RASMUSSEN: On Economic Issues, Voter Trust in Democrats Is Falling. Gee, what could account for that?

LACK OF ALTERNATIVES MEANS THE CHINESE ARE STILL BUYING OUR BONDS FOR NOW, but they’re worried about inflation:

Luo Ping, a director-general at the China Banking Regulatory Commission, said after a speech in New York on Wednesday that China would continue to buy Treasuries in spite of its misgivings about US finances.

Meanwhile, look at what’s happened to gold and silver prices over the past few weeks.

VIRGINIA POSTREL on Regulatory Glamour — and its casualties.

IOWAHAWK: Mathematicians Discover Largest Number.

An international mathematics research team announced today that they had discovered a new integer that surpasses any previously known value “by a totally mindblowing shitload.” Project director Yujin Xiao of Stanford University said the theoretical number, dubbed a “stimulus,” could lead to breakthroughs in fields as diverse as astrophysics, quantum mechanics, and Chicago asphalt contracting.

Heh.

AUSTRALIAN FIRE UPDATE: Angry survivors blame council ‘green’ policy. “During question time at a packed community meeting in Arthurs Creek on Melbourne’s northern fringe, Warwick Spooner — whose mother Marilyn and brother Damien perished along with their home in the Strathewen blaze — criticised the Nillumbik council for the limitations it placed on residents wanting the council’s help or permission to clean up around their properties in preparation for the bushfire season. ‘We’ve lost two people in my family because you dickheads won’t cut trees down,’ he said.”

ADVICE ON home backup generators.

CBS NEWS: Murtha May Be In Hot Water.

Plus, WSJ: Do Democrats Have A Corruption Problem? Note the long list of names and scandals. Including Chris Dodd and Charlie Rangel . . . ..

MICHAEL BARONE: REPUBLICANS TRAIL OBAMA DEMS BY ONE POINT IN POLL — ANTI-STIMULUS PUSH IS WORKING. “Astonishing news on the generic ballot question. Pollster Scott Rasmussen reports that Democrats are currently ahead of Republicans by only 40 percent to 39 percent. Given that this generic ballot question over the years has tended to understate Republicans’ performances in actual elections, one gathers that if the 2010 election for House seats were held today, Republicans would win or come close to winning a majority of seats—which is to say, they would gain about 40 seats. By way of comparison, they gained 52 seats when they won their majority in 1994. This result may just be a momentary blip, which will pass away as quickly as it appeared, and we are a long, long, long way from the November 2010 elections. But if I were a Democratic member of Congress in even a marginally marginal district, I would be just a little bit worried.” If the economy improves before 2010, this may still be an issue. If the economy doesn’t improve by 2010, then it will really be an issue.

VIDEO: Armed Homeowner foils home invasion in Tucson.

NOW THAT WOULD BE GOOD TELEVISION: How About An Obama-Coburn Debate on the stimulus? Never happen, of course. Obama has explained: The time for debate is past. The time for doing what Obama wants has arrived.

HMM: Banking CEOs: We didn’t think the bailout was necessary.

Now wait a minute. Next people will say the whole crisis was phony. Oh, wait. . . . I don’t actually think it was, though. If it were some sort of conspiracy, the people in charge would be looking like they knew what they were doing . . . .

OOPS: ” Two big communications satellites collided in the first-ever crash of two intact spacecraft in orbit, shooting out a pair of massive debris clouds and posing a slight risk to the international space station.”

MORE ON THE GEERT WILDERS BAN: The lesson to me is that if you want freedom of speech, then, like the Muslims in Britain, you must make the authorities afraid to bother you. If you seem harmless, you will be silenced at the demand of those whom the authorities fear. Once again, I note that this is an incentive structure that the British authorities will likely come to regret.

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION: “Glenn Greenwald? Yeah. So?” Hey, don’t feel bad Glenn, the Bush folks didn’t listen to me very well, either . . .

PROTESTING THE STIMULUS BILL outside Nancy Pelosi’s office. “There Are More Shady Deals Going on Behind Closed Doors.”

TAKING THE CHANGE FROM OUR CHILDREN’S PIGGYBANKS: On PJTV, Michelle Malkin and I talk about the stimulus, and wonder if the Bush Administration didn’t lay the foundation for today’s profligate spending. Plus, does anybody have confidence in Tim Geithner? 13 minutes, free with no registration.

FILET MIGNON: Better without a grill?

UPDATE: Chef Mojo emails:

It’s a given amongst chefs that Filet Mignon, or beef tenderloin in general, is best “pan seared.” The method you linked to is pretty much the professional kitchen method of doing beef tenders. And it’s unbeatable. This is the way I do them, – sans butter – every night at service. The best part of it has been left out; the potential for natural reduction sauces based on the pan glaze. That’s where the butter goes in my case; finishing a pan reduction of madeira, veal demi and chopped black Italian truffles with the mounting of good quality butter.

That, sir, is sublime defined.

You got a ribeye? Grill it. Beef tenderloin? Pan sear and oven finish that bad boy. Oh. AT LEAST 1.5 inches thick.

Yeah, I tend to pan-sear steaks with just a bit of butter. I mostly use the grill when we’ve got a lot of people over.

ANOTHER UPDATE: Stephen Green emails: “The Chef has is absolutely right. THe only thing he didn’t mention was the why. A filet has so little fat, that the only way to save (and savor!) any of it is to trap it in a pan. Grill a tenderloin, and what precious little fat there is will all… just… drip… away.” The horror.

TALKING REVOLUTION: read this first, please. (Bumped).

HARTFORD COURANT: Dodd’s Poll Ratings Getting National Attention.

CITIZEN HEARINGS ON THE STIMULUS BILL: Live on PJTV tomorrow 12-2 Eastern. Email in your questions.

DEFINING PRESIDENTIAL ACHIEVEMENT DOWN. Expect a lot of that in the coming year.

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE of an Abraham Lincoln statue in Chicago.

SOMEBODY TELL TIM GEITHNER: Wal-Mart Offers Free Tax Preparation Services.

REALCLEARPOLITICS: Rangel Investigation Continues.

RECESSION NEWS YOU CAN USE: Can people safely eat cat food?