Quick Roundup 493

Worse than Ellsworth Toohey, Actually

A secular conservative commentator calls a recent column by George Monbiot "environmentalism's real-life equivalent of Toohey's confession," because Monbiot essentially admits to wanting to crush mankind.

That much is true, but I think that pushing such an agenda by appealing to reason and self-interest as Monbiot does makes him worse in an important sense: At least it was hard to mistake Toohey for a champion of reason.

There are legitimate scientific questions pertaining to whether anthropogenic global warming is occurring. However, anyone who falls into Monbiot's trap of squabbling over scientific minutiae when upholding objective political principles is in order is helping him get away with his ruse.

This is not to dismiss science as unimportant, but to reaffirm its proper place in the philosophic hierarchy.

Sales of TOS Prompt Wider Distribution

Good news for anyone who needs it: The Objective Standard is now slated to appear in more newsstands thanks to strong sales.

I needed some good news after this weekend, and this hit the spot.

Monument Builder Gets a Pass

Oscar Niemeyer, a man whose professed aesthetic could pass as the inspiration for Nippopolis in SouthPark's "Major Boobage" episode, recently turned 102. His comment?

Turning 102 is crap, and there is nothing to commemorate.

And yet the very same article goes on to praise his, "love of life," even citing his habit of smoking cigars as evidence for such love.

Actually, I could see that, although I find it debatable in this particular case. However, I have to admit that if I did not already know what a symbol of towering genius this guy is to leftists, I would be flabbergasted that the media could report any indulgence in tobacco products sympathetically.

On the other hand, perhaps this admission so stunned the reporter that any thoughts of soliciting the usually obligatory health-advice-from-a-centenarian questions were stopped dead in their tracks.

There's no lefty like an old lefty.

The "Invention" of the Jewish People Revisited

I missed this, although he actually beat me to the story by a day, but in November SB also discussed the premise of the book, The Invention of the Jewish People, although from a slightly different angle than I:

Without even knowing (never mind evaluating) Professor Sand's specific claims, which the Times describes as a mixture of "respected scholarship with dubious theories," I dismiss his theory out of hand because of the blatant irrationality of its thesis. There should be no claims to property because of one's racial makeup.

That, plus what I said about the Israeli's leaving themselves open to Sand's charges by accepting his premise.

Quote of the Day

"And yes. We do have glass display heads in stock. Doesn't everyone?" -- LB

-- CAV