Thursday, August 28. 2008
Stanley Kurtz at WGN. Remarkable show, calm and rational. Give it a listen - it's worth the time. Stanley Kurtz is the best and Milt, if a bit naive, seems like a reasonable person. Related: Obamunists attack radio station. You can hear their attempts on the above radio link. This is getting strange and creepy. If John McCain had attended a white supremacist church for 20 years, and shared a board membership with a skinhead terrorist and began his first foray into politics at a skinhead's house with his convicted terrorist wife, would it effect his campaign? Would it be mentioned? The question is quietly raised: Is Obama the Manchurian Candidate?
 The colossal Antonine ruler statues found in Turkey. Marcus Aurelius in photo.
Wonder what "Deep Green," aka "Deep Ecology" means? Here's wiki. I guess you might call it a pagan religion, more or less. Oslo rots. It's not your grandfather's Oslo. Via Open Left, a quote: There is a populist message at the convention: individual Americans versus a system of lobbyists, partisan bickering, fear-based character attacks, old white men and George W. Bush. It might seem like weak tea and a bit inchoate so far, but it is possible Obama will tie it together, and ramp it up, in his speech.
Why government medicine remains a bad idea, at Pajamas: Public healthcare becomes the default option, but it never outperforms private or semi-private care, as exhaustive comparisons of European healthcare regimes show. State-of-the-art care becomes harder to access, as incentives for healthcare providers, administrators, and consumers are all skewed by artificial constraints. Those without the money to obtain the best treatment, or the connections to pull strings, find it increasingly hard to get appropriate medical care. The most pernicious aspect of government provided health care, though, is in the rationing of medical care and services. When the commodity being mismanaged is healthcare, the results include injury, disability, and death. Chilling examples from Canada show why single-payer, universal healthcare is not the way forward.
Obama's sociopathic friend William Ayers said this: Bring the revolution home, Kill your parents.
A good addition to our blogroll: Will Wilkinson's Fly Bottle Do facts matter? Poverty level, unemployment better under Bush than with Clinton The journey of a confident man. Politico
A quote from a Robert Samuelson piece in the NY Sun: By all rights, we should be having a fierce debate over the role of government. What should it do, for whom and why? What can we afford? Who should pay? These questions would suggest a campaign that seriously engages the future, but instead, we have a bidding war between candidates to see who can promise the most appealing package of new spending programs and tax cuts... As we watch the conventions, we should recognize that we've entered an era of fantasy politics. Like fantasy football and baseball, fantasy politics is an exercise in make-believe that is intended to keep its players occupied and to make the winners feel good. Senators Obama and McCain emit pleasing slogans and programs that, as often as not, are disconnected from the country's actual problems they'll encounter in office.
Wednesday, August 27. 2008
 "Toga, toga, toga." And McCain has some fun with it too. Image via Ace. But is anybody watching this convention? I doubt it. I won't watch either one. What for?
The racism excuse is ready to go. Gimme a break. Mini-cows. Get yours, now, before the prices go up. You already read this: Totten on the truth about Georgia. Yet another warning about global cooling. And now the Great Freeze begins, earlier than expected. Who cares about Ayers and Dohrn? I do. Lefty fascist loony toons. Clayton Cramer - Help find that good guy a good job. Preferably in Boise. Wind farms are subsidy farms. No kidding. A quote from Mona Charen: I so wish I could support Barack Obama. It would be great -- truly magnificent -- to elect a black president of the United States. Watching the convention coverage on Monday night, I was moved by my friend Juan Williams' almost tearful reaction to Michelle Obama's address. He shook his head in amazement that an African-American woman was in the position she was. And it moved me to see how moved he was. I wish I could send Michelle Obama -- so attractive, so poised, so stylish -- a cyber hug. I'd wager that millions of other Americans, like me, would love to see someone like her as First Lady. Or at least I would love to support the person Michelle Obama has conjured for us this week -- successful working-class girl who worked hard, upheld traditional values, and was rewarded by a great nation.
A robo-skeleton for the paralyzed. Cool. I am not my brother's keeper. The author of Love and Houses, Marti Leimbach, has a blog. The return of Big Labor. I thought we had "evolved" beyond that mess. Look at this. Sheesh. A modern social contract. Gates Dem ex-Gov Rendell on Obama: Adlai Stevenson? He is too kind. Adlai was spineless, but he did have depth and humor. More on Obama and abortion. This goes beyond abortion. Is this what ladies want? Bill is dissing Obama. Politics is so mature. Dissent is unpatriotic - sometimes. From Sowell: There are countries in Europe that would love to have their unemployment rate fall to the 5.7 percent unemployment rate to which ours has risen. Yet those who seem to want us to imitate European economic and social policies never seem to want to consider the actual consequences of those policies. "Unacceptable" is one of the big weasel words of our time-- almost always said when the person who says it has no intention of doing anything, and so is accepting what is called "unacceptable." Republicans won big, running as Republicans, in 2004. But once they took control of Congress, they started acting like Democrats and lost big. There is a lesson in that somewhere but whether Republicans will learn it is another story entirely. When we hear about rent control or gun control, we may think about rent or guns but the word that really matters is "control." That is what the political left is all about, as you can see by the incessant creation of new restrictions in places where they are strongly entrenched in power, such as San Francisco or New York.
 I get 90% of my ideas for my website posts in the shower. And this is probably why.
My morning shower thought for today was this: Why were the top two Dem candidates people who have never accomplished anything substantial or difficult in their lives - other than to be in elections? (Note to John McCain: An ad asking "Name one thing Obama has accomplished in his life.") This is not coincidence. Many politicians are not very good at regular life, but these two stand out as having only been good at being, not at life accomplishment. Being female, being black, and being medium-smart and above-average crafty and calculating. They have never run anything, made anything, or done anything: It's all about being them. As Dino notes: Think about this: most people have someone whom they know or with whom they work, a relative perhaps, who has a thicker résumé and a longer list of achievements than the Democratic presidential candidate. Consider this: if history were different and Senator Obama had decided this year to run to become governor of Illinois, would he have been given rock-star status? Could his Republican opponent have run against him as “too inexperienced” to govern the Prairie State?
These folks are all about Jive Talkin': Admittedly, I will always tend to vote for the more conservative candidate in any election, even if he or she is brain-damaged. That's because individual freedom and protection of our freedom is my main political agenda. That's my bias. I'm sure the Lefties approach things similarly. However, my resume (and life experience) is deeper than Obama's or Hillary's, for sure. But that's not saying much.
I'm fairly good with nuance, but 99% of the time good vs. evil is rather clear. A banner from the Dem convention protesters - which might as well be from the Dem convention: 
BTW, I am not saying that the war in Iraq was a good idea. I am open-minded about that, but it's history now. The proof is in the pudding. However, I have no doubt that it was about good vs. evil.
Insty notes: BEWARE: In America, racism is everywhere! Everywhere people don't support Obama, anyway . . . .
Since about 50% of Dem primary voters voted for other than Obama, the rampant Dem racism is proven. No wonder MLK Jr. was a Republican. Same as Abe Lincoln.
Tuesday, August 26. 2008
 Any room left under the bus? Toss Ayers under it, now. Related: Where did Obama's mo go? Also, you just can't win with the Clintons. Obama was smart to keep away from them: they make a mess wherever they go (see video). Related: Nervous Dems want Obama to look strong. Metrosexuals aren't supposed to look strong.
Related, I think this is crazy talk: All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do — that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be.
We are? Why is it named "Shell Oil," or Royal Dutch Shell? Answer here. It's about seashells.(h/t Jungle Trader, who always has good tidbits) More on the race-pandering rent-seekers who need Obama to lose the election. But they already have a plan: If he wins, he'll be a token black guy; if he loses, it will prove the depth of American racism. (Note semi-colon use.) The Red Primer for Children and Diplomats The dangers of excellence, in the pomo world. So why did they let Phelps swim? Dunce du jour: Nancy Pelosi thinks that natural gas doesn't come from wells and isn't a carbon fuel. Double-dunce: She doesn't understand her church's stand on abortion. The current Dems are McGovern redux. Rick Moran. No new ideas in 50 years, really. Stuck on faith in government, instead of faith in people. A great Obama endorsement: "For our gay-lesbian- bisxexual-transgender rights to continue to grow and not further diminish, then we need to stand behind [Obama].
Ad he really does not want this story to get out. It's out. The most retarded ways celebs go green. h/t, Attack Dems favor global welfare? What a brilliant new idea. Via Tim Blair: Imagine telling somebody twenty years ago that by 2007, it would be illegal to smoke in a pub or bus shelter or your own vehicle or that there would be £80 fines for dropping cigarette butts, or that the words “tequila slammer” would be illegal or the government would mandate what angle a drinker’s head in an advertisement may be tipped at, or that it would be illegal to criticise religions or homosexuality, or rewire your own house, or that having sex after a few drinks would be classed as rape or that the State would be confiscating children for being overweight. Imagine telling them the government would be contemplating ration cards for fuel and even foods, that every citizen would be required to carry an ID card filled with private information which could be withdrawn at the state’s whim. They’d have thought you a paranoid loon.
Photo via Theo, who is busy harvesting this week. He is a farmer.
Good grief (h/t Vanderleun). Where's the stable and the manger? 
Monday, August 25. 2008
 Throw the speculators in jail! The good news? Home sales up. Bubble needed a little correction, same as the oil bubble. Beware of bubbles, suckers. It's musical chairs.
Hamas leader's son embraces Christ, and even the Dem church and state meme is no longer operational. Why Obama would be bad for black Americans An online beauty pageant for nuns I agree with Insty. MADD should have a couple of beers and chill out a little. They have become cranks. Where have all the real men gone? They are all around, if you just look. Via Insty: Dems rally against teacher's unions. It's about time. Darfur: depressing topic. Nobody knows what to do, and nobody wants to offend the Moslems. Hey Al Gore: It's gonna be a very cold winter. But if you look at the poll on that article, most people want it to be warmer. Wussies. From the editors of NRO. It begins: The Democratic party that meets today in Denver is one that many of its forebears would hardly recognize and might abhor. The determination to face down our enemies that characterized Harry Truman, the willingness to cut tax rates that John F. Kennedy showed, the pro-life convictions that informed Hubert Humphrey and Ed Muskie, even the free-trading instincts that Bill Clinton possessed — all have been banished from the party of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
In place of these older political strains are a restless welfare statism; a hope, masquerading as a strategy, that we can talk and charm our way out of foreign crises; and a social liberalism that prefers the courts to do its heavy lifting. This party has found perfect exemplars of its ideology in its nominees.
Read the whole thing.
This is likely my last week as a regular at Maggie's, so I have been given a special vacation break dispensation to post ad lib. If I begin my new job after Labor Day thinking about this friendly Yankee site, I won't be doing what I need to be doing. And I need to get ready to move this weekend. My only issue is my guns. Guns to NYC? I will leave them with my buddy in Mass. I have no clue about NYC gun laws.  Volleyball is boring? Not if 1) you are playing or 2) pretty girls are playing in their underwear. h/t, Insanities.
Obama's tax plans would give you a 64% tax rate in California, for the self-employed. Bob Brinker. Would you work hard for that? Not to mention Obama's cap gains tax plans. How Conservative are Americans? Just ask them. And how Left is Obama-Biden? Fred Barnes Related: The "tender-minded". And speaking of tender... I smoked a pork butt yesterday. Had some friends over for beers and pulled pork. Don't tell me that it isn't Yankee food. It is now. Best ocean photos. Gay parade, no vet parade. Are gays the new vets? Who lied about Iraq? Chronic plagiarist? Hey, that's old news. As somebody said, maybe he'll teach Barack to fish. I don't think Barry's Dad knew how to fish. Since conventions no longer select candidates, what's their purpose now? To create a TV narrative. The narrative is always the same: "Things are terrible. We are wonderful." "Hillary is like 'Are you kidding me?'" Dave Barry Insty: GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT: "According to a study by the Desert Research Institute, pollutant levels at the beginning of the 20th century were two to five times higher than current levels of pollution."
How to destroy a state (or country) - Malanga on New Jersey's gradual suicide. One quote: ...why has reform been so difficult? In part because the kind of big-government, tax-consuming policies that are doing so much damage have also given more and more residents a stake in the current system. State and local government employment is among the highest in the country on a per-capita basis, having increased by 15 percent from 2000 through 2006 alone. Hundreds of thousands of current and retired public employees aren’t about to vote for changing the system, for fear it would eliminate their perks and benefits. Meanwhile, the state’s recent tax increases have fallen entirely on upper-income residents. Those earning more than $200,000 a year, who account for just 4.9 percent of households filing tax returns, are paying 60 percent of all personal income taxes. Jersey has even managed to make its onerous property taxes progressive by instituting a means-tested rebate program: higher-income residents don’t get cash back. The effect of all this is to make New Jersey a place where just a few businesses and residents pay the freight while so many others are on the public dole, in one way or another, that reform becomes virtually impossible. Of course, such a system cannot sustain itself very long before collapsing, as some businesses balk at expansion, others (like the newspapers) shrivel, and declining opportunities stifle job growth. That’s why Jersey now lurches from crisis to crisis.
 Is college worth it?
Consider a young man who is at the 70th percentile in language and mathematical ability. He is easily a good enough student to get into mid-level universities. As far as his “people skills” go he is average, but in small motor and spatial skills, he’s at the 95th percentile. The fellow could go to college and get a degree that would put him on track for a management job – where he probably wouldn’t rise far because he’ll be competing with many others who have better skills.
On the other hand, he could become an excellent electrician. If he were to do that, he would probably earn substantially more than if he became a manager and also enjoy far greater job security. Moreover, there is the important matter of personal satisfaction. Our young man will probably have far more of it in a career where he can see tangible results every day and quite possibly become his own boss.
Conclusion: “(G)uidance counselors and parents who automatically encourage young people to go to college straight out of high school regardless of their skills and interests are being thoughtless about the best interests of young people in their charge.” Murray has that exactly right. We need to break out of the mindset that you can’t be a success in life unless you have a college degree.
Obama hipsters! Iowahawk. h/t Jules Clintonista whining. Sheesh. We are all gonna drown! Greenland glacier does glacial things: It is too early to say it is clearly global warming, Zwally said. Scientists don't like to attribute single events to global warming, but often say such events fit a pattern. University of Colorado professor Konrad Steffen, who returned from Greenland Wednesday and has studied the Petermann glacier in the past, said that what Box saw is not too different from what he saw in the 1990s: "The crack is not alarming... I would say it is normal."
Normal? It's a crisis! Run and hide!
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