You Khat Do That!
Lance on Sep 30 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
I apologize for the title. Still, go read Eric Scheie on the latest in drug war silliness, the war on Khat.
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Archive for September, 2007
Marriage and Divorce
Lance on Sep 29 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
Like speaking about the problems of “todays youth” we are generally told the institution of marriage is in trouble, and maybe it is. However, just as most social problems amongst our young are, and have been, in decline for some time, divorce is not trending higher and in fact has been declining for quite a […]
Taxing Oil
Lance on Sep 29 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
If we wish to lower the use of oil we should tax it right? Probably, but it isn’t as simple as that. Tyler Cowen explains why.
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Don’t Rock Out in Rockford
Lance on Sep 29 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
Or they might seize your car.
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Simply astounding
Lance on Sep 29 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Media, Society
I say this not because I think the perpetrators fraud is surprising. My thoughts however are the same as those of Billy Beck:
I marvel at the enormous psychic energy required to maintain such a horrendous fraud for so long. Can you even imagine?
Frankly I can’t imagine it. I would be a wreck within a week. […]
Military casualties continue to fall
Lance on Sep 29 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Despite the increased operational tempo and a deemphasis on force protection US military casualties continue to decline in addition to the decline in civilian casualties (likely this month to have made an even more dramatic drop when al the numbers are in.) Spook86 breaks down the data.
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The Maestro speaks out
Lance on Sep 29 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Economics, Lance's Page
Alan Greenspan gives an interview at Democracy Now! There is both a link to the audio and a transcript at the link. Brave. The interview is given by Amy Goodman, who generally I find insipid. Her guest interviewer however is the the frankly ignorant Naomi Klein. I don’t mean she is merely wrong in her […]
Defending Rush
Lance on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters
You won’t find me rushing to the barricades to defend Rush Limbaugh very often. We have a very different view of the world, politics, and style (though he did use a post of mine on David Galula as background for a radio segment, and kindly linked.) However, the latest attack on him shows what a […]
Just When You Thought He Couldn’t Get Stranger
Keith_Indy on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Culture, Keith's Page
Yikes…
Hollywood star Tom Cruise is planning to build a bunker at his Colorado home to protect his family in the event of an intergalactic alien attack, according to new reports.
The Mission Impossible actor, who is a dedicated follower of Scientology, is reportedly fearful that deposed galactic ruler ‘Xenu’ is plotting an evil revenge attack on […]
“Universal” Health Care Failing in Japan
Keith_Indy on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Culture, Domestic Politics, Economics, Health Care, Keith's Page
Some interesting observations about universal health care in Japan. I suppose limiting the amount of care the government provides for is one way to hold down health care costs, but I doubt that is what people have in mind when they hear about plans for instituting such a thing here.
If universal care were the […]
Updating those “Cooked Books”-Update
Lance on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Questions continue to be raised about General Petraeus’ data on casualties that he presented to Congress. Today I went to Iraq Body Count and Iraq Coalition Casualty Count to see what the data was showing now that more was in. The numbers looked very encouraging, but before I went to the trouble of compiling the […]
Viva Las Kurdistan!
Lance on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Notes on the war
Those pesky Kurds, who keep building a prosperous society in defiance of claims that Iraq is lost and that nothing is worth or can be saved, now have a casino. Right up against the Iranian border no less.
Oh well, let us just leave and abandon the freest, and amongst the most peaceful, place in the […]
Chaos at the scene
Lance on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Lance's Page, Notes on the war
That is the gist of what we know so far about what happened in Baghdad during the tragic incident involving Blackwater security personnel on Sept. 16th according to The New York Times. The claim that the guards fired without provocation is something I frankly do not believe. That they fired without sufficient provocation is possible, […]
Reality vs. Snark
MichaelW on Sep 28 2007 | Filed under: Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
My tolerance for sheer bloody-mindedness is actually pretty high. If someone wants to insist that they are right despite every fact being against them, then that’s their problem as far as I’m concerned. When such persons continually lob snarky, and completely counterfactual bombs my way, however, sooner or later I’m going to respond. […]
News Brief, Coelakanth is Android Edition
Joshua Foust on Sep 27 2007 | Filed under: Uncategorized
I’m headed up to New York for a (not) relaxing 4-day weekend. So no news brief tomorrow. Or Monday… but lots of great stuff will be there (or not) over at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Fabius Maximus has posted his latest essay on the Long War, and our prospects for the future. I mostly agree […]
News Brief, Techno Dracula Edition
Joshua Foust on Sep 27 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Probably pirating em-pee-threes over at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Well, the military realizes how fundamentally broken our relationship with the PMCs in Iraq has become, and are now pressuring the State Department to exercise some control or oversight over Blackwater. Some military officials are now comparing the Blackwater shootout, which resulted in 11 dead Iraqis, […]
The Future of PSC’s
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
I have to second Joshua’s recommendation that you read this article from Small Wars Journal on Private Security Contractors. Abu Muqawama has some thoughts as well, including the admission by an Iraqi Government spokesman that they need Blackwater, and don’t really want them to go away.
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Justice in Jena-Updated
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Lance's Page, Law, Louisiana Politics, Media, Race, Society
As a Louisiana native I probably should have weighed in on the “Jena Six.” Like Michael, and many others, my initial reluctance has been being unsure of what really happened due to sketchy and conflicting reporting. What I can say at this point is that the decisions from a legal perspective have in each aspect […]
The Left List
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
The Telegraph lists the 100 most consequential men of the left in Britain. Hat tip Norm Geras (who finishes no. 77)
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European analysts on withdrawal
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Most governments in the area oppose withdrawal, the Iraqi government opposes withdrawal, and now we learn (as I suspected) that most foreign policy analysts in Europe oppose withdrawal:
While the American public and policy debate revolves largely around exit strategies and “redeployment,” there is apparent consensus among European policy analysts that American troops should remain in […]
The failed murder of the Anbar awakening
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
Details are emerging on the murder of Abdul Sattar al-Rishawi.
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Che Chic at the History Channel
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
Mass murderer Che Guevara gets the whitewash.
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News Brief, A.D.S.R.M.! Edition
Joshua Foust on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
This look at PMCs, from late August no less, is pretty close to my views. Recognizing the impracticality of removing all PMCs in the lack of any ability to regrow military capacity for at least a decade, we’re stuck with them. But some groups, such as Blackwater, have acquired […]
The Nine
Lance on Sep 26 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
I highly recommend going to the Volokh Conspiracy for an interesting discussion of Jeffrey Toobin’s The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court. Here is a link to all the various posts on one page. Jeffrey Whelan has more here, here and here.
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News Brief, Radio Cure Edition
Joshua Foust on Sep 25 2007 | Filed under: Developmental economics, Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Respecting all races and religions over at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
It turns out the U.S. repeatedly refused to investigate or handle any of the complaints about Blackwater allegedly murdering civilians. But don’t worry—there are clearly laws against murder, so we can rest assured the lack of convictions is evidence that no crimes have been […]
Jena In A Bottle
MichaelW on Sep 24 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Louisiana Politics, Media, MichaelW's Page, Race
I have been following this story for about a week now, and I still can’t figure out what happened. Most of the core facts seem to be in dispute, such as whether or not the nooses in the “White Tree” were meant to intimidate black students intending to sit under it, or as school […]
Michael Totten on the defeat of al Qaeda
Lance on Sep 24 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
Al Qaeda lost in Anbar, and Michael looks at why with one of the most admired commanders in Iraq, 3rd Infantry Division Lieutenant Colonel Mike Silverman.
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Military Contractors and Blackwater
Lance on Sep 24 2007 | Filed under: Around the Web
The Monkey Tennis Centre looks at the issue of private military contractors and the recent controversy over Blackwater’s conduct.
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News Brief, Sober Weekend Edition
Joshua Foust on Sep 23 2007 | Filed under: Uncategorized
I’m in in ur browser, killing ur time, over at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
We’ll see if the CSIS Smart Power blog has anything interesting to say. So far, it’s nothing new, or at least nothing interesting.
Michael Kinsey on the childish antics of MoveOn.org… and how it’s highlighted the politics of umbrage.
Salam Adil at Global […]
So happy that I’m blue …
MichaelW on Sep 22 2007 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Music
I’m probably the last one to see this, but this song/commercial is really well done. I especially like the homage to the Beatles.
And I think this comment sums it all up:
why cant real apples sing like that?!?!?!?!?!,
Heh.
As a bonus, here’s the video for that other commercial that’s stuck in my head:
Technorati Tags: “Blue”, […]
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