. . . he will tell you anything.
Friday, December 21, 2007
The World in Peril?
henry clay vii: This election is one of the most important elections in US history and the reason it is so important is because of the number of tremendous threats that exist around the world today. We must elect a president that takes the WOT seriously and when a candidate comes out with an isolationist foreign policy, all it says to me is that this person is either lazy or stupid. I dont want either one. Plus, with China and Russia potentially becoming more and more of a threat, that just adds to the significance of this election.
kilgore forelle: I appreciate your view, hcvii, but the world has always been in crisis -- eg, 2000 years ago we conspired to kill Jesus Christ!
You must not place so much reliance on your young eyes and your partisan precepts. I was unfortunately at the lexington cemetery yesterday, and on visiting the office, I gazed upon the beautiful painting which focused on your 5g patriarch and his colleague, abe lincoln -- I doubt that either would agree that your times are more perilous, but both would grieve about how little we have learned from the intervening years.
We have always had crisis because the political process does not produce the leadership that we all crave. It is a fine measure, however, of influence without a rudder of right and wrong.
It is the sheerest accident when we get a good president. And good presidents always rise above the quotidian spats of the party system.
The estimable henry clay -- a leader if ever there was one -- said it best when he said he would rather be right than president.
kilgore forelle: I appreciate your view, hcvii, but the world has always been in crisis -- eg, 2000 years ago we conspired to kill Jesus Christ!
You must not place so much reliance on your young eyes and your partisan precepts. I was unfortunately at the lexington cemetery yesterday, and on visiting the office, I gazed upon the beautiful painting which focused on your 5g patriarch and his colleague, abe lincoln -- I doubt that either would agree that your times are more perilous, but both would grieve about how little we have learned from the intervening years.
We have always had crisis because the political process does not produce the leadership that we all crave. It is a fine measure, however, of influence without a rudder of right and wrong.
It is the sheerest accident when we get a good president. And good presidents always rise above the quotidian spats of the party system.
The estimable henry clay -- a leader if ever there was one -- said it best when he said he would rather be right than president.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Another Good Person, #0005
I'm not much for modern dance, but this lady is unbelievable.
To see some video, check out Destination America
To see some video, check out Destination America
Monday, December 10, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
The Nanny State digs in
Last night I went through a process that leaves me bewildered.
Just before Thanksgiving I came down with some malady that is not unlike what we used to call the common cold (the difference being that nobody knows what to call it now.) Among the sort of shrugging recommendations that my family doc made was to get some pseudofed, which he advised did not require an rx, but did require a certain amount of groveling and jumping through hoops of fire. The pseudo whatsis is now kept behind the counter, like trading cards, girlie magazines, cigarettes, and small flagons of distilled spirit. I had to show my drivers license and sign some sort of life altering document submitting myself to the domination of walmart and the KY legislature.
WTF? Surely there has to be a way of separating criminals (drug chefs) from patients that rises above requiring patients to register as potential criminals. How many numb skulled bureaucratic schemes must we endure on a day-to-day basis? Does anybody see this as an effective program, as a shot ringing out in the war on drugs? Please tell me how.
Just before Thanksgiving I came down with some malady that is not unlike what we used to call the common cold (the difference being that nobody knows what to call it now.) Among the sort of shrugging recommendations that my family doc made was to get some pseudofed, which he advised did not require an rx, but did require a certain amount of groveling and jumping through hoops of fire. The pseudo whatsis is now kept behind the counter, like trading cards, girlie magazines, cigarettes, and small flagons of distilled spirit. I had to show my drivers license and sign some sort of life altering document submitting myself to the domination of walmart and the KY legislature.
WTF? Surely there has to be a way of separating criminals (drug chefs) from patients that rises above requiring patients to register as potential criminals. How many numb skulled bureaucratic schemes must we endure on a day-to-day basis? Does anybody see this as an effective program, as a shot ringing out in the war on drugs? Please tell me how.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Another Good Person, #0003
John Havlicek combined a one-of-a-kind mixture of athleticism and court sense, but the incredible difference was that he could run all day, all week, all year, if that was what it took to outrun you. In any battle of endurance, the opponent was his.
As this series expands, you will see many Celtics and many pro basketball stars, but the number 1 in my sky is John Havlicek.
Btw, Hondo is being guarded(?) by 1 of the best defensive players ever, Jerry West (left) in the photograph. He has his work cut out for him.
Another Good Person, #0001
David Gilmour
Can you imagine Pink Floyd without him?
Rated 82nd in Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Guitars list.
Obviously, they're all a gang of idiots. But, you know...live and let live -- David Gilmour
Friday, November 30, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
Friday, November 9, 2007
Without Responsibility Even To God
Without Responsibility Even To God
What happened here was the gradual habituation of the people, little by little, to being governed by surprise; to receiving decisions deliberated in secret; to believing that the situation was so complicated that the government had to act on information which the people could not understand, or so dangerous that, even if the people could not understand it, it could not be released because of national security....
What happened here was the gradual habituation of the people, little by little, to being governed by surprise; to receiving decisions deliberated in secret; to believing that the situation was so complicated that the government had to act on information which the people could not understand, or so dangerous that, even if the people could not understand it, it could not be released because of national security....
A study in lingo
There seems to be an element of the anti-immigration crowd who think that we can make spanish go away. But I don't think that any language can be outlawed under our constitution. If we do outlaw a language, then the next short step, imho, is to outlaw the content of speech.
btw, the bi-lingual belgium is currently unable to form a government among the flemish and the walloons (I forget which ones have the stars on their bellies).
Also, isn't it an irony that neither faction in belgium speaks belgian, but each borrows another country's tongue? The flemish majority speaks dutch, while the walloon minority speaks french. And how is flemish the adjective for flanders. When social anthropologists go to hell, is it belgium?
As an aside, is there any correlation between the number of "world" organizations domiciled therein and the degree of governmental dysfunctionality. That would explain a lot about nyc (aka rudy-land).
If I ever write a book it will be about sanctioned language as a tool for oppressive government.
btw, the bi-lingual belgium is currently unable to form a government among the flemish and the walloons (I forget which ones have the stars on their bellies).
Also, isn't it an irony that neither faction in belgium speaks belgian, but each borrows another country's tongue? The flemish majority speaks dutch, while the walloon minority speaks french. And how is flemish the adjective for flanders. When social anthropologists go to hell, is it belgium?
As an aside, is there any correlation between the number of "world" organizations domiciled therein and the degree of governmental dysfunctionality. That would explain a lot about nyc (aka rudy-land).
If I ever write a book it will be about sanctioned language as a tool for oppressive government.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The power to tax, once conceded . . .
The power to tax, once conceded, has no limits; it contains until it destroys. Professor Bernardo de la Paz, Robert A. Heinlein, "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress"
Rudy Giuliani is NOT a libertarian!
Rudy Giuliani is NOT a libertarian!
"Rudy Giuliani does not believe in a libertarian relationship between individual and state." -- Brad Warbiany
"Rudy Giuliani does not believe in a libertarian relationship between individual and state." -- Brad Warbiany
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Demogoging the Incendiary
Is there anything that we can leave untarred by the politico's brush?
Don Boudreau has a good take on this:
Don Boudreau has a good take on this:
The War and Wildfires
Glenn Beck, otherwise!Monday, October 22, 2007
Neo-cons for POTUS--NY
Please note the newsfeeds to the right. Everyday you can see the latest linking Hillary and Rudy to the covert support of the neo-cons. Click on Hilly or Rudary.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Republican debate?
I posted elsewhere that it was hard to tell these guys apart from socialists, pandering to the stereotype of the michigan union rank-and-file.
rudy -- a grinning skull; thinks that nyc is the world
fred -- a deer in the headlights, even after nixon's posthumous endorsement
mitt -- an empty suit -- a gov from MA, yeah, right.
mccain -- how the semi-mighty are free-fallen.
ron -- screechy, even though smarter than the rest put together
mike tom dunkback -- fuhgeddaboudit!
do any of these guys have a personality better than bob dole?
I thought they were all running for UAW treasurer. Yikes!
rudy -- a grinning skull; thinks that nyc is the world
fred -- a deer in the headlights, even after nixon's posthumous endorsement
mitt -- an empty suit -- a gov from MA, yeah, right.
mccain -- how the semi-mighty are free-fallen.
ron -- screechy, even though smarter than the rest put together
mike tom dunkback -- fuhgeddaboudit!
do any of these guys have a personality better than bob dole?
I thought they were all running for UAW treasurer. Yikes!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Mahmoud's Revenge
Have you noticed the fecal storm over ahmadinejad?
Duncan Hunter has introduced a bill to take federal research dollars away from Columbia U.
Why are we fighting amongst ourselves to pay homage to this little creep. His PR firm is having a wet dream over our reaction. He has become the Mr. Deeds of the Middle East!
Believe me, I would be right there on any proposal to end the federal grab-bag on academic funding, but only across the board. This unconstitutional punitive legislation is a taxpayer supported campaign ad for Duncan Hunter!
Friday, September 7, 2007
How little government is small enough?
kilgore forelle: Government is disorder and unfair advantage. Government is oligarchy -- the accumulation of power and wealth to a few. The market can do order and fairness better.
How do you explain the fact that 99.44% of us can proceed daily without knowing any of the intricacies of government. But you say government protects us from the ill-intentioned ones? There are 1000s of incidents every day in which the ill-intentioned ones escape the notice of government altogether. You are protected only by the probability that no harm will come to you as a result of how you organize your own life.
Since the government can only protect you after the fact, we have a word for those protected by the government -- victim.
pangloss: kf, that implies that no one is discouraged from partaking in predatory commerce despite laws prohibiting. To take that idea to its logical conclusion we would say that no laws have a deterrent effect...no?
I would argue that without govt and without laws and law enforcement there would be more "victims" on the order of magnitudes.
kilgore forelle: Argue that if you like. Predators just get less scrupulous lawyers and prevaricating accountants.
If what I said about oligarchy were not true then government would be fine.
We'll probably never know who's right since we are more and more in the global clutches of oligarchists, but historical evidence of anarchy shows cooperation and fewer victims. Read the links.
An optimal number of laws will have an optimal effect. Nobody passed new laws faster than the bolsheviki, except perhaps the brits during their 4 century rape of ireland, or maybe paul bremer as emperor of the coalition provisional authority. (Tip -- if you're not gonna be an authoritarian, don't put 'authority' in your name!)
Deterrence sucks. See britney spears, lindsey lohan, paris hilton, nicole richie, michael "let's make a deal" vick, george bush, o j simpson, saddam hussein, bill clinton, osama bin ladin, larry craig, william jefferson, . . . ad nauseum.
How do you explain the fact that 99.44% of us can proceed daily without knowing any of the intricacies of government. But you say government protects us from the ill-intentioned ones? There are 1000s of incidents every day in which the ill-intentioned ones escape the notice of government altogether. You are protected only by the probability that no harm will come to you as a result of how you organize your own life.
Since the government can only protect you after the fact, we have a word for those protected by the government -- victim.
pangloss: kf, that implies that no one is discouraged from partaking in predatory commerce despite laws prohibiting. To take that idea to its logical conclusion we would say that no laws have a deterrent effect...no?
I would argue that without govt and without laws and law enforcement there would be more "victims" on the order of magnitudes.
kilgore forelle: Argue that if you like. Predators just get less scrupulous lawyers and prevaricating accountants.
If what I said about oligarchy were not true then government would be fine.
We'll probably never know who's right since we are more and more in the global clutches of oligarchists, but historical evidence of anarchy shows cooperation and fewer victims. Read the links.
An optimal number of laws will have an optimal effect. Nobody passed new laws faster than the bolsheviki, except perhaps the brits during their 4 century rape of ireland, or maybe paul bremer as emperor of the coalition provisional authority. (Tip -- if you're not gonna be an authoritarian, don't put 'authority' in your name!)
Deterrence sucks. See britney spears, lindsey lohan, paris hilton, nicole richie, michael "let's make a deal" vick, george bush, o j simpson, saddam hussein, bill clinton, osama bin ladin, larry craig, william jefferson, . . . ad nauseum.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Pavarotti -- RIP
"Je crois entendre encore" from Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perle
David Gilmour
Alfredo Kraus
I believe I hear him still.
David Gilmour
Alfredo Kraus
I believe I hear him still.
Friday, August 31, 2007
Michael Jackson -- RIP
"He was simply the best beer writer we've ever known. He told wonderful stories about beer, breweries and far away places." -- Tim Hampson
International Herald Tribune Obit
Michael's view of my favorite Irish ale, Caffrey's.
Pharoah's Army
A small movie with a compelling story about the civil war among the common people.
A review.
Two of my favorite actors, patricia clarkson and chris cooper, excel.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Are we an EMPIRE or a REPUBLIC?
We are neither.
Special interests select representatives, citizens elect the selections. We are at least 1 remove from a republic. "A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them". -- Answers.com
We have never been an empire, although we have individuals and factions who are empire builders. In our earlier days, washington rejected being enthroned as a king, then john adams wore powdered wigs and flitted about in a royal carriage. Thanks be that t_jeff brought us back down to earth, saving us from emulating our former brit masters, a ". . . political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority." -- Answers.com
Special interests select representatives, citizens elect the selections. We are at least 1 remove from a republic. "A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them". -- Answers.com
We have never been an empire, although we have individuals and factions who are empire builders. In our earlier days, washington rejected being enthroned as a king, then john adams wore powdered wigs and flitted about in a royal carriage. Thanks be that t_jeff brought us back down to earth, saving us from emulating our former brit masters, a ". . . political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority." -- Answers.com
Iraq: A Done Deal Pre-9/11?
I have seen opinion* to the effect that neocons believe the country (unfortunately, the USA) is at its best while at war.
So which war we're in is irrelevant to them except for whether it is a robust war (takes a licking but keeps on ticking). Afghanistan had a paucity of targets, and anyway chalabi already had gained their assurances on iraq.
Worse, whether or not we win a war is irrelevant to them, because we cannot be in a state of war if we ever define winning.
Therefore, a war against terror centered in a non-country without a functional government is heaven on earth for neocons (a euphemism for war profiteers).
*I will attempt to document (help, anyone?)
So which war we're in is irrelevant to them except for whether it is a robust war (takes a licking but keeps on ticking). Afghanistan had a paucity of targets, and anyway chalabi already had gained their assurances on iraq.
Worse, whether or not we win a war is irrelevant to them, because we cannot be in a state of war if we ever define winning.
Therefore, a war against terror centered in a non-country without a functional government is heaven on earth for neocons (a euphemism for war profiteers).
*I will attempt to document (help, anyone?)
- “Americans are a warlike people and that we love war . . . What we hate is not casualties but losing.” -- Michael Ledeen (link)
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Uncertainty
"Beware the fallacies into which undisciplined thinkers most easily fall--they are the real distorting prisms of human nature." -- Francis Bacon
"Assuming more order than exists in chaotic nature." -- Francis Bacon
"Our brains are wired for narrative, not statistical uncertainty. And so we tell ourselves simple stories to explain complex things we don't--and, most importantly, can't--know." -- Chris Anderson
Link
"Assuming more order than exists in chaotic nature." -- Francis Bacon
"Our brains are wired for narrative, not statistical uncertainty. And so we tell ourselves simple stories to explain complex things we don't--and, most importantly, can't--know." -- Chris Anderson
Link
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Is this the America of which we dream?
America -- locked down.
In the land of the free, we lock up a greater percentage of our population than any nation. The U.S. prison population has increased 91 percent in the past 15 years. More than 7 million Americans are under some form of state or federal correctional supervision, and this does not include the legions of Americans in county and city facilities. -- Cory Booker
Friday, July 27, 2007
Lightning in a Bottle
Last night I watched a total surprise on DVD. Lightning in a Bottle (exec producer -- scorcese). It is a live onstage (radio city music hall) documentary of the Blues. It is the best music based movie I have seen since the Buena Vista Social Club. The performers list is astounding -- bb king, buddy guy, the nevilles, bonnie raitt, robert cray, keb mo, natalie cole, india.arie, solomon burke, gregg almond, . . .
Cruelty to animals
This is an extremely difficult area, even for a libertarian -- perhaps moreso. In the end, I believe the conflict boils down to the individual rights and responsibilities of the owners vs the rights of any free assembly of people to decide and codify what is right or wrong. The evidence is overwhelming that people, in their various governmental schemes, will make cruelty against the law. As long as there is wisdom in implementation, the libertarian has no quarrel with any law given that he can choose to live in or out of its jurisdiction. This does overlook the idea that one onerous law within a collection of good laws may be preferable to a good law among deplorable ones. I think this has more to do with why 1 person will live in l.a. while another lives in kansas than with the distribution of natural and economic resources. See the red states and the blue states.
This is the classic issue where local decisions are best, and the more local the better. This is within bounds, however, as 1 man cannot make himself a governmental unit. So the decision should be pushed down to the level at which the process most closely matches group desires with the consensus of individual sentiment. Then birds of a feather can flock together.
I don't know enough about the michael vick case to say whether he is being held up to local law or to federal strictures. If the former, I am ok with it and its outcome.
As a farmer, I tend toward being the animal lover. My farm is posted, and abounds with turkey, deer, hawks, geese, raccoons, and songbirds by the throngs. I will not kill a deer to save a tomato. As long as I have forage for my horses, the wildlife can eat all they wish. Most of my neighbors are practicing hunters, so when the wildlife overflourishes it is usually taken care of in the vicinity.
This is the classic issue where local decisions are best, and the more local the better. This is within bounds, however, as 1 man cannot make himself a governmental unit. So the decision should be pushed down to the level at which the process most closely matches group desires with the consensus of individual sentiment. Then birds of a feather can flock together.
I don't know enough about the michael vick case to say whether he is being held up to local law or to federal strictures. If the former, I am ok with it and its outcome.
As a farmer, I tend toward being the animal lover. My farm is posted, and abounds with turkey, deer, hawks, geese, raccoons, and songbirds by the throngs. I will not kill a deer to save a tomato. As long as I have forage for my horses, the wildlife can eat all they wish. Most of my neighbors are practicing hunters, so when the wildlife overflourishes it is usually taken care of in the vicinity.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
I'm Dumping on the iPhone
I told you so! Well I didn't really, but I would have if you had asked.
I'm Dumping the iPhone by Chris Case
The telephone world (particularly at&t) has such a disdain for information and usability. I suppose it is because obviously you can sell anything as long as you take plastic. I blame george steinbrenner for this.
Someone who was not standing en queue to buy this stoopid thing said something like, "I just want a phone that doesn't drop calls."
Yeah, folks. Let's get a few gewgaws that do 1 job well, first.
I'm Dumping the iPhone by Chris Case
The telephone world (particularly at&t) has such a disdain for information and usability. I suppose it is because obviously you can sell anything as long as you take plastic. I blame george steinbrenner for this.
Someone who was not standing en queue to buy this stoopid thing said something like, "I just want a phone that doesn't drop calls."
Yeah, folks. Let's get a few gewgaws that do 1 job well, first.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Forelle's Book Findings
Playing God: Seven Fateful Moments When Great Men Met to Change the World, by Charles L. Mee.
Mee is a playwright and a historian, among other things, and I found his view and dramatic, descriptive powers to be very useful in re-enacting these events.
I bought the book because of a debate with an intellectual friend about the aftermath of wwii in eastern europe, thus I was focusing on the conference at yalta. It is particulary interesting that Mee subtitled this chapter with reference to the problems of unintended consequences (the inevitability of which is the foundation of the libertarian tendency toward minimalism in government -- and in foreign policy, for that matter).
Not only did the yalta chapter teach me much more about yalta than I expected, each of the other 6 crucial moments were richly rewarding.
The only two quibbles I have are with the sub-title. Being a zeitgeist believer, I don't believe out-of-hand in "great men," even when churchill and roosevelt are involved. Somewhat contradictorily, I don't believe in the idea of "fateful," so much as crucial. And from reading Mee, I believe he would let me edit the sub-title accordingly, once he got to know me better.
Amazon Review Page
Mee is a playwright and a historian, among other things, and I found his view and dramatic, descriptive powers to be very useful in re-enacting these events.
I bought the book because of a debate with an intellectual friend about the aftermath of wwii in eastern europe, thus I was focusing on the conference at yalta. It is particulary interesting that Mee subtitled this chapter with reference to the problems of unintended consequences (the inevitability of which is the foundation of the libertarian tendency toward minimalism in government -- and in foreign policy, for that matter).
Not only did the yalta chapter teach me much more about yalta than I expected, each of the other 6 crucial moments were richly rewarding.
The only two quibbles I have are with the sub-title. Being a zeitgeist believer, I don't believe out-of-hand in "great men," even when churchill and roosevelt are involved. Somewhat contradictorily, I don't believe in the idea of "fateful," so much as crucial. And from reading Mee, I believe he would let me edit the sub-title accordingly, once he got to know me better.
Amazon Review Page
Monday, July 9, 2007
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Top 50 (or so) Forelle Flicks
A developing list:
rank, title, (rotten tomotoes %)
Anybody can go with GWTW, Citizen Kain, Lawrence of Arabia, Sound of Music, Clockwork Orange, etc., but they don't need me for their place in the pantheon.
rank, title, (rotten tomotoes %)
- Amadeus (97%)
- Sling Blade (95%)
- Longitude (80%) kf mini-review
- No Country for Old Men(94%)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (100%)
- Seven Samurai (100%)
- Breaking Away (94%)
- Fargo (92%)
- Ghost World (92%)
- Pulp Fiction (96%)
- L. A. Confidential (98%)
- Bang the Drum Slowly (95%)
- The General (81) -- severely underrated
- The Maltese Falcon (100%)
- The Big Sleep (94%)
- Silence of the Lambs (95%)
- Frida (75%)
- Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure (not rated)
- Dr. Strangelove (100%)
- The Misfits (100%)
- Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (71%) -- severely underrated
- Irma La Douce (88%)
- Lonesome Dove (100%)
- Being John Malkovich (92%)
- Ran (95%)
- Hi Fi (91%)
- Lonely Are the Brave (100%)
- It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (72%)
- Some Like It Hot (97%)
- The Player (100%)
- Risky Business (100%)
- The Invasion of the Bodysnatchers (100%)
- Gandhi (85%)
- Red Rocks West (100%)
- Magnolia (86%)
- The African Queen (100%)
- Hear My Song (91%)
- The Gods Must be Crazy (94%)
- About Schmidt (85)
- Amelie (90%)
- House of Flying Daggers (88%)
- Raise the Red Lantern (96%)
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (97%)
- Once Were Warriors (94%)
- Defending Your Life (96%)
- Breaker Morant (100%)
- The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (84%)
- Cat Ballou (100)
- The Unforgiven (96)
- The Spanish Prisoner (89)
- Psycho (98)
- Little Big Man (95)
- The Dish (96)
- The Informer (89)
- The Night of the Iguana (88)
- Zorba the Greek (the other movie in the Dr. Strangelove year)
- Zulu (100)
- About a Boy (94)
- Men in Black (90)
Anybody can go with GWTW, Citizen Kain, Lawrence of Arabia, Sound of Music, Clockwork Orange, etc., but they don't need me for their place in the pantheon.
Kucinich - Gravel 2008 . . .
The landslide winners of the white house after dubya's incredibly ill-considered libby leniency.
Why not? The same kind of deal let jimma carter into the white house.
bush has totally diddled the gop for 2008, which leads me to revisit my suspicion that the racketeers currently in the wh plan on holding it by coup. Occam's Razor: The simplest answer that fits all the facts is most likely to be true.
Note: dubya couldn't even do this on the up-and-up. libby still has a quarter-million dollar fine and a criminal record.
Political Asylum
Why not? The same kind of deal let jimma carter into the white house.
bush has totally diddled the gop for 2008, which leads me to revisit my suspicion that the racketeers currently in the wh plan on holding it by coup. Occam's Razor: The simplest answer that fits all the facts is most likely to be true.
Note: dubya couldn't even do this on the up-and-up. libby still has a quarter-million dollar fine and a criminal record.
Political Asylum
Friday, June 22, 2007
Another tinkering example
Given the negative economic and environmental effects of U.S. sugar programs, why do they persist? Because Congress often decides to confer benefits on a favored few at the expense of the general public. In this case, the favored few really are few—about 42 percent of all sugar program benefits go to just 1 percent of sugar growers. These large sugar growers, such as the Fanjuls of Florida, are a notoriously powerful lobbying interest in Washington. Federal supply restrictions have given them monopoly power, and they protect that power by becoming important supporters of presidents, governors, and many members of Congress.
The Washington Post lamented the political corruption caused by the federal “sugar racket.” More than that, sugar policies are a textbook case of economic damage done by big government intervention in the marketplace. -- Chris Edwards
No wonder we're getting pumped full of high fructose corn syrup.
More importantly, this is an excellent example of how a moderate subsidy can end up costing more than 10 times as much at the checkout counter.
Cato Institute Tax & Budget Bulletin
Thursday, June 21, 2007
to resist the temptation of tinkering
Russell Roberts at Cafe Hayek addresses another harebrained scheme produced by the inability of humans to resist the temptation of tinkering. He quarrels, correctly imho, with the following proposal:
Globalization has brought huge overall benefits, but earnings for most U.S. workers -- even those with college degrees -- have been falling recently; inequality is greater now than at any other time in the last 70 years. Whatever the cause, the result has been a surge in protectionism. To save globalization, policymakers must spread its gains more widely. The best way to do that is by redistributing income. -- Kenneth Scheve and Matthew SlaughterYIKES!
Some of it whacky
I have a problem with charlatans who steal defense dollars, who are draining the integrity of science and the credibility of our national defense. The linked article:
So the tab for charlatanism is about $6,000 per second! You can buy a lot of bulletproof vests with that.
Pentagon Spends $78 Billion a Year on Weapons and Space Research, Some of it Whacky,
says that about 10 billion (of 78 billion) a year goes to fringe science like "gay bombs" and psychic teleportation.In her book "Imaginary Weapons," military expert Sharon Weinberger writes that the federal government is spending taxpayer money on war technology at a pace of about $50,000 per second. -- abc news
So the tab for charlatanism is about $6,000 per second! You can buy a lot of bulletproof vests with that.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Today's mixed metaphor
A caller on npr this morning said, paraphrased, if feinstein and pelosi lived in my neighborhood, they would be singing a different picture.
mixed metaphor -- a combination of two or more metaphors that together produce a ridiculous effect. -- WordNet
My favorite mixed metaphor was when dikembe mutombo described defending against shaquille o'neal as "no walk in the cake."
mixed metaphor -- a combination of two or more metaphors that together produce a ridiculous effect. -- WordNet
My favorite mixed metaphor was when dikembe mutombo described defending against shaquille o'neal as "no walk in the cake."
Mr. Wizard RIP
Back in the day, I could count the people I knew who had teevees on one hand. I always tried to visit when Mr. Wizard was on.
Read Marty Kaplan's remembrance.
Read Marty Kaplan's remembrance.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
A New Link: Chris Kelly, funny man
Chris Kelly blogs at Huffington, writes for Bill Maher on Real Time, and is a very funny guy. See today's Make Your Own Bush Speech!
Adios TCP PDF, hola PA
Last week, the owner of the Cat's Pause site at Rivals.com decided to implode the venerable PDF (political discussion forum) without much of a reason. So a lion's share of the politico rats, myself included, jumped ship. One of our number set up a new board, Political Asylum, 'where the inmates are in charge,' and most of the old crowd moved there.
This is an exceptional bunch from many political persuasions. I am proud to be a charter member, and I welcome any readers of this blog to check it out.
This is an exceptional bunch from many political persuasions. I am proud to be a charter member, and I welcome any readers of this blog to check it out.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Another reason why big government is not necessary.
"It was in 1949 that Rothbard first concluded that the free market could provide all services, including police, courts, and defense services better than could the State." The Myth of Lighthouses
Temporary Link to TCP thread as of this posting
Temporary Link to TCP thread as of this posting
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Enhanced Political Quiz...in 2D
Here's how I scored on this quiz:
See my assessment write-up.
I disagree somewhat with the "radical" adjective, but will not lose much sleep over it. Even though I happen to be near the north woods today, I am not looking for a compound.
I felt that most of the positions were overstated at the libertarian end, leaving too much uncovered space to the next choice. For example, one question echoed reality; the quizzers have no solution for social security either.
The drug question leaves the same distrust that most critics invoke for libertarians by distorting the position. I do not favor legalization of drugs; I favor instead the removal of laws that we do not intend to enforce, and further I favor a drastic reduction of the fda along with the elimination of a federal role in pharmaceutical protectionism and medical research (excepting perhaps epidemiology).
Also there is a wide gap between the right to bear arms and the sanctioning of military arms. I voted for the complete removal of gun control, but I believe that there will be no legal control of arms the day our government turns against us. And if a foreign sovereign attacks, I cannot envision the US government enforcing any gun laws.
See my assessment write-up.
I disagree somewhat with the "radical" adjective, but will not lose much sleep over it. Even though I happen to be near the north woods today, I am not looking for a compound.
I felt that most of the positions were overstated at the libertarian end, leaving too much uncovered space to the next choice. For example, one question echoed reality; the quizzers have no solution for social security either.
The drug question leaves the same distrust that most critics invoke for libertarians by distorting the position. I do not favor legalization of drugs; I favor instead the removal of laws that we do not intend to enforce, and further I favor a drastic reduction of the fda along with the elimination of a federal role in pharmaceutical protectionism and medical research (excepting perhaps epidemiology).
Also there is a wide gap between the right to bear arms and the sanctioning of military arms. I voted for the complete removal of gun control, but I believe that there will be no legal control of arms the day our government turns against us. And if a foreign sovereign attacks, I cannot envision the US government enforcing any gun laws.
To launch quiz2d, press here.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
Whither the Purple Digits
A huge disappointment -- Nat Parry at Consortiumblog
"The Iraqi government is a huge disappointment," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell told CNN'S Late Edition on Sunday.
"So far, they've not been able do anything they promised on the political side," the Kentucky Republican said, citing the Iraqis' failure to pass a new oil revenue bill, hold local elections and dismantle the former Baath Party of Saddam Hussein. "It's a growing frustration."
"Republicans overwhelmingly feel disappointed about the Iraqi government," he added. -- Reuters
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Small Talk
Tenet-Bush Pre-9/11 'Small Talk' In late August 2001, when aggressive presidential action might have changed the course of U.S. history, CIA Director George Tenet made a special trip to Crawford, Texas, to get George W. Bush to focus on an imminent threat of a spectacular al-Qaeda attack only to have the conversation descend into meaningless small talk.
A Brief History of Consortiumnews.comRobert Parry, Editorer 21, 2004
We founded the Consortiumnews.com Web site in 1995, back in the "early days" of the modern Internet. The site was meant to be a home for important, well-reported stories that weren't welcome in the O.J. Simpson-obsessed, conventional-wisdom-driven national news media of that time.
As one of the reporters who helped expose the Iran-Contra scandal for the Associated Press in the mid-1980s, I was distressed by the silliness and downright creepiness that had pervaded American journalism by the mid-1990s. I feared, too, that the decline of the U.S. press corps foreshadowed disasters that would come when journalists failed to alert the public about impending dangers.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Rediscovered -- Too Funny!
This goes back a way. But it should not be lost. BTW, that lad has now grown up and is advising dubya on etiquette with visiting royals.
Fark.com: Making Money Off of Goofy News
Drew Curtis (right)This is a guy who started out in my hometown. In fact, I was an early customer of his isp.
Check the story at NPR.
Check out the link, Fark.com.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Ron Paul in May 3 gop Debate
Here are Ron Paul's results in the MSNBC Online Poll this morning at 10am:
Who stood out?
Paul (1 of 10)
Most Convincing
Paul (1 of 10)
Most Leadership Qualities
Paul (2 of 10)
Best one-liner
Paul (1 of 10)
Most rehearsed answers
Paul (4 of 10)
Avoided Questions
Paul (5 of 10)
I would say he should be happy with this event.
Link: MSNBC Poll
Who stood out?
Paul (1 of 10)
Most Convincing
Paul (1 of 10)
Most Leadership Qualities
Paul (2 of 10)
Best one-liner
Paul (1 of 10)
Most rehearsed answers
Paul (4 of 10)
Avoided Questions
Paul (5 of 10)
I would say he should be happy with this event.
Link: MSNBC Poll
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Yeehaw!
BUSH TAKES BACK TENET'S PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
Shown: in brief ceremony, award is removed.
ironictimes.com
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
The Star-Bungled Banner
- Commander in Chief lands on USS Lincoln CNN.com, May 2, 2003
- President Bush Announces Major Combat Operations in Iraq Have Ended, White House transcript of Bush's speech, May 1, 2003
- White House pressed on 'mission accomplished' sign, CNN.com, October 29, 2003
- 'Mission Accomplished' Whodunit CBSnews.com, October 29, 2003
- White House press release discussing/explaining 'Mission Accomplished' banner, October 29, 2003
Thursday, April 26, 2007
an imperial agenda
If you join the United States military now, you are not defending the United States of America; you are helping certain policy-makers pursue an imperial agenda. -- Karen KwiatkowskiI am reading her stuff every day, from now on.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Not Far from Buddhahood
A university student while visiting Gasan asked him: "Have you ever read the Christian Bible?"
"No, read it to me," said Gasan.
The student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: "And why take ye thought for rainment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these... Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."
Gasan said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened man."
The student continued reading: "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."
Gasan remarked: "That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from Buddhahood."
Not Far from Buddhahood
"No, read it to me," said Gasan.
The student opened the Bible and read from St. Matthew: "And why take ye thought for rainment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin, and yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these... Take therefore no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."
Gasan said: "Whoever uttered those words I consider an enlightened man."
The student continued reading: "Ask and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."
Gasan remarked: "That is excellent. Whoever said that is not far from Buddhahood."
Not Far from Buddhahood
Enigma
libertarianism is by far the least enigmatic philosophy on the american political landscape. Almost anything that's not covered by the golden rule is handled by saying "it's not constitutional," and anything else can be dealt with through procrastination.
Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what is the sound of one hand clapping.
Monday, April 23, 2007
I do not believe wolfie should step down . . . he should be arrested. I understand bush's loyalty to gonzo, even rove, because gonzo didn't do a crime (stupidity and arrogance have not yet been declared crimes), rove may not have done a crime (ha ha ha ha), but what wolfie has done is a cut-and-dried deal for even this watered down justice department (who can't close the door on jefferson nor figure out what foley did).
Does standing by wolfie constitute bush's being an accessory after the fact?
Is shaha riza a jimma carter look-alike?
Link: Wolfowitz Hires Ex-Clinton Lawyer
Does standing by wolfie constitute bush's being an accessory after the fact?
Is shaha riza a jimma carter look-alike?
Link: Wolfowitz Hires Ex-Clinton Lawyer
1 Square per Session
"we can make it work with only one square per restroom visit, except, of course, on those pesky occasions where 2 to 3 could be required." -- Sheryl Crow
Too freaking much information!
I will be planting a tree tomorrow, which will offset my tp usage for the rest of my life. But here's the deal, I will plant 2 trees, if I can be spared this kind of statement for that same duration.
Gnu's Remorse
Couric Is An Expensive, Unfixable Mistake?If CBS had sought my gratis counsel, this would have been considerably less expensive. Celebrity? In which goldfish bowl?
It seems, more and more, that both individuals and organizations are making decisions on as limited information as possible.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Great Photographers
O. Winston Link -- railroading and the night never had a greater friend. See Rural Retreat in the sidebar.
William Henry Jackson -- The photographic pioneer of the West.
Ansel Adams -- just majestic.
Edward Steichen -- did you know photography is art?
Alfred Stieglitz -- from the Victorian to the Modern
Lewis Wickes Hine -- People at work
William Henry Jackson -- The photographic pioneer of the West.
Ansel Adams -- just majestic.
Edward Steichen -- did you know photography is art?
Alfred Stieglitz -- from the Victorian to the Modern
Lewis Wickes Hine -- People at work
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