Category: Uncategorized

…I feel compelled to notice this story: In the spring of 1961, President Obama’s father revealed a plan for his unborn son that might have changed the course of American political history. The elder Barack H. Obama… declared that they intended to put their child up for adoption. Questions: So? Why’s this story coming up […]

In the 1987 movie “No Way Out,” Gene Hackman plays the Secretary of Defense, feuding with a Senator whose pet project is to build a submarine “as big as a city.” One adulterous affair and probable manslaughter investigation later, the Senator catches Hackman at a vulnerable (and potentially explosive) moment. To the rescue leaps Hackman’s […]

But it’s not quite as bad as it sounds: Paramount Pictures and Marvel Studios gave distributors around the world the option of shortening the title of “Captain America: The First Avenger” to simply “The First Avenger,” out of concern about anti-American sentiment. But the only countries that took them up on it were Russia, Ukraine […]

And look, I’m not some guy who just shuffles from job to sitcoms to bed to job every day. I’m constantly checking up on internet news sites and political blogs. But until yesterday, “Casey Anthony” was just a vaguely familiar name. Oh, sure, I think I knew she was involved in a trial of some […]

“The subterranean demographic just never watched,” a CNN executive explained. “We needed those viewers. Even a few eyeless fish would have helped.” Full disclosure: I made the preceding quotes up. You may have figured that out. The story: CNN Cancels ‘In the Arena’ With Eliot Spitzer I never watched it, so it’s probably my fault. […]

Replace Pi with…Tau? “I know it will be called blasphemy by some, but I believe that pi is wrong.” That’s the opening line of a watershed essay written in 2001 by mathematician Bob Palais of the University of Utah. In “Pi is Wrong!” Palais argued that, for thousands of years, humans have been focusing their […]

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is among the most liberal members of Congress. A 7-term incumbent, representing a district dominated by uber-liberal Madison, there is very little chance that Republicans will ever knock her off. Thus, this is good news: Baldwin: ‘I think I am likely to run’ for Senate U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) tells […]

In case you missed it: a Wisconsin firefighter’s union refused to support a parade float honoring 9/11 firefighters because the firefighter behind the float doesn’t support the union’s politics. The public, however, had a different response. The float was entered in two parades yesterday, and Charlie Sykes reports: In the annals of tactical blunders, the […]

The Hoover Institution’s Michael McConnell, on whether or not the federal debt ceiling is “unconstitutional:” The theory is bunk. Yes! Bunk! That’s what I’ve been saying! McConnell, a Stanford University law professor and former federal judge, uses a lot more words to explain himself than I did (as one might expect from a hifalutin’ law […]

Treehugger has a rather interesting story about The Liberty Tree The story of America’s struggle for independence tells tale of heroic men and women united in their noble quest for freedom — but one of the most enduring figures at the center of that revolution was not a person at all. Years before the Founding […]

This is a pretty old joke, but it seems appropriate to retell it on this Fourth: An old country preacher had a teenage son, and it was getting time the boy should give some thought to choosing a profession. Like many young Men his age, the boy didn’t really know what he wanted to do, […]

“All warfare is based upon deception” as China’s ancient Warcraft master taught, and like vClausewitz  (or maybe it was Batman) once sagely saged – self deception is the worst deception of all. Daemoneoconically delish Foundation For Defense of Democrazies President Clifford May (Oh! He got game bay bee!) points out 5 deceits – self imposed […]

Bill Clinton said what? When I was president, we raised the corporate income-tax rates on corporations that made over $10 million [a year]. It made sense when I did it. It doesn’t make sense anymore — we’ve got an uncompetitive rate. We tax at 35 percent of income, although we only take about 23 percent. […]

Changing things up a little: now the links are above each picture*. First up, via Paco: Israelly Cool: Trog, with a special hat tip to Boots and Sabers: AOSHQ: Right Thinking: Trog: John Hawkins: Previously: This Week in Automotivators, June 13-19 This Week in Automotivators, June 20-26 Make your own automotivators. * Because I’m an […]

“400 Classic Cindy Crawford Covers“. Fast-loading, one page–no stupid, time-wasting slideshow. Cross-posted from Newmark’s Door.  

Six and a half months out, and Republican presidential candidates are already flocking to Iowa. New Hampshire, too. And for good reason: if the same candidate wins both those states, that candidate’s likely to be the Republican nominee for President. On the other hand, a candidate who does poorly in either or both is likely […]

Good piece. Especially nice is this reminder of one of Robert Heinlein’s great quotes: Throughout history, poverty is the normal condition of man. Advances which permit this norm to be exceeded – here and there, now and then – are the work of an extremely small minority, frequently despised, often condemned, and almost always opposed […]

From The Economist: Over 23% of all the goods and services made since 1 AD were produced from 2001 to 2010 . . . Link via Carpe Diem.

“The Prince Who Blew Through Billions“. That Prince Jefri of Brunei, he’s one wild and crazy guy. Cross-posted from Newmark’s Door.  

From The Week (printed version) summing up the piece by David Brooks in the New York Times: “Looking for someone to blame for the 2008 economic meltdown? asked David Brooks. It all started with Fannie Mae, the government backed mortgage giant, and it’s former chief executive, James Johnson. In a well reported new book, Reckless […]

From The Chronicle: Homeland Security officials misled the public and Congress last year in an effort to downplay a wave of immigration case dismissals in Houston and other cities amid accusations that they had created a “back-door amnesty,” newly released records show. …………… The secretive review process resulted in the dismissal of hundreds of cases […]

You know the drill: click on the link under each picture for more info. Sometimes the sites I link have a whole different angle on a story, too. Might be worth your time. Link: Brian J. Noggle Link: Flap Link: Bill Teach Link: I Own The World Link: Camp of the Saints Link: Paco. I’d […]

The amazing story of Prince Jefri of Brunei “who has probably gone through more cash than any other human being on earth“. (The article has some NSFW language.)

“The rest of the country must be sick of us in Boston. We have all the champions. We have all the trophies. Sorry.: No brag, just fact.” Enjoy it while it lasts. Cross-posted from Newmark’s Door.

So President Obama’s going to bring 30,000 or so military personnel home from Afghanistan just as soon as he’s done closing Guantanamo Bay. No, wait, he said next Summer. He’s going to bring 30,000 troops home by next Summer. Good idea? Militarily, I leave it to those with more information, knowledge, and experience than I […]

You missed some Friday night fun if you didn’t go here. It all started when blogger friend Mark’s feet were held to the fire…in a loving, caring way, I’m quite sure…for his failure to return the toilet seat to its proper, feminine-friendly, downward position. We all know what the smart hubby does. He complies, quietly. […]

What we are supposed to infer from the article, of course, is that Mankind’s use of fossil fuels is going to heat up the planet so much that Mankind, along with all the cute and fuzzy bunnies, hell, all life on Earth, will be wiped out. Then it gets sciencey New scientific evidence supporting a […]

Two excellent, unusual soccer goals: Zlatan Ibrahimovic for Ajax, 2007. (More on Ibra and more links to his goals in this interesting Slate piece.) Just this week, the goalie[!] for Canada’s U-17 team scored. (Link via Business Insider.)