Me back from Maine, refreshed and full of clams, mussels and Codfish, and happy to have a hot shower with something called "soap." My summer vacation time is all used up, but I still have my weekend boating schedule to keep me summering although I am already thinking about hunting season.
Did some thinking about how to improve my little corner of Maggie's Farm, but did not come up with any great ideas, other than to post less, more often, if only to make my job easier for me. I am not trying to compete with Insty. However, I have catch-up today since I have been happily without any news for going on two weeks. Funny how life goes on just the same whether you know what's happening or not. News is at least half entertainment and diversion/distraction but, on the other hand, being informed and involved is one's duty as a citizen in a free republic - even in summertime.
Sad to hear about Russert. A decent, likeable fellow, too young to go. Carlin too, although I never quite enjoyed his humor too much. Memento mori.
Here's a view of Acadia park, where I have been bumming it. Yes, the water is cold:
Back to reality? What is "reality"? One Cosmos
My alcoholism, from Dean's World. A damn good piece. (h/t, Mod. Voice)
A vehicle from the point of view of a dog. Bad idea: dogs must be expected to adjust.
Another blogger we enjoy takes a break. Prof Deneen. Wise move. Production without compensation is insane. At Maggie's, we are all insane.
Mordechai Kedar on that Al Jazeera interview, at Youtube
Dr. Merc already posted this, but it's a serious point. Obama not ready for prime time. But neither was Bush the Younger. Related: How to read a far Left-wing hack like Frank Rich. Related: Thinking about David Brooks' piece on Obama
Power blackouts in the strangest places.
The NYT is rife with biased reporting on Israel. They are rife with biased reporting about everything else, too.
Pssst. I can make you a deal on a Pious Prius. It's a marketing triumph.
Another Irish referendum? I guess you can keep making them vote until they vote the way you want them to.
The exodus of the middle class from San Francisco. Isn't it rather basic that prices go up when a thing is desirable? What's the big deal? That middle class is making a killing by selling their SF houses.
Theophobia. Prof. Bainbridge
Loses 80 lbs. on a MacDonalds diet
16 year-old plans solo sail around the world. Mom claims to be relaxed about it.
Happy 5th Birthday, American Digest. Vanderleun is a member of our cybertribe, I think.
Kelo update. Volokh
Democrat language, translated. It is not complicated.
Not enough cheap power? Blame the Evil Corporations.
Are men more sexy if they do housework? Dr. Helen. Sexy or not, of course men do housework. It just has to get done sometimes - but as little as possible to maintain minimal decency. It's called "man clean," meaning that the pizza boxes and beer cans go to the garbage before you have a girl over.
Via Coyote: "Democrats are great public supporters of science over faith (e.g. stem cell research, evolution) except when the science is economics and one's faith is in government."
Where's the virtue in permitting evil to triumph? Neoneo
What's the Dem energy policy? Related: The Big Lie about ANWR.
The big economic story of the year is about the bond insurors. From Bloomberg:
"Financial Security and Assured Guaranty Ltd.'s insurance unit were the only bond insurers to keep a top rating and stable outlook from Fitch, Moody's & S&P."
FSA has been the strongest, meaning there is no hope for Assured.
and more at Bloomberg:
"The funds are concerned that they may get stuck with the debt because banks that have agreed to act as buyers of last resort can cancel those agreements when insurers' credit ratings drop below specified levels."
and more. It's a fascinating story with all sorts of implications for debt markets and for muni markets. I don't understand the ins and outs of credit default swap pricing, but I can understand the implications of the collapse of the bond insurors. As we said here months ago, if Maggie's were a billion-dollar fund we'd have been buying distressed credits for 8 months. And now we'd be selling them to the other hedgies and making millions.
