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Intellectual Conservative PoliticsIowa.com Weekly Weblog No Runny Eggs
This is the personal weblog of Aakash Raut, established Sept. 2002. It will cover current affairs, worldwide & national topics, local & university events, and provide insight and commentary on contemporary issues and the news from his perspective. Enjoy! --------------- ARCHIVES Sept 2002 - Now -------------
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Saturday, December 31, 2005
Please see the Urgent Update at the bottom of this entry, and see if you can help us out. Thanks! Hello all - This is Aakash again. I am still somewhat busy (and Christian has been doing a superb job in keeping this weblog updated - Thank you so much!)... but I wanted to drop in, with a reminder about today. Around this time of the year, many organizations make requests for end-of-year donations... It was three year-ends ago that I was going to post a message on this weblog, pointing my readers to a donation request from LewRockwell.com. I didn't get a chance to post that then, but that excellent web publication is once again in need of funds... And "You Have Until Midnight" to make a donation to them, or to any tax-exempt organization of your choice, for it to be deductible on your 2005 taxes. If you write a check that is dated for today (December 31st), then that will still be deductible, regardless of how long it takes for the mailing to be delivered. I am regretfully unable to make any contributions, at this time, to any organization or group, due to the money problems that are commonly faced by political organizations - and especially by their leaders (most people don't realize how much personal financing it takes, even for a student organization). The College Republicans at the University of Illinois at Springfield has risen to become the most active College Republicans organization in the state of Illinois, and we plan to continue our efforts for as long as possible. But adequate financial resources are going to be necessary for this - especially with major events such as CPAC coming up before long. In addition, our organization has grown by leaps and bounds this past semester, and during the previous academic year... We are now one of the largest student organizations at the university. Any assistance that any of you could provide would be much appreciated, and I guarantee you that it will be put to good use. If you think that you may be able to help, please send your contributions to the following address: UIS College Republicans (Make checks payable to "UIS College Republicans.") At this time, I don't think that contributions to UIS student organizations are tax-deductible, but I hope that some of you will help out anyway - if not now, then some time soon. Urgent Update (1/3/05): I wanted to note two things... Thank you very much... and of course: Happy New Year!! Saturday, December 24, 2005
I hope that this season has been filled with joy and goodwill for all of you... and that you feel free to be able to share the Truth about this holiday with friends, family, and others, as we honor and reflect upon the birth of our Savior. Oh, how the time passes! - Christmas Eve 2002 at University Blog I realize that it is too late for Christmas shopping, for many of you (though not for all; there's always late gifts...), but here are some items that you may be interested in. Note: There actually is a way to present a good gift to someone, even at this point. Purchase an online Gift Certificate! I saw yesterday that the Mises Institute is offering them... You can put $10 or more on a virtual gift card, and use it online. With these gift cards, there is no extra cost for shipping, handling, or anything else. You can also send an Amazon.com gift card (from $5.00 to $5,000.00) to anyone, via e-mail. A gift magazine subscription would also be excellent... Any purchase made at that website through the link of an 'Amazon.com Associate' will yield a small commission to that Associate. I had noticed last year that Bill Hobbs had appended each of his weblog entries noting that people could support his site by doing their holiday shopping at Amazon.com. You could use his Associate link to shop at Amazon.com, or you could even use mine. :-) [That's where I got the idea, and the url format, from.] Here are some Christmas-related or other intriguing items that you may want to purchase, regardless of what day it is. The Chronicles of Narnia, the everlasting epic by C.S. Lewis The Christmas Box, by Richard Paul Evans - Barnes & Noble was heavily marketing this bestseller a few years ago, asking "Do you have enough copies?"... I think a movie that's now been made from it was recently on television. The War on Christmas, by Josh Gibson of Fox News The Case for a Creator, by Lee Strobel The Case for Christmas, by Lee Strobel (Only $2.99!) The Glory of Christmas, by Max Lucado The Penultimate Peril (A Series of Unfortunate Events), by Lemony Snicket 1776, by David McCullough Death of the West, by Pat Buchanan Our Endangered Values, by Jimmy Carter Some interesting Christmas movies... It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Miracle on 34th Street (1994) [or: original 1947 make - IMDB page] A Christmas Story (1983) A Christmas Carol (1999) All I Want for Christmas (1991) The Santa Clause (1994) The Santa Clause 2 (2002) Jingle All the Way (1996) Mrs. Santa Clause (1996) Home Alone (1990) Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (Special Edition) (1989) Trackbacked to NIF, Third World Country, and Pirates, Man your women! Sunday, December 18, 2005
Help out this blogger by doing your Christmas shopping at Amazon.com! I know I've said this before, but I believe that this is truly the worst situation, academic + health-wise, that I've had, since I started here at UIS. (And this is just the first semester of grad school!) I've had to pull all-nighters several days in a row... [Update: Check out this neat 'encyclopedia' entry; and this essay as well...] I did however, just barely manage to get my work done this week, for my Copyright Law class. It's overdue, but I hope that things will work out. I know that one of the Mises bloggers had asked to see the 'Google Print' [i.e. - "Google Book Search"] section of my final project, when I got it finished; I think I may upload and link to it here... The thing is, I myself have never had a chance to read it through - because of the time constraint, I had to turn it in right after it was completed and printed out; and since my printer here on campus has been non-functional for awhile (drat!), I haven't had a chance to read my own paper. (My eyes are straining too much to be able to sit through 16 and a half pages on the computer screen; it's hard enough typing this right now.) I mentioned a little while ago that I have no idea where my glasses are - and I assume that my contact lenses are still in my eyes; I only wish I knew how to find them and get them out... Also, the filing deadling for petitions, for major party candidates in Illinois, is tomorrow (Monday - Dec. 19th). The State Party has been greatly requesting our help, with getting as many signatures as possible, so that the three new Republican candidates for statewide office can appear on the primary ballot. Those candidates are: Stu Umholtz - Attorney General Sen. Carole Pankau - Comptroller Sen. Christine Radogno - Treasurer Unfortunately, this new ballot-access project came up right after Thanksgiving Break, and right before Finals Week... So the amount of assistance that we've been able to provide has been limited. Hopefully, we can get as many signatures as possible today, and have enough, when the candidates file at the State Board of Elections Office (here in Springfield) tomorrow. I know that my blogging rate has been way down - due to the factors I've alluded to above, and various other things. That is probably the reason that this weblog wasn't chosen as a finalist for Kevin Aylward's annual contest.... By the way, I haven't checked yet to see who the winners were - I think that the final day of voting was supposed to be Thursday, and if it hadn't been for the emergency academic situation I was in, I would hopefully have done an entry, with my 'endorsements' and recommendations... like some other bloggers did (and like I did the first year of this annual contest). I am glad that, like each of the past two years, several of the weblogs that I nominated were chosen as finalists (even though mine was not). I had wanted to have guest bloggers during Finals Week, and before Christmas (errr..., I mean: CHRISTmas). While Finals Week is now officially over (here at UIS), in reality, many of us still have final papers and projects to turn in, before grades are due. I finally got everything done for my Legal Studies course (on Copyright Law) - I told Josh that I kinda sorta now know how he feels - but it still boggles my mind how he can remain a full-time blogger while a full-time Law School student. (I have no idea how I could remain fully sane while a law student... which I why I don't know if I'll end up going.) Josh then showed me that he has started YET ANOTHER WEBLOG, dedicated to legal issues... That guy is really, really gifted; I wish I knew how he does it. (And I wish that JC.com was still up!) Anyway, speaking of guest bloggers and pending coursework... While all the work for my Copyright Law class has now been submitted, my introductory Graduate School Political Studies course is a different story. I have an essay [actually, two essays] that needs to be turned in for that, as well as the take-home Final Exam. So Finals are actually not over for me (and I suspect, for quite a few others here). Fortunately, there is a talented writer who is eager to guest-blog at this site, during this very-hectic time. Unlike when I've done this in the past, I'm not going to reveal names, other than to say that he's: - a teenage conservative columnist (whose work is regularly published, at several sites) - a first-year college student - has never guest-blogged here before - not Kyle Williams [though I'd love for him to guest blog here as well - esp. since he has now ended his popular - and unbelievable for many - weekly syndicated column :-( :-( :-( ] - an excellent writer and current-events commentator - also a screenwriter and filmmaker (this last one might give it away, for some astute users of the conservative sections of the internet... which are, of course, the best parts!! :-) I am looking forward to having this student writer and film producer take over here, while I'm busy [very busy, unfortunately] trying to save my academic situation for this semester, and take care of some other year-end stuff. If I can make it through this term, I think that things can get better from here. One more thing, before I go: Thanks to fellow traditionalist conservative blogger Glaivester for making this site his "Blog of the Week." He had e-mailed me, awhile back, after finding (when Blogger chose to add their 'profile' feature, and make it [at least somewhat] searchable) that he, myself, and like one other person were the only ones who had A Republic, Not an Empire, under our 'Favorite Books' list. This relates to the past complaints I've had about the lack of traditionalist conservative viewpoints in the Blogosphere - but I've noticed that within the last year or two, as more and more people have started blogging, that has been turning around somewhat (though still not nearly to the degree that is necessary, especially with the situation that our nation, and our world, is in). One final note, since we are talking about these things: I want to make clear that there have been several guest bloggers at this site, and while all so far (though that might change some time) have been conservative, their views on some issues are not necessarily my own, and vice-versa. The same has been true when I have been a guest blogger at other sites - well so far, I've only done it at one other site, and it was a good experience... though there were times when myself and the main blogger there did not agree. There are going to be disagreements within the Right, and within the Left, based upon how we interpret our philosophies, and how we believe those should manifest themselves, in the arena of contemporary public policy. In addition to the aforementioned writer, I may have one other guest blogger during this time period, and I don't really know what they will write about; it is mainly up to them. Whatever it is, I hope that you enjoy the fresh content here, and don't worry - I will be back (I hope so, at least!) before too long! Best of luck to everyone on final exams (and final projects, papers, end-of-semester wrap-ups, etc....) Good luck, and God Bless!! Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Tuesday (that's today!) is the final date by which I can turn in a Final Exam project, for my Copyright Law class - a project that will comprise almost all of the points for this course. In addition, the ballot-access petition drive, for the Illinois Republican Party, is still ongoing, though they want our petitions for those three statewide candidates to be turned in today as well [I have had to put this on hold, due to these pressing matters; I hope that the others are working on this...] And with other papers due for my graduate Political Studies course, this is truly the worst it's been for awhile - and this is only my first semester of Grad School!! I wish I'd been able to do my Pearl Harbor entries... It feels so bad having to allow the standard viewpoints, inaccurate claims, and pro-FDR assertions to go unchallenged. I think that last December, I saved those posts as drafts, but they were never published (that was right after the major elections, when I was also Chair of the CRs, and that semester, we were more active than perhaps ever before); I don't know if I'll get to do those entries this month. Fortunately, there will be one or two guest bloggers posting here before too long. For now, I've been up all night, and I need to get back to typing... Tuesday, December 06, 2005
No Time for having No Time I had wanted to post something about this last night... or at least before going to bed this morning... ;-) Today is the day for the special U.S. Congressional election, over in California. This is a significant race, because Jim Gilchrist, the founder of the Minuteman Project, is running for the open House seat, on the American Indepedent Party (a Constitution Party affiliate) ticket. [past blog entry] [encyclopedia entry] A 'Gilchristmas' victory would be a great present... (Much better than the 'Fitzmas' speculation that's been going around...). Right now, I am sitting at a table outside the university cafeteria, in the Public Affairs Center; following Thanksgiving Break, the Illinois Republican Party had a special project for us... Three candidates for statewide office just entered the race, and we need to get enough signatures to get them on the ballot, before the filing deadline passes. Finals are next week, so this is extremely difficult for many of us, but we're trying to do what we can. This is a very frustrating time period... I now have a ton of blog entries, that I've saved as drafts, or in note form, that have never been published. Because my blogging rate has been down however (possibly the reason that this weblog wasn't chosen as a finalist for the annual contest), I think I will try to get guest bloggers once again. For now, however, I am going to try to get more petition signatures, get these horrible papers and projects finished (for which I already have much less time than I will need!), and try not to overdose on caffeine in the process. (I am glad that the wireless connection for this laptop finally seems to be working here; otherwise I wouldn't be able to post this entry.) If you live in the 48th U.S. House District of California, or know anyone who does, please help get out the vote for Jim Gilchrist today, so that we can have some principled leadership in Congress, and send Washington [and Ken Mehlman] a message, that they cannot afford to remain cavalier about our borders. |