Tuesday, October 7. 2008
Everybody has ideas for McCain. Anchoress posts this idea. I like it, but it's not a game-changer. Why isn't it? Because people are worried about the future. Revenge and justice for the Fannie and Freddie Dem sleazes can wait, and will be served cold - in the increasingly unlikely event that McCain wins the election.
 Now you can't say "wetbacks," or you will be in deep trouble. Then what should we call people who swim across the Rio Grande illegally? How about "swimmers"?
And can I still say "terrorist"? Or should I say "ununiformed murderer"? I refuse to give in to the Speech Nazis. In fact, I resist them, even at the risk of being impolitic or unmannerly at times. Photo: A nice wetback.
 Columbia University is lucky to have Simon Schama on board. I have been a fan since I read his rambling masterpiece Landscape and Memory, and I have attended his lectures on Rembrandt.
You can get a lot out of his rambles through history, art, culture and philosophy. The man has been prolific. I'm fairly sure I don't agree with his politics (but that's not normally his subject), but he does have a new book out: The American Future: A History. Although he loves his new home in America, I am going to take a pass this time. I don't need immigrants to talk to me about our future. I have Massachusetts Bay Colony and New Hampshire roots that even Simon might not understand.
 I don't spend much time reading the news, but it appears there's an election coming up sometime soon. I glanced over the article and saw the word "Alaska", so I presume we're voting on whether or not to finally make it a state. Big mistake! All that barren wasteland covered with a sheet of ice? I say sell it back to the Russians!
We might finally make a profit!
The second of the three presidential debates is on tonight at 9 Eastern. Despite the rancor of their recent TV ads, I don't expect many fireworks. They'll be asked about the vitriol in their recent ads, but that's different. I think it'll be the usual fluff, or as one pundit put it: It might be a snooze-fest, full of earnest questions and foggy bromides.
(A good example of what separates us lowly bloggers from professional pundits — we never think of cool expressions like "foggy bromides".) I originally thought someone had said this would be all four candidates, but it's just Obama and McCain, dagnibbit. Without you-know-who's perky self, I wouldn't be surprised to hear it had an extremely low turnout, and I'd note that it's going up against some TV heavyweights, like 'Law & Order' and 'House'.
 Having fun with these markets yet? Too bad there isn't much left that you can short. It's goofy.
Soros and the missing SNL skit. Michelle McCain's health care ideas The People's Hedge Fund Insty: JENNIFER RUBIN: Since Palin was asked about creationism, Obama should be asked about Marxism.
I was 9 years old when my friend tried to kill you. Quoted from Steyn: The current characterizations of Professor Ayers—-“unrepentant terrorist,” “lunatic leftist”—-are unrecognizable to those who know or work with him. It’s true that Professor Ayers participated passionately in the civil rights and antiwar movements of the 1960s, as did hundreds of thousands of Americans. Really? Hundreds of thousands of Americans plotted to kill soldiers and their dates by blowing them up at a dance? No wonder Barack's ahead in the polls. From Willisms: 
The only Dylan song that ever made it to #1 in the charts was the Byrds' 1965 cover of Mr. Tambourine Man. Here's some background on that. Here are the Byrds playing the song at a 1990 Roy Orbison memorial, with Bob helping out, tentatively. If this won't improve your day, nothing will:
Our own Dr. Bliss and our net friend AVI are our go-to people on tribalism. For better or worse, tribalism is in our blood. It probably was essential for human survival, and probably still is for non-human primate survival. Probably for us, too, if we value our own culture at all. I do value mine - my culture and my subculture. AVI takes a look at Tribal Elders, Young Turks, and politics.
From guest author Bruce Kesler:  Health care could be the next Fannie Mae type disaster. Similar forces are at work, and despite the lessons that should be drawn instead may be accelerated by the current financial meltdown. These forces are exaggeration of need and rights among the poor, greed by many of the rest of us, and many politicians seeking votes or contributions.
The forces in the credit crisis were the appeal to provide opportunities for home ownership to the poor and the consequent inflation of housing values that provided paper gains to the middle class and wealthy. Underlying these forces was a pyramid scheme profiting the political and financial elites that was dependent on trust in repayment of subprime loans by many without the means or stake in doing so. Thus, ultimately the taxpayer and more careful consumers and investors are required to pay off, also making other worthy goals unaffordable.
Continue reading "The Fannie-ization of Health Care"
 When a truck is parked next to my study, it interferes with the wireless to my machine. Honest.
Do I need a tin-foil hat, or does the truck, or does my machine?
 Just a thought: How much of the stock market correction is in anticipation of Obama's election?
The case that mark-to-market contributed to the banking crisis Not "mainstream" The reappearance of the Straight Talk Express "No, Barney … the conservatives haven’t been blaming poor blacks. They’ve been blaming you." Can McCain catch up? Doubtful. The economic news is a nasty headwind. Michelle Obama has always been a complainer The Wright Stuff. Kristol The worst academic careers, worldwide Watch as Dems blame banking crisis on deregulation The credit crisis will end, but the recession that began in September will be the bigger problem Voters easily deluded by populist simplicities. But is that anything new? Ayers, Rezko, Wright, and the Economy. Hewitt
Monday, October 6. 2008
When Jim Cramer says PANIC! SELL EVERYTHING! it sounds like true capitulation to me. He predicts a 20% stock market drop soon or over the next quarter. If you sell now, that's a 15% tax hit, so, effectively, that 20% drop is only a 5% drop. Of course, Obama promises us higher cap gains taxes, which is another subject. As is pension money.
 You're the unluckiest hunter in the world, so take the Survival Quiz at Field & Stream (h/t, Viking)
 Front Page enjoyed American Carol
How the NYT handled the Ayers story Blue State Blues. Driscoll Germany to EU: Drop dead Staying out of poverty is simple I can't believe this less-than-enthusiastic Bill Clinton defense of Obama Winking update Vote fraud expected to be rampant this year Oil prices heading down This may explain why the Arctic ice was melting, but not Antarctic ice: wind. h/t, Tiger Formal complaint re foreign donations to Obama John at Powerline: When the McCain campaign ran an ad that had a white woman in it, it was denounced as racist. When it ran an ad that had an African-American man (Franklin Raines) in it, it was denounced as racist. Now the McCain campaign links Obama to a white man, the former terrorist, and still anti-American, Bill Ayers. That's racist too. I think we've exhausted just about all the possibilities. The only non-racist thing McCain can do, apparently, is concede the election.
More on that story at Jules
Seed Time and Harvest (1937) 
Sunday, October 5. 2008
This lady has fun campaigning. See any Teleprompter? Neither do I.
Rock on, Sarah.
Brit media snobs look down their noses at Palin. But it's not just Eurosnobs. We hear the same thing around here - entirely from women. (Is this about the Narcissism of Small Differences? Is it because hating happy, normal, well-adjusted people makes you feel smart? Or is it envy of her studly husband, her self-made success, and her obvious femininity and good cheer? Or is it all - probably - just because she's not a bien-pensant angry Chardonnay-and-Brie Limousine Lefty?) Some examples we've heard lately: - She's too feminine (I think that means she's trim and sexy)
- She didn't go to the right schools
- She takes religion too seriously (that's from church-goers)
- She talks with a funny accent
- She's not well-travelled
- She says "nucular" and "I-raq."
- She has too many kids, she's like a farm animal
- A woman who likes to kill animals? That's sick!
- She likes oil. Nobody likes oil. (said by a Lexus SUV driver.)
- Alaska is nowhere
- Nobody we know in Washington knows her
- She wouldn't fit in at our cocktail parties (actually, I think she'd be the life of the party) In other words, "She's not really one of us." These, I would contend, are all class-related, "We're so sophisticated" attitudes. When you think about it, it's funny how class-conscious and intolerant Liberals can be when they want to. Below is Palin in Carson on Saturday. Thank goodness for all of those non-snobs. They are the heart and the heartbeat of America, and we Eastern elites should thank God for them. 
As Jungle Trader links: Michael Goodwin of the New York Daily News: "Some day, we will look back with disgust at the abuse Palin has taken and wonder how it could happen in this great nation, circa 2008."
 Is Obama an effete, dithering, Ivy League twit, a member of the lunatic fringe with a suit as a disguise, a preacher manque, an unanchored megalomaniac, or a heavyweight ready to assume the terrifying responsibilities of the defence of America? I think he wants to keep us guessing, so everybody can fill in the blanks their own way.
I think he's all of the above, sort of a Jimmy Carter-Henry Wallace combo, but with a much better schtick: He made what? $4 million last year? Not too darn bad for a politician who hates capitalism. Jon Voigt thinks he's the second, but we don't take our insight from Hollywood, even though we like Voigt. The Brit Ambassador cannot figure out who he is, or what he stands for. I know facts don't matter in this election, but these are Obama's economic advisors. Sheesh. Greedy Dem thieves, every one. Not to mention Barney Frank's boyfriend. Simple, obvious questions that reporters will not ask Obama. They are afraid to. Gone raving mad. Powerline Palin: "Just once it would be nice if Barack Obama said he wanted us to win (in Iraq)." Fannie Mae: An insider's view The AP goes neocon, essentially admits Bush was right about Iraq. Is that a sign that they think the election is over? Photo: The Old Lyme, CT First Congregational Church. A beaut of its type. Built in 1817, it is the fourth church built by the congregation, which formed in 1665. It sounds like an active and growing church.
Saturday, October 4. 2008
Why humans are unable to imagine death: Scientific American. But we do imagine it, don't we? Or try? The Mayans viewed it as floating on a foggy ocean, and I like that image. We Christians have no clear image of Paradise, other than being "with" God - whatever that means.
 Tell Tale Signs, a new collection of Dylan rare recordings and outtakes, will be released on Oct. 7.
Lots of streaming samples from the record at the NPR preview above. Be sure to listen to the earlier version of Time Out of Mind's masterpiece Mississippi.
Oct 1, with Charlie Rose. It's long, but he is always worth listening to, especially since, as Kudlow terms it, "the economy fell off a cliff in September." This election, now, is about the economy - period. Neither Pres candidate is able to speak intelligently or knowledgeably about it, and Sarah Palin is the only of the 4 who has ever worked in the real world.
59% agree - government is the problem Now California wants a bailout. Can I get a bailout too? The rubbish they talk about the credit crunch Big Bang or Big Bounce? New theories about the origins of the universe Palin spoke at 10th grade level; Biden at 8th grade level (Newspapers aim for 6th grade level - really.) Stripper Science and other winners of the Ig Nobel Prizes What a man! Dick Cavett on Paul Newman Underemployment. CNN Money
A reader reminded us of Jonathan Edwards' 1971 hit "Sunshine." The lyrics seem appropriate to today's politics. One verse: well how much does it cost
i'll buy it
the time is all we've lost
i'll try it
he can't even run his own life
i'll damned if he'll run mine...(sunshine) Complete lyrics here. Here he is singing the tune in 2006 in Gruene, Texas:
 In my post-debate wrap-up yesterday, I mentioned a threat that had been flung across the aisle at one point, caught in full by few except Biden, himself. He understood the threat perfectly and it evoked one of his wildest, most unhinged responses of the evening. Most people probably assumed he was just taking the opportunity to lash out at Cheney for whatever reason, but he and Palin were sharing a very different message.
We'll review the transcript first, then we'll go to the video and you can watch how easily this shotgun-barreled threat flows from her lips, and how easily the import of what she's really saying would be lost on anyone except those tuned into the buzzwordspeak of politics, and why it evoked Biden's somewhat deranged response.
Clever post title, eh?
Continue reading "Broadside"
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