LARRY TRIBE: Thanks for boning, ma and pa. Um, ditto, I guess. More here. It’s really just a variation on the Neal Stephenson “stupendous badass” point.

AUSTIN BAY: Dictatorships kill. And steal.

A WINDFALL PROFITS TAX FOR FARMERS? Heavens No!

MICKEY KAUS: “HuffPo Off Message: Rachel Sklar comes dangerously close to Fisking the NYT’s book-length Pentagon Message Machine scoop.”

CALLING AHMADINEJAD SWEETIE? Actually, that could be fun.

OUCH: “Robert Samuelson’s argument is so self-evident no politician can ever state it.”

BRAZILIAN BABES FOR dropping the ethanol tariff.

BACK HOME, after six hours at the Children’s E.R. Things turned out about as well as could be, considering. Blogging may be a bit, er, sparse in the morning, though.

UPDATE: Thanks to all the people who sent thoughts and prayers. Doesn’t appear to have been anything serious. Alas, I didn’t get six hours of sleep to make up for the E.R. time.

HOW TO BECOME A CULT LEADER.

AN INTERVIEW WITH Tom Wolfe.

And some useful background here.

SPACE NEWS: SpaceX Claims Crew Transfer Ability by 2011.

CROSS-CULTURAL PROCRASTINATION STUDIES. I wonder why no one got around to that before . . . .?

TEST-DRIVING THE 2008 Porsche 911. How come I never get assignments like that?

MEGAN MCARDLE: Democrats: the party of . . . rich farmers? That would explain the ethanol enthusiasm . . . .

A STEAMPUNK ROUNDUP.

SOME CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRESS IN GEORGIA: “Georgians with carry licenses will be able to tote their concealed guns on public transportation, in restaurants that serve alcohol and in state parks under legislation signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue on Wednesday.”

A REPORT FROM the Maker Faire.

SHOULD LIBERALS SUPPORT THE DEATH PENALTY?

HMM: Nanotechnology to kill bacteria OK in hospitals but suspect in commercial products.

AT NEWSWEEK, a discussion of ethanol, energy, and Bob Zubrin’s plan.

DOES THIS MEAN THE RECESSION-TALK IS RIGHT? Lamborghini working on a certified pre-owned program. Or is it a sign of trickle-down prosperity?