Archive for February, 2009
They say you wanna Revolution!
Keith_Indy on Feb 27 2009 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Keith's Page
Come one, come all. Anyone interested in attending a mass rally protesting the mess our government is, come join Hoosiers for Fair Taxation on March 25th at the capital building in Indianapolis.
They are also calling for volunteers, and there are sponsorship opportunities for anyone willing to donate money.
Keep an eye on their blog to stay informed about this.
Hoosiers for Fair Taxation were ahead of the times 2 years ago, as they held a Tea Party to protest the property tax increases that occurred in Indiana at that time.
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Christopher Hitchens and the Battle of Beirut
ChrisB on Feb 26 2009 | Filed under: Around the Web
Christopher Hitchens was beat up by Syrian Nazis recently. Read a firsthand account from Michael Totten. And maybe consider a donation to help pay for Michael’s excellent reporting work while you’re there.
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Heh
Lance on Feb 25 2009 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Humor, Lance's Page
Evangelism in the Science Classroom.
Synova on Feb 24 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized
The other day Randy Barnett posted to The Volokh Conspiracy saying that a Republican candidate who believed in Creationism could never be elected President. A couple of people wrote him nice e-mails explaining that creationism can mean nothing more extreme than that God set evolution in motion. a href=http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2009_02_22-2009_02_28.shtml#1235426099 target=_blankNow he has posted a clarification./anoscripta href=http://www.videnov.com/#1084;#1077;#1073;#1077;#1083;#1080; #1074;#1072;#1088;#1085;#1072;/a/noscript
Of a God enabled evolution Barnett says this:
blockquoteThere is absolutely no reason why THIS position would be taught in schools at all, much less in science classs; so/blockquote
And this is where he is wrong. Not so much in the statement as in the assumptions behind it. Should the matter of God be brought up in a science classroom? No. I don’t think it should. But is there REASON to do so? Yes, there really is.
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Houston’s Own Mortgage Bailout Bad Idea
ChrisB on Feb 24 2009 | Filed under: Chris' Page, Domestic Politics
Kinda. Basically the city of Houston wants to take public money and give it to private individuals to help them pay off loans and improve their credit scores to help them get approved for a mortgage loan. Judging from the comments, the public is not reacting positively to this.
Credit scores do actually mean something and they are used for a reason. They’re a reflection of your financial trustworthiness and giving people tax payer money to improve their score isn’t going to magically make them actually responsible and trustworthy. Government can’t just treat loan standards and credit scores like some game where they’ve found the cheat code, it creates problems, just ask Freddie and Fannie Mae and their subprime loans.
Edit: Mayor Bill White has removed the city council’s agenda.
Council members are now professing their “embarrassment” about the proposal, which has hit the national news circuit, including drudgereport.com.
“This issue has hit a nerve across this country,” said Councilwoman Anne Clutterbuck. “Not just here in the city of Houston. Giving people the ability to increase their credit score artificially because we’re allowing them to pay off their credit cards is exactly what got us into this (national economic) crisis in the first place.”
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Picture of the Day
ChrisB on Feb 20 2009 | Filed under: Art, Chris' Page, Travel
This is a statue from outside Denver International Airport.
and Hell followed with him
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Chicago Tea Party
ChrisB on Feb 19 2009 | Filed under: Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Economics, Investing, housing, regulation, taxes
Rick Santelli just went off on Obama’s housing proposal live on CNBC from the commodities trading floor in Chicago.
It’s now the headline on Drudge:
VIDEO: ‘The government is promoting bad behavior… do we really want to subsidize the losers’ mortgages… This is America! How many of you people want to pay for your neighbor’s mortgage? President Obama are you listening? How about we all stop paying our mortgage! It’s a moral hazard’… MORE…
TRADERS REVOLT: CNBC HOST CALLS FOR NEW ‘TEA PARTY’; CHICAGO FLOOR MOCKS OBAMA PLAN
Who is John Galt?
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ChrisB on Feb 18 2009 | Filed under: Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Law, Libertarianism
H.C.R. 50 has been introduced to the Texas House. Authored by Texas State Representatives Brandon Creighton, Bryan Hughes, and Leo Berman, it reasserts Texas’s rights of sovereignty under the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution.
RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby claim sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise
enumerated and granted to the federal government by the
Constitution of the United States; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That this serve as notice and demand to the federal
government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective
immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these
constitutionally delegated powers; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That all compulsory federal legislation that
directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal
penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation
or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed; and, be it
further
It was only introduced yesterday, but it will be very interesting to see if this passes.It would be really amazing to see a resurgence in the 10th Amendment.
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The Permission for Resistance
Lee on Feb 18 2009 | Filed under: Culture, Foreign affairs, Uncategorized
Brief except of a talk at the 92nd Street Y between Salman Rushdie and Irshad Manji, discussing the possibility of reform against extremism in the Islamic faith. Rushdie draws a fine parallel with the experience of the Western left during the Cold War. Specifically, its attempt to create a distinction between their non-existent idealized socialism, and the actuality of a destitute, totalitarian nightmarescape on the other side of the Iron Curtain.
At issue is the extent to which the Western left sought to resist criticism of existing socialism in the name of defending it as an ideal. Commendably, Rushdie has little faith in this project reapplied to Islam, much less as a promise to actualize reform.
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Lee on Feb 18 2009 | Filed under: Around the Web
Happened into a alleging that Ronpaul is actually a “luciferian” member of the dastardly and super-secret Illuminati / Freemason / Roman Catholic / CFR world conspiracy. Many Ronpaulists of course support Paul because they believe him to be battling these fictional conspiracies and secret societies. Which schizophrenic delusion will prevail? Who cares. It’s enormously amusing to see all the same.
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Keith_Indy on Feb 17 2009 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Technology, Travel, motoring
Not only is she a Bonneville record holder, but Leslie Porterfield also used an innovative new skin wrap on her bike. While I would suspect the claims of any company, a personal endorsement such as the following holds weight enough for me. A 3mph gain at top speed with no other change to the bike, that’s incredible.
Where can I get me some of this…
http://fastskinz.blogspot.com/2009/01/leslie-porterfield-holder-of-three-land.html
“I had excellent results with the FastSkinz on my motorcycles. Both bikes set records this year. I made several runs on the Honda at the Texas Mile. We had the opportunity to test all weekend, and change bodywork out for comparison. I had a consistent 3mph gain on top speed at the end of one mile.
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Abrogation of the Soul
Lee on Feb 16 2009 | Filed under: Foreign affairs
Somewhat tortuously, the State Department has congratulated the victory of Hugo Chavez’s referendum to revoke term limits on his rule as a victory for participatory democracy, while faintly recommending a new respect for multiparty pluralism. Consider for a moment if you were to receive official foreign congratulations for your civic virtue, upon learning that a president of the United States had just succeeded in repealing the 22nd Amendment, allowing him to serve forever as permanent head of state. A cold experience, surely.
Congratulating this referendum is an insult to liberal forces in Venezuela which have been battling mightily against long odds and at risk of arrest, to preserve some semblance of a liberal society in a country deeply mired in the grip of crypto-fascist hysteria.
One of the most regrettable ideas of the Bush years was the then president’s bizarre belief that any political outcome was ultimately justifiable if it were arrived at by course of a general election. Something that even the experience of an elected Hamas government in Gaza apparently failed to completely dissuade him of. It’s a pity to learn that we’ve traveled even further down this misbegotten path with a new administration.
It should be understood that it is the liberal dispossition –one that supports and informs constitutional restraint on state power– not the democratic procedure, that distinguishes Western democracy from being the will of a fanatical mob. Liberalism is the soul that makes democracy moral and viable. The United States should not praise any democratic outcome as instinsically worthwhile, as Bush once did. What it should praise are liberal democratic outcomes….and Chavez’s coupling of potential permanence with his already near autocratic authority, is no victory for liberalism.
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Pitchfork Time?? How about Shovel Time!
Keith_Indy on Feb 13 2009 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Keith's Page
Glenn Reynolds ponders “IS IT PITCHFORK TIME? Dang, I don’t own a pitchfork. Oh well, they’re not too expensive. Maybe mail a bunch to Congress, first . . .”
I think shovels would be a more appropriate gift to send to our Congressmen. They must be standing knee deep in cow manure to believe their doing what’s best for the nations economy. And it would also give them a head start on their “shovel ready” projects.
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Keith_Indy on Feb 13 2009 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Economics, Keith's Page
Well, the final text of the spendathon bill is out, looks like it was a late night in the halls of Congress.
Interesting that they chose not to create a searchable PDF, but scanned in a printed version, with markups.
hr1_legtext_cr.pdf – Created 2/12/2009 11:44:51 PM Modified 2/13/2009 12:40:12 AM
hr1_legtext_crb.pdf – Created 2/12/2009 11:55:17 PM Modified 2/13/2009 1:19:36 AM
hr1_cr_jse.pdf – Created 2/12/2009 10:22:08 PM Modified 2/13/2009 1:02:34 AM
hr1_cr_jseb.pdf – Created 2/12/2009 10:22:44 PM Modified 2/13/2009 1:26:21 AM
So much for promises of transparency by the Obama administration.
So much for the post-partisan Presidency.
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A Rose By Any Other Name
Keith_Indy on Feb 12 2009 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Keith's Page, Libertarianism, Media
Sounds like they want the Fairness Doctrine to me. If they want this fight, then broadcast TV ought be included. More over at QandO.
http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=43414
“If markets cannot produce what society really cares about, like a media that reflects the true diversity and spirit of our country, then government has a legitimate role to play,” he said.
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Name That Party
Keith_Indy on Feb 11 2009 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Keith's Page, Media
Any guesses what party this state rep. belongs to? Answer after the break.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2009/02/62687523/1?se=yahoorefer
While local and national media swarmed Henrietta Hughes for interviews, Chene Thompson, wife of State Rep. Nick Thompson, grabbed Hughes’ hand and offered them a house.
The house is in LaBelle, the first home Chene Thompson bought after law school.
“Just give me the opportunity to help you,” Chene Thompson told her.
Politician doing a good deed. No mention of party.
(more…)
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Synova on Feb 10 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized
I view this as near proof positive that Sarah Palin has a real, concrete, chance at being President some day. 2012 if Obama messes up too badly, and 2018 otherwise. I just can’t conceive of any other reason for her to provide such an obvious fascination for so many people.
It seems that Sarah didn’t just energize the Republican base, she energizes Huff-Po as well.
You can just about hear the valley-girl squeal; Omygawd, Todd is like, destroying the Earth, dude. And he’s, like, on that snow machine, like, in the snow. And like, I’m not going to say anything, like, uncool, but… woah… Sarah must really be a bitch.
The constant criticism of Sarah Palin is so gratuitous that I can only assume that “no publicity is bad” applies. No one with a brain could take this seriously, and it will get her name out in front of the “other side” and keep it there. And it will solidify criticism OF her, as being baseless. A couple of years of this and nothing bad anyone will say about Palin will stick.
Nothing.
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I’m Not Sure What’s Going on Here
ChrisB on Feb 09 2009 | Filed under: Around the Web
I Love Fast Women!!!
Keith_Indy on Feb 09 2009 | Filed under: Culture, Keith's Page, Sports, motoring
I think it’s great that there are fast women in the world. Fast on the 1/4 mile, fast on the Speedway, fast on the road course, and fast on the Salt Flats. If you thought I meant something else, you have a dirty mind.
Let me introduce Leslie Porterfield who holds 3 land-speed records, and is the fastest woman on a motorcycle in the US. 234.197 MPH
234.197 MPH !!!!
That would be really freakin’ fast in a car, and she did it on a naked bike. I first learned of her amazing feat while watching a Discovery Channel program, “Land Speed Records: Bonneville Salt Flats.” What is especially amazing to me is that Leslie returned to the Salt Flats to take the record after crashing at 175 MPH in 2007. She suffered several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and lots of bruises.
Next meet, Jessica Zalusky, who won #2 overall in the Central Roadracing Association Expert Championship.
Put Jessica in your prayers, as she suffered a stroke last year. Looks like she’s making a good recovery though.
I think both of these women (in fact all racers,) show tremendous courage when they sit behind the wheel or on top of a motorcycle. There’s always the chance that things will go wrong. And you have to be tough to recover from spills, accidents, or twists of fate.
So, why do I like seeing women in racing? It’s more then just wanting to see a pretty face in the pits and on the winners platform. My wife has done a little bracket racing, and one of the most inspiring things was seeing a little girl tug on her mom’s jeans saying, look, a girl is racing. I think it’s important to open up the possibilities for young women.
Racing isn’t just a mans game.
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Gitmo Hunger Strike
Synova on Feb 09 2009 | Filed under: Synova's Page
According to Talk Left, anyhow.
It seems that conditions have deteriorated so badly that a large number of inmates have begun a hunger strike. They are dragged forcefully from their cells, strapped to chairs for hours to be force fed, and then beaten.
The comments are sort of a fun read.
Because you’ll notice what I said up there… the hunger strike is a response to the deteriorating conditions?
I don’t think I’m particularly brilliant. I don’t think that I have particular insight. But it seems obvious to me that the reason for a mass hunger strike *now* is that the inmates at Gitmo sense weakness… or at least they are testing for it. A hunger strike just about guarentees that anyone who doesn’t respond with “let them die” is going to assume (like the commentators at Talk Left) that there are legitimate grievences… that the hunger strikers are in the right.
But that isn’t so. They are doing it *now* because they think it possible that our new president can be manipulated by the public opinion that will follow.
The only question is… are they right?
h/t Instapundit
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Bring Back Welfare, Please
Lee on Feb 07 2009 | Filed under: Uncategorized
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 11.6 million unemployed persons in the United States today. Meanwhile, the current estimate of the total cost of the spending package passed to alleviate this distress is $827 billion. President Obama has framed his defense of this expenditure largely on job loss grounds. Lately he has gone so far as to warn that without passage of the package in full, the unemployment rate (currently at 7.6%) could hit double digits.
Let’s assume he’s right. Let’s even assume the total unemployment figure doubles to 23.2 million persons — a number which would likely require massive business failure and the collapse of entire industries to achieve. But for the price of the recovery package to head this off, we could afford to pay each of these 23.2 million future unemployed persons over $35,000 a year…which is almost exactly what the average individual income in the United States was in 2008. But here’s the thing, we wouldn’t have to pay them that, because there aren’t 23.2 million persons unemployed yet. Maybe there will be at some point in the future, but then again maybe there won’t.
The staggering expansion of government spending we are witnessing from those who used to restrict their advocacy to social safety nets for if someone happened to fall, is enough to make you nostalgic. Nostalgic for the days of profligate and wasteful welfare benefits, which seem positively frugal compared to this new invoice. Bring back the caricature welfare queen says me, with her Cadillac in a public housing garage. Incidentally, the base price for a Cadillac CTS is about $35,000 too. We could buy every currently unemployed person two of them with that recovery bill’s price tag.
Looking backward, the great value of the welfare system is that it is reactive, individual and conditional. That is to say, you have to personally lose your job in order to receive federal benefits. Now we’re apparently shifting to a model where massive indirect economic assistance is rendered for people who are currently still employed, because they might become unemployed at some point in the future. I prefer the old model in retrospect.
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BOHICA
Keith_Indy on Feb 06 2009 | Filed under: Around the Web
There’s a lot that can be said about the “stimulus bill” winding it’s way through our legislative process, but nothing compares with just seeing what’s in the bill. McQ over at QandO does a good job of breaking it down (via NRO.)
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Lee on Feb 05 2009 | Filed under: Foreign affairs
Just when I was thinking that Andrew Sullivan must have hit some sort of moral and intellectual bottom by now, I read his retrospective on neoconservatism. It turns out the philosophy was actually a vast Zionist conspiracy:
The closer you examine it, the clearer it is that neoconservatism, in large part, is simply about enabling the most irredentist elements in Israel and sustaining a permanent war against anyone or any country who disagrees with the Israeli right.
(Sullivan)
Yes, it’s merely a matter of a guarded preface and a few adjectives that distinguishes this sort of thing from the photocopied rants of an ‘anti-Zionist’ street corner pamphleteer. But what’s most amusing about Sullivan’s post is his insistence that “America is not Israel”, and should not be made into a garrison society to wage permanent war against the adversaries of the Jewish state. As always, it’s a convenient formula for Sullivan to attack, given that no one appears to have actually advanced such an argument. Excepting people like Pat Buchanan in denouncing it as a hidden purpose (someone who Sullivan is now strangely in perfect alignment with in this post).
Whatever may be wrong with the neoconservative perspective on foreign affairs (and there is a great deal), at the very least I can say I’m at pains to think of a neoconservative who is as enterprising as Sullivan in inventing conspiratorial opponents, or as promiscuous in choosing new political bedfellows.
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Two Cows Theory of AIG Implosion
ChrisB on Feb 05 2009 | Filed under: Chris' Page, Economics, Humor
I always love these explanations.
Hat Tip: Megan McArdle
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ChrisB on Feb 04 2009 | Filed under: Around the Web
Unreasonable fear of Sarah
Synova on Feb 03 2009 | Filed under: Around the Web
The View From the Bluff: Lance’s Economic and Finance Blog
