Friday, November 7. 2008
Liberals want to bring back the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" as their plan to put talk radio out of business. How would it do that? Because every subject has 30 different views on it. I doubt that the Dems would wish to extend it to The Daily Kos or to Maggie's, but who knows? It always amuses me how Liberals cannot tolerate dissent. Let's all rely on NPR and become one beautiful, happy family of group-thinking "sensitive, caring" parasites. Anyway, in honor of the Dems' and especially Chuckie Shumer's desire to reinstate the Fairness Doctine, and out of consideration for our lady readers who feel that our Cheesecake/Beefcake ratio is way off target, we offer these: Navy SEAL in training emerges from the ocean: 
In training, but not a Navy SEAL: 
Thursday, November 6. 2008
It has begun. Russia has decided to bypass the lame duck administration of “W” and made its first challenge to “H”. Note below that they had written two speeches for delivery the day after the election, depending on whether the internationally stronger or weaker candidate won. From Stratfor:
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev gave his long-awaited first State of the State address (the equivalent of the U.S. president’s State of the Union address) on Nov. 5. The speech was much more than a nationalist appeal liberally sprinkled with Soviet-era rhetoric; it was a declaration of Russia’s return to the ranks of the world’s great powers. In effect, Medvedev not only tossed the gauntlet for Russia’s rivals in the West, but he also is not waiting around to see how they respond. It must be understood that Medvedev — while he is certainly coming into his own under the sponsorship of his mentor, former president and current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin –- did not write this speech himself. The author is the Kremlin’s gray cardinal, Vladislav Surkov, who has played the role of backroom dealer, enforcer, planner and puppet master for Putin for most of the past eight years. Surkov does not control Putin — far from it -– but in many ways is the brains behind much of what happens in the Kremlin these days. It was Surkov who recommended that Medvedev’s speech, originally scheduled for Oct. 23, be postponed. Ostensibly, the delay was meant to allow Russia more time to deal with its deepening financial crisis, but in reality, Surkov wanted to know which presidential candidate the Americans were going to elect. The speech was already written. In fact, according to Stratfor sources, two speeches had been written — one for each possible outcome of the U.S. election. In waiting for a clear picture on whom Moscow would be dealing with in Washington, Russia underscored the central role the United States plays in the international system, and that Moscow views Washington as its main counterweight.
International affairs are still a giant chess game. We hope the O knows how to play.
 What's new with brain-computer interfacing?
Psychologists study the minds and brains of psychopaths. The New Yorker. It's important to be able to identify psychopaths, so you can stay away from them. Very useful new office stamp. Every desk needs one of these. Tagging Bluefin Tuna. Very cool. I did not know that they were essentially a warm-blooded fish. Ran a mile with a rabid fox clamped to her arm. Sounds like something from Carl Hiassen. Red really is the color of love. h/t, Flares. Hmmm. I think most women look best in black. China's Space industry is taking off Dr. William Gray on The Over-Hyping of Green. We view "green" as simply a fashionable marketing tool, but we are big on land and marine conservation. Women have more germs than men. A nice post on Crichton at Reference Frame Oldest Hebrew text found Thinking about how T.S. Eliot found God. I sorta wish Gaghdad would resist the temptation to spill into politics. Crusading for the Everglades, behind the scenes. Good for her, and good for Paul Tudor Jones too. Rich folks have their purposes. "Poverty and disadvantage are a better preparation for success than wealth and capitalizing on advantage.” Malcolm Gladwell. Adversity helps. But what is "success"? Markets in everything: "gold-farming" in China "A successful market-timing Man will typically have a portfolio composed of 60% High-end Hookers, 30% High-end GFs and 10% value High-end Wives when the market is bottoming. As the cycle comes around..." read the rest.
Wednesday, November 5. 2008
 Election season has brought us a wealth of new readers, visitors, and commenters.
Pull up a tractor and stick around for a while. We aren't just about politics. Don't be a stranger.
 I am with Right Wing Prof on this
The NYT was spinning so fast that they can't stop now. Or maybe they will be spinning in their grave. What's "middle class," and why does the Liberal elite have contempt for it? I'm not dead yet! SDA. Sheesh. We need more laws against hate! Related: From Thomas Frank: Liberals shouldn't be overconfident. Whither affirmative action? Thompson. Unless you want to make the case that we stuck a black guy with the most thankless job on earth. Related, re Bush via Roger Simon: Our failure to stand by the one person who continued to stand by us has not gone unnoticed by our enemies. It has shown to the world how disloyal we can be when our president needed loyalty — a shameful display of arrogance and weakness that will haunt this nation long after Mr. Bush has left the White House.
Also related: Will everyone get a pony? We get a photo of Coyote. I think he's the one on the left. Just one more Princeton blogger. Still spinning despair at the LAT, but as Surber notes: Yes, yes, yes. I see. Unemployment is 6%. Gasoline prices are a whopping $2 a gallon. The Dow is 9,000. People are actually paying cash for things. Run for your lives. I read stuff like this online and I am reminded of reporter Ken Herman’s observation: “If there’s anything reporters know better than math, it’s fashion.”
Was this a "I want my Mommy" election? I don't think so, mostly. From Insty: RUNNING THE NUMBERS: "More generally, the picture is of a solid Democratic win, but not the tsunami some had expected. Obama won the popular vote by a solid, but not crushing, margin of slightly less than six percent (52.4-46.5). Bill Clinton beat Bob Dole by a significantly greater margin and even greater relative percentage (49.25-40.71), and George Bush by a slightly lower margin, but higher relative percentage (43.01-37.45). Bush, meanwhile, beat Dukakis by a larger margin, 53.4 to 45.6. The Democrats picked up about twenty House seats, on the low end of the expected range. And, as noted above, they seem likely to pick up five or six Senate seats,which would make the Senate races either 18-16 in favor of the Democrats, or tied at 17-17, again on the low end of the expected range."
VDH wonders how Obama will govern. I agree that he deliberately made himself a mystery man. One of VDH's comments: I don’t know what Obama feels about drilling, nuclear power, FISA, NAFTA, capital punishment, abortion, guns, Iran, the surge, Jerusalem, campaign financing, etc. But I do get the impression that he is more or less cognizant that most of his views around 2006 were at odds with the American people’s, and so he had to change or drop them (and most of his social circle) to get elected, or at least mention them only at small private gatherings in San Francisco. The mystery? Will he revert back to the constant Obama of the last 30 years who waged dirty 1996 and 2004 campaigns, and shared apparently ideologies with Ayers, Khalidi, Pfleger, and Wright and others in his Chicago extremist cadre? Or will he govern as a center-leftist, corralling a Frank, Pelosi, and Reed and the most fringe beyond them?
 Our friend Chris Shays (R-CT), the only Republican Congressman left in New England, was swept out of office on a wave of Obamamania emanating from his home town of sad old Bridgeport.
Conservatives loved to complain about his moderate positions, but he had no choice in his district. He was replaced by Dem Jim Himes, a young (retired) very wealthy (and rational, or so I am told) Wall Streeter (Goldman guy) from Greenwich. Go figure. Photo is Chris Shays.
 Wow. The people spoke. The silver lining I can find in this cloud is that we elected a black guy as President. That is remarkable and quite wonderful. I wish him wisdom. Still, I had hoped that the first black Pres would be from the party of Lincoln.
Another plus is that the Repubs will be forced to renew and refresh themselves, and come up with a farm team of younger, smarter, more exciting and more inspiring candidates, with messages to suit the times. And I do not mean Mitt Romney. I'll admit to feeling bummed, but not at all surprised, by the outcome. I think John McCain did darn well considering everything that was dragging him down: a relentlessly hostile press, a hugely unpopular Bush, union money and a huge campaign $ disparity, economic fears, age, the Obama Cult of Personality - and his awareness throughout that the tides were running against him. Not to mention the perennial problem that Conservatives have in elections: they rightly find it hard to make goody-bag promises because they put their faith in free people rather than in government. I doubt anyone could have done better than McCain did this year, and I doubt he would have done better with Giuliani instead of Palin. The press would have Palinized Rudy too. (Well, on further thought, maybe Rudy could have done a better job than McCain: he's brighter and quicker but, perhaps, less likeable.) I think the Dems face the danger of over-reading this election. It's a common error for both parties. I do not feel that this election was an endorsement of a left-wing agenda but more an expression of general unease, Bush-fatique, and disgruntlement - mixed with a strong dose of celebrity-excitement. It's still the same center-right nation that it was last year, and every move the Dems make now will annoy some group or other. This Congressional leadership is not only loony-left but full of vengeance - and pent-up spending ideas. Hold onto your wallets, because we could quickly become the highest-taxed country in the developed world (we're almost there already). But who is going to benefit immediately from this election? - Gun dealers. If there are a few guns you've always wanted, now's the time.
- Tax accountants, tax lawyers, financial planners and estate planners
- Off-shore bankers
- Off-shore realtors: watch more businesses move divisions to foreign HQs which are more hospitable to enterprise. And, finally, consider this condundrum, especially those readers who are my fellow conservatives: How does one win national elections when you have to concede NY, California, and the rust belt in advance? Not to mention my New England?
Tuesday, November 4. 2008
I planned to post something like this, but Tiger did it first, and better. Wake me up when it's over.
Dems will silence talk radio. They mean, mainly, Rush and Sean. No plans to silence Keith Olberman. No word yet about silencing Maggie's Farm. I'd like to see them try. Dem Leader announces- "Keeping Your Own Money a 'Simplistic Notion.' " I guess I lack the requisite nuance. Somebody told me today about quiet Dem plans for federal "asset taxes" in addition to income taxes. They already get half when I die. They want it before I die? Vote fraud update, as of last night. Am I a chump for only voting once? What's going on in my country? Voting guards in Philly. Sheesh. Like Jules, I thought the Black Panthers would be using walkers these days, but these are the New Black Panthers, fresh out of the woodwork:
in Philly. No doubt they promised to "deliver" PA and will do anything to keep the promise.
 Since we're voting mostly - but not entirely - Repub today, I'm thinking that it would be fun to have Wooly Mammoths around again (and just in time for global cooling). Some probably think we are such paleocons here that an extinct Wooly Mammoth should be our symbol. But maybe they can come back to life...
Richard Baehr's election predictions. Assuming that Obama wins, I wouldn't underestimate the power of the endorsements by people like Warren Buffet, Colin Powell, Bill Weld, and others who provided Establishment respectability cover for a guy whose kind of shady past would never have survived press scrutiny had he been a Repub. Fr. West's Blog: 100+ reasons not to vote for Obama Larry Auster is writing in Tom Tancredo. That's a de facto vote for Obama. Re this morning's video ad, one might say "All that is missing is a statement from Obama saying that this is not the Obama that he knew…" I think this fellow is in over his head. GRE scores ranked by field of graduate study. It helps explain why financial firms like to hire Physics PhDs: they are smart. The "home ATM" is shutting down. Why do some animals' eyes glow at night? An instant Gay Test (for guys) Americans in Israel: 74% for McCain. Duh. Re Sarah: Typical politics. Yep, smears and insinuations stick. That's why people use them. The "politics of personal destruction" is fine when Dems use it. But where does Sarah go to get her reputation back? Repubs have been losing the media battlefield since 1968. Indeed. We have noted that here many times. Many people seem to go into that field to save the world without doing anything themselves. Whither Conservatism? McArdle. I read such things with skepticism, because I think politics has a lot to do with timing and the right communicative talent and tone for the time. Often those seem more important than ideology. Bush was not elected on ideology. Obama, via Blue Crab: You know, when I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, uh, you know — Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it — whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.
From Dr. Sanity: "WE MUST NOT LET THE DEMOCRATS AND THE LEFT GET AWAY WITH THE PREMISE THAT OBJECTIVE REALITY DOES NOT EXIST. WE MUST NOT LET THEM ARGUE THAT ALL TRUTH IS RELATIVE, BUT THEN CLAIM THAT THEY ALONE POSSESS IT EXCLUSIVELY."
Related: Shrinkwrapped also waxes Chestertonian, but it's not a religious argument.
No wonder people are confused by Obama's positions on things. Obama attacks himself on every issue of significance:
Monday, November 3. 2008
I will be voting early tomorrow morning, before work. I will be voting for some semi-good Dems and for some semi-good Repubs up and down the ticket. I never expect perfection, ie somebody who entirely agrees with me on everything. Generally speaking, I hold a low view of professional politicians and a far higher view of people who create businesses, create wealth, employ people, and build America. I will be voting for John McCain and Sarah Palin, and I still cannot imagine America electing a Left-winger with radical and anti-American roots as the rest of the world turns more Conservative, but it sure looks like it will happen. Weird, but it's hope that causes people to invest, to gamble, and to buy Orexis. "Hope" is for children. Well, I am known to play a little poker, but I will not gamble with my country. So my own little Presidential vote tomorrow will be a big, hearty, and well-informed 
The banking crisis of 1836. Yes, government policies caused that one too. McCain was funny with Tina Fey on SNL. Looks like he's having fun. The Top Ten Positive Effects of an Obama Victory A super-quick summary of this endless election. We make such a big deal about it, you'd almost think we were electing a King for Life instead of hiring an employee. Obama supporter thinks Joe the Plumber should be killed. Very tolerant. Coal workers and the coal biz are not too thrilled with Obama's energy plans. But as somebody said, I guess we can import it from China instead... I can hear David Axelrod right now: "Why did you have to say that shit, Barry?" Punishing the rich? Powerline has "Obama's vote to raise taxes on income-earners down to $42,000." But of course: it's called "equality" and "fairness," because if you took risks and worked your butt off to construct a life for yourself and your family, it's really just luck. I am neither rich nor particularly lucky, but I am a cheerful fellow, relatively speaking, and I am more than happy to take responsibility for my path in life. If Obama wins the election, most people doubt there will be any spare money for grand new programs like socialized medicine. But when has lack of money ever stopped a politician? They trust that you will continue to earn it for them. Sowell: Obama is Ego and Mouth. Indeed, at the very least. What is his political character? More on how the hedge funds always support Dems, 2:1. The very rich strongly tend to be Dems in America. I guess you could call them a category of "values voters donors." Drudge Report beats the New York Times. Drudge is necessary for lurid headlines, but it's not anywhere near as interesting as Maggie's Farm. Bush's bad rap. I still like and respect the fellow enormously, but unfortunately communicating to the public, and selling soap and hope, has never been his strength. Haha. Jerry Nadler isn't helping his guy. The Boston Herald gives you more questions for the money. The greedy, stingy Boston Globe won't give us enough. Mankiw: Obama leads in 18 out of the 19 states with the largest recent declines in home prices, whereas McCain leads in 13 out of the 14 states with the largest recent increases in home prices.
I guess they are pissed that politicians cannot guarantee markets. Perhaps people do not understand free markets.
Sunday, November 2. 2008
Send this speech around. I cannot imagine women not wanting to vote for her after listening to this, unless they are the hopelessly "gimme" sorts:
 I had a quite enjoyable hunt yesterday. Bagged two Woodcock and missed one grouse in 6 hours of banging through the woods and bogs of upstate NY. Would have been pleased to have put up more grouse, though. This kind of hunting is better termed "off-trail brush-busting with dogs, while burdened with an annoying, increasingly-heavy, and generally-useless piece of pipe which keeps catching on branches while raspberry brambles cut you to bits and alder branches keep knocking your hat off." The piece of pipe I carried was my pretty Abercrombie and Fitch (Rizzini) 20 ga s/s.
Powerline: Fools and their money Obama calls the plumber Obama vows to bankrupt coal industry. What? Then what will Santa put in our kids' Christmas stockings? Who is this guy? Coal powers my darn internet electricity. More on how selfish you terrible Americans are, via Sister Toldjah: Aside from insulting voters who think it isn’t selfish to use their own money to build businesses, raise children, and give to charity (ask Joe Biden about that!), his formulation shows an appalling lack of understanding about how people get rich. The government is going to give people goodies and then they’ll have more money to spend? Wow. Who knew it could be so easy? No working, earning, saving, building businesses, hiring more people, investing and the like. Money just comes from thin air, from the government.
 Gen. Petraeus takes on his new job. Yes We Can, General P.
More on Obama's Aunt Zeituni. You can readily see, Bruce Kesler, that Lefties do not believe in charity - even to their own families. LaShawn: I am not African-American. What the heck is this all about? I never have heard about this sort of thing being on the Lib agenda. Sounds like the STASI. Studying ugly. It's an ugly business trying to get tenure nowadays. Gotta admit, though, ugly can be interesting. Waiting for your Obama goodie-bag? Me want free beer. He never complained once. Rev. Wright and Obama When chosing a candidate means losing a friend. Disincentivization in Japan. Who wants stress without rewards? How the Dems can bring the GOP back into power in two easy steps. Upper photo: Me in the woods. The Setter "Punch" (after the cigar brand) belongs to a friend.
Lower photo: An Obama supporter experiencing rapture, via Tim Blair. I like her face. She'll be a Conservative in ten years, once she learns more about life.
Saturday, November 1. 2008
 This is not a hate crime.
Illegal immigration is off the radar. Except for Obama's illegal Auntie. The candidates and their pets. Are Americans too puritanical about drinking and shooting? Barclay's Bank wants no help from the government. We found some small businesses that are pro-Obama. Pimps and hos. (h/t, Right Wing Prof) The $700,000 bill for Obama's Berlin extravaganza. Why not give his $600,000,000 to the poor? Governator implies that Obama is a girlie man. I am no Arnold, but I think Obama is a twit. More on the Joe the Plumber hatchet job. The Obama campaign is pretty good at hatchet jobs. Why is Iraq not part of the Pres campaign? Because McCain was spectacularly right. And you can't have that. The unintended consequences of climate change solutions. NYT The assault against the "investor class": Betsy and Driscoll. Is that smart, since 2/3 of Americans have investments in some form? That's one of the miracles of American Capitalism. The care and feeding of entrepreneurialism. Steyn: Obama is good as a symbol. Hope - but a slim hope, in my opinion. Obama has already chosen his Chief of Staff: Rahm Emmanuel.
There are so many fine, energetic Americans who do not spend their time figuring out how to get free stuff: they spend their time figuring out how to do stuff. No self-respecting person really wants to be a parasite, although the socialist mind-set tries to persuade us that we're entitled and should not be ashamed of being greedy takers. Well, we had Joe the Plumber, Cory Miller the Well-Driller, and now we have Tito the Builder (I lost the link to that hairdresser gal in Ohio with a similar view):
 How does Ben Smith do it all?
Ski on your favorite sin. I can't decide between Lust and Sloth. Will you steal your kids' Halloween candy? Sipp on Halloween Explained Anchoress introduces readers to one of the best movies ever made It's not just for Liberals: Social signaling and speaking in code Your personal blimp. h/t Thompson Spreading the wealth and killing the goose Election Derangement Syndrome. Sheesh. I think I understand Obama's popularity as a celebrity/icon, but I still find it hard to believe that he is electable. Like, I mean, like you know, this isn't American Idol...or is it? In Auster's words, The man is a walking cornucopia of the marginal, the communist, the alien, the inappropriate, and the anti-American. And we're about to elect him president of the United States.
Or as Theo crudely puts it... Franklin Delano Bush. Boudreaux War goes on across Paki border Our post yesterday, How Redistributionist is America?, is worth reading if you missed it. The US is high on the list. Controlling the Internet in Australia. Are they nuts? As soon as people make something good, the gummint wants to intrude. In Reagan's famous words: Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
McCain has been an excellent candidate. Surber
Look who came by last night, trick-or-treating. Whatever you give them, you know they're going to trick you anyway: 
Friday, October 31. 2008
A friend told me that he was going out on Halloween night with his kids dressed as a white, middle-aged, married, Christian, somewhat prosperous Republican father of three to scare the Obamamaniacs. This toon via Makiw: 
A hearty wave of the fat Capitalist cigar, as Mr. Free Market would say, to our friend Tigerhawk, who is annoyed enough with Obama's insulting him to use the f-bomb on his family-oriented site. I suspect that he is already into the brandy. Ditto, Tiger, on all counts. And burn 'em while you can afford 'em.
Who remembers that the USA has a Department of Energy? Who knows what they do? This came in over the transom: Absolutely The Funniest Joke Ever !
. . . ON US
Does anybody out there have any memory of the reason given for the establishment of the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY during the Carter Administration? Anybody? Anything? No?
Didn't think so.
Bottom line . . we've spent several hundred billion dollars in support of an agency the reason for which not one person who reads this can remember.
Ready? It was very simple, and at the time everybody thought it very appropriate.
The Department of Energy was instituted 8-04-1977 TO LESSEN OUR DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL. HEY, PRETTY EFFICIENT, HUH?
AND NOW IT'S 2008, 31 YEARS LATER, AND THE BUDGET FOR THIS NECESSARY DEPARTMENT IS AT $24.2 BILLION A YEAR, THEY HAVE 16,000 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, AND APPROXIMATELY 100,000 CONTRACT EMPLOYEES AND LOOK AT THE JOB THEY HAVE DONE!
THIS IS WHERE YOU SLAP YOUR FOREHEAD AND SAY 'WHAT WAS I THINKING?'
Ah yes, good ole bureaucracy. And now we are going to turn the Banking system over to them? God Help us.
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