Geez I like that song by Texas Tornados; kinda describes my postings for this quiet day.

Howard Dean continues to be for both Republicans and conservatives the gift that just keeps on giving. James Taranto’s Best of the Web Today contrasts this recent quote from the Dem Party Chairman in a speech given to the Jewish Council for Public Affairs…

The Democrats have a better idea. First we will conclude the negotiations with the Chinese and the North Koreans to disarm North Korea. Secondly, under no circumstances will a Democratic Administration ever allow Iran to become a nuclear power. Three, we will kill or capture Osama bin Laden and four, the authority and the control of the ports of the United States must be retained by American companies.

…with this piece from a Monty Python skit called “How to Rid the World of All Known Diseases”…

Jackie: Well, first of all become a doctor and discover a marvelous cure for something, and then, when the medical profession really starts to take notice of you, you can jolly well tell them what to do and make sure they get everything right so there’ll never be any diseases ever again.

Chairman Dean’s comments, if not so laughable for their “well, duh!” quotient, shows just how difficult the Democrats have it whenever they try to sound tough on foreign affairs. After all, this is the same party who while in control of the Presidency negotiated a useless “appeasement treaty” with the North Koreans, looked the other way when nuclear warhead technology secrets were stolen and given to the Chinese, and who had several opportunities to kill or capture Osama bin Laden from the Sudanese prior to 9/11 and turned them down. Talking out of both sides of the mouth is for Howard Dean and his Democrat mouthpieces is what missing a short putt for bogey is for The Great White Shank.

With Lent now upon us, The Anchoress reprises a nice post from last year on the history of Lenten reading.

In monastic houses, particularly in those following the Rule of St. Benedict (Benedictines and Trappists, among others) part of Lenten observation was to be spent in reading.

During the days of Lent, they should be free in the morning to read until the third hour. . . . During this time of Lent each one is to receive a book from the library, and is to read the whole of it straight through. These books are to be distributed at the beginning of Lent. RB, 48:14-16.

St. Benedict deemed that study and sacred reading should be a part of every monastic’s day, but especially in Lent.

I’m sure the same holds true for the Order of the Holy Cross, an Anglican Benedictine monastic community of which I am blessed to be an Associate of. For me, my reading assignment for this Lent is Colleen Carroll’s The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy.

(BTW, The Anchoress also has a nice roundup of today’s political and cultural hot items for your reading interest, if you’re so inclined.)

From the holy to the “Holy Cow!”: From The New York Post, via Taranto, again:

The makers of the gay cowboy flick ‘Brokeback Mountain’ were too rough on sheep, an animal-rights group charged yesterday.

Ummm….let’s not go there. 🙂