Doctor Mike

Since I've known him since we were in grade school, I have enough embarrassing stories about Dr. Michael Coulter that he'd have reason to be really scared -- if he didn't have more dirt on me.

But enough of that. He is now blogging over at Catholicism and Politics since he's Catholic and a Political Science professor. So go give him some hits -- you surely don't have anything better to do if you are reading my blog.

Also -- he's one of the editors behind the big Encyclopedia of Catholic Social Thought of which I recently saw a blurb in the latest issue of Catalyst.

Leila Lawler on the USCCB's Strange Attitude toward The Golden Compass

Good, humorous analysis. Is that redundant? Favorite excerpt:

Third, they only lamely attempt to rouse themselves to the demands of their job description (supposing they have one):

“To the extent, moreover, that Lyra and her allies are taking a stand on behalf of free will in opposition to the coercive force of the Magisterium, they are of course acting entirely in harmony with Catholic teaching.”

Way to throw in a useless statement, Harry and John! My friend Patricia suggests: "To the extent that Stalin loved his country, he was, of course, entirely in harmony with Catholic teaching." See?

My take: I do think the USCCB could have done a better job of "splitting the difference" between saying the film is harmless and siding with the wild-eyed, screaming boycott crowd, which is what it seems like to me they were attempting. But by standing to close too the "harmless" pole they are just invigorating the screamers.

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But Would Batman Vote for Ron Paul?

All is forgiven on the Nazi question, I guess.

Mystic Whatever

Sean Penn endorsed Dennis Kucinich. We are told this was an "impassioned endorsement of Presidential proportions".

The first time I read this I didn't understand which noun was being modified; I thought it somehow meant that Penn was endorsing Kucinich's proportions which could only refer to the fact that he only comes up to his third wife's chin. "How mean of Mr. Penn," I thought. Then I re-read the rather badly-written article and realized the use of the $10 P-word ensemble was meant to be applied to the endorsement, or was just sort of an alliterative grabber.

Dude, I think I just heard your primary vote saying 'I'm so wasted.'"

It seems that in the world of the left, a little bit of BDS can go a long way to garnish a bland endorsement, so Penn dutifully added some.

"While I'm not a proponent of the Death Penalty, existing law provides that the likes of Cheney, Bush, Rumsfeld and Rice, if found guilty, could have hoods thrown over their heads, their hands bound, facing a 12-man rifle corps executing death by firing squad," Penn said.

From the level of detail provided, it sounds to me that this fantasy has been perused often. And it is really broad-minded of someone who is not a proponent of capital punishment to get gratification by imagining the death by firing squad of those political figures whom he dislikes. However I must say it seems a little bit sexist of Penn to insist on 12 men doing the execution? Why not let some women take a shot or two? Doesn't he think they're capable of killing the criminal President, VP, SOS and former SOD?

Why does anyone listen to these Hollywood people? Is that a better question?