Friday, January 11. 2008
The dread P word is cropping up on Wall St. In the short term, markets are nuts. Only rational in the long run.
The WSJ greatly expands it's free opinion site, as of yesterday. Smart move, Rupert. Take a look: it's got books, "Taste", Arts and Leisure, Taranto's Best of the Web plus the "Opinion Journal Federation" of websites. At this point, the WSJ main site is handling the internet as well as, or better than, any other of the MSM, (although the NY Sun is doing a great job too) and will force the (still marginal, I believe, in the larger scheme of things but not without some influence) blogworld to reconsider what we/they can do best. Meanwhile, the clever MSM like the WSJ is absorbing and integrating the best of the blogworld. Since my crystal ball broke when I dropped it a few years ago, I do not know what the best role of the blogworld might be, but it's probably in opinion and entertainment, and info which is either not mass-market or is neglected by the MSM. Stay tuned! It will be interesting.
 Matt Stuart's street photography (h/t, Wall St. Fighter). Sample on right:
The Blonde Map of Europe. Assistant Village Idiot makes sense out of it. How the biofuel market is destroying the jungles rainforests The Dems face a moral choice. Am Thinker "I've never worked a day in my life." A Mark Twain 1905 interview (h/t, Classical Values) How do the unchurched view the churched? (h/t, News for Christians) Women of the world should thank Hillary to making it now possible for women to cry. Is she out of her mind? Betsy on the subject. Repent! The End is Near! MA to permit CVS walk-in clinics. Thank you America. Michael Yon Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton upset about Obama's run. It's quite clear why: he's not playing the game. Is there a problem? Blame global warming, says the NYT
Thursday, January 10. 2008
How many dead - and who killed them? Jules. And speaking of dead guys, looks like you can add a few more bad guys to the list the past two days.
 Hillary publicly accused of alligator tears. I have no doubt.
What is a hand worth? Dem Project Steyn: All Repubs lost The smokescreen of environmental concern. Sisu. Well said. View from the Left: Pro sports need to be politicized Glenn Beck had a terrible time in the hospital in CT. He is right to complain, but I have never heard of an experience like that before, in the US. Natural killers. This piece (via a reader) is fascinating but we ran out of time trying to figger out whether it's real. MacArthur is misspelled, which makes me skeptical even though the essay is persuasive. Update: A reader informs us that it is a fake. It's still interesting. Speaking of natural killers, I am having fun with this book. A serious telephoto lens. Goldman predicts recession in 2008 Headlines in 2029 Image of well-known Fall River, MA diner from Diner City, which has photos of diners across the USA
Wednesday, January 9. 2008
 It is amusing for me to see all of the punditry humbled by NH. It is a strange primary, though, in which Independents can vote. What sense does that make? Isn't it the job of a party to select its own candidates?
The history of the banana. More guns and less crime in Michigan. The death of high-fidelity sound. Rolling Stone. One quote there from Bob: Last year, Bob Dylan told Rolling Stone that modern albums "have sound all over them. There's no definition of nothing, no vocal, no nothing, just like — static."
And speaking of real rock by older gents, try this. Illegals in Boston are deporting themselves. Daniel Pipes reviews Liberal Fascism in Frontpage LaShawn loved the movie Day Zero The warming catastophe all theoretically comes from feedback. What's the feedback? Prof Deneen considers the nanny state and Libertarianism. One quote: Living long lives becomes the sine qua non of modern liberal polities. "Morals" legislation becomes impermissible in favor of legislation that prevents actions that would shorten our lives. While initially a ban on harm committed by some against the physical well being of others, the logic of self-preservation and the avoidance of physical harm ultimately extends to preventing the ignorant from harming themselves. Paternalistic laws forcing people to be healthy are a logical outcome of a certain life-obsessed libertarianism.
Tuesday, January 8. 2008
 Misguided recession talk. Tamny at NRO. I am a recession skeptic, but I am always a skeptic about most everything. Including my own opinions.
The MSM always talks as if the Clintons were married. Why do they do that? They do not live together in the same house, and Bill does whatever he wants. (h/t, Dr. Sanity) Is that a marriage? There is no global warming in the southern hemisphere. Thompson: "I'm skipping NH." I do not understand the Fred campaign. Kim for President! His stump speech. A Letter to the Editor of the NYT which you will not read there. Obama is Sidney Poitier? "The Left’s belief in the helplessness of the poor is a self-fulfilling prophecy." Dalrymple at City Journal
The slide of the dollar is great for American manufacturers, but has it bottomed? Bill Kristol takes a look at Mike Huckabee Woops. Revising the sea-level rise emergency. Besides, apparently it's been rising slowly for 8000 years, probably because of Fred Flintstone's SUV. h/t, Junk Science I looked down, and there it was. Sippican
Monday, January 7. 2008
We are adding this open-minded, rational fellow to our blogroll: Climate Skeptic. Check it out.
 Short-term warming trend has peaked, probably will reverse itself.
We permit idiots to vote. Sheesh. George McGovern has learned nothing over the years. You cannot fault him for inconsistency on his anti-Americanism, but isn't a person supposed to learn with age, and change? The late great George McDonald Fraser on PC in Britain. Jules The really cheap Indian car horrifies the Green lobby in the West. Let them eat cake ride camels? Funny, about smoking. Another review of Liberal Fascism, with Jonah's response. Obama looking to win NH. What about all of the other states? I think I like Obama as a person, but are the Dems infants? This guy knows nothing, it seems. Britain now has no-go zones. Nice. I hope they mark them on maps for tourists who expect Olde England with our cheerful cousins. Hillary caught bussing audiences into NH
Sunday, January 6. 2008
 Honeybees. The Voice of the Hive writes very well about bees and bee-keeping. Example: The Last Flight of the Forager. h/t, Synthstuff
Forty Second Boyd and American military strategy. Eject Eject Global Warming fears creating a new religion? Baden at TCS Have you read any of Glenn Allport's stuff? Here's How the boomers almost saved the world. Here are a bunch of his essays. A quote from one of his essays: The single most damaging error of the modern age is the misperception of government as an agency of compassion. As a replacement for the "divine right of kings," this misperception has, for those in power, been an astonishing success. For the rest of mankind, it has frequently been a disaster beyond imagining. Government is nothing more than structured, widespread coercion, and the idea that it can implement compassion for us by force is simply a vile and cunning lie. It is cunning because people are primed and willing, even desperate, to believe it. Obama leading in NH polls. Are voters eager to move on from the Clinton era? Op. Journal Update on the Lionheart story. Gates CNN manages to not mention the Hsu-Clinton connection Do political fiscal policies make any difference? Megan McArdle Freudian slip? Powerline Journalist org. advises reporters on use of diversity language. Among other things, reporters are informed that "jihad" means self-improvement. Another NH blogger with his view on things One source of economic growth in France! No Pasaran Oshinsky's review of Goldberg's book in the NYT Obey if you want medical care. Moonbattery
Saturday, January 5. 2008
 Hillary Clinton: I am the "most innocent". What is that supposed to mean?
Admired blogger Andrew Olmsted killed in Iraq. He had prepared this post to be used in that event. CT spends 10 million for state agencies to lobby the state govt for money Candidates tout a variety of tax schemes. CSM Smart: US to use Paki tribes against Al Qaeda. It seems to have worked in Iraq. h/t, Jules The Financial Times: Europe's Urgent Need for Reform. h/t, Chequerboard How come Mrs. Clinton never mentions her role in Watergate? Anti-Americanism isn't just for Dems anymore. The UN makes no sense: Isn't tolerance of everything a cultural attitude in itself? And an idiotic one, too. An excellent rant from No Pasaran: "Earth to Europe: Go pound sand." Our NH blog friend wonders who to vote for David Warren knew Benazir Bhutto, and was not impressed The infamous Lancet death study finally thoroughly debunked Gwynnie collected these globalistical warmening data for this winter: National Snow Coverage (how much of the United States land mass had snow in the ground) at this date( Jan 2, 2008): 2004: 28.3%
2005: 30.0%
2006: 31.2%
2007: 40.5%
2008: 47.4%
Season-to-Date Snowfall Totals & Anomalies
Marquette: 82.0" [20% more than normal]
Milwaukee: 31.0" [90% more than normal]
Chicago: 20.5" [83% more than normal]
Indianapolis: 11.5" [37% more than normal]
Detroit: 17.1" [18% more than normal]
Syracuse: 57.4" [50% more than normal]
Albany: 33.8" [81% more than normal]
Newark: 4.3" [16% more than normal]
Hartford: 21.8" [77% more than normal]
Boston: 27.7" [194% more than normal]
Portland: 37.7" [115% more than normal]
Boston was 0.2" shy of their All-Time December Snowfall Record
Photo: The Sunrise Diner in Jim Thorpe, PA, from Dinercity
Friday, January 4. 2008
Quote from Adler at Politico: Thompson’s campaign is widely seen as ineffectual — it allowed a candidate who polled in second place nationally a couple of months ago slip to fifth place. Then he tied in Iowa with a candidate who hardly campaigned there.
Ruffini at Town Hall: Count on voters to decide with their hearts, not with their heads. 2004 was all about momentum vs. organization. 2008 was about candidates of the heart vs. the head. Clinton and Romney had well-reasoned closing arguments centering around their fitness for the office, which should be the bottom line in any normal election. But in Iowa, the pull of identity, of gut decisions, and of emotion, won the day.
Quote from Barone on the 16-year itch: Every 16 years--in 1976, 1992 and now in 2008--American voters have seemed less interested in experience and credentials and more interested in a new face unconnected to the current political establishment.
And, on media leftist bias: "Bush unemployment at 5% - Bad. Clinton unemployment at 5.4% - Good." Graph from Gateway's piece: 
(Editor: Dr. X rightly observes that the above graph is highly misleading.) Related: Busted again: Phony Repubs showcased at the NYT
 Peggy Noonan on Iowa. Tons of commentary at Pajamas
New Jersey clearly continues to attempt to drive jobs, and residents, out of the state. They've done a good job of that, thus far. The NYT goes orgasmic. Sounds like satire. Headline of the Day: Frozen Iguanas Fall from Trees. It must be Climate Change. Iguana popsicles? No slump in NYC real estate. Insane, or just a sneaky tax plan? Mankiw Is the gay-straight dichotomy an artificial one? A "centrist" agenda? No thanks. My center might not be your center. Christ and the Grand Inquisitor. Globe, via Squaring the Boston Globe Drugging brains, young and old. Outlaw these things - because otherwise I will buy them! Ace Violent deaths in Venezuela exceed those in Iraq.
Thursday, January 3. 2008
 Too sane to win the Presidency?
At The Edge, an archeologist changes his mind about cultural relativism. h/t, Norm There is nothing new about "Big Box Panic". Reason Fatalities in Iraq. Give hate a chance: John Edwards wants to negotiate with Iran, but not with American corporations If I were a Dem, I'd vote for Biden Everybody in the world wants some. Oil hits $100 Good old funky Cannon Mountain has record snow. Wishful thinking seems to pervade the MSM reporting on the economy: they hope it will tank before the election, but it hasn't. Obey the government if you want medical treatment. He reviews Goldberg's book but only read the title. h/t, Adler Yesterday's link on American Exceptionalism is exceptional.
Wednesday, January 2. 2008
 A solar-powered fisherman's kit bag
Don't give up on the kids yet. Poll: Immigration is top issue for Repubs and Independents When reality is no constraint for Garrison Keillor Nannie State in Australia requires internet filters - for the children of course. What's going on in Kitsap County? What accounts for differences in black and white mortality? Why John Edwards' populism is in error McCain still against the Bush tax cuts What is LibiGel? Another list: The 10 most corrupt politicians in 2007 Chavez fails again. Looks like FARC made a fool of Hugo again. Brussels cancels New Years Eve out of terror fears. The EU is supposed to run everything in your life, but just keeping Brussels reasonably safe is too much for them? A Bloomberg quote: Without hesitation, Bloomberg responded, "No, I will not run for president, but I will speak out to try to get people to really focus on the issues and to get rid of partisanship and special interests."
What people mean by that is that everybody ought to agree with them. Partisanship is fine, as long as it has intellectual integrity and is consistent with reality - which is asking a lot of politicians. They always say "We can't get anything done": Thats good!
Tuesday, January 1. 2008
Our Brit farmer pal Theo, who provides the world with daily romantic fantasy material for gentlemen (aka "totty") along with tired old jokes, weapons systems and miscellaneous centrist political news and views, has his new site up today: Last of the Few. Meet the new site: same as the old site!
 From last January, The Hybridization of America by Vanderleun
George Will loves McDonald's Don't let the bedbugs bite. Record industry goes after personal use of music. Lots of iPods out there with lots of music on them. Do Dems desire failure in Iraq? Betsy, with many others, view the Iowa system as screwy. I think it is sensible, although I tend to feel that the old smoke-filled rooms made sense. California schoolkids to decide their own sex. Progressive, or sick? You decide. The FARC Farce, directed by Oliver Stone Don't fear the exorcists. Anchoress The New Deal Jobs Myth. Schlaes Mrs. Clinton gets the facts entirely wrong on Pakistan Do teens overestimate the benefits of risk?
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