MichaelW on Dec 26 2007 | Filed under: Culture, History, MichaelW's Page, Religion and theology, Society
Jon Henke posts an interesting history lesson concerning the origins of the well-known abbreviation for Christmas:
Growing up, I sometimes heard - in church and from various religious scolds - that XMas was a secular attempt to “take Christ out of Christmas”, rather than, say, an attempt to save valuable space on signs.
Jon then links to […]
MichaelW on Dec 15 2007 | Filed under: Culture, History, Humor, MichaelW's Page
The linked post is a couple of months old, but the thoughts are yours to treasure for a lifetime.
Remembering the ’70’s:
Last weekend I put an exhaust fan in the ceiling for my wife’s grandfather. After a bunch of hours spent in The Hottest Attic In The Universe, he had a ceiling fan that […]
Lance on Dec 05 2007 | Filed under: Culture, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Society
For information on Repeal Day you can visit www.repealday.org:
The turn of the twentieth century was a dark time in America. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which had been promoting Prohibition for many years, believed alcohol was the cause of many, if not all, social ills. Mistruths like this were spread. Lines were drawn. Bars […]
Lance on Nov 21 2007 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, History, Lance's Page, Race
I don’t think Ron Paul is a racist, or rather I don’t claim to have any evidence he is, and that is enough to hold from suggesting he is. However, his view of racism and its history is rather bizarre and, dare I say it, wholly focused on “right wing” critiques of racial thinking in […]
MichaelW on Nov 09 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, History, MichaelW's Page
Newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy just completed a diplomacy visit with President Bush to much critical acclaim. As part of his playing host, Bush escorted Sarkozy to Mt. Vernon, the estate of Pres. George Washington, which is located about 20 minutes south of D.C., right at the end of the GW Parkway. […]
MichaelW on Nov 08 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Media, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Michael Yon captures a moment on film that in a world with a meritocratic media would surely garner a Pulitzer:
A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from “Chosen” Company 2-12 Infantry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John’s, an occasion all […]
Keith_Indy on Oct 23 2007 | Filed under: Culture, Economics, Education, History, Keith's Page, Religion and theology, Society, Technology
Sometimes information like this makes me sit back and think “whoa” (sounding to much like neo in the matrix.) Not only is this a small world (which we often forget,) but it is becoming an exponentially complex and interconnected one.
glumbert - Shift Happens
The Singularity is Near.
Heck, I read sci-fi, and try to keep up […]
MichaelW on Oct 11 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Hugo Chavez, Media, MichaelW's Page
It is a sad commentary upon the state of the world that anniversary of a bloodthirsty tyrant’s death is celebrated around the world, and here in the United States, not with glee that his anti-freedom rampage was cut short, but with mourn for the loss.
“I halt in my daily combat to bow my head, with […]
Joshua Foust on Oct 10 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Foreign affairs, History, Law, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Technology, regulation
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Dear God. The USAF thinks it will win counterinsurgencies by copying the Viet Cong? These guys are almost as bad as the PMFs. In a must-read analysis, Abu Muqawama concludes, “This, America, is your uniformed military leadership. Be proud.” Oh I am.
“The reliable replacement warhead is a symptom.” […]
Joshua Foust on Oct 08 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Technology, social science
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Finally, after years of occupying their country, we’ve liberated Iraq from the burden of living in fear for collaborating with us.
P.W. Singer (again) on the devil’s bargain of PMCs. I like how he wonders how a force can be cost effective when it’s more expensive and so detrimental to […]
MichaelW on Oct 02 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war
This is good news (via Insty):
The U.S. military is eliminating Al Qaida’s chain of command in Iraq.
Officials said several leading aides to Al Qaida network chief Abu Ayoub Al Masri have been killed by the U.S.-led coalition. They said two out of the four foreign aides of Al Masri remain alive.
On Sept. 25, the U.S. […]
Joshua Foust on Sep 19 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Three kinds of busy over at The Conjecturer.
Good News
I was ambushed by the Anonymous Lobbyist of Wonkette fame, and asked a lot of questions about Central Asia for Jezebel, a sister publication in the Gawker blog family. The result? A creatively-edited and mildly schizophrenic interview about the issues surrounding the region. Neat!
Defense & The War
Yes, […]
MichaelW on Sep 09 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war
Glenn Reynolds points to some interesting remarks regarding a plan for US withdrawal from Iraq:
In a report to be released Sunday, a panel of experts assembled by the U.S. Institute of Peace calls for a 50 percent reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq within three years and a total withdrawal and handover of security to […]
MichaelW on Aug 31 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, History, Investing, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page
Does the blogosphere make history more relevant? Is it possible that Santayana’s famous admonishment is made less likely by bloggers routinely wielding history as a foil to those arguments favoring actions proven desultory in the past? And that’s not to mention how blogs go about correcting historical inaccuracies trotted out by our betters. […]
Lance on Aug 30 2007 | Filed under: History, Lance's Page, Law, Media
So, when you spend a great deal of time touting your authority based on the unique advantages of editors, the question must be asked, who reviews the views and claims of the editors? From the editorial board of the New York Times we get this rather startling new information on our Constitution:
It is an eminently […]
Lance on Aug 24 2007 | Filed under: Economics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism
We may have been closer than we think in 1935, though Nate Oman believes the threat would have receded in the light of political reality. Whatever the case, the discussion of the case of Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States is well worth reading in understanding legislatively what we came close to passing, […]
MichaelW on Aug 23 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Economics, History, MichaelW's Page, social science
Is it possible that a proclivity for capitalism is genetic, and therefore hereditary? At first blush the idea seems preposterous. How can an idea be hereditary? And how can capitalism, which rewards innovation, risk-taking, and creativity, no matter who you are or where you come from be an inherited trait? Well […]
Lance on Aug 21 2007 | Filed under: Economics, History, Lance's Page
To sum it up he gives us this:
In all likelihood, then, Western Europe could have pulled through without the Marshall Plan. But it certainly could not have pulled through without the United States. At the time that Marshall made his speech in Harvard Yard, no one could be sure that all would turn out for […]
Lance on Aug 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Notes on the war
Instapundit today revisits a theme I have touched on a few times over the last year. I have maintained a pretty standard reply to claims about the awfulness of this administration. When I hear about how incompetent, dangerous, uninterested in civil liberties, uncaring about how we treat our enemies or any number of what I […]
Lance on Jul 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page
Senator and former presidential flop John Kerry astounds us with his ability for self deception. From Don Surber I find this:
Breitbart TV has video of Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts telling a whopper on C-Span.
Sen. John Kerry said during a C-Span appearance that fears of a bloodbath after the US […]
Keith_Indy on Jun 22 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Keith's Page
Yep, there were valid reasons for investigating the CIA in the 70’s. I think the direction the agency went after those investigations and the resulting oversight and laws put on them, was overly reliant on technology, and less on getting eyes, ears and brains on the ground where they could learn about what was […]
MichaelW on Jun 20 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Media, MichaelW's Page
Probably the most confounding thing about the majority of modern journalists is their unsupportable claim to objectivity. They hold themselves out as above the fray, elusively detached from the world around them except as impartial observers designated to convey the “facts.” Writers’ determination to be uninvolved with the subjects of their stories and to […]
MichaelW on Jun 18 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Media, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Is it really any mystery? The Senate Majority Leader is nothing more than a partisan hack who is solely interested in keeping power firmly in the hands of the Democrats. (Supposedly for the wonderful perks.) He is the spearhead for no real legislative issues or causes to speak of, and does not seem […]
Keith_Indy on Jun 06 2007 | Filed under: History, Keith's Page, Military Matters
Today is the 63rd anniversary of the D-Day landings.
I can’t image what it was like. I’m sure the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan” comes as close as any film can. I remember seeing WWII vets at the theater, some of them, like me, with tears in their eyes. The sacrifice to […]
MichaelW on May 24 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Media, MichaelW's Page, Notes on the war
One of the aspects of blogging and commenting on political topics that I find quite overwhelming sometimes is tackling the vast amounts of disinformation and false premises that form the basis of a good number of arguments. It gets tiring having to continuously find the links to the same real sources, or to once […]
Lance on May 14 2007 | Filed under: History, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
Hat tip Club for Growth via The Liberty Papers:
Sphere: Related Content
Lance on May 10 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page, Media
Edit note: In writing this I seem to have lost some edits, which when I recreated the post I left off. First, I neglected to re-link to the Cheerful Iconoclasts nice post on Edwards and also left off some tempering language and a whole key paragraph was left off. I have put some of that […]
Joshua Foust on May 01 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Military Matters, Notes on the war, Technology
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer.
The Pentagon
Ready for SkyNet? The MULE is. So is the Reaper.
“Full spectrum capabilities” and “Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)”—however the hell they are defined this week—are how the Air Force is to win the GWOT, according to Lt. Gen. David Deptula at a breakfast seminar the other day. He says the F-22 […]
Lance on Apr 30 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Media
Often I am told how certain people value tolerance. The most irritating are a certain species of left/liberal/progressive. If it doesn’t apply to you, please don’t be offended. This species claims it is tolerant based on certain beliefs they have. For example, they believe homosexuals deserve equal marriage rights or stem cell research should be […]
Joshua Foust on Apr 26 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Environment, Foreign affairs, History, Military Matters, social science
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer.Â
The Pentagon
DARPA wants American snipers to have fool proof sniper scopes that are accurate out to 2000 meters. It also wants to expand its Boomerang sniper-detection system from simple location (which is itself a big achievement) to preemption. That’s cool, and both promise to dramatically improve the 4GW battlespace.
The Air Force […]
Multinational Force-Iraq
QandO
Marginal Revolution
The Volokh Conspiracy
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