Althouse: At the Speckled Rose Café...

July 4, 2011

At the Speckled Rose Café...

... enjoy your freedom to talk about whatever you like.

45 comments:

Fen said...: Madison – Former Journal Sentinel reporter Graeme Zielinski, new spokesman for the state Democratic Party: Celebrate by punching a Republican

I say we do unto him before he does unto us.; 7/4/11, 12:28 PM
Elliott A said...: This medium will keep us free to say whatever we want and to allow us unfettered access to information. The founders would rejoice at the existence of such a forum for the free exchange of ideas. And...as long as you follow the basic rules, you are entitled to state your opinion no matter how stupid, ill-conceived or incoherent it may be.; 7/4/11, 12:43 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: In the middle of Africa there lived a calabash cat...

So begins the picture book my sons are obsessed with right now. Luckily, I like it.; 7/4/11, 12:48 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/4/11, 12:49 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: I wonder how much longer we'll have the freedom to say whatever we want.

Perhaps we'll retain it for a long time even as we lose all the others. We could live in total bondage but be free to say whatever we like. That is an interesting state of affairs to ponder.; 7/4/11, 12:50 PM
Phil 314 said...: blood spattered; 7/4/11, 12:52 PM
edutcher said...: Reminds me of our neighbor back in Bryn Mawr, roses almost exactly that color.

BTW, the Haavahd study about the correlation between 4th of July parades and voting Republican could stand another sample.

Where I came from, July ushers in the hot weather - mid to upper 90's in heat and humidity, so everybody either went to the Poconos or down't the Shore. There weren't enough people to watch a parade, much less be in one. And yet the area is fairly Conservative and is reliably Republican (or it was up until 15 years ago).

So I have a feeling the Haavahd study isn't so much about parades as it is about the Roe Effect, they just can't admit it.; 7/4/11, 1:02 PM
Alex said...: I wonder how much longer we'll have the freedom to say whatever we want.

Remember even Communism required bloody civil wars in Russia and China. One way or another, millions will die and one side will win.; 7/4/11, 1:12 PM
A. Shmendrik said...: I'd like to be the first to call it - GUILTY of murder one in the Casey Anthony trial. The defense tried the kitchen sink strategy, but I feel that the jurors will see through the noise pattern and convict. Jus' sayin'...; 7/4/11, 1:14 PM
Peter Hoh said...: Google's got a patriotic doodle today. I'm sure they're only using it to prevent people from complaining that they didn't recognize the holiday.; 7/4/11, 1:20 PM
Alex said...: We all know Google hates America. They would probably prefer to put the Chinese flag doodle every day if they could.; 7/4/11, 1:21 PM
Bayoneteer said...: The cat is a squash? That's what a calabash is right?; 7/4/11, 1:32 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: Yes. It's a cat cut out of a calabash gourd.; 7/4/11, 1:36 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: But it talks and walks around, so there you go.; 7/4/11, 1:36 PM
galdosiana said...: To Althouse: I know you are really interested in small apartments--here's a quick video that I bet you'll like. This man in Hong Kong has built a 344 sq foot apartment with sliding walls on tracks so he can transform it into 24 different rooms. Amazing.; 7/4/11, 1:38 PM
chickelit said...: I'm just finishing David Mamet's new book (1 of 3 books I read on vacation). Stylistically, it's difficult with footnotes on every page but I still like it a lot.

A reviewer at The Economist panned it, Mamet dares to cross two of their sacred cows: Obama and Global Warming.; 7/4/11, 1:47 PM
rhhardin said...: The Ohio early planted corn seems to be somewhat above a Doberman's eye.

Elephant is Oklahoma.; 7/4/11, 2:06 PM
Toad Trend said...: @chickenlittle

Yes Mamet's book is on my list. Fascinating reading anytime a longtime liberal 'crosses over' to conservatism.

Which is why I love Horowitz's stuff so much.; 7/4/11, 2:15 PM
coketown said...: I'm just finishing David Mamet's new book

Mamet made the rounds on the talk radio circuit a couple weeks ago. A friend at work listens to talk radio all day and all week, so I heard Mamet on Medved, Prager, and Hewitt.

Like most serious writers I know, he's verbally awkward and kind of boring to listen to. Probably much more interesting to read than to hear. It was interesting to hear that his conversion to conservatism coincided with his return to Judaism. Funny how that works.; 7/4/11, 2:15 PM
Anonymous said...: this cafe theme is getting old.....; 7/4/11, 2:47 PM
Almost Ali said...: A. Shmendrik said...
GUILTY of murder one in the Casey Anthony trial.

NOT GUILTY: The state failed to prove its case, IMO.

Although the jury was instructed not to take their animus or anger out on the lawyers (i.e. prosecutor Jeff Ashton), juries always retaliate when the attorney's behavior was aggregious, offensive, repetitive, and intentional.

If nothing else, Ashtons courtroom antics virtually eliminated murder-1 and 2 from consideration.; 7/4/11, 2:55 PM
Patrick said...: Independence Day would be a great day to declare independence from blogger, and bring the new site live, if only for a "cafe" style first post.; 7/4/11, 3:29 PM
windbag said...: @Freeman Hunt

In the middle of Africa there lived a calabash cat...

Jimmy Durante approves.; 7/4/11, 3:34 PM
Clyde said...: Looks kind of peachy, doesn't it?

My WV: issyney, which seems to be some kind of igpay atlinay.; 7/4/11, 3:40 PM
Fred4Pres said...: Just did the parade with the kids. Very patriotic. I have hope for the future.; 7/4/11, 3:57 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "Independence Day would be a great day to declare independence from blogger, and bring the new site live, if only for a "cafe" style first post."

I'm not stalling in any way. My people are working on it. I won't pick a special day. I'll do it as soon as I can.; 7/4/11, 4:04 PM
Phil 314 said...: My people are working on it.

The Professor has "people"?; 7/4/11, 4:11 PM
Penny said...: Yes, she has "people". Including the people at Blogger who were working hard at transferring her voluminous comment files.

Even though Althouse has decided she needs to move, I just can't say enough about what appears to be downright remarkable service on Blogger's part in helping her do so, and STILL all free.; 7/4/11, 4:42 PM
Ann Althouse said...: The Blogger people delivered the archive. That's done.; 7/4/11, 4:48 PM
Penny said...: Galdosiana, I don't think I've ever seen such an efficient use of space as in that Hong Kong apartment.

Course then I started imagining all the people the designer had living in that space. What? Five, maybe more? All of a sudden, what was described as "eco-friendly" seemed a bit of a farce.; 7/4/11, 4:48 PM
Patrick said...: Didn't think you were stalling, just saying. OK, maybe I thought you were ready at the end of last week, and decided that it would be July 4th.

Have a great day!; 7/4/11, 4:55 PM
gail said...: as an althouse newbie, i enjoy visiting the cafe just to see what is important,or not, and current in others lives

Me....I need to get some electric fence up so sheep can get back to pasture, deal with 3 lambs that are having a tough hold on life, and vaccinate a group of orphan lambs against 'overeating disease'. see ya; 7/4/11, 5:02 PM
PaulV said...: She may be found guilty since she is unlikeable but state did not prove its case.; 7/4/11, 5:04 PM
Penny said...: "The Blogger people delivered the archive. That's done."

Yeah, I know they did. Saw Blogger's tech guy's response at the end of your last post about the move. That's why I am so impressed with Blogger, frankly.

They seem to have put in a ton of elbow grease, for FREE, and all to help you leave them? That's damned good service.

And women have been known to change their minds from time to time...; 7/4/11, 5:06 PM
Alex said...: They seem to have put in a ton of elbow grease, for FREE, and all to help you leave them? That's damned good service.

Blogger doesn't give the ability to ban users. Also one just can't have the same control over content as one can on their own website. Althouse can't continue to be at the mercy of a company(Google) that could easily delete her blog at any time due to political considerations. Remember Google founders are Obama-lovers.; 7/4/11, 5:09 PM
galdosiana said...: @Penny: Isn't it incredible?!! I think he lives there by himself now. He used to live there with his parents and siblings when he was growing up, and instead of selling the property when they all moved away, he decided to keep and renovate it.

I love the sliding walls. After watching that clip, I've been eying my own 500 square foot apartment and thinking of all the great things that could be done with a few slabs of drywall and some rolling tracks!; 7/4/11, 5:10 PM
Penny said...: "She may be found guilty since she is unlikeable but state did not prove its case."

"Unlikeable?

You honestly believe that word describes what you currently know about Casey Anthony?

Her defense attorney says that all of her friends found her to be fun, caring and a devoted mother. They found her totally "likable".

Why do you think otherwise?; 7/4/11, 5:27 PM
Penny said...: "Blogger doesn't give the ability to ban users."

That seems totally sympatico with Althouse's stated strong feelings about first amendment rights, does it not?; 7/4/11, 5:34 PM
chuck b. said...: "I'm not stalling in any way. My people are working on it. I won't pick a special day. I'll do it as soon as I can."

In the meantime, won't you please consider turning on the mobile version of your template? I would visit more if it wasn't as much trouble to load your page on my iPhone. Dashboard, Settings, Email&Mobile...; 7/4/11, 8:18 PM
Dustin said...: I was pretty sure Althouse was going to declare her independence of Blogger today. Just seemed her style.

Oh well.; 7/4/11, 8:19 PM
Almost Ali said...: From Twitter:

[RT] The Casey Anthony witch-hunt is finally coming to an end. And too bad for the state, no witch was found, not a magic broom or witch's hat.; 7/4/11, 8:30 PM
Clyde said...: Something kind of cool that a friend sent me:

Famous People Hanging Out With Their Vinyl; 7/4/11, 9:50 PM
Penny said...: Clyde, thanks for sharing that!

"All points of intersection are valid", and vinyl works quite nicely.

Happy Birthday, America.; 7/4/11, 11:25 PM
Almost Ali said...: Yes, thanks for the link, Clyde. Extraordinary b/w pictures, some of our favorite celebrities: Natalie Wood, Sophia Loren, Audrey Hepburn, and others.; 7/5/11, 2:25 AM
Almost Ali said...: Casey Anthony: Not Guilty.

As the lynch mob rages in Orlando, the silence here is deafening.; 7/5/11, 3:45 PM