Maggie's Farm

From A Beacon of Liberty amid Depression:

The event in question took place over four days in an obscure building, the Musée Social, just off the Boulevard Saint-Germain in Paris at the end of August, 1938. Present were some 26 academics, business people and writers, mostly from Europe, but including the American commentator and journalist Walter Lippmann (who, as it turned out, was in Paris on honeymoon at the time). Also in attendance, apart from the young Raymond Aron, were some of Europe's leading economists: Louis Rougier and Jacques Rueff from France, Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich von Hayek of the Austrian School, and two Germans, both living in exile, Wilhelm Röpke and Alexander Rüstow. Although invited, neither the future Italian President Luigi Einaudi nor the Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset was able to attend. 

The immediate cause of this coming together was the publication of a French version of Lippmann's An Inquiry into the Principles of the Good Society by the Librarie de Médicis, the same publisher that had also recently published Rougier's Les Mystiques Economiques and von Mises's anti-collectivist broadside, Socialism. The wider context was the challenge to liberalism and the free market posed by the rise of a generalised state interventionism in the form of planning, corporatism and socialism. Capitalism seemed on the brink of systemic failure and for many it was capitalism itself that was to blame. Its decline and its end appeared inevitable. 

But the participants also saw that the challenge they faced was directed against more than simply the liberal economic order and the political democracy born out of the 19th century. "The totalitarian rebellion," Lippmann commented in his introductory remarks to the conference, "attacks the entirety of the Western tradition - its religion, its science, its law, its state, its property, its family, its morality and its conception of the human person." As a matter of urgency, the civilised world had to find a response to an inhuman enemy. 

And, like Benda, they saw that intellectuals were aiding and abetting this enemy. Never, Rougier asserted, had the clercs betrayed as much as they were now doing. They denounced the crimes of Hitler and of fascism but remained silent before the Moscow show trials. They called for the socialisation of the economy without understanding that they were weakening democracy and helping dictators. Believing themselves to be the most implacable enemies of tyranny, they were in fact its best allies. They were betraying the very cause that they professed to serve.

Read the whole essay at Standpoint

Thus far, most corrupt White House ever. Nobody cares.

The Dow under Obama. Related, at Pajamas: Turn Back, Mr. President

Chicago wants surveillance cameras everywhere. Except in their pols' offices, no doubt.

Disagreement with stimulus is racist, claims Congressman

Can we stop talking about race? Mod. Voice

A "kick me" foreign policy. Krauthammer

No correct answers: A solution to the math and science gender gap

Jamie Dimon likes the Admin's mortgage relief plan (video). So does Baseline Scenario

"Let housing find its clearing price." Saft at Reuters. Don't worry - it will.

If you watch the movie `Jaws’ backwards, it’s a movie about a shark that keeps throwing up people until they have to open a beach.

h/t, Bits and Pieces

with the Grateful Dead. I don't know the year or place. It begins like this:

Sometimes I feel so low-down and disgusted
Can't help but wonder what's happening to my companions
Are they lost or are they found, have they counted the cost it'll take to bring down
All their earthly principles they're gonna have to abandon ?
There's slow, slow train coming up around the bend.

I had a woman down in Alabama
She was a backwoods girl, but she sure was realistic
She said, Boy, without a doubt, have to quit your mess and straighten out
You could die down here, be just another accident statistic
There's slow, slow train coming up around the bend.

Full lyrics here.

This could be from a movie. Fantastic Americana: an American soldier offers subtle motivation to Iraqi policemen:

I have grown cynical since 1979 when I found myself in Washington as a 24 year old sprite, agog at the majesty and towering historical figures with whom I was rubbing shoulders. But the reverence I had for politicians and our system of government back then was misplaced. I see now that the stately buildings, the stirring rhetoric, the passion, the belief in ideas was a mirage, a beautiful facade behind which was the crumbling, rotten ruins of 200 years of hopes, aspirations and bloody sacrifce made irrelevant by hard-eyed, cynical men who exploited people like me and what I believed for their own gain. By the time I left Washington 6 years later, I had been disabused of my boyish naivete, having seen the grubby underside of politics and governing as well as the grasping, conniving nature of so many who wield power, ideally to benefit the people but instead, to protect and enrich a wealthy elite. The education of Rick Moran was complete.

Rick Moran

h/t, Theo:

The perfect girlfriend isn't the possessive type, and just wants you to be happy (h/t, S,C&A):

3800 acres, with 6 miles of the Teton River, 50 miles west of Great Falls. $12 million, but probably negotiable. Nice views? Can any reader name that mountain?

 Downtown Choteau, 3 BR, $69,000:

VDH, via Anchoress:

 Barack Obama immediately upon entering office demanded the largest government expansion in the history of the nation. The staggering debt program will require nearly a trillion dollars in borrowing to fund all sorts of entitlements and redistributive efforts, and in revolutionary fashion redefine the role of government itself. Obama pronounced the current economic crisis the moral equivalent of war, and he wanted a national mobilization to meet it — pronto.

But unlike the Bush administration, which took 15 months to prepare the country for a real war in Iraq, the Obama administration gave the public only a few hours to read the final draft of the legislation before it was made into law. Where the polarizing partisan George Bush managed to obtain the vote of majorities in both parties to remove Saddam Hussein, the healing bipartisan Barack Obama lacked the support of even a single Republican in the House and won over a mere three Republicans in the Senate.

Wooly Mammoths used to live in LA. Not very long ago, either.

But you already knew that (h/t, Jungle Man). They are findling lots more interesting bones, though. 

Our link this morning to the "Make it rain candy, Mr. Obama" bit reminded me of what should be one of the Left's theme songs. Here's the great Burl Ives:

"He's the most unselfish person I've ever met."

Brianna Kelliher of her boyfriend, Lance Cpl. Kenneth Preach, mortally wounded in Afghanistan

From Bruce Kesler:

International Relations professors “are often the last people a president turns to for advice on running the world. At least, that’s what the professors say,” in a 2008 survey of 1743 IR faculty at every 4-year college and university in the US.   “Most revealing? Nearly 40 percent of respondents reported that these scholars have “no impact” on foreign policy or even the public discourse about it.”  Foreign Policy reports the results. 

If they, or you, are wondering why they are so irrelevant, just look at their top priority: “It’s a largely liberal internationalist agenda, one that names the most important foreign-policy priorities facing the United States as global climate change (37 percent).”

What issue could possibly trump a major recession and not one but two foreign wars? Our warming planet. According to the scholars in this year’s survey, a U.S. commitment to take the lead on international climate treaties is long overdue. Although the election of President Obama—who has described the global climate change threat as “a matter of urgency”—promises movement on U.S. environmental policy, it might not be nearly high enough on Obama’s to-do list for these experts. Not only do academics consider the environment to be the greatest threat we face today, they predict it will be an even more important foreign-policy challenge for the United States in 10 years.

If there’s still wonder, I looked into the 93-page survey report the article is based upon. Guess what? “Seventy-five percent describe themselves as liberal,” and that percentage has increased from 69% in 2004.

Still wondering?  Read on:

In 2008, for instance, we see fewer than half as many scholars (23 percent of respondents in 2008 compared to to 48 percent in 2006) describing terrorism as one of the three most significant current foreign policy challenges facing the United States.  Most surprisingly, while 50 percent of U.S. scholars in 2006 said that terrorism was one of the most important foreign policy issues the United states would face over the subsequent decade, in 2008 only 1 percent of respondents agreed….Concern over several other foreign policy issues is also declining markedly: when asked about the most important problems facing the country over the next ten years 18 percent fewer respondents chose WMD proliferation, 12 percent fewer said armed conflict in the Middle east, and 13 percent fewer indicated failed states.  At the same time, 17 percent more respondents in 2008 than in 2006 believed that climate change will pose a serious challenge…

Want more reasons to not look forward to paying those huge tuition bills for your children?

She's a Dartmouth gal, and she keeps rifles around the house.

I think she's a Maggie's Farm sort of senator (despite being D-NY). The self-protective instinct seems sadly lacking in the flabby Western world these days. Plus she has a nice, honest smile.

If you get immunized for Polio, you should just as reasonably immunize yourself against the bad guys by being armed. Both dangers are rare, but can really hurt you.

Somebody made her move those guns, though.

As the angle of Mr. Sun begins to increase in the New England skies, we generally post a few boats that catch our eyes. Usually classic old boats, but this 2003 Beneteau 36 for sale seemed appealing.

They term this Farr design a racer-cruiser, but she looks like a racer to me. In this sort of economy, nice boats become more affordable. Asking 124,000.

Starbuck's stock price tracks the economy. Ouch.

As much as we enjoy promoting the simple virtues of Dunkin Donuts here, we have never really been mad at Starbucks. I like their House Blend, and I think the idea of a "third place" to hang out for a while either alone or to meet - which isn't a pub - is a civilized thing.  

And, when you think about it, they don't charge any more than a pub would charge you for a drink. As with a pub, you are paying for a place to go to, not for the liquid.

I think they over-reached in their expansion. The are spots in NYC where you can see at least two of them from one corner.

Dunkin is still making money, and, if you don't mind hard plastic chairs, no wireless, no semi-cool CDs for sale, no bean-sprout sandwiches on bread so "natural" that I doubt Medieval serfs would want to eat it, no phony 1/4" thick ambience, and no barristas, Dunkin is still a pleasant "third place" for lots of folks.

Still, for your first e-Harmony get-together, Starbucks is probably a better idea...

"First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, he was second to none in humble and enduring scenes of private life. Pious, just humane, temperate, and sincere; uniform dignified, and commanding; his example was as edifying to all around him as were the effects of that example lasting.... The purity of his private charter gave effulgence to his public virtues...."

John Marshall, official eulogy of George Washington, delivered by Richard Henry Lee, 26 December 1799

On Fitna and dhimmitude. h/t, Stop the ACLU

Photo above: Train of death, according to James Hansen. Cranks rule the world.

And just one related comment about all of the excitement about electric cars. What do they run on? Coal. Coal is where the electricity comes from. Some people seem to think it comes from magic out of sockets.

Aspiring moonbat Prince of Wales to travel with gigantic carbon footprint to spread warming religion

We used to joke about "thought police." It's become real, in the UK. Spiked

Driving ships through the graveyard of the Pacific. I have run a few bars in my time in boats, and it is scary.

Depressing. What we just did. Surber: "Too bad this bill is born-again communism."

The Obama plans for February. They were serious about changing America.

Have Obamacons been Obamaconned? Q&O. Duh.

Obama to Eastern Europeans: You're on your own. Nice. Looks more and more like Carter.

Who was America's best Presidential speechwriter? Ted Sorensen answers.

Jeb Bush: Make Repubs a national party.

I'd be scared to lend too, with these economic idiots in charge

Sign above from Right Wing Prof. More seriously from him, What have I been saying? College kids are not prepared for college-level work.

Get ready. I don't know what this has to do with stimulus, but the stimulus bill gives the government the power to over-rule your doctor for cost purposes. That is insane, politically and humanly.

Stimulus gives states incentive to add to their welfare rolls.

New York State gets stimulus windfall:

Gov. Paterson called yesterday for fiscal restraint with the massive influx of federal aid. His budget office estimated that New York will receive $24.6 billion over the next two years, $4 billion more than first believed.

Restraint? Haha. Fat chance.

Obama's "shock and awe" will be paying the bill. But what the heck, White House admits stimulus won't do anything.

A few things economists agree upon. Mankiw

 From a piece by Paglia:

Speaking of talk radio (which I listen to constantly), I remain incredulous that any Democrat who professes liberal values would give a moment's thought to supporting a return of the Fairness Doctrine to muzzle conservative shows. (My latest manifesto on this subject appeared in my last column.) The failure of liberals to master the vibrant medium of talk radio remains puzzling. To reach the radio audience (whether the topic is sports, politics or car repair), a host must have populist instincts and use the robust common voice. Too many Democrats have become arrogant elitists, speaking down in snide, condescending tones toward tradition-minded middle Americans whom they stereotype as rubes and buffoons. But the bottom line is that government surveillance of the ideological content of talk radio is a shocking first step toward totalitarianism.

One of the nuggets I've gleaned from several radio sources is that Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who has been in the aggressive forefront of the campaign to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, is married to Tom Athans, who works extensively with left-wing radio organizations and was once the executive vice-president of Air America, the liberal radio syndicate that, despite massive publicity from major media, has failed miserably to win a national audience. Stabenow's outrageous conflict of interest has of course been largely ignored by the prestige press, which should have been demanding that she recuse herself from all political involvement with this issue.

Stimulus is largest increase in government hand-outs in history. Good grief. Yes, we are back to the dole again, undoing Clinton's best deed for the poor. I think the Admin is over-reaching here. Same mistake Clinton made in the beginning. Nobody wants a change back to 1970.

Greenies upset with stimulus' billions for highways. I am actually sympathetic with them. Don't we have highways everywhere? Around here, we have highways to nowhere already.

Do the Blue Dog Dems have any clout anymore? Less, but still some.

Road to Serfdom, in cartoons. We linked this once in the past. h/t, Insty

Stimulus problems, at RCP. A quote:

"If we borrow money from China to give money back to individuals to spend (in the form of tax cuts or tax credits), will their spending eventually go back to China because they use it to make purchases at stores such as Wal-Mart?" she asks.

Which begs a follow-up question: How would that stimulate job growth here?

The current stimulus plan lacks ambition, innovation and creativity, Brown says. Government shouldn't create jobs; it should create markets that spur private companies to create jobs. "The government's job is to speed up the process known as 'creative destruction,' " she says.

Much of the money in the stimulus plan goes to states to help balance their budgets or to programs created long ago -- some successful (such as Pell grants) and some controversial (sexually transmitted disease prevention) -- but not many that are really "new" or experimental.

"Too much for too little" is Brown's assessment of the stimulus package.

Plus I always wonder what happens when China stops wanting to buy our debt...Won't we be in the same position as the banks? Insolvent, with nowhere to borrow and nobody left to tax? Which is precisely where California is right now.

Bumper sticker below from Gay Patriot:

Geoffrey Malaterra, who compares Robert Guiscard and his brother to "Joseph and Benjamin of old," says of Roger: "He was a youth of the greatest beauty, of lofty stature, of graceful shape, most eloquent in speech and cool in counsel. He was far-seeing in arranging all his actions, pleasant and merry all with men; strong and brave, and furious in battle."

Thus says Wiki. In 1061, he defeated 35,000 Saracens in the Battle of Cerami in Sicily:

His name came up today not only because Roger is a contributor to Maggie's Farm, but because in researching summer travel we got looking into the history of Malta. It's always interesting to be reminded of the Norman conquest of Southern Italy and of Sicily (which was Moslem at the time) - and of Malta, also Moslem at the time.

Those descendents of Vikings really did get around. Besides conquering England and southern Italy, they even invaded Greece and sailed up the Danube.

You cannot mention the history of Malta without mentioning the knights hospitalers of The Order of St. John, properly known as The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. Maybe Gwynnie will sing their praises here some time.

Via Bruce Kesler, from a reader(with his permission), on our post on the film Defiance. He needs to see the film:

I read with great interest your review of the film, “Defiance,” which I have not  seen yet. I am writing a book on my family's town, Dolhinov, and have been conducting both archival research and interviews, About 450 Jews in the town—the only ones left of 5000 residents and refuges--survived fighting or living with various partisan units, primarily with the one next door to the Bielski's, the 'People Avengers" commanded by Ivan Timchuk whose chief aide was Avraham Freedman of Dolhinov. These stories are just starting to be told, partially because of the availability of new documents and studies from the post-Soviet countries.

In a unique event, about 300, including a number of my relatives, were evacuated by the Red Army on a 500-mile march through German lines, organized by Timchuk. This is an area of swamps and thick forests, perfect for partisan warfare.

A key factor was whether units had Jews as members. The Bielskis were almost unique in being commanders since in most cases, the leaders were chosen by the Soviet command from experienced veterans told to stay behind German lines in 1941.

Another feature of this area was that it experienced 18 months of Soviet occupation followed by 3 years   (though  Jews only lived through the first ten months in their  homes  or at all) of  German occupation. Those who couldn't get out at the war’s end spent the next 12 years  trying to get out of the USSR to come to Israel.

Professor Barry Rubin

Director, Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center http://www.gloriacenter.org
Editor, Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal http://www.meriajournal.com
Watch on the Middle East http://www.watchonthemiddleeast.com
Editor Turkish Studies, http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=t713636933%22
 

Powerline has Global Warming Propaganda Worse Than Expected.

Readers know that, as a general rule, we post climate links and essays in our "Political" category rather than in our "Natural History and Conservation" category.

Information every month, accumulating year after year, confirms our impression that the "Global Warming Crisis" is politically-driven, regardless of the merits of the science.

The Left loves Global Warming, because it has the potential to scare people into giving further power and control to state apparatuses. If it doesn't pan out, they will need to find another strategy. But they have invested a lot of time and energy into this one, and will be naturally reluctant to let it go.  

Regular readers also know that it's my opinion that some warming would be to the benefit of humanity, as it has been in history. England thrived with its vineyards during the medieval warming, and Greenland was green and agricultural. I am skeptical about whether that is happening now, though. More likely, the opposite. I trust tropospheric measures more than land measures, which are corrupted by all sorts of local variables.

In the event of the worst case which the fearmongers promote (and even they admit exaggerating for effect), not a darn thing can or will be done to make a difference. Humans have adjusted to, and survived, far worse in their brief time on this earth.

I also happen to believe that there are too many people. I am open to being wrong about that, but I do feel that it would be a shame for the entire planet to be paved. From what I know about the world, prosperity and opportunity seem to be the best routes to population rationality and land conservation.