Monday, December 24, 2007
By Charley Daniels
Someone was talking about Christmas truces the other day. I apologize for not remembering who it was. At the time, I thought, “Wow, that’s a really great story.” And I meant that, although I must admit I was a bit skeptical about how true it was.
I mean, soldiers from opposing sides in a war go from killing each other on Dec. 24 to singing carols and giving each other presents on Dec. 25 and then back to killing each other on Dec. 26. It sounds like a movie plot that you would find ridiculous. And it ends sadly, true, but that middle bit is the part we should try to focus on and maybe even emulate — and not just on Dec. 25.
The link above mostly verifies the truce story, and that makes me happy. Granted, it’s from Wikipedia, so you never know, but the references seem legit. Aside from that, I’m going to just go ahead and believe it. I’m going to have a little faith this x-mas eve day. And thanks to Cardhouse for reminding me to read about that.
Probably won’t be much posting from me for the rest of the year, but you all have my permission to make it the greatest week of 2007. In fact, I order you to go out with a bang. I predict that 2008 will be the best year of my life, and I hope you’re similarly optimistic. If you’re not, I hope 2008 proves you wrong, because if every year isn’t better than the last, what the hell are we trying to do here?
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
By Charley Daniels
CNN: Jamie Lynn Spears pregnancy raises legal questions
Yes, she’s pregnant, she’s 16, her boyfriend is 18, and there’s a bunch of hubbub. Depending on where they got down, it could be illegal. Blah blah blah, who cares. What’s really at issue is the unfortunate choice of phrasing used by the law professor whom CNN interviewed:
“You have a disturbing disparity in how these laws are enforced,” said Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University. “I have no problem at all with nailing adults who sleep with children, but I have a problem with the prosecution of teenagers in consensual relationships.”
You get ‘em, Turley!
Friday, December 7, 2007
By Charley Daniels
I read this question and I said to myself, “Who is Jose Castillo and why did pirates have him?” It took me probably a full 20 seconds to realize it’s a baseball question (I didn’t read the answer options while I was considering this, obviously). Then I thought about what an awesome world I’d live in if that were a news question.
Will the pirates who captured Jose Castillo regret the decision to let him go? And why? Was he a good hostage for leverage? Or is he unstoppable when seeking revenge? Will he hunt the pirates and their families while they sleep? Do pirates have families that they care about? Oh, wait, it’s just a baseball question. I don’t know anything about baseball.
