For some time now, Walt has been toying with the idea of instituting a Brass Neck Award, for the person showing the most unmitigated gall, brazen audacity, or nerve of a canal horse in handling a situation from which mere mortals would flee in embarrassment.
Swiping a name or concept from someone else would get you an entry in the contest, but only if you pass it off as your own and stand by that claim even when challenged. Since I'm admitting that I saw the name "Brass Neck Award" in Private Eye, and decided I couldn't improve on it, I don't qualify.
Many politicians spring to mind instantly. Newt Gingrich for instance. But let's try not to think about him. How about Canadian prime minister "Call me Steve" Harper, who last week refused three times to answer a question about whether he had deliberately misled Parliament (and the Canadian people) on the true cost of the ridiculously expensive F-35 fighter jets which Canada proposes to purchase from Lockheed-Martin. Quoth Mr. Harpoon, "No money has actually been spent yet, so there's no problem."
That's pretty bad. But this weekend a humble, ordinary, working-class American came to the front of the pack, by launching a website (of course) portraying himself as the real victim in a killing committed by, errr, himself.
I refer of course, to George Zimmerman, the murderer of Trayvon Martin. The Z-man's website not only gives his side of the story -- "I was involved in a life altering event which led me to become the subject of intense media coverage. As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life..." -- but also invites readers to use PayPal to give him their financial support. "Any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment,” Mr. Zimmerman explains.
Unlike shooting an unarmed black kid, Mr. Z's latest act took real stones. But let's not rush to judgment. Others have seven-plus months to demonstrate even more unmitigated gall etc etc.
Footnote from Ed.: Readers are invited to use PayPal to support Walt in his worthy endeavours. See panel at right of screen!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Le CH vous dit "À la prochaine"
The Montréal Canadiens have had what can only be described as a dismal season. Just one damn thing after another: injuries, terrible trades, and the firing of two good coaches. Result? Les not-so-Glorieux finished 15th -- dead last -- in the NHL's Eastern Conference. And 28th overall in a league of 30 teams. Dismal.There's a lesson here for us fans. Not quite two months ago, Walt urged les amateurs de la Flanelle to have faith. Lots of faith! Unfortunately, faith alone seems insufficient, when that faith is in mere mortals. (Hello, Scotty Gomez!) It will take someone with supernatural powers -- as player, coach or both -- to turn le Club de Hockey Canadien around and restore it to its customary winning ways. Let us pray.
Meanwhile, at last night's last game in the Bell Centre, a scoreboard video offered thanks to Habs fans for their patience, and promised a better next season in 2012-13. Walt has been unable to capture and embed the video, but you can see what the fans saw on the Habs website. Walt wishes all Montréal partisans a pleasant summer. See you in September!
"No Country for Old (Catholic) Men"
A friend sent me the link to an e-article with this headline -- "No Country for Old (Catholic) Men" -- with a note saying it appeared to be about me. Naturally intrigued, I immediately checked out the web page only to find that the old Catholic man the writer (R. Cort Kirkwood) is talking about is Pat Buchanan! In fact, the subtitle of the piece is "The Real Reason Pat Buchanan Got Fired from MSNBC".
Although too long to copy and paste here, Mr. Kirkwood's article is well worth reading in its entirety. He writes about MSNBC's firing of Pat Buchanan as a commentator in February, after he published Suicide of a Superpower: Will American Survive to 2025?.
What's wrong with this book? To hear the lamestream media (including MSNBC) tell it, Mr. Buchanan's book -- which expands on an essay he wrote last October (which you can read here), ventures beyond the acceptable bounds of debate. Of course the leftists, liberals and "progressive thinkers" believe in free speech... but only for their opinions, not for those of Pat Buchanan or Walt Whiteman.
Mr. Kirkwood says, as the fact is, that the American left, controlled by anti-Christians, feminists and homosexuals, won’t brook disagreement with its core principles: racial politics and sodomy, fornication and abortion on demand. Disagree with anything the left says, and one is labeled a racist, misogynist or a homophobe. Those are "vices" which Buchanan represents to the left. And that's why MSNBC gave him the boot... with the left foot, of course.Suicide of a Superpower has chapters entitled “The Death of Christian America” and “The End of White America.” According to Buchanan, the demographic dispossession of the white Christian majority will spell the end for the America in which he grew up.
But few on the right have the courage to defend Buchanan on the grounds that he is right. Rather, they argue the abstract principle that his freedom of speech was abridged, pointing out the hypocrisy of the left on free speech. But their argument implicitly suggests that Buchanan’s thesis is wrong. They may believe Buchanan to be right, but they defend only his right to be "wrong".
What American conservatives do not seem to grasp is that the left does not believe one has a right to be "wrong", even in the confines of one's mind. Thus the "progressives" are succeeding in their quest to forbid absolutely not just freedom of speech but freedom of thought. God save the USA!
Footnote: Suicide of a Superpower is available for Kindle too. Tell `em Walt sent ya!
Although too long to copy and paste here, Mr. Kirkwood's article is well worth reading in its entirety. He writes about MSNBC's firing of Pat Buchanan as a commentator in February, after he published Suicide of a Superpower: Will American Survive to 2025?.
What's wrong with this book? To hear the lamestream media (including MSNBC) tell it, Mr. Buchanan's book -- which expands on an essay he wrote last October (which you can read here), ventures beyond the acceptable bounds of debate. Of course the leftists, liberals and "progressive thinkers" believe in free speech... but only for their opinions, not for those of Pat Buchanan or Walt Whiteman.Mr. Kirkwood says, as the fact is, that the American left, controlled by anti-Christians, feminists and homosexuals, won’t brook disagreement with its core principles: racial politics and sodomy, fornication and abortion on demand. Disagree with anything the left says, and one is labeled a racist, misogynist or a homophobe. Those are "vices" which Buchanan represents to the left. And that's why MSNBC gave him the boot... with the left foot, of course.Suicide of a Superpower has chapters entitled “The Death of Christian America” and “The End of White America.” According to Buchanan, the demographic dispossession of the white Christian majority will spell the end for the America in which he grew up.
But few on the right have the courage to defend Buchanan on the grounds that he is right. Rather, they argue the abstract principle that his freedom of speech was abridged, pointing out the hypocrisy of the left on free speech. But their argument implicitly suggests that Buchanan’s thesis is wrong. They may believe Buchanan to be right, but they defend only his right to be "wrong".
What American conservatives do not seem to grasp is that the left does not believe one has a right to be "wrong", even in the confines of one's mind. Thus the "progressives" are succeeding in their quest to forbid absolutely not just freedom of speech but freedom of thought. God save the USA!
Footnote: Suicide of a Superpower is available for Kindle too. Tell `em Walt sent ya!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Holy Thursday
While they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to his disciples and said: Take ye and eat. This is my body.And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto the remission of sins.
Gospel of St. Matthew 26:26-28
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Happiest people on earth?
You would think that Americans, living in the greatest nation on earth -- if you don't believe that, just ask them -- would be the happiest people on earth. You would be wrong, according to the Earth Institute of Columbia University.
In its first ever "Happiness Report", the Earth Institute says the four happiest countries are all in Northern Europe: Denmark, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands. The four least happy countries are all poor countries of sub-Saharan Africa: Togo, Benin, the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone.
Europe happy; Africa unhappy. No surprises so far. But what of North America? Canada ranks 5th on the survey's "Cantril Ladder" (see page 31), and the USA... errr... 11th. And get this! Although the report finds the world has, broadly speaking, become a “little happier” in the past three decades, as living standards have risen, America is an exception. In the United States, life satisfaction has not improved.
All of which proves that wealth alone doesn’t make people happy. (The USA is not the richest country either, but it's well up there.) Other than income, key factors in defining happiness include: political freedom, strong social networks and an absence of corruption. These things, the authors say, are "together more important than income in explaining well-being differences between the top and bottom countries."
At the individual level, "good mental and physical health, someone to count on, job security and stable families are crucial." What does that last one say about societies where public discourse is dominated by "progressive thinkers" who are actively working against families and family values?
The authors of the "Happiness Report" believe that stable family life and enduring marriages are important for the happiness of parents and children. Yet our "mainstream" politicians and lamestream media keep telling us that gay marriage, divorce and abortion are not just "human rights", but good for our society. Some cognitive dissonance there, surely!
In its first ever "Happiness Report", the Earth Institute says the four happiest countries are all in Northern Europe: Denmark, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands. The four least happy countries are all poor countries of sub-Saharan Africa: Togo, Benin, the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone.
Europe happy; Africa unhappy. No surprises so far. But what of North America? Canada ranks 5th on the survey's "Cantril Ladder" (see page 31), and the USA... errr... 11th. And get this! Although the report finds the world has, broadly speaking, become a “little happier” in the past three decades, as living standards have risen, America is an exception. In the United States, life satisfaction has not improved.
All of which proves that wealth alone doesn’t make people happy. (The USA is not the richest country either, but it's well up there.) Other than income, key factors in defining happiness include: political freedom, strong social networks and an absence of corruption. These things, the authors say, are "together more important than income in explaining well-being differences between the top and bottom countries."
At the individual level, "good mental and physical health, someone to count on, job security and stable families are crucial." What does that last one say about societies where public discourse is dominated by "progressive thinkers" who are actively working against families and family values?
The authors of the "Happiness Report" believe that stable family life and enduring marriages are important for the happiness of parents and children. Yet our "mainstream" politicians and lamestream media keep telling us that gay marriage, divorce and abortion are not just "human rights", but good for our society. Some cognitive dissonance there, surely!
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