Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar walked off the set of The View the other day because of their outrage over something Bill O’Reilly said on the show. His incendiary remarks? That the 9-11 terrorists were Muslims. (O’Reilly initially failed to specify that they were of the radical sort.) The over-reaction was so unprofessional that Barbara Walters issued an immediate apology for her colleagues’ behavior. To their credit, Goldberg and Behar did return minutes later.
There are thoughtful advocates of voluntary euthanasia, and then there are non-chalant proponents of killing handicapped infants. British journalist Virginia Ironside would fall into the latter category. Check out the duly incredulous expression on the face of her fellow guest as Ironside glibly equates a human child with “a couple of cells.” One’s philosophical anthropology has consequences, folks.
Ever heard of the Hindenburg Omen? Neither had I until a friend mentioned it to me recently. Two months ago several economic variables converged which are supposed to be a reliable indicator of a coming economic collapse. What? You thought the economy had already collapsed and things couldn’t get worse? Au contraire!
And here are some good essays on Keynesian economics, on-line hostility, and virtue (or the lack thereof) in academe.
Austin Gravley
I watched the O’Reilly incident. It was so funny how O’Reilly simply said “Muslim” and Behar and Goldburg automatically assumed, without bothering to ask for clarification, a vile slur. Granted, O’Reilly wasn’t the most gracious guest (telling Behar to “Listen, you just might learn something), but it was amazing at how Behar and Goldburg got so “offended” without being willing to dig deeper to clarify O’Reilly’s definition.
It is also hypocritical of Behar, who has made multiple anti-Catholic and anti-Christian bigoted comments and statements on her shows, to find O’Reilly’s use of Muslim as troublesome when she is apparently not aware of her own words.
J.H.
The keynesian economics essay was interesting.
I think you might like this video.
Kyle
Watching that clip from the View just reminds me of the things I do not miss about living in the USA. Things I do miss: family, friends, college football, pumpkin pie, and spending Sunday afternoons at the Spiegel house… not the pointless political TV chatter (like that which spews from the mouths of BOR, Behar, and company). What a waste.
Also, I agree that the Hindenburg Omen is an interesting phenomenon, but before we get carried away about the Mayan Calendar, Nostradamus, and 2012 :)… a few thoughts: The “recent” triggering of the Hindenburg Omen? The most “recent” occurrence was August 31st which was more than 45 days ago, well outside the Omen’s 30 day effectiveness period. Additionally, in that time (Aug 31st-Oct 19th) the Dow grew 10% gaining almost 1000 points (S&P 11% and NASDAQ 15%). The Omen was formulated from fitting a trend to past data… which leads to a grand question in the study of economics, correlation or causation? I say it’s as unstable and unpredictable as the giant hydrogen balloon it was named after…
…said as I call my broker to sell everything before the disaster strikes :).