WE ARE DEVO: England To Scotland: Hurry Up And Leave. “The English, the polls seem to be saying, want the Scots out of the United Kingdom, while the Scots want to stay in.”

TEN YEARS AGO ON INSTAPUNDIT: Why are Western human-rights groups so silent on Zimbabwe?

I don’t know how long I’ll keep this series going, but I’m encouraged by this email from a journalist (you’d recognize his name) who asks anonymity: “Very much enjoying these glances back. Strangely, though post-9/11, it was a much more innocent time. Pre-Iraq, and everything that went with that. Pre-Obama, too, though that’s not as relevant to the quaintness as the running references to Cornel West, another black American race-baiting fraud out of Harvard, make clear. What a wonder to see people like Andrew Sullivan, Josh Marshall and David Brooks taken seriously. Also fun to see references to ‘reader Eugene Volokh’ and ‘reader Stephen Green.'” Yes, there’s been a lot of water under that bridge.

UPDATE: Reader Linda White writes: “Professor, a couple of years ago, I read P J O’Rourke’s Parliament of Whores, printed 20 or so years previous. It was just as fresh and relevant when I read it as when P J wrote it. Your Ten Years Ago series is just like that.” Well, thanks. All P.J. O’Rourke comparisons are appreciated.

AT AMAZON, bestsellers in Men’s Dress Shirts.

LOSING IT ALL in the post-coital Depression.

IN WALKS THE VILLAGE IDIOT, AND HIS FACE IS ALL AGLOW. He’s been up all night listening to Obama’s radio.

But the Obama photo on Newsweek’s cover will do him more harm than all the desparate sycophancy in the text. He looks terrible, and surprisingly like Jimmy Carter, even down to the downturned liverish lips and incipient jowls. I’m amazed they went with that one. Perhaps the staff is of two minds. Andrew Sullivan, of course, has reason for gratitude.

UPDATE: Yes, it’s the Zevon thing again. “Just as an aside, while the song has some references that may seem contemporary, it was written in the 70′s.”

ANOTHER UPDATE: We Must Be Really, Really Stupid. “We who who are unhappy that unemployment has increased on Obama’s watch, that over-regulation has stymied economic growth, that our children now owe a $15 trillion debt that we can’t pay–hey, we’re just dumb! We obviously aren’t smart enough to understand how devastating our economy, unemploying millions of Americans and burdening our children with trillions of dollars in debt is really a great idea.”

MORE: Scheisse glanz nicht, wenn man sie poliert.

AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR, Amy Alkon will be talking with the Drs. Eades about low-carb diets.

JERRY POURNELLE ON PISSGATE: “The Marines acted without thinking of the consequences and must be made to realize that; but I have always believed that far more serious acts take place in every combat action. War is Hell. A rational army would run away. Those men did not run away, and I’d far rather have troops who urinate on the enemy than troops who surrender to get their throats cut while in captivity. And I hope they had bacon for breakfast that morning. I’m told they did. I don’t appall as easily as many, I suppose.”

There’s a moral-poseur bubble going on at the moment. It’ll be interesting when it pops.

JON HUNTSMAN SAYS HE’S OUT OF THE RACE. He’ll endorse Romney, reportedly.

THIS WEEK IN THE FUTURE.

HEH: Froma Harrop And Procul Harum: Both Progressive Rock, But Only One A Band. And only one is tone-deaf to “nearly creepy levels.” Nearly?

AT AMAZON, markdowns in Computers & Accessories.

INSTAPUNDIT READERS WILL BE LESS SURPRISED THAN SOME: Ten Surprising Health Benefits Of Beer. But here’s a reason to mix up your beverages: “Scientists also have found that beer and wine contain about the same levels of antioxidants, but the antioxidants are different because the flavonoids found in hops and grapes are different.” So celebrate diversity!

MARGARET THATCHER ON SOCIALISM AND SOCIALISTS.

MICHAEL BARONE: Obama Thumbs Nose At Founders. Well, they’re just a bunch of dead white men.

FASTER, PLEASE: Discovery Could Lead To An Exercise Pill. “Researchers have discovered a natural hormone that acts like exercise on muscle tissue—burning calories, improving insulin processing, and perhaps boosting strength. The scientists hope it could eventually be used as a treatment for obesity, diabetes, and, potentially, neuromuscular diseases like muscular dystrophy.”

ASKING THE IMPORTANT QUESTIONS: Mother/Daughter Lingerie Modeling. Sweet or Incestuous? Actually, from looking at the pics I’d say just kinda boring.

THAT WOULD BE GOOD: Universal Flu Vaccine Could Be Available by 2013. “Annual flu shots might soon become a thing of the past, and threats such as avian and swine flu might disappear with them as a vaccine touted as the ‘holy grail’ of flu treatment could be ready for human trials next year. That’s earlier than the National Institutes of Health estimated in 2010, when they said a universal vaccine could be five years off. By targeting the parts of the virus that rarely mutate, researchers believe they can develop a vaccine similar to the mumps or measles shot—people will be vaccinated as children and then receive boosters later.” The story doesn’t explain why it’s going to be ready so much sooner than predicted, though.

SEX TIPS FROM FRENCH WOMEN, including, inevitably drink more wine. Hey, it works!

NOT SO RARE: Born With Two Vaginas. “It’s definitely an ice-breaker at parties.”

SOME THOUGHTS FROM WILLIAM SHAWCROSS, on his new book, Justice and the Enemy: Nuremberg, 9/11, and the Trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. “I agree with Obama that Nuremberg was a success and should not be dismissed as ‘victors’ justice.’ But what he failed to acknowledge was that the defendants at Nuremberg had far fewer rights than those at Guantanamo under the Military Commissions created by President Bush. Indeed, were a Nazi transported by time machine from Nuremberg to Guantanamo he would be astonished by the privileges and safeguards which were suddenly available to him.”

ALMOST NOME: U.S. Icebreaker About to Reach Cut-Off Alaska Town.

NEW IRAN STRATEGY: Appeasement?

UPDATE: More here.

“UNCONSCIONABLE POWER GRABS:” SOPA and PROTECT-IP: A Line-By-Line Analysis of the Bills We Must Kill. As I noted last night, they seem to be backpedaling on this one, which is a good reason to keep after them.

DAVID HARDY rounds up some good news.