WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GREEN SHOOTS? “The economic reports for May are rolling in, and so far they’re pretty ugly.”
Archive for 2010
June 15, 2010
PERHAPS IT’S TIME TO MODIFY A NANNYIST’S LIFESTYLE INSTEAD: Obama Begins “Lifestyle Health Modification” Program, Mandating Behavioural Changes Within US Society. I think they’ll get behavioral changes, all right . . . .
THOUGHTS ON polls and 2010.
ADDRESSING BUDGET PROBLEMS WITH the “Washington Monument” strategy.
President Obama’s recent plea for another $50 billion (here is the letter to congressional leaders) to save the jobs of teachers and firefighters in the states is a great example of the “Washington Monument Syndrome.” This refers to the bureaucratic practice of threatening to close down the most popular and vital programs in response to prospective budget cuts; it gets its name from the U.S. Department of the Interior, which always threatens it will have to close the Washington Monument if its budget is cut.
The message, in this case, is that if taxpayers — who are already poorer than they used to be — don’t give the states billions of dollars on top of the billions already received through the stimulus, our favorite state employees will end up in the streets without jobs.
As my father-in-law said, when they want to raise taxes, it’s always for teachers and firemen — but when they actually get the money, it goes to buy leather chairs for guys you’ve never heard of who work downtown.
TOM MAGUIRE NOTES THAT EVEN THE NEW YORK TIMES IS DESCRIBING OIL SPILL EFFORTS as “chaotic.” And on the front page. He adds: “The Times article does not include in its chaos the long delay before the Feds began accepting offers of foreign assistance.”
OH, GOODY: Debt Default: It Can Happen Here.
LARRY KUDLOW, sounding kinda bearish.
GORDON CHANG: China’s Military Threatens America: ‘We Will Hurt You.’ “So what, exactly, is the consequence of our miscomprehending the Chinese, refusing to hear what they openly say? It’s worse than the rejection of official visits to Beijing by overly eager Defense secretaries. Listen to former State Department analyst Robert Sutter: ‘China is the only large power in the world preparing to shoot Americans.'”
June 14, 2010
HMM: Weapons found in car at MacDill gate. “Two people are in custody after trying to get into MacDill Air Force Base, and not being able to show proper identification. A subsequent inspection of their car turned up military-style gear and weapons, officials said.” They haven’t released their names yet.
UPDATE: A reader emails: “Note that MacDill AFB (where I work) is home not just to an Air Force tanker squadron but also U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command.”
HIGHER ED PERKS: IRS forces disclosure of university presidents’ housing value.
CHRIS CHRISTIE wins again.
SHOCKER: “The Washington Post reports that many members of Congress have substantial investments in the industries they oversee. Specifically, many members’ investments overlap with their respective committee jurisdctions.” Also interestingly, their stock portofolios seem to perform better than you’d expect.
THE LATEST DISTINCTION? “Gateway” blogs vs. “destination” blogs.
IS THE NRA SELLING OUT ON THE “DISCLOSE ACT?” More here.
If you think their move is in error, you might want to tell them at 1-800-672-3888.
UPDATE: A defense of the NRA.
GOOD GRIEF: SC-Sen: Alvin Greene Can’t Immediately Name GOP Opponent Jim DeMint.
UPDATE: Double Good Grief: South Carolina voter: I voted for Alvin Greene because … his name reminded me of Al Green.
CHICAGO-STYLE POLITICS in the battle to resume whaling.
OKAY, THESE ARE COOL, but kinda pricey. If I were doing the whole basement-rec-room thing, though, I’d be tempted.
UPDATE: Okay, the link worked for me, but weirdly it didn’t work for others. Try this one instead. Sorry!
TECH POLITICS: Apple Secrecy Is Bitter Fruit on The Hill.
ADOLESCENCE LASTING TO 40? The long, hard road to adulthood. With adulthood less rewarded, and immaturity moreso, is this a surprise?
DOES THE IPHONE4’S RETINA DISPLAY ignore the science of optics?
THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED electric motorcycle.
TIME TO TAKE OUT THE TRASH? A “Looming Space-Junk Crisis?”
Here’s a piece I wrote on the subject a while back.
30% OFF Father’s Day kitchen gifts.