Following in the footsteps of Schroeder, perhaps my favorite Peanuts cartoon character, today (approximately... most historians believe somewhere between the 15th and 17th) we celebrate the birthday of the great composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany, one of 7 children - only 3 survived past infancy - to a court musician and his wife. His accomplishments, achievements, and his pure genius are hard to recount here without making some serious oversights. Nevertheless, anyone with serious appreciation for good music is familiar with a number of his works. Beethoven was radical for his time and broke ground with his composition style. He ushered in the Romantic era of great music. Many of his symphonies … [Read more...]
“Gimme’ That Old Time Evolution”
Fox News has reported that the ACLU is suing a rural Pennsylvania school board for allowing the teaching of intelligent design alongside the teaching of biological evolution in the classroom. The ACLU said its lawsuit will be the first to challenge whether public schools should teach "intelligent design," which holds that the universe is so complex that it must have been created by some higher power. The Dover Area School District (search) was believed to be the first in the nation to mandate intelligent design when it voted 6-3 in October in favor of including the concept in the science curriculum. The ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State have scheduled a news conference Tuesday to discuss the suit, which … [Read more...]
Good Monday Reads
In a "linker" sort of mood... couldn't help but do my part to make sure readers who stumble my way take a look at the following articles also posted on Real Clear Politics: Michael Barone, pre-eminent political analyst, tells the Bush administration to look into the latest scholarly contributions on non-violent protest to find another means to help bring down the Axis of Evil. John Fund at Opinion Journal has a great piece titled "How Daschle Got Blogged." Fund continues to be one of the big fans of new media and its potential. (If you don't believe me, check out the quote at the top of the page.) In his piece, Fund highlights the creation of a new political blog in anticipation of the 2006 Minnesota Senate race between … [Read more...]
Replacing Salazar II
The Post has published a more extensive piece on John Suthers - the governor's nominee to replace Senator-Elect Salazar as the state's attorney general. Interesting notes? The Post labels Suthers "a conservative Republican." [emphasis mine] I have only heard about him secondhand. I'd love to hear what others' impressions are of his political leanings. My guess is he's probably center-right to moderate, which would merit the Post calling him conservative. (A real conservative is usually called something like a "radical" or "flaming right-winger" by the Post.) But I could be wrong. I'd love to hear. The Post's writers also build on the assertion reported by Lynn Bartels that Suthers is likely an easy confirmation for … [Read more...]
Replacing Salazar
Now that the failed Dairy Queen franchise operator's days as Colorado Attorney General are coming to a close, the spotlight has been on Gov. Owens to see who will be appointed to replace him. Attorney General Ken Salazar is soon to become US Senator Ken Salazar. But who will replace him? If Owens has his way, it will be loyal Republican John Suthers, who ran against Salazar for the statewide office in 1998. According to the Rocky's Lynn Bartels, Suthers likely won't have problems being confirmed by a closely divided State Senate. On Suthers' resume? Bush-appointed U.S. Attorney for Colorado Owens-appointed state Department of Corrections chief District attorney, El Paso and Teller counties What this sets up, as the Rocky … [Read more...]
In the Interest of Full Disclosure
Ed at Captain's Quarters has commented on the breaking story about certain of our South Dakota blog friends' paid relationship with the John Thune campaign. Ed's reaction? Am I angry about this? Not especially. Neither site pretended to present an unbiased look at the race -- DvT overtly supported John Thune from the start of the blog. (Like Pat, I didn't read SDP.) Now that the payments have been disclosed, the bloggers have to answer to the marketplace, and I suspect they will suffer a marked loss of readership -- which is the only coin of this realm. The free market of ideas works similarly to any other free market; if the supplier can't be trusted, people find a different supplier. Ed and the other Northern Alliance guys have … [Read more...]
Teachers’ Union and Politics
Are you a public school teacher in Colorado? Do you know a friend or family member who is? Check out the latest from the Independence Institute. The Institute sent out an electronic message to 40,000 teachers last night. We've been told KOA's Mike Rosen will read from it during his morning show. Here's a nugget from the letter about the Colorado Education Association (CEA) - the state's largest teachers' union - and its political contributions. From January through November 2004, political and small donor committees operated by CEA and CEA-affiliated local associations reported combined spending to political parties and candidates: - 94% to the Democrat Party and its candidates - 5.4% to the Republican Party and its candidates - … [Read more...]
Senate President Seeks to Explain Republican Disaster
State Senate President John Andrews, one of the co-founders of the Independence Institute, tries to explain what went wrong in Colorado for the GOP during the recent election. Hindsight, as I've heard it said, is 50-50. Look - we know the Republican Party took an old-fashioned butt-kicking. Senator Andrews sizes up what the Democrats did right and what he and other Republican leaders could have done better. … [Read more...]
Conservative Resigns State House Seat
A faithful and reliable conservative Republican voice in the Colorado House of Representatives, Don Lee, has announced his resignation from his District 28 seat in the minority caucus. The following is his statement: Many factors were considered before making this decision, the primary one being my future career. My career has taken a dramatic turn since joining the General Assembly in 1999, from a 20-year veteran in the defense-aerospace industry, to senior manager for a curriculum company, K12 Inc. I have accepted a new position with K12, which includes a promotion and additional responsibilities. This new position requires my full-time attention, which in turn, necessitates this difficult decision. … [Read more...]
Pearl Harbor Movies
I know it's late in the day for this, but... For a day that's lived "in infamy," Dec. 7, 1941, has been the inspiration for a lot of films. It's kind of a quirky way to remember one of the more significant events in American history, but my brain is fried and I couldn't think of a better way to commemorate Pearl Harbor Day in the limited time I have. Pearl Harbor spawned a lot of movies. So here's a brief trip down memory lane. The biggies, of course, are the inimitable Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), From Here to Eternity (1953) and its star-studded cast, and In Harms Way (1965) with John Wayne. They're all good, though I remember some better than others. I'd be curious to see the depictions in the earliest wartime releases: … [Read more...]