• rhetoric of religion
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According to Pat Robertson, most Halloween candy has been "prayed over by witches." This was so over the top that CBN has removed the news item. Let me remind our readers that being a graduate from Robertson's Regent University law school was an excellent credential for employment in W's DOJ. Are they insane? Completely in a bubble? Lying for Jesus?

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• wankery

Like Michael Myers in the Halloween movies, Ayn Rand just keeps coming back. A collection of links to recent discussions. (h/t to David Gore)

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• presidential rhetoric
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Our apologies for the avalanche of spam from, apparently, Turkmenistan. . . Jim Brown, any thoughts? At least maybe we could get some insight into the Turkmeni public sphere, if there is one.

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• wankery

Lying works. But why is anyone shocked that it happened again? But I keep remembering last year's election, when every time I thought Obama wasn't going on the offensive enough, he somehow came through successfully.

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• language
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I am not a prescriptive grammarian (rhetoricians usually aren't), but this rapidly spreading meme of using "beg the question" to mean "raises the question" is a sign that no one seems to be teaching logic anymore--question-begging expressions.

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And now the A&M Provost has been asked to resign by the Republican junta now in control of Aggieland. This is so bad. Anyone hiring?

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• wankery

So Rick Perry made points with troglodyte wing of the GOP a few months ago by refusing the stimulus money. Now he comes begging for a loan from the feds. The difference? The stimulus money didn't have to be paid back, so Texas taxpayers get stuck for the interest. Chancellor McKinney really needs to give his boyfriend some points on cutting costs.

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• legal rhetoric
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Watching the Sotomayor hearings this week is painful.

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Turns out Sen. Ensign and Gov. Sanford belonged to the same bible study group. If I may make a theological point, not much understood after the right-wing evangelical domination of public life: People who make a big show about being saved and about how other people aren't, and especially those who do so in public: a) Are violating the Second Commandment far more than those who cuss occasionally, b) Should read the Bible: "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:1-6 RSV) c) Remember the Reformation principle of sola fides or Luther's wise insight that we are "simul justis et peccator" (simultaneously justified and sinners, roughly). The more you take credit for your "faith" in public the more you tempt the Almighty, who again reveals his fracking-hilarious sense of humor.

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