's use of leaks as part of an ongoing effort to damage the Bush Administration.

Character Education in the Movies

Betsy Newmark has a nice post today building on a National Review article by Thomas Hibbs about the use of movies for educating "the moral imagination" with positive role models.

In addition to HARRY POTTER and PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, which Hibbs discusses, Betsy mentions the lessons taught in WALK THE LINE. (Cash's religious conversion was soft-pedaled in the film, but it was implied, along with his recognition of his failures and the need to change his behavior.)

There are many, many older films which also have value as character lessons, whether it's PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, APOLLO 13, or CHARIOTS OF FIRE. I could name countless others which communicate positive messages about morals and values. One reason I like my sons, in particular, to watch John Wayne or older WWII movies is because of the examples they depict of leadership and courage.

As Betsy notes, it's good to recognize that some newer movies also model the kinds of behavior young people should emulate.

Stan Berenstain Dies

From Mom-2-Mom Connection comes the news that Stan Berenstain, co-author of THE BERENSTAIN BEARS books, has passed away at age 82.

My oldest daughter was particularly enamored with the books -- we have quite a shelf of them. (My husband, however, objects to the way the father in the books is portrayed as a bit of a nitwit, compared to the wise mother. He may have a good point.) Like Heather at Mom-2-Mom Connection, our favorite is probably Too Much Birthday. That "Too Much..." phrase is enduring and has been used by our family in other contexts.

I also have great fondness for The Big Honey Hunt; I still have my own childhood copy.

While I'm at it, thanks to La Shawn Barber for calling my attention to Mom-2-Mom Connection on her website. I've found it an enjoyable site.

Christian Students Sue UC System for Discrimination

The lawsuit is about the refusal of the University of California system to consider classes from a Christian worldview (i.e., "Christianity's Influence on American History" or "Christianity and Morality in American Literature") as acceptable college preparatory work.

(Hat tip: Joanne Jacobs.)

A Scary Homeschooling Editorial

Among other points, this column asserts: "...home-schooling is not only a response to deteriorating public schools, but a cause of its decline. Schools should be given the chance to respond to public needs...Home-schooling doesn't help the public good, just the individual."

(And the problem with that is...? What if every parent took the responsibility to look out for their children as individuals, wouldn't that be a public good?)

The author also rails against "traditional roles of male breadwinner and female caretaker," "political inculcation," and other supposed homeschooling horrors.

Frankly I find the author's "All your children belong to us" Borg-like attitude much more troubling than any concern she raises about homeschooling.

(Hat tip: HomeSchoolBuzz.)

For a flip point of view, here's an opposing editorial which also appeared in today's Seattle Times. (Via Free Republic.)

Christmas Music: The Glorious Sound of Christmas

Christmas music is one of my great interests. I have a collection of Christmas CDs, LPs, and cassettes which is larger than I would probably be willing to admit in public :). I hope to call attention to some of my favorite recordings over the next few weeks, in hopes a reader might make a new discovery which will add to the enjoyment of Advent and Christmas.

THE GLORIOUS SOUND OF CHRISTMAS, with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra and Temple University Choir, is my all-time favorite album of religious Christmas music. To me, this album means "Christmas." Check out the 10 five-star reviews on Amazon.

I also enjoy Ormandy's JOY TO THE WORLD, but THE GLORIOUS SOUND OF CHRISTMAS is in a league of its own.

Border Security and the President's Guest Worker Proposal

I share the concerns expressed in this National Review editorial about President Bush's plans to address illegal immigration. I strongly support securing the border, but I have deep concerns about the President's proposed guest worker program, which would allow those here illegally to remain legally. Our nation tried an amnesty program in good faith under President Reagan, and the results were dismal. Millions of illegal immigrants became citizens, but nothing substantive was done to prevent further illegal immigration to this country. If anything, I think that amnesty program encouraged more people to enter the country illegally in hopes of a similar deal being offered in future.

The President insists he's not offering amnesty, but the guest worker program he proposes for workers who are already here illegally is itself a form of amnesty. I don't see how it can be argued otherwise.

Further, he says that illegal immigrants are doing jobs Americans don't want to do. Well, that may be true right now, as long as employers can fill certain jobs paying illegals low wages under the table. Some may say this practice benefits U.S. citizens in the form of lower prices, but one downside among many is that in turn the illegal workers don't pay taxes, while straining our infrastructure to its limits. The impact of illegal immigration on my area, Southern California, has been overwhelming -- crowded freeways, schools, and hospital emergency rooms -- and it's a serious problem in other parts of the country, as well.

One step I would definitely like to see taken is for the government to stop banks from accepting Mexico's Matricula Consular cards as identification. Banks are increasingly courting the business of illegal immigrants, including offering them home loans, and this needs to be cut short now.

I respect President Bush, but have found his lack of attention to border security in the wake of 9/11 perplexing, at best. I will be pleased if he does the right thing and follows words with actions when it comes to making serious efforts to secure the borders. However, I'll be deeply disappointed if he continues to advocate rewarding those who have broken our nation's laws.

On Thomas Sowell and...Baby Names?

Thomas Sowell has a change-of-pace column on baby names.

An interesting point to note is that although, as Sowell points out, the top 10 girls' names of 1960 were not in 2000's top 10, 25% of the top 20 names of 2004 were in the top 20 in 1880.

Perhaps traditional names are in greater vogue than Dr. Sowell realizes?

Hastert Reclaims Capitol Christmas Tree

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has directed that the tree on Capitol Hill, which has been named the "Holiday Tree" in recent years, will go back to its longtime name, the "Capitol Christmas Tree."

The Speaker's spokesman said: "The speaker believes a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree, and it is as simple as that."

Chalk a win up for Christmas!

Pro-Liberal Classroom Indoctrination

Michelle Malkin posted an interesting piece over the long weekend about an English teacher in Vermont who repeatedly made pro-liberal, anti-conservative statements during vocabulary exercises.

A sample question which asks the students to choose between the words "coherent" and "eschewed": "I wish Bush would be (coherent, eschewed) for once during a speech, but there are theories that his everyday diction charms the below-average mind, hence insuring him Republican votes."

The original Boston Globe article is here. The headline, which says the teacher is under investigation for "alleged liberalism," is misleading; obviously, no one has a problem with a teacher's right to be liberal, the problem is when the teacher uses his classroom as a bully pulpit.

I wish I could say this kind of classroom indoctrination is unusual, but I know from firsthand experience that it's not.

Time Reporter Part of Rove's Defense?

Here's an interesting piece in the Washington Post about the involvement of Time reporter Viveca Novak in the Plamegate matter.

John Whitehead on Christmas in Schools

John Whitehead of The Rutherford Institute has written a commentary on Christmas and public schools. In particular he zeroes in on schools which have gone overboard in their zeal to remove all religious references from the celebration of Christmas...er, "Winter Holidays."

The Rutherford Institute's attorneys have compiled 12 Rules of Christmas as a guideline for how Christmas may legally be celebrated in public schools, on government property, and by public and private employers. Each of the "rules" is footnoted with case law. An informative read. (Search by document title on Rutherford's website; direct link not working.)

Rutherford's website contains other interesting reading on this topic, including a new paper called Christmas Under Siege: A Report on the Elimination of an American Tradition.

Power Line on Mary Mapes (Again)

Power Line takes apart more of Mary Mapes' book, noting how she deliberately ignored any facts that didn't mesh with her story.

What's disturbing, as they have pointed out in this and other posts, is that some of those reviewing the book for the mainstream media are so ill-informed about the facts. One wonders if the critics are being as deliberately blind as Mapes herself.

Mark Steyn on the State of Movies and Movie-Going

Steyn is always a great read, and this column is no exception.

The info about the Whoopi Goldberg "disclaimers" on the Looney Tunes DVD set is particularly mind-boggling. I love Steyn's rebuttal: "It’s true you don’t see many positive images of people of color on Looney Tunes, but then the images of people of noncolor aren’t terribly positive, either (Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam). Instead, you see positive images of ducks of color, roadrunners of color and tweety birds of color."

Steyn mentions you can't skip past the Goldberg introduction on the DVD. This is a problem I've noticed on a couple new DVD sets of late -- introductions that are difficult to skip over.

The need the studios seem to feel to put "disclaimers" of various types in their DVD sets is troubling. It's more of a "legal" issue than a "P.C." issue, but an otherwise wonderful vintage Disneyland documentary in a Disney Treasures set was marred by on-screen legal disclaimers during a Tahitian Terrace fire dance scene warning not to try it at home!

(Registration may be required by The Orange County Register.)

CNN Operator Fired for Telling Caller "X" Was Free Speech

Thanks to the Drudge Report, the plot thickens about that mysterious X that was repeatedly flashed over Vice President Cheney's face on CNN during a live speech...CNN has fired a telephone operator for telling a caller that the X was "free speech...we did it just to make a point."

CNN said the operator was fired for expressing his "personal views," but one wonders...