It's Changed

Please change all your links to http://www.opiniontimes.com. I am now doing all my posting there.

The Blog: It Is A Changin'

I am in the process of changing the location of my blog to the permalink www.opiniontimes.com. I'll be cross-posting here for a short time until a full transition is completed.

In the meantime please go visit my new Opinion Times site and give me your feedback in comments below.

Shelby Foote - The Homer of the Old South?

Obituaries of Shelby Foote, the eloquent Southern storyteller and Civil War Historian, have been abounding. Field Maloney has well stated the nuances and contradictions of this well-beloved protagonist of Ken Burns' 1991 PBS Civil War documentary.

As a great fan of Foote and Civil War history, I'll never forget his description of a phone conversation he had with the granddaughter of Southern General Nathan Bedford Forrest. He had told her that he was convinced the Civil War produced two true geniuses: her grandfather and Abraham Lincoln. There was a short silence and then in a modest Southern drawl she responded, "Well you know, Mr. Foote, my family never did like Mr. Lincoln."

SCOTUS Confirmation Fight Will Draw Millions of Dollars

The imminent Supreme Court confirmation battle will draw in big money.

WaPo: "Under the scenario of an ideological battle, participants predict the competition for cash will turn the Senate confirmation into the most expensive nomination fight in the nation's history, certain to break $50 million and, if the nominee is especially controversial, likely to approach $100 million."

Partisan bickering on the left is the cause in my humble opinion. As usual, Reid and Pelosi are stirring up the reasons and will blame the President for the problem.

Bisexuality Study Asserts No Such Condition

A recent bisexuality study reported in The New York Times concludes that multi-sex attraction does not exist. Sampling in the study looks suspect to me as subjects were taken from ads in alternative magazines (high probability of various forms of sexual deviancy regardless of sexual orientation) and shown pornographic movies (which would tend to highlight deviant response rather than normal sexual response).

But the most revealing aspect of this study is what was said by Dr. Randall Sell, an assistant professor of clinical socio-medical sciences at Columbia University:

"'We don't know nearly enough about sexual orientation and identity' to jump to [the conclusion that bisexuality does not exist as a provable sexual orientation]. "

. . .or any other conclusions about non-heterosexual behavior for that matter.

Milblogger Wounded: Met President

Milblogger Chuck Ziegenfuss was wounded in Iraq recently and shipped home for surgery and recovery to DC. He recently met President Bush and his wife reports on his behalf.

Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.

SCOTUS Battle About to Be Engaged

The announcement has come. The first of two Arizonans is retiring from the Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON -- "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court and a key swing vote on issues such as abortion and the death penalty, said Friday she is retiring.

O'Connor, 75, said she expects to leave before the start of the court's next term in October, or whenever the Senate confirms her successor. There was no immediate word from the White House on who might be nominated to replace O'Connor."

Let the games begin!
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UPDATE: Amy Ridenour has it right regarding the hysterical response of liberal organizations to the possibility that a strict constructionist might be put on the court in place of O'Connor: "What is it about interpreting our Constitution according to its actual words that has these folks so frightened? Like many others, I've read the Constitution. Not scary stuff."

My friend Erick at RedState.org and Confessions of a Political Junkie believes it's Garza who will be appointed. FURTHER ERICK UPDATE: Here.

Captain's Quarters has his take as well.

Instapundit has a slew of links to useful commentary on the impending replacement.

The American Mind and The Crusader.

NE Republican believes there are many "Desperate Housewives" around the country in the wake if this announcement.

DailyKos has it right. This is about abortion now. But he hopes abortion remains.

UPDATE II: RedState.org has nine guidelines POTUS should use to fill SCOTUS.