Enviro-MENTAL Concerns

Why link to one environmental blog when I can discuss all of them?

I keep seeing environmentalists cling to Al Gore, despite repeated attacks on his credibility. Despite promoting a pamphlet that instructs people to live in straw huts (hopefully not in Cali, we don't need any more fires) and other such extreme measures, he flies in corporate jets that emit ridiculous amounts of carbon dioxide and hardly lives up to his lofty standards. Democratic environmentalists, why would you want a "Leer Jet Liberal" representing an interest that is so dear to you? Surely there are better people to chose from.

And what exactly is his environmental expertise again?

Dog Eat Dog World

Barney Cam is back at the White House. To spread a little bit of holiday cheer, as well as a message about National Parks we get to see a dog's eye view of the White House, featuring Barney, his love interest Miss Beazley, the Bush family, and Tony Blair.

Posting daily dog pictures doesn't only work for Dooce. Throw the White House a bone, will ya?

Democratic In-fighting

It's the top news on major blogs today: Democrats are at it again.

Instapundit highlights the news:

A BAD PRESS DAY FOR THE DEMOCRATS:
Washington Post: Democrats Blaming Each Other For Failures
Wall Street Journal: Intraparty Feuds Dog Democrats, Stall Congress
Washington Post: Democrats Bow To Bush's Demands In House Spending Bill
The Hill: Dems Cave On Spending
USA Today Editorial: Surge's Success Holds Chance To Seize The Moment In Iraq – Democrats “Lost in Time”

Michelle Malkin takes a break from poking at Dems in her post, stating that "The Democrats are their own worst enemies." They're having a hard time getting legislation past the House and into the Senate, and it doesn't seem to be getting any easier as Congress is trying to wrap up for Christmas.

I wonder if this will show in the Democratic Debate tonight?

Children and TV

Should you feel guilty if your children spend a lot of time in front of the TV? Probably.

In evaluating what television shows are best for children to watch in terms of social and learning skills, Guernsey, author of "Into the Minds of Babes," writes: "The closer the product comes to simulating the way a good nursery school teacher or attentive parent talks to a young child, the better."

As the author of the article states, this is a chilling conclusion. What children need is parental involvement, not a television babysitter; if we don't like what our kids see on TV, parents need to take control. It is not the government's job to educate us outside of providing schools, or to subsequently limit what we see on TV. This, as I have argued in the past, simply eases personal responsibility but eventually leads to deterioration of civil liberties.

It's hard. Being a parent is incredibly demanding, especially in today's society where both parents will typically need to work outside the home to support a household. But don't we know our own children better than the government? If we can't protect them, then no one can. Playground effects are a concern, sure, but everyone deals with contamination in their life. Good parenting will get kids through it.

Feminists Dislike Billary

How many times have we heard, "If every woman in America votes for Hillary, she will win the election"?

Not so fast, Hillary has been getting nixed by nay-sayers. Why? "Hillary is not just another professional woman of my generation, who ought to inspire sisterly empathy. She is a throwback to an earlier era, when women found their place through their husbands."

Ouch!

Hillary's Slipping off the Coat-tails

Looks like things are getting rocky for Hillary. I am equally happy and amazed to see Obama is chipping away at her support in Iowa, and hope that the trend continues. While she is not the most liberal of the candidates, (Obama really has grabbed the more liberal left in the party, I wonder how that will bode for him if he wins the nomination) I find her lack of ability to give a straight answer, her having Bill campaign for her, and - let's not forget, her political socialize *cough* I mean stances - absolutely troubling.

Religion.. oy!

The buzz has been about Mitt Romney's speech on religion. Pundits have been parsing, secularists surveying, Republicans religifying.. you get the idea.

Like it or not, America is a religious country. It was part of our founding, continues to be part of American tradition, and it is rooted in the Constitution that we should respect it.

Honestly. Secularists who try to push religion into the corners of society forget that freedom of religion is what entitles them to have an opinion on this at all.

My take? Today's Mormon is yesterday's Catholic. When are we going to learn that religion is a personal belief, not a political stance, and get on to more important issues?