THREE CHEERS FOR GRIDLOCK. “The problem with the economy isn’t a lack of government borrowing from the future in order to hand out checks today.”

THIS IS COOL:

IT WAS shoulder to shoulder yesterday in downtown Bogotá and in more than 140 cities around the world as millions of Colombians gathered to call for an end to the violence by Marxist rebels in demonstrations organised on the internet social networking site Facebook. . . .

The unprecedented worldwide protests were hatched a month ago when a group of young Colombians met via Facebook and decided a voice must be given to the millions who reject the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) and its 44-year-old war to overthrow the state.

It’s like, I don’t know, some sort of self-organizing army of protesters. Somebody should write a book about this kind of thing!

HEH: “Michael Chabon says that fear is the only reason people aren’t backing Obama. He’s right in my case: I fear he’d be a bad president. That probably makes me a racist too.”

CHINA SUFFERS ITS COLDEST WINTER IN 100 YEARS? Meanwhile, it’s sunny and in the 70s in Knoxville.

OKAY, I WAS THE FIRST “YALIE OF THE WEEK,” suggesting a shocking lack of standards at the Yale Alumni Magazine. But they’re now taking nominations for future awardees, so make your suggestions. Note that Montgomery Burns and Dink Stover are fictional Yalies and hence not really eligible.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR intentional farting. Uh huh.

TIPS ON EXIT POLLS, from Mark Blumenthal.

IN THE MAIL: Elizabeth Moon’s Victory Conditions.

SELF-DEFENSE as an international human right — by Dave Kopel, Paul Gallant, and Joanne Eisen. (PDF).

THE JOYS OF LONGEVITY: “The most comprehensive study yet of sexual activity among the elderly reveals that mojo may be age-proof. A survey conducted by researchers at the University of Chicago of more than 3,000 men and women aged 57 to 85 found that 73 percent of respondents aged 57 to 64 years old were sexually active. Even after age 75, more than a quarter of the seniors surveyed were still rollicking. Those numbers would probably be even higher, according to scientists, if not for bad backs and a lean dating pool.”

AMERICA’S MIDDLE CLASS: Doing well, or barely getting by?

Somewhat related item here. At least, it may explain the difference between reality and news coverage.

ARNOLD KLING: “In the absence of hegemony, peaceful intercourse is an elusive ideal.”

SPACE TOURISM UPDATE: “Bigelow Aerospace and Denver-based United Launch Alliance (ULA) have been working together for over a year studying what it would take to human-rate the Atlas 5 rocket. Industry sources said Bigelow Aerospace is ready to place an order that includes six launches starting in 2011 to begin assembly and early operation of the new [commercial space] station.”

CHRIS BOWERS: “It can no longer be avoided: super delegates will determine the Democratic Presidential nominee this year.”

OUCH: “Jong wants duke it out over who’s been more oppressed — black people vs. mothers and children? Seriously? I hope that Clinton and her supporters do push this because I think I know how the American people will respond to yet another pathetic attempt to derive moral authority from victimhood — not well. The reason why Obama is liked by many Republicans is that he is campaigning as if the content of his character truly is more important than any vestigial constraints imposed by the color of his skin, and no one, especially not a pretentious hack like Erica Jong, is going to tell him that he’s a ‘token.'”

THREE REASONS to Vote for Obama.

Though from my perspective, “making progress” on a lot of those domestic issues seems a lot less appealing than continuing gridlock.

SUPER TUESDAY blog-correspondent reports. Including mine from Memphis, which (the airlines willing) I’ll be leaving in just a bit. These will be updated throughout the day with reports from all over.

A CALL FOR EDITORS at Bill Quick’s new American Conservative Party website.

A BIG SUPER TUESDAY COVERAGE ROUNDUP, over at Pajamas Media.

SOME FREE LEGAL ADVICE for bloggers.

THE POLITICO ON CHAMELEON CREDOS: “We should be under no illusions, however, about the necessary salutary political results of either authenticity or character integrity. Being who you present yourself to be and being honest with the public regarding your policy views does not necessarily result in either public approval or policy support. Just ask George W. Bush.”

IN BRITAIN: Five who aided July 21 bombers sentenced.

TRACKING HURRICANES by using lightning.

MCCAIN: More popular with GOP voters than you’d think from reading blogs.

NASHVILLE’S CONDO MARKET IS OVERBUILT. And “it’s all George Bush’s fault.” Isn’t everything?