KIND OF A POOR NEW BEGINNING

This is kind of a weak start to the New Mel's Diner, but what can I say? At least it's a start.

I've been writing opinion pieces for years and several times I have said a variation of the following:

"Whenever I feel I'm just the cat's meow when it comes to political writing, I find something like this..." and here it is again. Matt Labash (ironically named, mind you) has written a wonderfull "bash-Canada" piece (Thanks to Jonah at NRO) - it's one of the best, the first couple of paragraphs are a hoot.

Speaking of Jonah, he's a death penalty supporter, and has no respect for those who are against it because some innocent people may be killed. I'm against the death penalty because murder is wrong (no matter who is doing the killing), but I understand his point. My only issue is that everytime he talks about it, he comes accross as some kind of blood-thirsty monster. No more so in this post on National Review Online.

Andrew Sullivan is going to stop blogging, but he will continue to write, which is good. Here's his column from this Sunday's Times, nailing the appointment of John Bolton (or was it Michael Bolton or maybe this Michael Bolton )by George Bush to UN Envoy.

Staying accross the Atlantic, Sean Thomas of the London Telegraph has a telling essay on what exactly it is to define being "black".

And finally, a story out of New York that threatens to rock the "pro-choice" movement (and they need as much rocking as possible), as "anti-choice" activist goes on trial for "keeping and exposing a dead body or body part". That part would be a 15-17 week old baby girl fetus. If convicted, the court will set a precident that a 15-17 week fetus is actually a person. And if it is a person, then abortion at that point is still a choice to get rid of a bunch of cells? I don't think so. Of course, 15-17 weeks is after the first tri-mester, so most abortions will continue on, but it's a start. And what's to say a 12 week, or 10 week fetus isn't a person, too?