The ALCAIDE’S CAFE

The poster child for the “cause” of embryonic stem cell research was a man (Superman, in fact) paralyzed by spinal cord injury. He, and the lobbyists who used him, played on the public conscience (and ignorance of the actual science of stem-cell research and potential) to demand that there be no economic or policy or ethical […]

That “Ugly American Syndrome” showed itself again, these past few days, as the “we gotta have our sex” crowd in this country (and a few other parts of the world - mostly the “modern” world) condemned the Pope for his saying that condoms are not the solution to, but part of the problem in the […]

If there’s one constant in American culture and politics that leads our “diplomacy” to nought, vis a vis the Arab and Islamic world, it’s that we blindly (some - remember “The Ugly American” - would say, arrogantly) continue to assume they think exacly like us. That we share most basic values, perceptions, and objectives. They don’t. Their […]

Watching Congress lately reminds me all too much of the stampeding zebras of the movie Madagascar2: thousands of indistinguishable striped asses (scuse moi Francais) would take to flight in a perfect symphony to escape whatever danger, or get safely (under the cover of the horde/herd) to whatever goal they wanted. Sometimes they just did it for fun!
Curious why I am so reminded? […]

KGB or Gestapo? Which would you say best describes the thuggery being exhibited by much of our Congress and Senate, right now, over the bonuses of about 100 AIG executives? Does it frighten you at all that:
1. A Senator suggests these executives commit suicide (for having gotten a $1 million bonus)? Maybe the same standard ought be recommended for […]

Yesterday the “Global Warmists” were protesting a coal-fired plant (providing the biggest share of the electricity they’d need to get warm later) while shivering in an “unseasonably late” snowstorm. Hmmm.
A month or so ago, climatologists with our national weather service said there had been no sign of warmer temperatures for a decade. “Not to worry,” said the Global Warmists, “that’s just […]

I don’t get it. Obama - President Obama - in order to “stimulate” our economy wants to discourage charitable giving. He wants to slash the tax credit/deduction for charitable giving.
Let’s see. I give $10 to my church it generally goes to pay staff. That’s stimulating. I give $10 to the food bank, it goes to […]

In a more serious vein… these are thoughts I’ve come up with as I listen to the chatter and arguments every night in the cafe:
It’s getting harder than ever to have a serious and meaningful political debate, discussion, or campaign because of the “Sippet-Gotcha” syndrome: the political campaigns’ use of tiny bits of something someone says […]

I don’t know why I’m writing about this incident. Maybe its the “handicap” connection. My last piece was about the handicaps of John Mcain, and the Obama campaign’s ignorance, or disregard, or really cruel disregard of them whiling trying to score a gain via political smear. This one is hardly as nasty a case, but rather a somewhat […]

“Didya see that ‘Bama ad?”, he asked me (he, a cafe regular, is a Viet-vet about Mcain’s age), ”They’re trying to smear McCain: too old and so out of it he doesn’t even use computers or email!”
“I did!” I said. “I gotta admit, the ad does make you wonder if McCain is up to speed or enough in touch with the world today.”
“That’s exactly it!” he answered. “After all ‘Bama’s […]