Maggie's Farm

Levin's views of what America is about.

Dr. Tim Ball's new book: Human Caused Global Warming

Brief review 

1964. Still as relevant as it was then.

"Free market capitalism" is just what trustworthy people naturally do to make stuff, get stuff, and do things without violence or threat of violence: "I'll give you two arrowheads for that nice spearhead." The only "system" in free markets are government constraints to preserve orderly markets, to protect people from fraud, and to reward government friends. Those constraints are sometimes helpful, often destructive.

Other things - not "systems" but really just conditions - which make non-violent interactions possible are free speech, voting, a legal structure, honest people, and property ownership. 

Lefties have a knee-jerk suspicion of those fine foundations for civil society.

Reposted:

You have heard their sound many times, usually from heavy trucks on downhill slopes. They are a kind of engine brake.

Heavy trucks could burn out their foot brakes on hills, and downshifting can be risky - if you get stick in Neutral, you could be dead. 

New Zealand rugby teams do the Maori Haka (war dance) before their games. Especially the "All Blacks" team.

I have no doubt that it is intimidating, especially  since the New Zealand teams have Maoris on them. 

Yellow journalism. I think Zucker is a goner.  CNN’s Month-Long Nightmare

- GOP senators: Trump attack on MSNBC hosts 'beneath the dignity' of his office

- Doesn't know the difference between Medicaid and Medicare (even tho he is on Medicare) - scroll down a bit 

Upsides:  Gorsuch plus one or two more 

Even Glenn Greenwald gets it: Latest Examples of Media Recklessness on the Russia Threat

There is no Russia threat. Obama and Hillary tried hard to cozy up to Putin. Russia is a pathetic country, but no danger to the US at all.  This whole thing was started by the Clinton campaign. From now on, I will ignore it all.

I was lukewarm about Trump, but I figure I felt like the Hillary supporters did - it was a rotten character but preferable to the other one.  I never expected Trump to have a chance.

"...All the nice cutesy little ethics that used to get talked about in journalism school you're just like, that's adorable. That's adorable. This is a business."

CNN producer John Bonifield.  If anybody doubted Trump's accusations of fake news...

That's a paraphrase of a stock Insty comment. 'Meritocracy' is a microaggression, university guidebook claims:

 Under the heading “Myth of Meritocracy,” for instance, the document asserts that saying “Everyone can succeed in this country, if they work hard enough” constitutes a microaggression, advising students and faculty members to respond to such statements by challenging the speaker to provide examples.

Welfare models from around the world. From Why the Government Fails at Welfare:

 Policy think tanks across the country have analyzed the finding of Maine’s experiment and have called on their state governments to follow suit. Some even heralded the program as a model for the nation. The problem facing many action oriented states come from restrictions put in place by the federal system. While the Republican lead welfare reform of the 90s did a great deal to push welfare to the state level, it also left a great deal to be desired.

To function as independent bodies, as the federal system intends, and better serve their most vulnerable citizens’ states ought to have greater freedom to experiment with welfare reforms.  Congress could act to give states a greater say in how welfare is implemented within their borders if reform is to be both helpful to those in need and sustainable.

It's easy. Make everything about yourself. h/t American Digest

...at the rate that Mohammeds exploded, BMWs would be banned in Britain.

Hayward:  NEW YORK TIMES HITS A NEW LOW

French on the NYT: Its editorial about yesterday’s shooting doesn’t just twist the truth; it may be libelous.

 Sarah Palin Blasts ‘Sickening’ NYT Editorial Blaming Her For Giffords Shooting

Williamson: The Left Embraces Political Violence

WaPo:  The Baseball Shooting Wasn’t An Attack On The GOP. It Was An Attack On All Of Us.

Jack Goldsmith:

 It is an amazing state of affairs: A President of the United States who does not at all grasp the Office he occupies, and who thus entirely lacks the proper situation sense, or contextual knowledge, in which a President should exercise judgment or act.  Let that sink in...