From Dutch television show “zondag met lubach”.

South Court of Berkeley College, where Karen and I used to live.

Judge Jose Cabranes took a public stand against Yale’s drift toward PC Totalitarianism

Writing for the Yale Law & Public Public Review (via CampusReform), US Circuit Judge Jose Cabranes (who was previously Yale’s general counsel) referred to Encounter Books’ recent decision to republish copies of the Woodward Report, a Yale document affirming its commitment to freedom of expression. In 1975, the university adopted the report as official school policy.

Cabranes says that their decision to reprint the report was a response to the institution’s fading commitment to its contents. Last year, Yale students petitioned to abolish its course on “Major English Poets,” which has existed since 1920, because they found it “hostile to students of color.” In the days prior, two professors resigned amid a scandal revolving around the “cultural appropriation” of offensive Halloween costumes.

Yale students also protested Milo Yiannopoulos, whose speaking engagement was canceled over last-minute venue changes, exorbitant security fees and a variety of other restrictions that the Conservative firebrand deemed “absurd.”

The federal judge also highlighted his concern with Yale’s commitment to “civility.”

“’Civility’ sounds innocuous enough, and, indeed, we can all agree that we should strive to be civil to each other,” said Cabranes. “But problems arise when we are told that ‘uncivil’ speech has turned the campus, or parts of the campus, into a ‘hostile environment’—and, more dangerously still, when we are told that university officials have a duty to make campus ‘safe’ again by suppressing alleged incivility.”

“In the fight against incivility, university officials too easily morph into monitors of acceptable speech—and, ultimately, into the unhappy role of ‘Civility Police,’” he said.

“We can toss our hands up and say that the malaise so palpably evident at Yale is simply part of larger cultural phenomena, national and international,” said Cabranes. But, he added, Yale’s job is not to be “swept along by a national tide” but rather to lead by example.

Bulldog, from Maggie’s Farm, responds to the great national Women’s March.

I had another person say to me, “Your privilege is showing.” Privilege is a word which drives me insane. We all have crosses to bear, burdens in life which must be dealt with, and biases to fight. I’ve seen, and supported the cases of plaintiffs suing for, sexual discrimination. I’ve also experienced age discrimination. I’m aware of the discrimination which used to take place against my Irish ancestors. Suggesting I have privilege implies I am enjoying the benefits of something I didn’t earn. I earn it every day I go to work and deal with the nonsensical idiocy of liberal Progressives who have lost their bearings over this election. Remaining quiet during their diatribes is difficult, but could cost me my job. There’s no privilege in political discrimination, and that takes place every day. Still, I’m not marching for laws, or attention, or anything else to protect myself or my rights to believe what I want. My ‘privilege’ regarding gender ends the minute women start having their conversations which exclude men (see the paragraph above).

All I plan on doing is being the best person I can be. I did that for the last 8 years and it worked out pretty well. The resident of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. doesn’t impact my life as much as I tend to believe. The president is mainly an annoyance. Obama has had the biggest impact of any previous president, thanks to the aggregation of power which has taken place over the years. His mere existence has forced many to find new ways to share thoughts with people. After all, I can’t oppose him without being labeled a racist. But more importantly, his impact has shrunk my take home pay as various taxes (not necessarily Federal) have government taking a bigger and bigger chunk of my money for things I don’t support. I was told, 8 years ago, “Don’t worry, Obama won’t be as bad as you think, you’ll see how good he is” by every Obama sycophant out there. Yesterday, those sycophants marched because so many of them suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome. I never suffered from Obama Derangement Syndrome, and not because I didn’t dislike the guy. As I said, I’m not a marcher or a joiner. I let things play out, and the man pretty much lived down to my expectations.

I don’t believe Trump is an improvement, but much like Obama, I’ll let things play out. So when the TDS people ask me (as one did) “Give me one good reason to not fear everything this idiot is going to do” I replied “How about taking your advice to me 8 years ago and let’s just see what happens?” That should suffice.

Political identity is the least interesting part of anyone’s personality. But lately it’s become the most important part for many people. I have many liberal Progressive friends, and I feel bad they allow themselves to suffer. But they didn’t care when others suffered 8 years ago, so I have a very hard time explaining to them they created the bed upon which they lay. I haven’t ended a single friendship over this election, mainly because I don’t care if my friends disagree with me. A few have stopped speaking to me, because i “don’t care enough.” Really? I volunteer my time, I give to charity, I do what I can where I can and when I can. I do these things because I care. I don’t want my government to force me to do those things because MY FRIENDS CARE, I want to because I CARE. That is where the major difference between our views. They want to force me to agree with them. I prefer to agree with what I want to agree with, not what they want me to. The Progressive agenda is, if nothing else, a thought and mind control agenda.

Read the whole thing.

Was Obama’s bigger? I guess that would prove that the community of fashion is the real national majority, and Russian hacking must be responsible for Republicans winning the presidency, both houses of Congress, 33 governorships, and control of 32 state legislatures. Really, the Left won!

Rare ten-legged Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)

Hat tip to Bird Dog.

(no embed available, just click on picture)

Hat tip to Bird Dog.

This photograph was taken in late February-early March 1864 by Julian Vannerson. Lee is shown in the Confederate colonel’s coat he habitually wore and the photograph certainly supports the diarist Mary Chesnut’s description of the General as “cold, quiet and grand.”

Robert Edward Lee, the greatest American military commander of all time, was born January 19, 1807 at Stratford Hall Plantation, Westmoreland County, Virginia.

Old Joke:

Because Lucas made the refrigerators.

Task and Purpose:

An outfit called Raptor Aviation based in Port St. Lucie, Florida, is unloading 20 light-strike aircraft, upgraded French Fouga CM.170 Magisters, custom built in the 1950s for the Israeli Air Force. Known as the Tzukit, this is the jet fighter the IAF trained its pilots on until 2010, and the model even played a role as close support aircraft in the Six-Day War. The plane has a “single midwing, two cockpits in tandem, three-point landing gear, and V-shaped tail assembly,” according to the listing. It also comes equipped with a liquid oxygen system and an anti-collision feature, which could really come in handy since you probably have no idea how to fly one.

But really, how hard can it be?

The whole lot can be yours for just $200,000.

Admittedly, these planes have seen better days. But the lot comes with a ton of spare parts. A little tune up and you’re good to go.

Think about it. No more sitting in traffic, dreaming of running down protesters. No more flying commercial with all those crying babies, obese seatmates, shoe bombers, crazy-flight attendants, and all the other rabble. Need a little vacay? Pop over to the Vineyard or the British Virgin Islands, and bring a friend (there’s two cockpits!). And for anyone thinking of seceding from the United States, a fleet of fighter jets is sort of a must.

So forget the fishing boat. This is your destiny. They call you “Maverick” — wild, dangerous, unpredictable, arrogant. You fly by the seat of your pants. There’s a bandit on your tail. You’re on a highway to the danger zone, and Kelly Mcgillis won’t leave you alone. As long as your ego isn’t writing checks your body can’t cash, you’ll have nothing but clear skies ahead.

Read the whole thing.