President Bush pledged Friday to name a quick successor to retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. But don’t expect much else to go quickly. Those on the ideological edges have much invested in this appointment, so the confirmation process likely will be all-out war. And that means that much of the important work in Washington, D.C. — such as curbing spending and reforming Social Security — could become casualties of the fighting. That’s not what we needed right now.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
We’ve avoided sports topics thus far on this blog. But I’ve got to say that I’m not sorry that J.R. Giddens is leaving KU’s basketball team and transferring to another school. Sure, he is talented and might have been a leader on next year’s young team. But his offense and defense have been inconsistent — and nonexistent at times. And someone with his size and leaping ability should be getting to the foul line much more often. Add in his off-the-court run-ins with the law, and he’s not worth the frustration.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
I don’t endorse the Web site that this came from, but I thought the photo was funny. And come to think of it, has anyone seen Jack Nicholson lately?
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The creepy BTK case just got creepier with The Eagle’s report that women are writing romantic letters to Dennis Rader in jail. Are these women really so lonely and desperate that they need to hit on a serial killer? We’ve heard of smart women, foolish choices, but this is ridiculous.
Why should Rader even be allowed to receive love letters from strangers? Return to sender. Please.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
FYI: Dr. Michael Welner, a professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, wrote an interesting commentary in the Eagle about what BTK might have been like had he not gone to church. Welner also is working to standardize the legal definition of "evil," and wants Eagle readers to help by completing a survey, if you’re interested.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
Wichita motorists driving west on Kellogg might get whiplash if they see the billboard depicting a dog with a fishing hook in its mouth, along with the message, "If you wouldn’t do this to a dog, why do it to a fish?"
The animal-rights folks at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals launched the ads as part of a nationwide anti-fishing campaign. The sign was taken down in Galveston, Texas, last year after numerous complaints. What do Wichitans think?
Here’s my thought: I’ll stop fishing when fish start running on land and catching Frisbees.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Here’s an area ripe for scientific inquiry: Why do smart people get stupid when it’s time to shoot off fireworks? Is it too much patriotic zeal? Too much beer? In any case, area residents should try to heed local ordinances and exercise common sense over this long July Fourth weekend, especially when doing otherwise would put children, property and pets at risk.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
