I’m working late tonight — so for now, here’s some Q&A about that “impossible” spaceship drive I mentioned a while back.
Also, here’s one person’s attempt to model the cultural manifold that will provide the context for the next civil war.
I’ll say also, just in passing, how surprised I am that the Supreme Court has, for now at least, decided to punt on reviewing the rash of Federal-court decisions annulling the attempts of various States to define marriage as their citizens see fit. (A nod to our friend Peter, who said this was what would happen.) Given that there is no consistent (or even, I should say, coherent) legal principle upon which these several decisions were based, and given also that there is already a Federal ruling that goes the other way, I think the Court is blatantly abrogating its responsibility here. What we are left with is a hodge-podge of opinions, with state-by-state outcomes now depending on the whim of local judges. More on this as time permits.
Update, 10/8: Today Justice Anthony Kennedy has issued an order blocking a ruling that overturned a gay-marriage ban in Idaho. What’s going on here?
Finally, Sam Harris reviews his encounter with a hostile panel on the Bill Maher show. (The topic was Islam — and to his credit, Maher has picked the right side on this one.)
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I wonder whether Matt Bracken is the same guy I went to college with. The Matt of my memory was a drinker, jock, and party animal, not nearly articulate enough to write something as coherent as the essay you linked to. All the same, I have to wonder…
And by the way: that essay was pretty damn depressing. Could end up being a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I’m reminded of the dwarf in “In Bruges” who predicts a coming race war between whites and blacks, and who darkly intones that we’ll all have to pick a side.
Yes, Wellfleet is looking better and better. This end of the Cape is surrounded by salt water on three sides, and there’s a natural chokepoint at Blackfish Creek in South Wellfleet where access is limited to a small bike path and a single two-lane road.
Time to build yourself a Batcave.
The Supremes may have learned their lesson from Roe about major social rulings. This same sex marriage stuff is a social powder keg. When the concept has to be sold as “same sex”, “gay marriage” or even “marriage equality”..then something more is afoot then just a smiling couple. All three of those “selling points” are different narratives in each ones own way.
Not good for caves around here. What you want for that is soluble bedrock, like limestone. Just sand out here.
A flimsy Batcastle, then?
Hey Whitewall, (just a “shout out” to North Carolina).
If a cave is what you’ll be wanting you can never go wrong with Karst. With the possible exception of maybe Florida – seems to be alot of sinkholes lately.
Course it helps to fit in, in a place like Arkansas.
http://news.yahoo.com/muslim-free-gun-range-arkansas-160333108.html