CHINA WILL LOVE THIS: Ahead of Olympics, Congressman Pushes ‘Global Online Freedom Act’.

IS IT A TREND? Another professor sues students, though at least this time it’s not over course evaluations. Still seems unthinkable — but, then, so did the idea of students suing professors, until recently.

UPDATE: Ann Althouse: “Suing students! It seems unthinkable. But this is the direction we head when free speech and academic freedom lose their grip on us.”

AN INTERVIEW WITH LIBERTARIAN TRANSHUMANIST (though he doesn’t like that word) philanthropist Peter Thiel.

AT IOWAHAWK, advice to the lovelorn.

WHILE EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT JEREMIAH WRIGHT YESTERDAY, John McCain was unveiling his health care plan.

Megan McArdle was on the conference call and observes: “The plan’s heart is mostly in the right place: break the link between employment and health care, make the plan revenue neutral (ish), change Medicare reimbursement so that we pay for results rather than procedures.” But, she observes: “The senator is proposing one thing that I think is a terrible idea, pharmaceutical reimportation. Naturally, this is the part of his health care plan with the highest probability of passage.”

THOUGHTS ON THE NEED TO increase oil supplies. But while some are taking the issue seriously, Congressional Democrats (and, as we can see from the item below, some Republicans) are not. I’d like to think that they’re just down with the Malcolm Forbes plan, but I kind of doubt their motivations are that sophisticated.

YOUR CONGRESS HELPS MAINTAIN HIGH GAS PRICES:

In an interesting tussle, a virtually unnoticed clause was added almost at the least moment to a US energy bill that bars the government, in particular the Department of Defense, from using Alberta crude because it is deemed unconventional and too dirty.

A provision in the US Carbon Neutral Government Act incorporated into the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 act effectively bars the US government from buying fuels that have greater life-cycle emissions than fuels produced from conventional petroleum sources.

The United States has defined Alberta oilsands as unconventional because the bitumen mined from the ground requires upgrading and refining as opposed to the traditional crude pumped from oil wells.

California Democrat Representative Henry Waxman, chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and Republican Tom Davis added the clause.

Thanks, guys. I’ll remember you whenever I fill up. Some cynics might suspect a corrupt motive:

Wihbey underlines Saudi Arabia and Canada were direct competitors for the biggest customer: the US. David Kirsch, head of Oil Markets PFC Energy, says that “In the US mid-continent, the penetration of oilsands crude is deep, they are increasingly competing with the long haul crude from the Middle East. Until recently we saw a Saudi domination, but now it is becoming a Canadian affair.” And that’s why the Saudis are starting to play hardball, claimed Wihbey.

“They’re playing hardball … then all of a sudden this legislation pops in, literally a month after these statements were made in November,” noted Wihbey.

But I’m sure it’s just a sincere concern for the environment. I had missed this story, and I suspect most people did. Via Jerry Pournelle, who observes:

The easy way to make ethanol is to import sugar from Brazil and use that. Of course we don’t and won’t do that.

The easy way to bring oil prices down is to drill offshore and on the North Slope. Of course we don’t do that.

The easy way to bring electricity prices down (you can make fertilizer with electricity) is to build nuclear power plants, expensive but cheap compared to wars. Of course we won’t do that.

And why won’t we?

UPDATE: Environmentalists are indefatigably trying to block this new source of energy:

Alberta’s oilsands came under fire in Washington, D.C. yesterday, with environmentalists protesting the visit of deputy premier Ron Stevens and demanding a ban on “dirty oil” be enforced.

The National Resource Defense Council, which claims 1.3 million members across the U.S., [NOTE: I think they mean the Natural Resources Defense Council] bought an ad in the widely read Capitol Hill Roll Call newspaper, featuring a Maple Leaf oozing oil.

If we really do see seven-dollar gas by 2012 as some are predicting, we’ll know who to blame. On the other hand, here’s some good news:

Alberta expects a U.S. working group to classify the province´s oilsands fuel as a conventional resource to exempt it from tough new restrictions on imports, provincial envoy Gary Mar said Tuesday.

It certainly should.

LOSING WEIGHT with a treadmill desk. Some jobs already feel that way. . . .

COMMON GROUND: “We’re all law professors: me, Glenn, Obama…”

HAPPENINGS AT BERKELEY: Muller scoops Leiter! With exclusive pic!

TIGERHAWK: “American society has made process as important as outcome, and it is sucking the energy out of us.”

MICKEY KAUS keeps bringing up the John Edwards / Rielle Hunter story. Does he think there’s a chance Edwards might get back in the race?

JEREMIAH WRIGHT: Once Obama’s “spiritual adviser,” and “mentor,” now a guy he’s barely met!

OUCH: Franken pays $70,000 in back taxes and penalties in 17 states. No rest-room groping charges yet, though, so I’m not sure he’s ready for the U.S. Senate.

IT’S FINAL EXAMS AT THE LAW SCHOOL, and I’m already grading. Luckily, I only have papers — no exams — this semester. Grading papers is much less of a chore than grading exams. Students are studying, as you can see.

Click “read more” to see photos.

PROFESSOR THREATENS CIVIL RIGHTS LAWSUIT AGAINST STUDENTS, for criticizing her in course evaluations. That’s gonna make people more willing to pony up the big-bucks Dartmouth tuition . . . .

HEY, MAYBE PHOTO ID REQUIREMENTS REALLY DO HURT MINORITY VOTERS: Reader Matt Szekeley sends this about the Texas Democratic Caucuses. Local Obama supporters get tripped up by the Texas Two-Step:

One bitter point of contention involved the verification process. Each participant needed to provide photo identification and a stamped voter card, proving that they’d cast a ballot in the Democratic primary. Attempting to follow the guidelines in the packet, Gonzalez pointed out that anyone in line without a stamped card needed to be marked “Provisional.” If the person in question supported Clinton, Gonzalez says she’d find herself bombarded with complaints from Clinton volunteers.

But it all evens out: “Perhaps because the caucus system worked so well for Obama at the statewide level, campaign reps don’t seem too eager to investigate local irregularities.”

WELL, YES: “An international group of food scientists says countries should not use food crops to produce biofuels during a world food crisis. . . . Instead of using grains, the international group is calling on the U.S. and other countries to shift biofuels production to nonfood crops such as switchgrass.”

But, actually, as some critics are trying to tar all biofuels as if they are made from corn, this is a point worth stressing. Crop-based biofuels are just votebuying from farmers, but others are worth pursuing.

UPDATE: In response to questions, switchgrass grows on marginal lands that aren’t really suitable for food crops. And Bob Zubrin says it’s possible to make enough ethanol and methanol to replace OPEC’s output using only agricultural waste.

NEGATIVE COATTAILS: Obama looking like a down-ticket drag?

IF YOU’RE READING THIS, YOU PROBABLY NEED THESE: Exercises To Avoid Pain While At Your Computer.

UPDATE: David Chappell emails: “Actually I’m reading it on my phone on the DC metro.”

I did say “probably.”

OKAY, THIS GADGET LOOKS PRETTY COOL: But wouldn’t it be a distraction, on a motorcycle?

UPDATE: Most readers say no: “Lots of riders are using GPS these days. It’s a wonderful tool when exploring, and a lot easier to use on the fly than a paper map. It’ll also show you where to find gas’food, and how to get back where you came from if you’ve just picked roads at random.”

“BMW is a big fan, offering these as an accessory to their M/Cs. And as a former M/C rider, I can assure you having a Garmin read directions into your ear would be a lot less distracting than checking a paper map on your tank bag as you drive down a country lane…” You could come to a stop, you know.

“Personally, I use the Garmin StreetPilot 2610, but do not use the audio inputs to my helmet. I find the visual cues to be sufficient. I ride without the use the audio inputs which I find distracting. Still others have employed elaborate communication systems wherein they normally listen to either an iPod/MP3/Satellite radio but the navigation system has priority for ‘turn-by-turn-navigation.’ For the people that I ride with, the emplyment of the Garmin/music mix doesn’t seem to be any more distracting to them while they’re on a motorcycle than it is when they’re in their cars, and none of them impress me as bad vehicle drivers. I think it really comes down to an individual case. Some of my friends seem not to be distracted by the additional input, I can’t handle the ‘distraction’.”

RICK MORAN on the Obama press conference. “Obama has credibility issues with Wright as well as his other problem associates Ayers and indicted Chicago political fixer Tony Rezko. In each and every case, Obama has first downplayed his connections to these political hot potatoes. Wright was a ‘crazy uncle.’ Ayers, a ‘neighbor.’ Rezko, just ‘one of thousands of contributors’ to his campaign. Only when these associations have reached a critical political mass has Obama tried to put out the fire.”

UPDATE: “I never had sexual relations with that pastor.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: “Obama on Wright: He Really Means It This Time.”

AMY ALKON NOTES a choice bit of idiocy.

ADVICE TO OBAMA SUPPORTERS, from Michael Silence: “Quit splitting hairs. You’re only making the story drag on. Most of us will not be basing our votes on who the candidate’s preacher is/was. We will, however, be basing our votes on a candidate’s forthrightness and candor. And the latter has taken a beating lately.”

LARRY KUDLOW: Bush Whiffs on the Dollar. But how much can Bush really do?