Good to Know, Tyra

I knew there was a reason why she and Chris "I thought we had one more time out" Webber made a great couple. (Are they still dating?) link via Stuck on Stupid

Gutless

The decision by the California Medical Association to pull its legal brief in support of two doctors who, on religious grounds, refused to provide artificial insemination treatment to a self-identified lesbian is sheer cowardice. When I worked for the Pacific Justice Institute a couple of years ago, I believe this is the case that I once drafted an amicus brief for at the request of the attorney for the doctors. If I'm not mistaken, the clinic that these doctors are with actually went out of its way to find a doctor to perform the treatment the woman wanted at no additional cost. In view of this, it seems pretty clear that this lawsuit was brought primarily for purposes of spiting people of religious faith and judicially establishing homosexuality as a legally protected class of persons.

It's Bush's Fault!

No, not really, but you know some unhinged Bush-hater out there is gonna blast the President for this. Thanks be to God that nobody was injured.*

A JetBlue (search) airliner with faulty landing gear touched down safely Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport (search) after circling the region for three hours with its front wheels turned sideways, unable to be retracted into the plane.

The pilot landed by balancing on the back wheels, then eased onto the front tires, which shot flames along the runway before tearing off. The metal landing gear scraped for the final yards.

*Posted while sitting in my home, which is under the flight path of planes heading into John Wayne Airport.

Aiya, Mon!

If you've ever wondered what a (presumably) first generation Chinese-Jamaican person sounds like, check out Fr. Richard Ho Lung, founder of the Missionaries of the Poor.

Specter Silliness

At today's confirmation hearing of SCOTUS nominee John Roberts, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) asked Mr. Roberts the following: "Would you think that Roe [v. Wade] might be a super-duper precedent?" (emphasis added)

I must have been absent the day that this judicial standard was reviewed in law school.

Fave Songs from '87

PS Bradley has tagged me with the following meme regarding favorite and hated songs out of the top 100 list from the year you graduated. Never one to back down from a challenge, unless, you know, I can't do it, here goes.

Text Key:

Bold - Very much like
Stricken - Blech!
Plain - Agnostic

1. Walk Like An Egyptian, Bangles
2. Alone, Heart
3. Shake You Down, Gregory Abbott
4. I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), Whitney Houston
5. Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now, Starship
6. C'est La Vie, Robbie Nevil
7. Here I Go Again, Whitesnake
8. The Way It Is, Bruce Hornsby and the Range
9. Shakedown, Bob Seger
10. Livin' On A Prayer, Bon Jovi
11. La Bamba, Los Lobos
12. Everybody Have Fun Tonight, Wang Chung
13. Don't Dream It's Over, Crowded House
14. Always, Atlantic Starr
15. With Or Without You, U2
16. Looking For A New Love, Jody Watley
17. Head To Toe, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
18. I Think We're Alone Now, Tiffany
19. Mony Mony, Billy Idol
20. At This Moment, Billy Vera and The Beaters
21. Lady In Red, Chris De Burgh
22. Didn't We Almost Have It All, Whitney Houston
23. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, U2
24. I Want Your Sex, George Michael
25. Notorious, Duran Duran
26. Only In My Dreams, Debbie Gibson
27. (I've Had) The Time Of My Life, Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
28. The Next Time I Fall, Peter Cetera and Amy Grant
29. Lean On Me, Club Nouveau
30. Open Your Heart, Madonna
31. Lost In Emotion, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
32. (I Just) Died In Your Arms, Cutting Crew
33. Heart And Soul, T'pau
34. You Keep Me Hangin' On, Kim Wilde
35. Keep Your Hands To Yourself, Georgia Satellites
36. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me), Aretha Franklin and George Michael
37. Control, Janet Jackson
38. Somewhere Out There, Linda Ronstadt and James Ingram
39. U Got The Look, Prince
40. Land Of Confusion, Genesis
41. Jacob's Ladder, Huey Lewis and The News
42. Who's That Girl, Madonna
43. You Got It All, Jets
44. Touch Me (I Want Your Body), Samantha Fox
45. I Just Can't Stop Loving You, Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett
46. Causing A Commotion, Madonna
47. In Too Deep, Genesis
48. Let's Wait Awhile, Janet Jackson
49. Hip To Be Square, Huey Lewis and the News
50. Will You Still Love Me?, Chicago
51. Little Lies, Fleetwood Mac
52. Luka, Suzanne Vega
53. I Heard A Rumour, Bananarama
54. Don't Mean Nothing, Richard Marx
55. Songbird, Kenny G
56. Carrie, Europe
57. Don't Disturb This Groove, System
58. La Isla Bonita, Madonna
59. Bad, Michael Jackson
60. Sign 'O' The Times, Prince
61. Change Of Heart, Cyndi Lauper
62. Come Go With Me, Expose
63. Can't We Try, Dan Hill
64. To Be A Lover, Billy Idol
65. Mandolin Rain, Bruce Hornsby and the Range
66. Breakout, Swing Out Sister
67. Stand By Me, Ben E. King
68. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight, Genesis
69. Someday, Glass Tiger
70. When Smokey Sings, ABC
71. Casanova, Levert
72. Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine
73. Rock Steady, Whispers
74. Wanted Dead Or Alive, Bon Jovi
75. Big Time, Peter Gabriel
76. The Finer Things, Steve Winwood
77. Let Me Be The One, Expose
78. Is This Love, Survivor
79. Diamonds, Herb Alpert
80. Point Of No Return, Expose
81. Big Love, Fleetwood Mac
82. Midnight Blue, Lou Gramm
83. Something So Strong, Crowded House
84. Heat Of The Night, Bryan Adams
85. Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You, Glenn Medeiros
86. Brilliant Disguise, Bruce Springsteen
87. Just To See Her, Smokey Robinson
88. Who Will You Run Too, Heart
89. Respect Yourself, Bruce Willis
90. Cross My Broken Heart, Jets
91. Victory, Kool and The Gang
92. Don't Get Me Wrong, Pretenders
93. Doing It All For My Baby, Huey Lewis and The News
94. Right On Track, Breakfast Club
95. Ballerina Girl, Lionel Richie
96. Meet Me Half Way, Kenny Loggins
97. I've Been In Love Before, Cutting Crew
98. (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right To Party, Beastie Boys
99. Funkytown, Pseudo Echo
100. Love You Down, Ready For The World

In going through this list, I gotta say that there was a lot of crappy music in 1987. I think the only redeeming thing about this year in pop/rock music was that U2's The Joshua Tree was released.

Oh, and with regard to my bolding Debbie Gibson, it's a guilty pleasure because I had kind of thing for her back then. Not anymore, though.

Breakin' the Law, Breakin' the Law

Senator Mary Landrieu to President Bush: "I might likely have to punch him - literally." (via Relapsed Catholic)

18 U.S.C. Section 871

(a) Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits for conveyance in the mail or for a delivery from any post office or by any letter carrier any letter, paper, writing, print, missive, or document containing any threat to take the life of, to kidnap, or to inflict bodily harm upon the President of the United States, the President-elect, the Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President of the United States, or the Vice President-elect, or knowingly and willfully otherwise makes any such threat against the President, President-elect, Vice President or other officer next in the order of succession to the office of President, or Vice President-elect, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

Bonus points if you can name the "arteest" who sang the above titled song.

William H. Rhenquist - Requiescat in Pace

With another SCOTUS opening for President Bush to fill, Hurricane Left-Wing Screaming Attack has just been upgraded to Level 5 and is fast approaching land.

Long Gaps of Silence

Sorry about it, but combined with work and my obsession with setting people right on the bulletin boards at a certain singles website that I actually to paid to join, I just haven't had an opportunity to post anything here. Fear not, though, my faithful 2 or 3 readers, I'm not going anywhere, and this blog will remain "active" for the indefinite future.

Underground Bishop in China Dies

The fact that Monsignor Xie was ordained in 1949 really says something about his level of commitment to the Church love of Christ. That is the year, of course, that China became a Communist state.

The bishop of Mingdong was 88 when he succumbed to leukaemia on Thursday.

Vatican Radio said that Monsignor Xie was first arrested in 1955 because of his loyalty and obedience to the Pope.

(...)

Monsignor Xie served four separate prison terms and according to the Vatican was kept under surveillance by the authorities until his death.

The Vatican praised him as a "courageous witness to Christ".

Monsignor Xie was ordained in 1949 and became a bishop 1984.

Newsweek Profiles Fanciscan U. Students

And, not surprisingly, describes them as "ultradevout" (i.e., fanatics) and some as "unapologetically judgmental" (i.e., "holier than thou" types). I especially like this "we of the elite secular media think you're a bunch of religious kooks" line:

Even under John Paul II's conservative successor, it is a stretch to say that young Catholics like these—whose numbers nationally are impossible to determine—represent the future of the church.

Is Assassination Morally Justifiable?

Amidst all the flak -- from both the Left and Right -- that Pat Robertson has been getting for suggesting that Hugo Chavez ought to be assassinated, I don't think I've actually heard or seen anyone wonder whether the assassination of a tyrant could ever be morally justified. There seems to be an almost automatic acceptance, especially among a Catholics, that assassination is always wrong. But is it?

Well, I did a little searching on the 'net and I found this illuminating article from 2001 by a priest in the Arlington Diocese who expounds a bit on what St. Thomas Aquinas once wrote about eliminating tyrants.

St. Thomas Aquinas gave the most substantial argument for tyrannicide. He based his position on his arguments for just war and capital punishment. St. Thomas concluded, "He who kills a tyrant (i.e. an usurper) to free his country is praised and rewarded" (In 2 Sentences, 44.2.2).

A tyrant by usurpation has illegitimately seized power and, therefore, is a criminal. When there are no other means available of ridding the community of the tyrant, the community may kill him. According to St. Thomas, the legitimate authority may condemn him to death using the normal course of law. However, if the normal course of law is not available (due to the actions of the tyrant), then the legitimate authority can proceed "informally" to condemn the tyrant and even grant individuals a mandate to execute the tyrant. A private citizen who takes the life of a tyrant acts with public authority in the same way that a soldier does in war.

The key conditions for a justifiable act of tyrannicide in this case include that the killing be necessary to end the usurpation and restore legitimate authority; that there is no higher authority available that is able and willing to depose the usurper; and that there is no probability that the tyrannicide will result in even greater evil than allowing the usurper to remain in power.

A tyrant by oppression is one who has come to power legitimately, but rules unjustly, oppressively, and arbitrarily. Here the community must confront the tyrant, and if necessary, depose him, formally or informally, according to the course of law available. In most circumstances, a private citizen morally cannot kill a tyrant by oppression, because the tyrant came to power through a legitimate means and thereby the community must depose him. If the community does depose the tyrant, according to St. Thomas, he becomes now a tyrant by usurpation and thereby may be eliminated by an act of justifiable tyrannicide in accord with the above norms.

However, if the tyrant by oppression attacks the citizen, jeopardizes the welfare of the community with the intent leading it to destruction or killing the citizens, or commits other evils, then a private citizen can morally commit an act of justifiable tyrannicide. Moreover, if because of the tyrant’s rule, a nation cannot defend itself, is on the course of destruction, and has no lawful means to depose or to condemn the tyrant, then a citizen may commit an act of justifiable tyrannicide. Interestingly, many modern political philosophers would posit that a leader who abuses power and has become tyrannical ipso facto loses legitimacy and becomes an usurper.

Whether the proper conditions actually exist for legitimately killing Hugo Chavez by way of assassination, I don't know. But given what one of the great philosophers, theologians and Doctors of the Church has apparently said about tyranicide, maybe it's worth some analysis.

Jurisprudential Maxim of the Day

California Civil Code Section 3537: "Superfluity does not vitiate."

This was pointed out to me by my boss the other day after he reviewed a rather lengthy worded complaint (i.e., lawsuit) I drafted for a client.

Religious Conflict in Ukraine

Ukraine's Eastern Rite Catholics on Sunday moved their church headquarters to Kiev amid protests from nationalists and objections from Orthodox believers whose leaders warn the move will further stoke inter-church tensions.

Cardinal Lubomur Husar conducted a ceremony for more than 1,000 believers and priests of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church after he was declared Metropolitan of Kiev and after a priest announced the church's move from the western city of Lviv.

While priests and believers sang hymns against the backdrop of a new church being built, several hundred nationalists and Orthodox believers gathered under red flags, carrying Orthodox icons, chanting through loudspeakers and partially drowning out Husar's words.

``Orthodox or death!'' some yelled as others jostled believers trying to attend the service. ``You can kill us but you cannot take our faith from us!'' others yelled.

Wow. This level of hostility toward the Catholic Church easily exceeds a lot of the stuff that I've seen coming out of some quarters of American Protestantism. Then again, since the conflict between the Orthodox and Catholic Church has been around for over a thousand years, I suppose it really shouldn't be too surprising.

Payne & Fears, LLP

Believe it or not, that's the name of an actual law firm here in the OC. My firm is going up against them in a wage claim/employment discrimination case.

This is Your Brain on Paganism

With World Youth Day in full force in Germany, a small bunch of yahoos called the Committee for Pagan Fun turns out to protest the "invasion." I was going to provide some commentary to the following excerpts, but the stupidity contained therein is pretty self evident.

The Committee, made up of artists, psychologists, philosophers, pacifists, atheists and people who do not identify with any religion, has organised marches against World Youth Day, whose events stretch through Sunday.

The Committee also complains that one denomination has temporarily taken over this city on the banks of the Rhine, and to a lesser extent the nearby Düsseldorf and Bonn.

"Cologne has been invaded by an army of sanctimonious people," said theologian Michael Schmidt Salomón, spokesman for the Committee.

"With our religion-free zones, we want to offer asylum to all of those who feel persecuted by this state-sponsored 'holiness'," he told IPS.

(...)

"The Church is an old, wrinkled, obsolete dinosaur," said sculptor Jacques Tilly, who created a float of a dinosaur wearing a crown and watching over a flock of sheep.

"I don't want to insult any Christians, but I want to show that we are also still here," he added.

(...)

"I already did the paperwork for dropping out of the Church. I'm not going to continue backing causes that I don't believe in," Sven, a young history teacher, told IPS.

Stumped

Is a check a type of contract for purposes of CCP Section 337?

Pro-Abortion Logic

As captured by Captain Ed in a picture that was taken of protesters outside of the Justice Sunday II event.

The "It's a Calling from God" Trump Card

Guaranteed to be used by those Catholics trying to put a religious spin into their otherwise self-centered and political-based dissent.

Susan Ringler believes she faithfully lived out the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church during her first five decades of life. She manifested it in Paz de Cristo social ministry to the East Valley poor, as a liturgy coordinator at St. Timothy’s parish in Mesa and through ecumenical work.

Until a couple of years ago, she held out hope that lay Catholics and women would gain roles of importance, but the church, she says, has turned hard-line and any dream of eking out more change from Vatican Council II of 40 years ago long faded.

So Ringler joined the independent United Catholic Church, which last Sunday ordained her as a deacon and put her in line to become a priest if she chooses. As a woman, she could hold neither role in the Roman Catholic Church.

"As a Roman Catholic woman, to think that you have a calling to a deeper ministry from God is almost blasphemy, and the guilt associated with that is huge," says the mother of three grown children who trained as a registered nurse. "It took me a long time to realize that my calling was from God." She says the affirmation she received from family, friends and others redoubled her desire to serve more deeply in ministry and assuaged "guilt that comes naturally to Catholics."

Yes, I Was A Member

With all the MSM handwringing over whether SCOTUS nominee John Roberts was ever a member of the Federalist Society I just wanted to make it perfectly clear to the world that not only was I a Federalist Society member, I was the founder of a student chapter at my law school. With that being said, I await the President's call informing me that I will be nominated to replace Justice William Rehnquist on the SCOTUS.

Hey, even in a one in a million chance, there's still a chance.