Logical Fallacy

The New York Times has an "Editorial Observer" piece out today by Adam Cohen that starts right out with a whopper of a logical fallacy:

The Supreme Court heard arguments last week in a hugely important case about voter ID laws. Asking for identification at the polls may sound reasonable, but an Indiana law disenfranchises large numbers of people without driver’s licenses, especially poor and minority voters. If the court upholds the law, as appears likely, it will be a sad new chapter in its abandonment of voters, a group whose rights it once defended vigorously.

The issue before the court is whether or not the law, in fact, actually disenfranchises anyone. However, Cohen states, as stone tablet truth, that the law does, in fact, disenfranchise people. This is a serious logical fallacy called "Begging the Question." He states the conclusion of the argument as the premise that supports his conclusion.

That Cohen then descends into raging conspiracy theories about the impact of making someone show considerably less ID than is required to cash a check in most places in order to cast a vote is - at best - indicative of another fallacy: that Cohen actually knows what the heck he is talking about.

But the New York Times should, seriously, exert better editorial control. This is pretty lame reasoning even for the "Paper of Record."

(Side note: "Begging the Question" is badly misused these days by a lot of people. I have to watch myself on that.)

Show Closes

We regret to inform our readers that the hotly anticipated new show of the season has closed after only one partial performance. Yes, the skating extravaganza that was supposed to knock Stars on Ice out of the game is closing down. Bullwinkle on Ice has closed after the star crashed through the ice during the debut in Spokane, Washington.

It's an amazing sight of nature at work. Or in this case, not at work. A moose not quite on the loose in Spokane, Washington got a lot more than he bargained for when he waded out on the ice of what looked like a frozen lake.

It wasn't.

The weight of the beast saw him plunge into the icy waters and get inexorably stuck. Try as he might, the giant creature couldn't free himself. And while moose and man aren't always on the best of terms in the wild, this time the animal couldn't have lived without us.

Local fish and wildlife experts raced to Loon Lake to see for themselves and quickly launched an impromptu rescue mission to save the two-year-old bull. But it was easier said than done.

The would-be saviours worked on one solution after another, nudging the antlered prisoner with their boat and then using chainsaws and sledgehammers to cut him free, all the while ensuring they didn't cut out the ice around them and join him in the frigid drink.

After several cold and sometimes difficult hours, the creature managed to wrest himself from the depths and break free, climbing slowly back on land. And true to its nature, it appeared to give its rescuers a last menacing glance as it slowly hobbled off into the woods and back to freedom.

(Video at the link.) Nothing is going right for poor Bullwinkle these days. Whenever he and Rocky have another falling out, everything seems to go bad for the luckless, antlered one.

Serious side note. According to MSN Weather, the average daily high temperature in Spokane for January is 33° F with a low of 22° F. The current temperature, as of 7:10 PM PST was 14° F. Maybe someone from that neck of the woods could comment on what the winter has been like up there this year?

Romney Wins Michigan

CNN and Fox are both calling it for Romney. But the really big news is that people choosing 'uncommitted' rather than voting for Hillary Clinton could cause problems for her at the convention.

On the Democratic side, Sen. Hillary Clinton was the only front-runner on the ballot.

Party officials voted to strip Michigan of its Democratic delegates for its decision to schedule the primary so early.

In a show of solidarity with the party, the top-tier Democratic presidential candidates, except for Clinton, asked that their names be removed from the ballot.

But some Democratic leaders in the state urged supporters of Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Clinton's closest rivals, to vote "uncommitted" in the primary.

Under state law, their supporters cannot cast write-in votes for them. But if at least 15 percent of the voters in a congressional district opt for "uncommitted," delegates not bound to any candidate could attend the national convention. That could allow Edwards or Obama supporters to play a role in candidate selection — if the national party changes its mind and decides to count Michigan's delegates.

With 10 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton had 61 percent of the vote and 34 percent of Democratic primary voters had selected "uncommitted."

That's amusing. Running uncontested and still getting swiped. You have to love that one.

Today’s Male Cringe Moment

A man attempting to commit an armed robbery had what can only be described as a really, really bad day. He walked into the store, demanding money and a pack of cigarettes. That's when things started going south. Rapidly.

The clerk put the cash in a bag and as she turned to get the cigarettes, she heard the gun discharge.

Police say surveillance video shows the man shooting himself as he placed the gun in the waistband of his pants. The clerk wasn't injured.

A short time later, police found Derrick Kosch, 25, at a home with a gunshot wound to his right testicle and lower left leg. He was expected to have surgery at a hospital.

Erm, where else would he have surgery? Police are planning to charge him with armed robbery. I suppose a littering charge would be a bit too much.

Chimps Not People: Austrian Court

An Austrian appeals court has upheld a lower court ruling (posted about here) and declared that chimpanzees are not people.

VIENNA, Austria - A chimpanzee cannot be declared a person, Austria's Supreme Court has ruled, activists said Tuesday. An animal rights group had sought to have the chimp, Matthew Hiasl Pan, declared a person in hopes of gaining guardianship of the animal.

The shelter where Matthew has lived for 25 years is going bankrupt, threatening to leave him homeless. Donors have offered to help support him, but under Austrian law, only a person can receive personal gifts.

The Vienna-based Association Against Animal Factories sought to have him declared a person and petitioned to be appointed Matthew's trustee.

The 'activists' are now planning to appeal to the European court of human rights. Which should - unless the court is completely bonkers - result it the lawsuit being hurled back in their faces. Once again, the 'activists' are throwing away money on all of these legal antics instead of trying to buy the shelter or otherwise arrange for the animal's care.

Which really means it isn't about the animal's welfare in any way, shape or form.

Let Them Eat Brie

Declareth Queen Nancy. Or if brie is not suitable to their palates, they can have pan-roasted Chesapeake rockfish with sweet potato fennel hash and yellow pepper relish. Or pears with Stilton cheese and watercress. Or perhaps a nice cumin-scented leg of lamb with almond couscous. It's all part of the "greening" of the Capitol that Nancy Pelosi has declared. They may be elected members of Congress, but they eat like kings and queens.

The processed cheese has been replaced with brie. The Jell-O has made way for raspberry kiwi tarts and mini-lemon blueberry trifles. Meatloaf has moved over for mahi mahi and buns have been shunted aside in favor of baguettes. 

A revolution is afoot at the deli counters, grills and salad bars of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Newly ascendant Democrats may have hit roadblocks on Iraq and fiscal issues, but they have revamped congressional menus, replacing fatty, pre-made foods with healthier, gourmet alternatives. The once dreary congressional cafeterias now abound with haute cuisine. 

The menu transformation is part of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s “Greening the Capitol” plan to make the House campus more environmentally friendly and socially progressive. 

But there can be a downside to delicious. Not everyone is happy with the enhanced offerings. Many congressional employees have complained that as the food quality has increased, so have the prices. 

“It’s a big jump from high school cafeteria to fancy-pants gourmet. I just wish my pay improved,” said Caryn Schenewerk, a staffer for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). 

A fruit and cheese side dish with two small wedges of brie and cheddar, six grapes, two saltines and one strawberry cost $4.95, for example. 

Which, I am quite sure, is well below the market rate for Washington, DC eateries. But worry not, it is for the very best of reasons that they dine as they do - even if there are drawbacks to the biodegradable everything:

Nearly everything in the new cafeterias is biodegradable, from plates to utensils to straws, and that situation has produced a few peculiarities. For example, there are no soup spoons, only teaspoons. The company that manufactures the biodegradable flatware doesn’t make soup spoons yet. And some people have complained that the compostable straws can melt in hot liquids. 

Politico headed to the cafeteria at the Rayburn House Office Building to test this scenario. A compostable straw placed in hot coffee did indeed become pliable and droop, although it never disintegrated entirely. 

Ventura said customers would have to change their behavior to accommodate the environmentally friendly products. 

“We have had a few people observe that [straw] phenomenon and we had to tell them, ‘Sip your coffee like a normal human being,’” Ventura said. “We’re trying to save the planet here.”

Ah yes, dine like an Imperial Roman noble and save the planet. What a concept. But all is not well in the greener, saving the earth mode cafeterias and halls of Nancy's little proto-nanny state. And the rage is completely bipartisan, one should add:

A new rule banning the sale of tobacco products on House of Representatives grounds has got Capitol Hill smokers — we hate to say it — smoking mad. 

“The health nannies’ arbitrary ban on a legal and heavily taxed product bodes ill for the future marketing of Mountain Dew and MoonPies,” said Rep. Thaddeus G. McCotter, an infuriated Republican, and smoker, from Michigan. 

“This is silly ‘feel good’ crap by a bunch of do-gooders,” barked a high-level Democratic staffer (also a smoker). “We should be worried about the housing crisis, the unemployment rate and the national debt instead of making staffers walk four blocks to buy a pack of smokes.”
We should have seen this coming. 

Next up for her majesty: mandatory exercise classes! And more brie!

THIS is your Congressional leadership in action, Democrats. How very proud you must all be of all the things they can accomplish. For the children. Or the whales. Or something. While you worry about where your next dollar is coming from, they have already spent it. On brie.

(H/T to the ever reliable feeblemind for the tip on the first article.)

UPDATE: Incidentally, did you note the unintentionally hilarious photo that accompanied the Politico article about the food? The picture shows the melting straws that are being complained about. But the reporter has two disposable cups stacked together - presumably because the contents are too hot. So how is the freaking straw making a difference in saving the planet?

Others:  Protein Wisdom, Moonbattery, Redstate, JunkYardBlog, Lonewacko (Great punchline!), Pirate's Cove,

It’s Called Piracy

One day after threatening to ram Japanese ships in Antarctic waters, two members of a radical environmentalist group have illegally boarded a ship and their group is now complaining that the boarders are being detained.

Two members of the radical anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd are reportedly being held against their will on a Japanese whaling ship in Antarctic waters.

In a vessel called Steve Irwin, members of the group had been pursuing Japan's annual whaling hunt in the Antarctic for almost a month.

After locating five Japanese whaling boats this morning, two of its activists – Australian Benjamin Potts and British man Giles Lane – boarded the Yushin Maru No 2 vessel. They handed the crew a letter advising them they were "illegally killing whales" and were then detained.

"They were successful in delivering the message, but then they were not allowed to leave and return to our vessel," said Sea Shepherd spokeswoman Christine Vasic.

"Yushin Maru No 2 is still moving away from us and not responding to radio contact."

The Institute for Cetacean Research, which is linked to the Japanese government, confirmed the two men were detained and locked in a room on the ship, but denied claims by the Sea Shepherd founder, Paul Watson, that the two had been assaulted and bound by a rope to a mast.

"Any accusations that we have tied them up or assaulted them are completely untrue," said institute chief Minoru Morimoto.

"It is illegal to board another country's vessels on the high seas. As a result, they are being held in custody while decisions are made on their future," he said.

The radical group claims the two were just delivering the letter. The Japanese ship, however reports that the two threw acid on the deck of the ship and that Sea Shepherd has been attempting to foul the ship's screws with ropes. Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law defines piracy thusly:

pi·ra·cy Pronunciation: 'pI-r&-sE Function: noun

1 : an act of robbery esp. on the high seas; specifically : an illegal act of violence, detention, or plunder committed for private ends by crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft against another ship or aircraft on the high seas or in a place outside the jurisdiction of any state.

Japan has a strong case against Sea Shepherd - and I hope they pursue it. I'm not a big fan of whaling, but I am also not at all sympathetic with people who pull this kind of terrorism out of some distorted vision of what constitutes right.

Step Away From The Lawn Mower

A New Zealand man faces charges for drunk lawn mower driving. His ride has been impounded and if convicted, he may go to prison.

Richard Gunn, 52, was driving the lawn mower down a street in the northern New Zealand town of Dargaville late Monday evening when police stopped him, police spokeswoman Sarah Kennett said.

Gunn's breath alcohol level was at more than twice the legal limit for drivers, police said, and he previously had lost his driver's license.

Gunn said he has been using the lawn mower to get around town since losing his license.

"I thought I was safe," he told TV One News.

Even bicycles went faster than the lawn mower's 5 mph, he said. "I've watched them go past me."

Actually, that is a valid point, even if it is no excuse. Ever been hit by a bike? They can get moving. Which is not to say that with proper modifications a lawn mower can't clip along at a pretty good rate:

Amazing what a 1200cc engine will do for performance. My wife will want one.

Every Revolution Eats Its Young

David Brooks takes a jaundiced look at the competing identity politics being used by the Clinton and Obama campaigns. He sees the race and gender cards being played by the two camps as cynical attempts to see who can be the bigger victim.

But Clinton’s real problem is that she is caught in a trap, which you might call The Identity Trap.

Both Clinton and Obama have eagerly donned the mantle of identity politics. A Clinton victory wouldn’t just be a victory for one woman, it would be a victory for little girls everywhere. An Obama victory would be about completing the dream, keeping the dream alive, and so on.

Fair enough. The problem is that both the feminist movement Clinton rides and the civil rights rhetoric Obama uses were constructed at a time when the enemy was the reactionary white male establishment. Today, they are not facing the white male establishment. They are facing each other.

All the rhetorical devices that have been a staple of identity politics are now being exploited by the Clinton and Obama campaigns against each other. They are competing to play the victim. They are both accusing each other of insensitivity. They are both deliberately misinterpreting each other’s comments in order to somehow imply that the other is morally retrograde.

All the habits of verbal thuggery that have long been used against critics of affirmative action, like Ward Churchill and Thomas Sowell, and critics of the radical feminism, like Christina Hoff Summers, are now being turned inward by the Democratic front-runners.

The tap dancing can get pretty absurd:

Even in this moment of stress, Clinton wants to have it both ways. She wants to be emblematic of her gender and liberated from race and gender politics. As she told Tim Russert on Sunday: “You have a woman running to break the highest and hardest glass ceiling. I don’t think either of us wants to inject race or gender in this campaign. We’re running as individuals.”

As he puts it, every revolution eventually ends up eating its offspring. Brooks notes that all this victimology is not playing well with the younger voters. He believes this is why a sort of de facto truce is emerging. That started yesterday with Obama trying to tamp the issues down. But one does have to wonder how much damage has already been done.

One other thing that occurs to me: Brooks thinks (correctly) that Hispanic voters are quite important. So how much damage is Clinton doing with that bloc by having her surrogates trying to disenfranchise a lot of them in Nevada? Identity politics. It's a lot like trying to perform Riverdance in a minefield.