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Maggie's FarmWe are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for. |
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Friday, August 15. 2008Is college is a waste of time and money?
We have often opined here that the traditional BA may have outlived its usefulness, keeps the average kid out of the real world too long, and has become so degraded in its rigor as to be of little meaning other than as an expensive, Wizard of Oz credential. A quote from Charles Murray's piece in the WSJ (h/t, Flares):
The BA degree was created for scholars, and as a foundation for the professions. It meant that you knew Latin and Greek, probably German and French, the sciences, math, and history - but it mostly meant that you wanted to be a scholarly person who intended to study stuff for the rest of your life. I think I'm on safe ground in saying that that is no longer the case. Education is such a huge, entrenched industry today that things are unlikely to change, but it's still worthwhile thinking about rational alternatives.
Posted by Bird Dog
in Education, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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11:00
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Speaking truth to powervia Surber:
Friday morning links
Vote early and often for Obama in Ohio. It's the plan to steal Ohio. Good grief. McCain really requires Ohio to win, so it's no wonder they are playing games. The ethical rubble of Hartford, CT. A once-fine city. What a pity. Government destroyed it. Christian convert burned alive in Saudi Arabia The Musharraf mess. Front Page. But it's good too see we are still pressing the Taliban/Al Qaida morons. Even by trial lawyer standards, Edwards is a real sleazebag. Coulter What does Putin see when he looks into Obama's eyes? My opinion? P-U-S-S-Y. Related, from Krauthammer: Time to get serious with Russia. Related: The cyberwar in Georgia. It's a first. Also sort-of related: Barack Obama, legal scholar: the guy is so lightweight he doesn't leave tracks in snow. Related somewhat: Georgia war trutherism. Related: What a successful Georgia could be. Related: European moral weight good for about 72 hours of appeasement The Denver Convention limo shortage. That is irony. The Dem Life platform. It says they want me to pay for their abortions. I do not wish to pay for anybody's abortion. We all got wealthier. Including me. The point is that economic level is not fossilized. People move up and down, depending on what they do, what they want, the choices they make, how they perform, and luck. It's called "life." Pelosi wants Lieberman's head. Related: The four states that will decide the election Let's blame Bush for the chronically lousy Euro economy Finish your peas. Are you responsible for world poverty? Norm. No. I am responsible for keeping myself out of destitution. Let's be more like China. Police State "harmony." A beautiful thing. I want to re-link The Utopia of Relativism, in case anybody missed it. Obama's economic ignorance. From Insty:
Posted by The News Junkie
in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects
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06:42
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BoathouseA small harborside boathouse in Wellfleet, at low tide
Posted by Bird Dog
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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06:00
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Thursday, August 14. 2008How autistic are you?There are tests of your social situational sensitivity. I know, and like, people from across the spectrum. And severely autistic people are still people. Nobody's wiring is perfect. How could it be? What obesity "crisis"? Nowadays, everything has to be a crisis.
Nowadays you can define anything you want as pathological. And this whole new fashionable category of "at risk" silliness expands things to include everybody. For example, at middle-age I am "at risk" for obesity. Not wanting to be fat, I decided not eat carbs and I do a tough daily workout. It's not too complicated. Prosperous nations have lots of fat people. More of them than poor nations, although poor nations have plenty of them too. The reason is that humans have a weakness for carbs. Thus being trim and fit is a sign of self-control, but being heavy is a time-honored sign of prosperity. If you want to see fat people, go to Disneyworld and get grossed out. There are Americans there so fat that they have to ride around in motorized chairs, like King Kamehameha. God bless 'em. The world needs more fatties, in my opinion. It means people have plenty to eat, but I don't like to have to look at them. To be evenhanded, however, I find anorectics even more disturbing. I happen to feel that excess fat in women is unattractive, slovenly, and unsexy. Somewhat less so in men: some stout men are cool, like Teddy Roosevelt was. Anyway, we have been subject to much brouhaha about obesity in recent years. Big health crisis, etc. You have surely read the news that being overweight is not such a big deal, from a medical standpoint. Even the WSJ covered the story, amusingly. Obesity - and that means much more than ordinary fatness and pudginess - is often quite benign. And being overweight is fine, from a health standpoint. Just like the the AGW fad and all such fads that governments are suckered into, there is fat money to be made from the obesity silliness. Follow the money: you know that somebody always wants some of yours. Careers. Respect. Pensions. Fat City. Fact is, when I was an intern in NYC, I saw plenty of skinny, athletic guys in their 40s come into the ER and crap out with massive heart attacks. Also, skinny guys with insulin resistance. The reasons to be relatively thin are to be fully functional - and aesthetic. If an American lady wishes a decent sex life, it behooves her to be trim. Not so in some countries, however, where they prefer us gals Biggie-Sized. Here's a good food story, from the Englishman:
Let's all be relaxed and tolerant: being fat is a "life-style" choice. Let them eat cake. Addendum: At Pajamas, Fast food restrictions fatten government
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
in Medical, Our Essays, Psychology, and Dr. Bliss
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14:22
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Teddy Roosevelt and the Greenies
Posted by Bird Dog
in History, Natural History and Conservation
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11:18
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We finally got him!No, not Osama. Bigfoot! He is finally brought to justice. But how did he get from Oregon to Georgia? Jet Blue? And are there more of them out there? Is Global Warming to blame? Should he have been a protected species? Some people are going to believe this stuff. We do live in a remarkably credulous world. And, related to credulity, a reporter writes Johnny, I hardly knew ye. What a dope. Did that reporter ever work on a city desk? I doubt it, because that is where you learn that everybody in public life is full of it. Healthy and realistic cynicism and skepticism are required if you wish to address reality. And, also related to the theme of human credulity, this is borrowed from Lucianne:
Posted by The News Junkie
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09:12
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QQQAs long as I assume that the world is something I discover by turning on the radio...I am deceived from the start. - Thomas Merton, via Anchoress
Thursday morning links
Jules' wife Amy MacKinnon has published her second book. A novel, which involves undertakers. Ernest Hemingway and trout fishing in Michigan. WSJ Brits ban plastic flowers in cemetaries. Too dangerous. What about the dangers of real plants? Big Brother, Via Englishman, "Councils and health authorities are to be given the right to access e-mail and internet records under surveillance powers to be introduced next year, the Home Office said yesterday." Good grief. For a second, I thought this was satire. You will be relieved to learn that Al Gore's new boat will have solar panels! Obama without his script. Related: Rev. Wright is back! How to revive dried-out cigars Hooray for blockbuster drugs. City Journal Swiftboating Obama? Neoneo Race Preferences vs. Class Preferences. Powerline. What has this crazy world come to? And why is this an issue anymore? America has become so meritocratic that nobody gives a darn about anybody's background these days - to the dismay of the genteel classes (of which I am not a member).
Posted by The News Junkie
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06:00
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Wednesday, August 13. 2008Backyard MooseShucks, that is cute as hell. Hunter though I may be, I would never shoot one of these splendid animals. Deer? No problema. And I love Alison Krauss too. (h/t, Theo) Kuwait on alertWe are advised to avoid posting breaking news here so as not to create the expectation that we will do that (ie, it's not our "mission" as a website to be up-to-the-minute with news, but just to post what we find interesting, when and if we get around to it - and we're often off-duty on weekends), but sometimes it's irresistable if I happen to be at my desk: Kuwait readying for war? (Thanks, Buddy) I have a deal with Putin in mind: You give us Iran, we'll give you South Ossetia. And we'll let China have Somalia to shut them up. Nothing for Europe: they're happy with what they are...aren't they? NYT tries to squash Obama book, fails dramaticallyRoger Kimball. Related: NYT debt heads towards junk status (h/t, Vanderleun). The title of the eventual book will be "How to Destroy a Successful Franchise." Beware the coming Ice Age
Be very afraid. Image via Moravec's cool illustrations. I think David Brooks has it all wrong about China
I think he is wrong. Seems to me that the unleashing of individual enterprise and free markets (combined with free markets for labor, lower business taxes than the US, and globalization) are what have unleashed China's belated industrial revolution. In other words, individualism. But I am no expert on the subject (and neither is Brooks). There is still one Path to Prosperity. Furthermore, I wonder whether this whole subject of Asian collectivism is a myth. Police state-enforced collectivist "harmony" can give the appearance of a collectivist ethos - but only the appearance. Fuel isn't expensive
Sometimes I think we Americans want everything for free, a life without limits, without pain, without death and with perfect love: fairy tales and childish dreams. Weds. morning links
Lieberman: Obama doesn't put country first. Right or wrong, that is a devastating charge. Why trees cannot grow any higher Huge drop in US oil demand. Related: The myths about offshore drilling Some things about hot peppers you might not know More on the MSM's double standard Megafauna: looks like we killed them (h/t Jungle Trader) Is the invasion of Georgia an East-West tipping point? Human Events. Related: There's always a "but" monkey Postdiction of the day: Obama claims he's been warning about Georgia for months. Related: This doesn't sound like Christianity to me. Related: Obama campaign gets more from "big oil" than McCain, but lies about it. Truth is, the Dems get more $ from Wall St., Hollywood, Martha's Vineyard, Big Oil, Big Media, Big Tort Legal, Big Education, and Big Unions than the Repubs ever will.
Posted by The News Junkie
in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects
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06:02
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Tuesday, August 12. 2008Greek black ship raised
2500 year-old, 70-foot Iliad-era black ship raised off coast of Sicily. Wonderful. The construction details are apparent, too.
From "Yes, Minister"From the wonderful old PBS series, this hilarious clip about parents, government, and schools (h/t, Clayton Cramer):
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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19:41
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Dartmouth Green, and other Ivy topics
Hmmm. Maybe because so few of us become community organizers and politicians. Wah-hoo-wah. Not quite related: Does the Ivy League turn people into arrogant jerks? One quote:
Sheesh. And not a single mention of the rich "dating" environment. Maybe that's because it's about Yale... And who claims that college nowadays is about "higher" education anyway, unless you are in the hard sciences? My view? Make high school a 3-year tough grind, and college a 3-year tough grind - and get these kids out of the grip of the educational industry and out into the world before they grow soft, soft-headed, and spoiled. Tuesday afternoon links
Obambi's response to Russia's invasion. And yes, George Clooney is his foreign affairs advisor. You can't make this stuff up. Where are the marchers for peace? The revolution on cable TV. Right Wing Prof Nancy Pelosi falls for drilling hoax. Maybe she read the polls. If you love your government, you should smoke more. Is Obama still smoking? Many people, like Flopping, have noted the obvious fact that Russia has a veto in the so-called Security Council. Bad news: You can choke on food. Good news: Chicago suburb drops handgun ban. Unsurprising news: The cute Beijing singer was a phony. Cool news: MA gets another income tax referendum Related cool news: NY Dem Gov proposes income tax cap Related stupid cool news: Obama proposes no taxes for the elderly. This is getting weird. Obama terms his wife a "fellow traveller." Yes indeed. h/t, Insty The Iraq war is over. What next? NY Mag: Racism is hurting Obama. Did racism hurt Stevenson, McGovern, Carter, Dukakis, and Kerry too? Sanctimonious, condescending, anti-American Lefty metrosexual weenies tend to lose, regardless of skin tone. Yes, Obama is metro: see Surber for proof. Hurray for blockbuster drugs. City Journal The dumb Whole Foods fad takes a pounding. They do have a good cheese section, though. And organic arugula for Barack "Do you know how much arugula costs now?" Obama. It's summer. Hey kids, “Why don’t you get out of the house and do something useful, like memorize the Koran or learn how to fire a shoulder-launched rocket?”
Posted by The News Junkie
in Hot News & Misc. Short Subjects
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14:33
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The Glorious Twelfth
The Glorious Twelfth is the August opening of grouse season in the UK, mainly in Scotland. That would be the Scottish Grouse - Red and Black - legendary game birds. Driven fast-flying grouse - doubt I could hit a single one. Some day, I will try. They can reach 60 mph. Unlike the US, in the UK you can find game on restaurant menus - and on the same day, if lucky. In the US, we found it necessary to make that illegal - market hunters were driving wild critters to extinction. Public lands, no gamekeepers. Our grouse babies aren't even full-grown yet, and our grouse season doesn't begin until October. Brits and Scots would hate our North American grouse hunting. It entails walking endlessly, without cocktails, through alder tangles that can feel like jail cells, and with only a few shots per day. And no loaders, no drivers. Image: Scottish Red Grouse, in the heather on the moors.
Posted by Bird Dog
in Hunting, Fishing, Dogs, Guns, etc., Our Essays
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12:30
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The Dreaded Bathroom Leak, update
Well, I've had that for the last two weeks, but the mess and the cost and the dirt and the dust and the inconvenience of the demolition and slow reconstruction of the master bath isn't fun anymore. Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, painters, tile guys, new fixtures and vent fans... Turns out the leak had spread further than initially thought, so the entire bath had to be gutted. If you are interested, we did decide on a honed limestone floor instead of marble. Not just cost: it's a warmer, more homey look. And now I see why we had that mysterious, very occasional leak in the downstairs coat closet: the shower stall had a leak too. Homeowner's insurance, I have learned, doesn't cover chronic leaks, just the acute ones. I had both. Indeed, water and houses do not mix. Outhouses weren't such a bad idea, and outdoor showers are the best idea ever. I am inclined to cut back on a bit of my previous grand plans, not only because of the cost but because of the disruption of normal life routine. I can't find anything after having moved out of the master bath and halfway out of the bedroom. My only question: Where's FEMA? Bush obviously doesn't give a damn about my problems. Photo: Some nice limestone floor tile.
Posted by Bird Dog
in Our Essays, The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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11:15
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Russia says they are doneBBC. We'll see. I think Dino has it right: Saakashvili was looking for trouble, and Russia was looking for an opportunity. More at Belmont. Where's my Dreamliner?
Posted by The Barrister
in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation
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08:52
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