I’m OK, You’re OK
Judge Samuel Alita, responding to a question from Sen. Arlen Specter about whether courts should declare laws unconstitutional because of Congress’ “method of reasoning,” replied: …
Grave Accent
On a hillside in the midst of the giant Crown Hill Cemetery on the north side of Indianapolis, surrounded by nondescript foliage, not facing the …
Word Watch – February 2006
Woe is us! We live in a degenerate age. Nobody reads any- more; everybody just visits his favorite blogs. Nobody writes anymore either; everybody just …
The Craft of Ayn Rand
Ayn Rand (1905-1982) was her generation’s largest influence on libertarian thought. She was also a powerful novelist and a king-sized American personality. During this, Rand’s …
Word Watch – January 2006
Every year I train ten or fifteen teaching assistants, and I enjoy doing it. One of the things I especially enjoy is taking them through …
Sticking With the Status Quo
On November 8, California suffered a disaster worse than any eight-point earthquake. Voters spurned Governor Schwarzenegger’s attempts to limit the power of the modern liberal …
Live from the Improv, it’s Jimmy Carter
Imagine an America in which prayer was part of the daily ritual in public schools. Imagine an America in which most of those schools celebrated …
Two Cheers for Apathy
Two cheers for apathy — This is not an argument [cries of “Thank God!”]; it’s an observation. America is on the brink of war, but …
Word Watch – January 2003
Even cliches die. At least some of them do. And (to cite a cliche that’s been around since Homer) it’s interesting to see which ones …
Word Watch – April 2002
It is always interesting to see the effect of public events upon our language. The case of Sept. 11 and its aftermath is especially interesting, …