Tuesday, August 12. 2008
An obit from Sipp, who knows whereof he speaks (unlike most of us). His piece led me to this oldie (Isn't that Steve Cropper playing? And how did they book Booker T and the MGs for that aerobics class?) which is not by Hayes but was from Stax records:
Monday, August 11. 2008
 A cold August. We have never had such a cool and comfortable August in my memory up here. Never used my A/C once this month.
"Organic" foods nothing more than a "lifestyle choice." Duh. The terrible Calvo case and the dopey war on drugs. Bainbridge. Marching boldly into the past: Chavez sees Cuba as a model. Morales is big on "change" too. "Change" means government running the businesses. Good luck, morons. Accountability America is nuts. This is beyond hardball: It's like ACORN. When the economy slows, retail pulls back. When the economy expands, they always overbuild. Greenspan, via Mankiw: It has become hard for democratic societies accustomed to prosperity to see it as anything other than the result of their deft political management. In reality, the past decade has seen mounting global forces (the international version of Adam Smith’s invisible hand) quietly displacing government control of economic affairs.... The danger is that some governments, bedevilled by emerging inflationary forces, will endeavour to reassert their grip on economic affairs. If that becomes widespread, globalisation could reverse – at awesome cost. It's not all Russia's fault. CSM. Maybe not, but I underestimated their goals. They are taking over the country. Not trustworthy people, the Russians. Georgia headed back to Russian domination. 25 strangest fetishes Wolfson: Edwards made Hillary lose. Probably true. What a strange world. Mark Penn had the best, if dishonest, strategy for Hillary: roots and values. Worrisome signs for Obama. Politico. Related: Who wrote this for him? No doubt intended to make him look substantial. Related: It's OK to make jokes about Obama now. Related: slobbering acolyte says Obama is a movie star, not a rock star. Related: Dreams of a Denver nightmare. A quote from the latter: As for the substance, the Speech can’t be yet another helping of the same frothy, over-the-top rhetorical junk food he has been serving up for eighteen months. The pundits could yawn, the McCain team could chuckle and the voters could well say “It’s that all he’s got?” More ocean adjustment and invocation of “the moment” would likely bring eye rolls and guffaws, and not much tingling even from the increasingly skeptical media cheerleaders. In short, he needs to say something new, non-cloying and substantive that will convince voters he’s more than the self-parody which he’s quickly becoming.
Related, from Why isn't Obama winning? Hillary Clinton would have won this election. Joe Biden would have won this election. Bill Richardson would have won this election. Barack Obama just might lose this election. Has anybody noticed that, in this Year of the Democrat, Barack Obama is starting to choke? In a year when voters seem fed up with all things Republican, and poll after poll pitting a hypothetical Democrat against a hypothetical Republican shows the GOP candidate getting slaughtered, Barack Obama is in a dead heat with the oldest and least-inspiring man ever to run for the presidency. Is it time to start recognizing that...
Related: More Obama problems: His definition of sin. It's not my definition. Which "values" is he referring to? Another problem: List Obama's accomplishments.Brits in Basra now say: "While we had a strategy of evasion, the Americans just went in and addressed the problem.” Iraq The Model terms it a betrayal. From Junk Science: Global Warming, Global Myth - During the 20th century, the earth warmed 0.6 degree Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit), but that warming has been wiped out in a single year with a drop of 0.63 degree C. (1.13 F.) in 2007. A single year does not constitute a trend reversal, but the magnitude of that temperature drop — equal to 100 years of warming — is noteworthy. Of course, it can also be argued that a mere 0.6 degree warming in a century is so tiny it should never have been considered a cause for alarm in the first place. But then how could the idea of global warming be sold to the public? In any case, global cooling has been evident for more than a single year. Global temperature has declined since 1998. Meanwhile, atmospheric carbon dioxide has gone in the other direction, increasing 15–20%. This divergence casts doubt on the validity of the greenhouse hypothesis, but that hasn't discouraged the global warming advocates. They have long been ignoring far greater evidence that the basic assumption of greenhouse warming from increases in carbon dioxide is false. (Edmund Contoski, Liberty)
Nevertheless, these bozos are already planning for big sea level rises. Better yet, just plan for extinction. Plan how? Photo on top: Union Station, 1921, via Shorpy. It's a lot more fun now.
Here. I want to see how the Bird Dogette, back from England, does on this.
 I found an old piece suggesting that Scrubex may become a thing of the past. An ancient naval tradition - and navies are (partly) about tradition.
Photo is a Scrubex on the USS Theodore Roosevelt in 2005. That is a good work-out.
It wasn't just the reinforcements - it was the tactics. By Gen. Petraeus' Executive officer Peter Mansoor in the WaPo.
 I routinely catch up with Samuel Pepy's Diary, from which this bit from Aug 8, 1665:
Up and to the office, where all the morning we sat. At noon I home to dinner alone, and after dinner Bagwell’s wife waited at the door, and went with me to my office … So parted, and I to Sir W. Batten’s, and there sat the most of the afternoon talking and drinking too much with my Lord Bruncker, Sir G. Smith, G. Cocke and others very merry. I drunk a little mixed, but yet more than I should do. So to my office a little, and then to the Duke of Albemarle’s about some business.
I think it's great to read diaries in snippets. The new one is George Orwell's diaries. This entry from Aug 9, 1938 (Marx is Orwell's dog): Caught a large snake in the herbaceous border beside the drive. About 2’ 6” long, grey colour, black markings on belly but none on back except, on the neck, a mark resembling an arrow head (ñ) all down the back. Did not care to handle it too recklessly, so only picked it up by extreme tip of tail. Held thus it could nearly turn far enough to bite my hand, but not quite. Marx¹ interested at first, but after smelling it was frightened & ran away. The people here normally kill all snakes.
From Chantrill in American Thinker, one of the best short essays of the year: The Politics of the Social Safety Net. One quote: But the real problem is that the expansion of the safety net has led to increase in government power and the rise of the beauracracy. This combined to diminish individual responsibility which diminishes ones productivity and accumulation of wealth. With less wealth, it's easier to be dependent. With more people jumping in the net, taxes go up to maintain benefits, which cuts savings, which increases the demand for the safety net as more people retire destitute from taxation in furtherance of its support. Let's be real - we are never going to see a change in the safety net for too much political power is invested in, and generated by it. Also, its very existence has enabled our population to grow as those who would have otherwise died from disease, exposure or starvation due to lack of wealth have been spared by it (sorry for the cruelty). It's not going away. Any safety net, no matter how modest, who provides it, or what name you give it will mature into a welfare state.
Read the whole thing.
Excellent example of that law re buybacks of old cars, at Marginal Revolution.
 Bush's good time at the Olympics. (photo via Class. Values)
Why Obama will not win. Am. Thinker. Also, the big fund-raiser in Switzerland. How about George Clooney for Secretary of State? He seems to have all the answers. Slow-mo lightning video. h/t, Flares Party-poopers. Don't pass the popcorn Sovereign funds buying up distressed US real estate Let's fill our tires with greenhouse gasses Roger Kimball: Remembering Hiroshima, and the ongoing debate
Massive artillery and air strikes, and maybe a naval blockade. Belmont: Cheney talks tough, but Russia wants regime change in Georgia now that they have taken South Ossetia. It's half-amusing to hear the Russians speak of Georgian attacks on the Russian "peacekeeping forces." Georgians ask: “Why won’t America and Nato help us? If they won’t help us now, why did we help them in Iraq?” Seems to me to be a complicated puzzle composed of South Ossetia's separatism, oil pipelines - "the West's jugular", and geopolitics. Related: Bobby Jindal on Georgia (h/t, Insty). Jindal basically says that Obama doesn't know what he is talking about. And a quote from EU Referendum: Ukraine has plenty to worry about, being the next on the shopping list. After all, former President, now Prime Minister, Putin has always made it clear that he intended to restore the Soviet geopolitical territory and, in particular, he was anxious to take back the two biggest ones that got away: Ukraine and Georgia. Obviously, he meant that, if necessary, it will be done by force.
Swedish Foreign Minister, Carl Bildt, has demanded a very strong response from the European Union. That will be a little hard to achieve with Germany being so dependent on Russian gas and with other West European states being more anxious "to stand up to America" than pay attention to what is going on next door to it. Well may Ukraine and the Balts worry.
And Strategy Page puts the whole mess in perspective.
Sunday, August 10. 2008
Newcomb Hollow beach in Wellfleet, last week. 
 Russia broadens conflict. Russia bombs Tbilisi.
It's not part of the Olympics - it's all about oil - and Russki domination. Belmont Club is on the job. Where's the outrage from the peaceniks? Where are the protests, except from McCain? John at Powerline ripped Obama's reaction, concluding with: It is often said that Obama is not ready to be President, but I don't think this is exactly right. It seems pretty obvious that Obama, given his temperament, his self-regard, his blithe ignorance of history and of the material conditions of life on this planet, will never be ready to be President. He is not unready: he is unsuited for, and inadequate to, the office.
As am I. Good point, John, but you spoke too soon. Obama has already changed his tune. I guess he changed his mind in 24 hours after hearing the reactions of others. He had said everybody should sit down and talk. About what? About Ludacris' talent? When nations and powers have strong interests at stake, they don't mess around. It's rough out there. Too rough for metrosexuals.
From a Charles Simeon sermon, as quoted in a piece at Scriptorium: Permit me, then, to address you as dying persons, and to ask what you will think of these things when standing on the brink and precipice of eternity? Now you can speculate, and dispute, and speak with confidence about the justness of your views. Now you can discuss these matters as if it were of little moment what your sentiments are, or what is the ground of your affiance. But if you hold fast any of the foregoing delusions, you will not find them so satisfactory in a dying hour as you now imagine. Doubts… will arise in your mind… Would you but place yourselves where you must all very shortly be, on a dying bed, we should not find it so difficult to convince you that it is better to trust in the righteousness of Christ, which is commensurate with all the demands of law and justice and adequate to the wants of the whole world, than to be trusting in any respect to any poor defective righteousness of your own.
Life itself is a School of Humility. At some point, we all will need to get out of our own boats, and He will be there, waiting for us with open arms. By coincidence, A Slower Pace posted this from Max Lucado on death and rebirth.
 This is your final warning. IowaHawk
Which is worse? An Insty poll. Do you want a "hospitalist" when you get sick? I want my own Doc. Or my Veterinarian. McCain's last frontier. Alaska NYC vs. London More fun with pomo prose: David Thompson Invasion of Georgia was a "3 AM moment. " Also, Is Russia returning to imperialism? Roger. Also, from Rick Moran, A Splendid Little War Mrs. Edwards was part of the cabal. Just like the Clintons. An effort to scare Repub donors. Michelle Do urban congestion taxes do any good? CSM  We're soooooo virtuous. Plus pygmie goats.
Why the poor are often happy. George McGovern wants to save the union secret ballot. Unions hate that secret ballot. Prof B: Hijacking Scholarly Organizations to Advance Left-Liberal Agendas What would FDR think of today's Social Security? LA: The most puritanical city on earth Lieberman on McCain short list Love and sex in Denmark. Dr. Helen From Tammy Bruce: This article was written by a Republican to bolster the McCain campaign. So there's an agenda here, but the points are worth knowing. They will eventually become an important factor in the election. How aware is the public that McCain has raised seven children? Or that he adopted his two oldest sons as small boys (children from his wife's prior marriage)? Or that he has raised a Bangladeshi girl with severe health problems adopted from Mother Theresa's orphanage? Or that his own sons have served in the military, including in Iraq?
Lower photo: Bush with Kerri Walsh. Where do you innocently touch a beautiful girl wearing underwear?
 Matthew 14:22-33
22Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. 25And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. 26But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Saturday, August 9. 2008
Obama has Kenyan citizenship. OK. That clinches it. Now I am definitely voting for the guy. After all, we're enlightened and sophisticated internationalists, and it's about time for a Kenyan, right? An insider Chicago Machine pol community activist left-wing Kenyan with special real estate deals from now-indicted Rezko, of course. The kind of Kenyan that wants Crony Capitalism for himself, and Socialism for me. Same as all the limo Dems like Kennedy, who keeps his investments offshore unlike us regular folks who invest normally. Now back to my gardens if I can walk at all after my grueling tennis match in which I served far too many serves, on the most beautiful day of the year. We did win. We do not believe in losing, even if we have to win ugly with backspin drop shots and nasty angles. We could have easily beaten Mr. and Mrs. Obama with our tricksy ball control and our deep topspin slammers that bounce like crazy fiends.
I am no big fan of the Olympics and no big fan of China, but I did see some of the opening in a pub last night. This is drummers from the Boston Globe's collection of remarkable photos from the opening (h/t, Flopping): 
That could almost be a well-regulated warehouse. Asia never had that individualistic ethos that we value so highly and which fuels our pathetic self-importance. However, I thought this photo of musicians could be a pic of competitive blogging - or maybe unison blogging, like the Vast Right Wing Echo Chamber: 
Mine came out 100% male. Does that make me a stereotype? I wouldn't have predicted 100%. I have a soft and gentle side. The link for the thing is here.
Bringing power to the people. This is Corb Lund (h/t, Reader, who thinks this should be a 2008 theme song):
A re-post from the archives Before we hear about the depressed and suicidal freshman entering class of 2005 in the New York Post, this report examines and collates the spiritual and religious patterns exhibited by the college freshman class of 2004. It reveals kids with a lot more going on than mere existential angst. Yet, they still need to be told that the journey they are on will never come to a finish, they will never be sure that this is "it" and in the end, it will not have been how they spent their time while on the journey nor who they befriended or where they sought solace. In the end, no matter what their age, they will always just remain "babes in the woods." A quote: "How often do we encounter a research program that addresses a set of questions so central, so pivotal, so critical, and in retrospect, so obvious, that we wonder aloud why no one thought to ask these questions before?” —Lee S. Shulman, President The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
 A review of John McWhorter's book of the above title begins thus:
For the past forty years and more, a fraud has been perpetrated on the Western world. Since at least the appearance of the first issue of Rolling Stone in 1967, it has been a common assumption that popular music, particularly rock and roll, is about social change. The story has become an Ur-text for any child growing up in America -- or England or the rest of the world for that matter. It is a pop culture creation myth: In the beginning the world was void, without sound, thought or feeling, when Elvis Presley descended, Prometheus-like, to bring eroticism, fun and rebellion to the dull gray world. And as the Church Fathers followed Jesus, others came to carry the message of social revolution forward: the Beatles, Rolling Stones, the Who, even the Grateful Dead.
Read the whole thing.
Listen here pretty papa
Please get out of my sight
I'm calling it quits now
Right from this very night You know, you've had your day
Don't stand around
You've been a good old wagon
Daddy but you done broke down You'd better go down to the blacksmith shop
Get yourself an overhaul
There ain't nothin about you
Make a good woman bawl When you were in your prime
You used to love to run around
You been a good old wagon
Daddy but you done broke down When the sun is shining
That's the time to make hay
Now it's rainin all the time
And you can't make your old wagon pay Nobody wants a baby
When a real man can be found
You been a good old wagon
Daddy but you done broke down Ain't no use in cryin
Or to make a big show
This man has taught me more about lovin
Than you will ever know Well he is the king of lovin
Just minus of a crown
He's a good old wagon
Daddy and he ain't broke down Here's the late, great Dave Van Ronk reminiscing, and playing the song:
We try to veer away from the overly-personal here, but I thought a photo of Mrs. Bird Dog doing her farm chores might be pleasing to our readers. 
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