Commentary of the Day [5-9]

While the word is not yet devoid of all meaning, the last five years have been witness to a corruption of the word "conservative" that earlier rotted out the once-noble concept of liberalism.

...

It is ironic that such "conservatives" argue that illegal immigration is good for the American economy, given that they are theoretically adherents of Adam Smith's capitalism, which states, among many other things, the Law that as supply goes up, that price must go down, given constant demand. One would have to be a serious sophist indeed to miss the application of that law to labor prices, which have declined more than 16 percent while 30 million legal and illegal immigrants have entered the country and provided that price-suppressing supply of which Mr. Smith speaks so highly.

So, the economy is healthier while Americans are making less money. Pro-immigration economists will point out that household income is higher, but this is only because more married women are working than in 1973, the year real wage rates peaked. It is interesting to note that these "conservative" commentators are therefore defending a practice which is directly linked to the profoundly non-conservative value of removing mothers from their children.

...

Power draws scoundrels like rotting flesh draws flies. With the success of the Republican Party and Fox News, you can be sure that half of the "conservative" commentariat and three-quarters of the "Republican" politicians are in service to no higher principle than their own advancement.

And while conservatives can continue to play along and serve these frauds if they wish, at least they need not do so in ignorance. As Trent Reznor urged: "Bow down before the one you serve. You're going to get what you deserve."
>> Vox Day: Hot Air Republicans [Full Article]

Thought that was an interesting commentary.

Viewpoint of a Vatican Astronomer

Vatican astronomer Guy Consolmagno says believing God created the universe in six days is a form of "pagan superstition."

Consolmagno told the Scotsman the idea that religion and science are competing principles is a "destructive myth."

...

"Religion needs science to keep it away from superstition and keep it close to reality, to protect it from creationism, which at the end of the day is a kind of paganism -- it's turning God into a nature god," he said. "And science needs religion in order to have a conscience, to know that, just because something is possible, it may not be a good thing to do."
>> Full Article [WND]

I agree it's superstition in all likelihood; an old and antiquated way to postulate or explain how we came to be here along with everything else. But his whole argument against creationism isn't how or whether it occured, it's what kind of a god is portrayed in such a tale.

And he said "religion needs science to keep it away from superstition". But Religion is superstition. Aside from the moral codes and what not the rest of the things associated with religion such as rituals and popular myths and tales are superstitions.

Superstition: 1 a : a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation b : an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition
2 : a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary
>> Merriam Webster Online Dictionary

I can't say I'm surprised though to hear some kind of criticism of Vatican dogma coming from someone who specializes in trying to understand the cosmos, gazing up into the vast and wonderous ocean of space. The most distant specks of light coming from stars millions of light years away, easily overshadowing the creationist timetable of 6,000 some odd years since the universe's creation.

Given our current understanding that would mean we would not even be able to see the center of our own galaxy because the light from it hadn't reached us yet assuming everything appeared at once and started radiating light then (unless it was plopped in place with the light purposely already having traversed the universe to where we could see everything in an almost Matrix-like facade of a construct).

Though there is plenty left to know, if the knowledge can ever be acquired, about the universe, it's beginnings (had to start somewhere, and from what? How?), to say with absolute certainty that any theory is 100% correct.

April 2006 casualties

format:
[Insignia --- rank and last name (age), Unit -- cause of death]


--- Staff Sergeant Hernandez (47) - 80th Division (reserve) -- IED
--- Private First Class Duenas (23) - 101st Division -- non-combat injuries
--- Private First Class Ehle (19) - 1st Armored Division -- non-combat injuries
--- Hospitalman Aleman (20) - 8th Marine Regiment -- enemy action
--- Lance Corporal Beisel (21) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- combat operations
--- Lance Corporal Kim (20) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary force -- combat operations
--- Staff Sergeant McIntosh (29) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- combat operations
--- Corporal Procopio (20) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- combat operations
--- Corporal Aguilar (21) - 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force -- Truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Corporal Bass (20) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- Truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Lance Corporal Gallagher (27) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Lance Corporal Sandoval-Flores (20) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Corporal Germain (22) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Staff Sergeant Twitchell (28) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Captain Moshier (25) - 4th Infantry Division -- helo crash
? --- Chief Warrant Officer(?) Hartwick (37) - 4th Infantry Division -- helo crash*
--- Staff Sergeant Clay (34) - 1st Armored Division -- IED
--- Sergeant Garcia (23) - 1st Armored Division -- IED
--- Specialist Johnson (28) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Palmiasano (27) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Petty Officer 3rd Class Nettles (22) - Fleet Marine Forces Pacific -- truck rolled over in flash flood
--- Private First Class Edwards (19) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- combat operations
--- Specialist Harris (21) - 172nd Stryker Brigade -- IED
--- Specialist Sesker (22) - 113th Cavalry (Guard) -- IED
--- Sergeant First Class Rogers (42) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Private Missildine (19) - 1st Armored Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Love (22) - 84th Engineer Combat Battalion -- IED
--- Lance Corporal NavarroArellano (24) - 3rd Marine Logistics Group -- combat operations
--- Lance Corporal Taylor (20) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- shot by Iraqi Army soldier
--- Corporal Waller (22) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- combat operations
--- Sergeant First Class Lamberson (36) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Sergeant Collins (24) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Specialist Creighton (21) - 172nd Stryker Brigade -- IED
--- Corporal Hess (26) - 172nd Stryker Brigade -- IED
--- Corporal Blanco (25) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Costello (27) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Roehl (21) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Specialist Bandhold (37) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Calderon-Ascencio (21) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Glimpse (22) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Martini (24) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- combat operations
--- Specialist Waits (23) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Corporal Bachar (20) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- enemy action
--- Lance Corproal Perez (22) - 1st Marine Expeditionary Force -- enemy action
--- Lance Corporal Cothran (21) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- IED
--- Corporal Mayorga (33) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Sims (22) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- IED
--- Private First Class Winslow (19) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Settle (23) - 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force -- vehicle accident
--- Master Sergeant Cubert (38) - 2113th Transportation Company (Guard) -- IED
--- Specialist Melcher (34) - 103rd Armor Regiment (Guard) -- smal arms fire
--- Captain Weikel (31) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Settle (25) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Specialist Tinnell (25) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Staff Sergeant Ramseyer (28) - 3rd Marine Division -- combat operations
--- Corporal Lueken (23) - 3rd Marine Division -- combat operations
--- Private Zimmerman (19) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Captain Adamkavicius (43) - 35th Infantry Division (Guard) -- small arms (Afghanistan)
--- Sergeant Colnot (23) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Specialist King (29) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Allcott (21) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Private Bouthot (19) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Simons (20) - 1st Marine Division -- combat operations
--- Sergeant Ehney (26) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Corporal Daniel (21) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Corporal Lasswell (21) - 4th Infantry Division -- IED
--- Sergeant First Class Herrema (27) - Special Operations Command -- enemy fire
--- Staff Sergeant Bandonill (29) - 101st Division -- IED
--- Private First Class Henry (21) - 172nd Stryker Brigade -- IED
--- Lance Corporal Ford (19) - 1st Marine Division -- combat operations


*The press release did not specify which grade of Chief Warrant Officer the deceased was, so the insignia is of the lowest possible CWO.