Thursday, May 29. 2008
Gas prices by county, across the nation. Looks like CT and CA have the highest "carbon taxes" Gas taxes around the nation, by region.
Wednesday, May 28. 2008
 Why the credit and banking problems are not a "trillion dollar catastrophe"
Is your moral code deontological or consequentialist? And where did it come from? Deceptive credit card practices. Rock star Ken Heebner: America's hottest investor. Carbon ration cards proposed in the UK. Hey, what a great idea. Related: Environmentalists killing the rhinos. Related: Pres Klaus wants to debate Al Gore Foreclosure tourism. Home sales are rising. Hmmm. That is an example of price elasticity. Prices down, sales up. Only in spec bubbles do you get prices up, sales up. 11 essays on the state of Africa, at Boston Review Dartmouth against Democracy. WSJ VDH on Obama: Is it going to be this way each day of the campaign: We get some pious sermon relating the selflessness of his own past to shame us into being similarly idealistic, followed by a complete Orwellian rewrite of history? If so, it's going to be a long five months.
Image: Bumper sticker from Patriot Shop
Tuesday, May 27. 2008
 Seems like everybody has a website these days: Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. Do you think Maggie's Farm deserves the endorsement on the right? Just like Vermont farmers do, we pray for global warming and we only use Agent Orange on the weeds. And we do understand that "organic" foods have less nutrients than the normal...but what American is short on nutrients? Everybody is fat and overly-nourished except for our legions of anorectics.
European "hatred" of America, explained. No Pasaran. Related: How they teach economics to high school students in France. What costs $4 billion and leaks? New Orleans' new levees. Bush and Cheney are still trying to drown the blacks. More on "big oil." Exxon has control of 1% of global reserves. Is that big? Difference between a person and a non-person. What the heck is a "non-profit" anyway? Also from Marginal: How Ethanol is increasing the price of your movie tickets. Take a left at the MacDonalds: Visiting Dachau. Belmont. The inflated Presidency. Dino. The extent to which a nation desires a messianic leader is a measure of a nation's immaturity. I understand why the Founders wanted a President, but often think we might be better off with a PM, except in wartime I guess. Playing the gender card at Dartmouth. What jerks. This is called "tactics," and it's disingenuous as heck. Re Memorial Day: did we forget how to honor our dead? Some interesting progress on a cancer vaccine. But then what will we get to die of? The good old UN. "Peacekeepers" sexually abusing 6 year-old kids. Bill Clinton: There's a conspiracy against Hillary. Must be that vast Left-wing conspiracy. Castro more-or-less endorses Obama. Now Obama has endorsements from Castro, Chavez and Hamas. When the Founding Fathers faced Islam. Pajamas Repubs are in denial. Sen. Coburn Exercise doesn't make fat kids slim (h/t, Junk Science) "Environmentalism is school prayer for liberals." The new opiate of the intellectuals Phoenix update. Is Dubai the new world center of finance? "To my mind, anyone who thinks of themselves as a victim deserves all that's coming to them." Mr. Free Market
Monday, May 26. 2008
 Why I won't support McCain: Hawkins. He is way wrong, but nobody listens to us blogophiles anyway. As I have said, there is only one person out there who agrees with me about everything, and that is me. Freedom is about arguments.
How Obama will free Cuba. Not likely Climate change crisis, on Jupiter Dick Martin died. Debating George Soros' ethics. Luskin. We call Soros "Dr. Evil." Does the Stockholm Syndrome exist? Probably not. (h/t, Dr X) Americans will die for freedom. Anchoress A tribute to the Confederate cavalry. Listen to the tune: "Jine the Cavalry." Rabid Lefty responds to the George Packer piece (h/t, Insty). She sounds mad as hell. A hoax, or terrible insomnia? A reef cemetary. They expect it to become a big tourist attraction. Minnesota's earthworm problem. First Moose, now Beaver. Scotland is going to become interesting. But why only 4 families? Also, I didn't know that beaver lived in Europe. Just had to re-post the link to P.J. O'Rourke's commencement address. Does Obama understand the Constitution? Jennifer Rubin at Pajamas Why Texas doesn't like biofuels. Despite our well-informed commenter who likes biofuel, I remain unconvinced. They are more polluting than gasoline, they are edible (well, drinkable) and they drive up the prices of food. A gaffe, an absurdity, and a policy. Krauthammer This worth re-linking: Can 32,000 "deniers" all be wrong? Will the MSM take this story on? Take a walk in the woods. It's good for you. Millennial dreams, fears, and aspirations The crime of being white. Selwyn Duke. It's my parents' fault. Jimmy Carter on Iran: Give them uranium. You can't make this stuff up. “Y’all don’t have to say thank you. Just go ahead and live your life and stay out of our way and we’ll get the job done.” At Jules It combines two of the most popular Eastern US games. What's the name of that game, below? Ask Tiger. Now I return to the tennis courts for the second time today, which would not be feasible to play on horseback. Not one more minute indoors today. 
Photo on top on loan from Theo
Lillpop at CFP Related: "May has been ridiculously quiet everywhere." Kristol
Saturday, May 24. 2008
 How was Home Depot? Crowded. 12 bags of Black Forest mulch, 12 bags of manure, 2 big bags of peat moss.
Now it's 32,000 scientists in the "denier" camp Iranians skeptical about "unconditional dialog". Related: Obama's Illinois legislative career. Should polygamy be a crime in the US? McCain: soft on the border Call me Gerald. Vanderleun on Memorial Day How big is American "big oil"? Not very Bring out your dead (organs). Blue Crab Rancor good for democracy, and other topics Chesler looks at media response to the Karsenty story How not to visit the Adirondacks, via Tiger Time to take away the punch bowl We do not endorse Top Cubans, but they have some Father's Day specials John Kerry on talking with enemies. Who elected this guy to the Senate? An allergy to WiFi? Some people are insane. I have heard of people who react to computers and TV screens. They are psychotic. But our world sometimes seems to be run by psychotics. I think her "gaffe" was mostly innocent, but it's still bad. Anyway, she has been toast for months. Will McCain blowout Obama? I wouldn't be surprised.
Friday, May 23. 2008
Have you ever wondered what all of those extra SUVs are in Presidential and VIP motorcades? The ones with blackened windows, and nobody ever gets in or out? Wonder no more. They have a 6-barrelled 7.62 mm minigun which can fire over 3000 rounds per minute. The wipers need to be run to remove spent casings when firing forward. The vehicle is armor-plated. This video is from Dillon Aero, who makes this all happen:
 Photo: That's the 28' Whaler my group is leasing down in RI for the summer (this weekend-Sept 15). 6 guys, and we draw lots by the week. Definitely the best way to have a boat. The only downside is that you have to leave it clean when you finish your assigned times. What's the main cleaning task? Seagull crap. Also, fish scales.
Why Hillary as VEEP is a bad idea for Obama Why Riehl has trouble getting excited about McCain Dems lied, Dems got elected. They admit it. Obama's Communist connections. Israpundit Do they think they own it? Kennedy wants his wife to take his seat. Sounds like a joke. I thought we lived in a post-medieval world. A good thing: Portraits of the fallen comfort broken hearts. CNN Why am I not surprised? Dem calls for nationalizing oil industry. As Gateway asks, is that before or after nationalizing medicine? A record-breaking ski season. Must be that darn global warming cooling climate change. Every election season: Scare the geezers. Can cyberbullying be a crime? Finally found a publication that supports the atrocious Farm Bill. The Nation! That proves the bill stinks. Have any of our readers dined or lunched at Durkin-Park lately? Just wondering whether they have improved from their low point, because it's a fun place.
Quoted from Paul at Powerline, in Success that probably only the Democrats can reverse: This means, as Peter Wehner puts it, that "the debate has shifted from what the right strategy is to one of national will." In other words, "Will our nation, weary of this long and costly war, continue along the path which has brought about indisputable, and in some cases breathtaking, progress?" If so, "there will be honor in our efforts–and, it’s now reasonable to say, success as well."
Thursday, May 22. 2008
 Scientology is a cult. Scientology is a cult. Scientology is a cult.
Furthermore, I think Scientology is a non-serious wierdo cult for unbalanced nuts, derived from lousy science fiction paperbacks and one which, I have heard, has a knack for emptying the bank accounts of vulnerable souls. Arrest me! In London, Teenager faces prosecution for calling Scientology a "cult." I'll bet he wishes he lived in the USA right now. Well, it's a comfort to know that London's Bobbies are on the job, finding criminals and preventing crime. Makes you appreciate living in a country with free speech, free thought, and "critical thinking," unlike Big Brother places like England and Canada. Our Revolution was not for nothing. We believe in good, genteel manners, but we also believe in speaking out, and the very notion of manners enforced by law makes us feel unmannerly and defiant. (Maybe it's an "American thing.") It's a delicate balance, but we will offer no respect to people or things we judge undeserving of it. BS is BS. On further reflection, the subtext of this story probably is that, if criticism of Scientology is permitted, then criticism of Jihadist Islam would have to be permitted too, and that might "offend" (ie they might riot) hypersensitive grievance-mongers. It's always open season on Christians, though. However, Christians can take it.
 Ford's most advanced assembly plant. It's in Brazil.
Endangered sharks. Unsustainable exploitation of sea creatures is one of the tragedies of our age. Finally, a French appeals court proclaims the truth about al-Dura. Quickest draw in the world. Video Learn Chinese on a video game Canada has become a haven for terrorists In Verona, mosque replaced by Oriana Fallaci Square Obama leads McCain in national poll. Yikes. Popular wisdom about the role of SCOTUS The cost of food. Worldwide figures "Negotiation is not a policy. It is a technique." Bolton's latest, via No Pasaran David Warren takes a risk: Deliberately issuing a slur against aliens in Canada. How soon before the hate Nazis are on his case? Adding to our News blogroll: Afrol News, a nifty summary of the news from Africa. Photo: Your editor took this snap of his Rhodies this afternoon. Too bad I am a lousy photographer, because mine are glorious this year. Hybrid Rhodies can thrive up here in Yankeeland if they are sheltered, fertilized, acidified, and grown in rich peaty soil where they get plenty of sun - but not peak mid-day summer sun. Otherwise, they die a very slow death. Rhodies, like Mountain Laurel and Blueberries, only grow where they feel like growing. You can't tell them what to do.
The Queen of the Segueway meanders from Heuchera to Teddy Roosevelt. Teddy is in the Maggie's Farm Pantheon. He is a worthy role model for any politician - or any person. Here's a photo at San Juan Hill, with his Rough Riders: 
It's mostly about oil futures speculation and the Index Speculators. Dino wonders whether they should be regulated, or simply flogged.
Wednesday, May 21. 2008
 Don't know much about Geography. The American
Simon at Classical Values says: An Iranian nuclear weapon is more dangerous to Iran than it is to the rest of the world. They are much safer without one. Much safer. One can only assume that their desire to nuclearize is a death wish. The jihadis keep saying that they love death more than life so it figures. They may get their wish to die for Allah. En mass.
How grantsmanship shapes the climate discussion Is there any need for media "reform"? How protectionism would hurt Dem voters Conservatism ain't dead. Surber 22 weeks? 24 weeks? 26 weeks? Parliament debates abortion Boondoggle alert: Why McCain's (and other's) notions of cap and trade are a terrible idea (besides the fact that there is no global warming) Mr. Kesler deals with Lefty rantings How did the Dems end up where they are? Jules Why Basra is fed up with terrorists. "I killed her with a machine gun." Related: Al Qaida admits failure in Iraq Ted Kennedy, sadly, has a fatal disease, but that's no reason to ignore this story: Ted Kennedy and the KGB Banned in Canada for telling the truth? Steyn. Canada has no speech rights. Every email and every phone call in the UK. Mr. Free Market. As we like to say, 1984 wasn't written to be a handbook. Remember Alan Sokol? NY Sun Is this guy evil? Harvard's Dr. Norman Spack Talking about Prince Caspian, at Evangelical Outpost. It's a (pro-)war story, for kids. Better than the book. I agree. Jonah Goldberg on The Church of Green. Paganism is an ancient form of religion. Joe Lieberman on Obama. Contentions How often do you find the NYT, Bush, and McCain all on the same side of an issue? The Farm Bill The RomneyCare experiment, one year later. Dem mortgage story at Insty. Good grief. Image: One of Theo's pin-ups
Tuesday, May 20. 2008
 Jail time for not mowing your lawn? Sheesh. What if you want a natural meadow? Are laws like this constitutional? What about the attractive busted fridge on my front porch? I was thinking of making it into a smoker one of these years.
I heard that Ed Koch, that smart, interesting fellow with whom I often disagree, says he'll likely vote for McCain. Heard it on Bob Grant on the radio. Oh, I found a link. Pete Stark. You always know what he thinks before he opens his mouth. If you are blind, I am sorry. But does everybody have to acommodate everybody's problems? I have a problem: I am a nicotine addict. Nobody accommodates me. More reasons to hate and fear public employee unions. Coyote How did I miss this great investment opportunity? These are the get-rich-quick bozos the Dems are shedding tears over. Few people write unless they need the money. Anita Burgh on Rebecca. Against tax havens. Jungleman. I am agin' em. Sorry, Soros, Kennedy, et al., but it just ain't fair. Rich Dems are the experts in tax havens. And, re Kennedy, tough diagnosis. I'd wish that mess on no man. 21 things you can't say about Al Barack Hussein Obama. Vanderleun Understanding the Massachusetts Mentality. Here's the lens you really need. The Prince of Wales wants to save us. Good grief. Warnings of "small unit combat" on Mexican border. Google medical records? Are you kidding me? Never. Jules notes that the Cold War was just a right-wing fantasy. I know, and Stalin meant well, too. Canada's Gun Registry: Useless (video). He makes good points about multi-billion dollar cosmetic legislation. Rebuilding the Repub brand. Good points by Joyner. Corrupted by power - the age-old story. Newt wasn't there anymore to call out the warnings. Why Harvard harasses our military. WSJ. Simple, really. Naive eddicated fools who never contended with reality. Unlike Einstein, who renounced his pacifism when he saw evil enter his world. Photo: A nice refrigerator-turned-smoker. Somebody put a lot of time into doing that right.
How very clever of him. Am. Thinker
Either Obama lives in the Land of Pretty Ponies and Lovely Rainbows (or whatever that expression is) or he is indeed hostile to American interests. Yesterday he essentially proposed unilaterally disarming the American economy with his energy ideas, and he wants to cripple us with taxes. On the clip below, he proposes unilateral military disarmament - something which no foe has ever been able to do to us, but one which all of our foes and competitors - and none of our decadent friends who rely on us - would welcome. These are not the ideas of a serious adult man who seeks grave responsibilities. They sound more like the ideas of a Bennington College professor, or a California grey-haired-ponytail weed-addict. The man's disconnection from the realities of the world is sounding more and more dangerous to me. He actually makes the compulsively lying Socialist Hillary Clinton look good by comparison, and that is saying something. (h/t, Macsmind)
Monday, May 19. 2008
A White House smackdown of NBC He complained about "respect creep." We need to hurry up and fill the atmosphere with sulfur. So why, may I ask, do we only use low-sulfur coal? The media shill parade for Obama, to date. Today's Congress is exemplified by this terrible Farm Bill Who elected Rep. McGovern (D-MA)? Betsy says: Jim Lindgren and my husband propose that we have windfall profits taxes on farmers who have benefited from the ethanol subsidies. Hee. Hee.
News Flash!!! Many women not overly interested in engineering and science Dr. Sanity taking a mental health hiatus Spouses are off-limits? Since when? As Surber says, Who the hell does this guy think he is to say what is acceptable and unacceptable in American politics? If he wants his wife to be off limits, tell her to get off the campaign trail. Otherwise, tough. Now then, it was while she was campaigning for her that she said: “for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country.” Live with it.
French nanny state wants to ban happy hours. Why not just ban wine entirely? A riff on marriage, divorce, politics, and the vertical dimension of life. Gaghdad Dont be afraid of Iran's nukes - be afraid of John McCain!
 Dems for School Choice, in Florida
Shoot the messenger. Steyn at NRO, about that radical mosque Rock star! 75,000? The triumph of image over substance. It works well on the kids. Related: James Lewis on the iconography of Obama. The empirical cost of weddings. Captain Capitalism. I think these fancy weddings are BS. A party planner I interviewed one time told me that the success rate of marriages varies inversely to the cost of the wedding. Kudlow: Pols are striking out on energy A thoughtful and principled argument for a tax: Conspiracy Speaking of taxes, Mike Adams on the Fair Tax Everything is so scarey. The Omniphobia Epidemic Is the AP good for America? Pajamas A warmer climate would reduce hurricanes. Why we like to grow our own. The full transcript of Bush's Knesset speech. HMS Exeter found off Java. (h/t, Theo) The Age of Educational Romanticism. Charles Murray at New Criterion The Global Warming Myth. What is settled is the politics, not the science. (h/t, Icecap) Holding things responsible for what men do with them.
Sunday, May 18. 2008
 Please, dear commenters, we ask that you refrain from comments which the average person would consider "rude, crude, or socially unacceptable." Mind your manners!
Obama blames FOX and email (?) for expected loss in KY. He's baaack! Osama still wants the rest of Israel's land...and Spain...and Europe...and...Oh, here's the new report Alfred E. Neuman's artist-creator died Carnival of the Insanities today UN Human Right's Council to monitor US elections. Good grief - the guy is from Somalia. Repubs forgot who they are. VDH reminds them Willisms says: Not only would socializing the remainder of non-socialized health care be terrible policy, it would feed back into the politics. It would put serious constraints on the conservative movement, creating new Democrats vested in the system and binding our hands when it comes to major tax reform, Social Security reform, and other innovative ideas.
Who is Frank Buckles?
 Megan McArdle has a crush on Bobby Jindal
Even the NYT agrees: An Atrocious Farm Bill Why not to buy Merrill Lynch right now. The neurological roots of sexual pleasure. Dr. X Pelosi snubbed by Iraq leaders Repubs have strayed from Freedom. Dem Project Obama an appeaser? Shame on you. Steyn. Related: Obama calls for his Mommy: Surber/ Related: Will Obama respond directly to the charge? Rick Moran. "If the shoe fits, whine about it": Betsy. On the other hand, Moderate Voice is impressed by the fast and unified Dem response. They obviously have a rapid response team in place. A conspiracy so lunatic only 60 Minutes could fall for it. Hinderaker Fat people cause global warming. Moonbattery PJ O'Rourke's Cato speech. A quote: It is the avowed purpose of politics to bring the policies of our nation down to a level where they are good for everyone. No matter how foolish, irresponsible, selfish, grasping, or vile everyone may be, politics seeks fairness for them all. I do not. I am here to speak in favor of unfairness.
Harkin: McCain too military to be Pres. AIG and Elliot Spitzer, in the WSJ. A quote: ...the AIG case, like so many others that Mr. Spitzer brought, was an example of prosecutorial excess. Instead of uncovering some great fraud by a titan of industry, its main result has been to damage the company, and harm innocent managers and shareholders.
Photo: You don't need camouflage if you are transparent. (You could make the same statement about human personality.) The Glasswing Butterfly of Central America. Photo from this site.
Saturday, May 17. 2008
A quote from McCain's NRA speech, via Classical Values: Senator Obama has said, if elected, he will withdraw Americans from Iraq quickly no matter what the situation on the ground is and no matter what U.S. military commanders advise. But if we withdraw prematurely from Iraq, al Qaeda in Iraq will survive, proclaim victory and continue to provoke sectarian tensions that, while they have been subdued by the success of the surge, still exist, and are ripe for provocation by al Qaeda. Civil war in Iraq could easily descend into genocide, and destabilize the entire region as neighboring powers come to the aid of their favored factions. A reckless and premature withdrawal would be a terrible defeat for our security interests and our values. Iran will view it as a victory, and the biggest state supporter of terrorists, a country with nuclear ambitions and a stated desire to destroy the Sta te of Israel, will see its influence in the Middle East grow significantly. The consequences of our defeat would threaten us for years, and those who argue for premature withdrawal, as both Senators Obama and Clinton do, are arguing for a course that would eventually draw us into a wider and more difficult war that would entail far greater dangers and sacrifices than we have suffered to date. Thanks to the counterinsurgency instigated by General Petreaus, after four years of terribly costly mistakes, we have a realistic chance to succeed in helping the forces of political reconciliation prevail in Iraq, and the democratically elected Iraqi Government, with a professional and competent Iraqi army, impose its authority throughout the country and defend its borders. We have a realistic chance of denying al Qaeda any sanctuary in Iraq. We have a realistic chance of leaving behind in Iraq a force for stability and peace in the region, and not a cause for a wider and far more dangerous war. I do not argue against withdrawal because I am indifferent to war and the suffering it inflicts on too many American families. I hold my position because I hate war, and I know very well and very personally how grievous its wages are. But I know, too, that we must sometimes pay those wages to avoid paying even higher ones later. I want our soldiers home, too, just as quickly as we can bring them back without risking everything they suffered for, and burdening them with greater sacrifices in the years ahead. That I will not do. I have spent my life in service to my country, and I will never, never, never risk her security for the sake of my own ambitions. I will defend her, and all her freedoms, so help me God. And I ask you to help me in that good cause. Thank you, and God bless you.
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