Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Re: Scooter in the courtroom
I can't stand it. I have to say the prosecution made a big mistake in not correcting a mathematical "fudge" by the defense today. .9 grams equal 9/10s grams, not appx. 1/10 grams...that would have been .09/10 grams. The chemist made an error.
Scooter in the courtroom
Interesting experience so far. I'll be glad when over so I can talk details.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Wow, Jonah Goldberg sends me spiraling back to the 70s
He referenced Mark Steyn’s New Criterion article on the 20th anniversary of Allan Bloom’s The Closing of the American Mind at the Corner today.
I had the great pleasure of attending a seminar of Francis A. Schaeffer of L'abri in the late 70s wherein he taught about declining culture and post- modernism from a Christian philosophy’s perspective. I think it was the first time I ever heard the term “world-view.” It was a brief course of several days following the outline staked out in his How Should We Then Live. It was, of course, way over my head but I knew I was in the company of greatness…along with 10,000 of my closest friends. Still, seeds were planted and for the first time, I began paying attention to "classical" music.
Indeed, within a year of that seminar, I had the great fortune of hearing the legendary Benny Goodman perform in Fair Park in Dallas. I was seventeen and still remember that before the intermission (where I purchased my first gin and tonic at 17) he performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and after with his big band. I have to admit I was delighted to read this in Steyn's piece:
The argument is that, oh, well, you uptight squares are always objecting to stuff: you thought Sinatra exciting bobbysoxers was dangerous, and the Viennese waltz was the mating dance of a hypersexualized culture. No. Benny Goodman, noted by Bloom, was a huge pop star but he could play the Mozart clarinet concerto.
Some ten years later, Allan Bloom summed up a similar world-view from a secular perspective with Closing. This one I didn’t read for another ten years when I saw the book on a Top 100 list for the 20th Century. A brutal read for a child of the sixties…but that is his whole point. I should probably reread after having become a bit more sophisticated as my reading has become a bit more thoughtful.
This was followed in 1999 by Chuck Colson’s How Now Shall We Live, obviously echoing the themes of Schaeffer. (I have to admit I haven’t read this one yet for fear of being shamed.)
Funny how Jonah's little blurb can send me through such a spiral.
I had the great pleasure of attending a seminar of Francis A. Schaeffer of L'abri in the late 70s wherein he taught about declining culture and post- modernism from a Christian philosophy’s perspective. I think it was the first time I ever heard the term “world-view.” It was a brief course of several days following the outline staked out in his How Should We Then Live. It was, of course, way over my head but I knew I was in the company of greatness…along with 10,000 of my closest friends. Still, seeds were planted and for the first time, I began paying attention to "classical" music.
Indeed, within a year of that seminar, I had the great fortune of hearing the legendary Benny Goodman perform in Fair Park in Dallas. I was seventeen and still remember that before the intermission (where I purchased my first gin and tonic at 17) he performed with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and after with his big band. I have to admit I was delighted to read this in Steyn's piece:
The argument is that, oh, well, you uptight squares are always objecting to stuff: you thought Sinatra exciting bobbysoxers was dangerous, and the Viennese waltz was the mating dance of a hypersexualized culture. No. Benny Goodman, noted by Bloom, was a huge pop star but he could play the Mozart clarinet concerto.
Some ten years later, Allan Bloom summed up a similar world-view from a secular perspective with Closing. This one I didn’t read for another ten years when I saw the book on a Top 100 list for the 20th Century. A brutal read for a child of the sixties…but that is his whole point. I should probably reread after having become a bit more sophisticated as my reading has become a bit more thoughtful.
This was followed in 1999 by Chuck Colson’s How Now Shall We Live, obviously echoing the themes of Schaeffer. (I have to admit I haven’t read this one yet for fear of being shamed.)
Funny how Jonah's little blurb can send me through such a spiral.
Scooter to see inside of courtroom...
for the first time in more than twelve years and for the first time...as a juror. Picked today. Trial starts tomorrow.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Robert D. Kaplan's Hog Pilots, Blue Water Grunts
While not directly addressing the "atrocities" committed there, an Autumn 2005 thought from a former Iraqi mukhtar on Abu Ghraib:
The former mukhtar seemed to like the American lieutenant, as we continued to sit on his machine-made carpets, lean against undressed cinder blocks, and drink tea in his home. But he said no [to a plea to stand by the lieutenant against the insurgents]. "I cannot resume my role as mukhtar. They will kill me. The contractor down the street was threatened if he continued to repair the neighborhood. If you are so serious about security, why," he went on, "did you Americans release prisoners from Abu Ghraib?"
Lt. Turner said that the decision to release prisoners from Abu Ghraib was one made by Iraq's own new government. The former mukhtar wasn't convinced. Because many of the detainees at Abut Ghraib were known to be hardened criminals from the Mosul area, the release had undermined the credibility of American troops here. Abu Ghraib had a different connotation for Iraqis meeting with Americans in Mosul than it had back in the United States. Here the words meant American weakness and lack of resolve, not human rights violations. (p. 249)
One of the really wonderful aspects of Kaplan's book, indeed his main goal, is to give us insights into the type of men and women serving in our Armed Forces. Most of them deal with the men and women of the Hog and Grunt varieties (noncoms or non-commissioned officers and lower). Here though he writes of Army Maj. Larry Smith of Savannah, Illinois:
After community college, Larry enrolled at Rockford College.... In October 1983, after hearing about the suicide bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, as he told me, "I got up and walked out of a class on French literature, went straight to the local recruiter's office, and joined the Army as a buck private. I have nothing against French literature. But at the time, it didn't mean much to me."
Over the next fiver years, while working as a military policeman in Alabama and Germany, he rose to sergeant. Then he enrolled in the ROTC program at Illinois State University in Normal, graduating as a second lieutenant. Tours at Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Fort Carson, Colorado, followed in succession, as he rose to the command of a military intelligence company. Next, he decided he wanted to be a foreign area officer for the Indian subcontinent. That led to a year of studying Hindi at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, and a year of graduate school in subcontinental Asian studies at the University of Texas at Austin. (p. 212)
The former mukhtar seemed to like the American lieutenant, as we continued to sit on his machine-made carpets, lean against undressed cinder blocks, and drink tea in his home. But he said no [to a plea to stand by the lieutenant against the insurgents]. "I cannot resume my role as mukhtar. They will kill me. The contractor down the street was threatened if he continued to repair the neighborhood. If you are so serious about security, why," he went on, "did you Americans release prisoners from Abu Ghraib?"
Lt. Turner said that the decision to release prisoners from Abu Ghraib was one made by Iraq's own new government. The former mukhtar wasn't convinced. Because many of the detainees at Abut Ghraib were known to be hardened criminals from the Mosul area, the release had undermined the credibility of American troops here. Abu Ghraib had a different connotation for Iraqis meeting with Americans in Mosul than it had back in the United States. Here the words meant American weakness and lack of resolve, not human rights violations. (p. 249)
One of the really wonderful aspects of Kaplan's book, indeed his main goal, is to give us insights into the type of men and women serving in our Armed Forces. Most of them deal with the men and women of the Hog and Grunt varieties (noncoms or non-commissioned officers and lower). Here though he writes of Army Maj. Larry Smith of Savannah, Illinois:
After community college, Larry enrolled at Rockford College.... In October 1983, after hearing about the suicide bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, as he told me, "I got up and walked out of a class on French literature, went straight to the local recruiter's office, and joined the Army as a buck private. I have nothing against French literature. But at the time, it didn't mean much to me."
Over the next fiver years, while working as a military policeman in Alabama and Germany, he rose to sergeant. Then he enrolled in the ROTC program at Illinois State University in Normal, graduating as a second lieutenant. Tours at Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Polk, Louisiana; and Fort Carson, Colorado, followed in succession, as he rose to the command of a military intelligence company. Next, he decided he wanted to be a foreign area officer for the Indian subcontinent. That led to a year of studying Hindi at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia, and a year of graduate school in subcontinental Asian studies at the University of Texas at Austin. (p. 212)
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Buying State of Texas Surplus Property
From the Comptroller’s office:
Surplus property listed on this Web site is available to state agencies, political subdivisions, and assistance organizations, not to the general public. The owning agency determines the price for each item while it is listed here. The first state agency, political subdivision, or assistance organization agreeing to the price is entitled to the property. During the 10 business days that the property is posted on this Web site, a transfer to a state agency has priority over any other transfer under rules adopted by the commission.
Fairly decent inventories of stuff.
Surplus property listed on this Web site is available to state agencies, political subdivisions, and assistance organizations, not to the general public. The owning agency determines the price for each item while it is listed here. The first state agency, political subdivision, or assistance organization agreeing to the price is entitled to the property. During the 10 business days that the property is posted on this Web site, a transfer to a state agency has priority over any other transfer under rules adopted by the commission.
Fairly decent inventories of stuff.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
On the Gripping Hand
Krikorian reader at The Corner slams one of the authors of the GREATEST BOOK OF ALL TIME:
Give him or her a healthy reading habit (even if he never advances beyond Harry Potter, Larry Niven, either of the Kellermans and Tom Clancy) and his four years at McDonalds will result in a far better education than almost all colleges currently deliver.
Give him or her a healthy reading habit (even if he never advances beyond Harry Potter, Larry Niven, either of the Kellermans and Tom Clancy) and his four years at McDonalds will result in a far better education than almost all colleges currently deliver.
Jonah's Conservative Buzz-Kill
From today's JWR:
Committed conservatives, meanwhile, find themselves at a disadvantage: They advocate smaller government for everybody — when Americans generally (including most Republicans) want smaller government for everybody but themselves.
One of our more sane local Ron Paul supporters (Jeff Ward of KLBJ radio, as opposed to Alex Jones) says it like this, "Liberty and equality for all, special privileges for me."
Committed conservatives, meanwhile, find themselves at a disadvantage: They advocate smaller government for everybody — when Americans generally (including most Republicans) want smaller government for everybody but themselves.
One of our more sane local Ron Paul supporters (Jeff Ward of KLBJ radio, as opposed to Alex Jones) says it like this, "Liberty and equality for all, special privileges for me."
Sunday, October 28, 2007
The Looming Tower
Finished it today in my second sitting. Amazing. I never, ever dog ear my books but did for this one, many times.
Bart Whitaker
I still can't believe the attraction. Still seems like every time I check the meter, folks are looking at these posts.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Touching the Real Third Rail
Unintended Consequences
I post this not so much because of the Roe v. Wade content but because it can show what happens when good, principled conservatives sit out elections...in this case the 1986 midterms when the Republicans lost the Senate majority. Reagan campaigned like crazy for the Republican senators but seven seats were lost in 1986. Après ça le deluge.
From today’s column by Jeffrey Lord at the American Spectator (long but a great history lesson for those of us occupied by, er, other things in the mid-80s):
With the release of the papers of Roe's author, Nixon appointee Harry Blackmun, Justice Blackmun himself reveals that Kennedy [Me: Reagan appointee after the Bork disaster and the other Ginsburg...I’d forgotten about him] was poised to agree with a draft opinion of Chief Justice William Rehnquist that would essentially overturn Roe. Under pressure from Blackmun, Kennedy did something that would have been unthinkable for Bork: he switched sides, turning a 5-4 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey from an opinion overturning Roe v. Wade into one that reaffirmed it.
In other words, the loss of seven Senate Republicans, six by the closest of margins, saved Roe v. Wade. More accurately, a relative handful of conservatives in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington, by either taking a pass on the election entirely or actually voting for the liberal, inadvertently rescued the most controversial Court decision of our day.
Whatever on thinks about the pro-choice/pro-life arguments, clearly those that sat at home in November, 1986 didn’t intend for this to happen. Dobson and friends had better think and pray long and hard
I post this not so much because of the Roe v. Wade content but because it can show what happens when good, principled conservatives sit out elections...in this case the 1986 midterms when the Republicans lost the Senate majority. Reagan campaigned like crazy for the Republican senators but seven seats were lost in 1986. Après ça le deluge.
From today’s column by Jeffrey Lord at the American Spectator (long but a great history lesson for those of us occupied by, er, other things in the mid-80s):
With the release of the papers of Roe's author, Nixon appointee Harry Blackmun, Justice Blackmun himself reveals that Kennedy [Me: Reagan appointee after the Bork disaster and the other Ginsburg...I’d forgotten about him] was poised to agree with a draft opinion of Chief Justice William Rehnquist that would essentially overturn Roe. Under pressure from Blackmun, Kennedy did something that would have been unthinkable for Bork: he switched sides, turning a 5-4 decision in Planned Parenthood v. Casey from an opinion overturning Roe v. Wade into one that reaffirmed it.
In other words, the loss of seven Senate Republicans, six by the closest of margins, saved Roe v. Wade. More accurately, a relative handful of conservatives in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington, by either taking a pass on the election entirely or actually voting for the liberal, inadvertently rescued the most controversial Court decision of our day.
Whatever on thinks about the pro-choice/pro-life arguments, clearly those that sat at home in November, 1986 didn’t intend for this to happen. Dobson and friends had better think and pray long and hard
Monday, October 22, 2007
Is it really Islamofascism?
From Christopher Hitchens at Slate:
Does Bin Ladenism or Salafism or whatever we agree to call it have anything in common with fascism?
I think yes. The most obvious points of comparison would be these: Both movements are based on a cult of murderous violence that exalts death and destruction and despises the life of the mind. ("Death to the intellect! Long live death!" as Gen. Francisco Franco's sidekick Gonzalo Queipo de Llano so pithily phrased it.) Both are hostile to modernity (except when it comes to the pursuit of weapons), and both are bitterly nostalgic for past empires and lost glories. Both are obsessed with real and imagined "humiliations" and thirsty for revenge. Both are chronically infected with the toxin of anti-Jewish paranoia (interestingly, also, with its milder cousin, anti-Freemason paranoia). Both are inclined to leader worship and to the exclusive stress on the power of one great book. Both have a strong commitment to sexual repression—especially to the repression of any sexual "deviance"—and to its counterparts the subordination of the female and contempt for the feminine. Both despise art and literature as symptoms of degeneracy and decadence; both burn books and destroy museums and treasures.
Does Bin Ladenism or Salafism or whatever we agree to call it have anything in common with fascism?
I think yes. The most obvious points of comparison would be these: Both movements are based on a cult of murderous violence that exalts death and destruction and despises the life of the mind. ("Death to the intellect! Long live death!" as Gen. Francisco Franco's sidekick Gonzalo Queipo de Llano so pithily phrased it.) Both are hostile to modernity (except when it comes to the pursuit of weapons), and both are bitterly nostalgic for past empires and lost glories. Both are obsessed with real and imagined "humiliations" and thirsty for revenge. Both are chronically infected with the toxin of anti-Jewish paranoia (interestingly, also, with its milder cousin, anti-Freemason paranoia). Both are inclined to leader worship and to the exclusive stress on the power of one great book. Both have a strong commitment to sexual repression—especially to the repression of any sexual "deviance"—and to its counterparts the subordination of the female and contempt for the feminine. Both despise art and literature as symptoms of degeneracy and decadence; both burn books and destroy museums and treasures.
When Markets Fail, Choose Markets
Also from TCS (I love these guys):
The Cure for Market Failure
At the University of Chicago [Me: as much as I hate to go against the Chicago School], economists lean to the right of the economics profession. They are known for saying, in effect, "Markets work well. Use the market."
At MIT and other bastions of mainstream economics, most economists are to the left of center but to the right of the academic community as a whole. These economists are known for saying, in effect, "Markets fail. Use government."
Masonomics [Me: George Mason University school] says, "Markets fail. Use markets."
...
The Cure for Market Failure
At the University of Chicago [Me: as much as I hate to go against the Chicago School], economists lean to the right of the economics profession. They are known for saying, in effect, "Markets work well. Use the market."
At MIT and other bastions of mainstream economics, most economists are to the left of center but to the right of the academic community as a whole. These economists are known for saying, in effect, "Markets fail. Use government."
Masonomics [Me: George Mason University school] says, "Markets fail. Use markets."
...
Masonomics sees market failure as a motivation for entrepreneurship. As an example of market failure, let us use a classic case described by a Nobel Laureate which is that the seller of a used car knows more about the condition of the car than the buyer. Masonomics predicts that entrepreneurs will try to address this problem. In fact, there are a number of entrepreneurial solutions. Buyers can obtain vehicle history reports. Sellers can offer warranties. Firms such as Carmax undertake professional inspections and stake their reputation on the quality of the cars that they sell.
Masonomics worries much more about government failure than market failure. Governments do not face competitive pressure. They are immune from the "creative destruction" of entrepreneurial innovation. In the market, ineffective firms go out of business. In government, ineffective programs develop powerful constituent groups with a stake in their perpetuation.
Business Screws Up; Choose Markets
A biz I love (Amazon) and one of which I’m not too fond (Target) make bad mistakes as set forth in this TCS article:
Consider business practices that alienate customers and clients. Surely no business with a general clientèle, such as Amazon, Home Depot, or Kmart, has this as a goal. Yet it occurs. Why?
The offending employee may be evil, bitter, or malicious, but economists have little to say about individual characteristics. Rather, economists examine the incentives and information facing the person who annoyed or harmed the customer. Here are two examples.
You’ll have to read them but both are egregiously bad errors. The good news? Go to Overstock.com or Wal-Mart and exercise your freedom to choose. Amazon and Target will make corrections out of nothing but self-interest. The Market will take care of errors made by businesses.
But what about when markets fail?
Consider business practices that alienate customers and clients. Surely no business with a general clientèle, such as Amazon, Home Depot, or Kmart, has this as a goal. Yet it occurs. Why?
The offending employee may be evil, bitter, or malicious, but economists have little to say about individual characteristics. Rather, economists examine the incentives and information facing the person who annoyed or harmed the customer. Here are two examples.
You’ll have to read them but both are egregiously bad errors. The good news? Go to Overstock.com or Wal-Mart and exercise your freedom to choose. Amazon and Target will make corrections out of nothing but self-interest. The Market will take care of errors made by businesses.
But what about when markets fail?
Rangel working on Tax Cut?
Why haven't I heard of this? Go Charlie!
From Kudlow:
In recent news, Treasury man [Treasury Secretary Henry] Paulson has in fact taken a strong-dollar step with his proposal to slash corporate tax rates. The former Goldman head honcho is working with House Ways & Means chairman Charlie Rangel to reduce the 35 percent corporate tax rate all the way down to 25 percent. This is a terrific idea. Studies have shown that 70 percent of the benefits of a corporate tax cut would go to the American workforce, boosting jobs and wages.
From Kudlow:
In recent news, Treasury man [Treasury Secretary Henry] Paulson has in fact taken a strong-dollar step with his proposal to slash corporate tax rates. The former Goldman head honcho is working with House Ways & Means chairman Charlie Rangel to reduce the 35 percent corporate tax rate all the way down to 25 percent. This is a terrific idea. Studies have shown that 70 percent of the benefits of a corporate tax cut would go to the American workforce, boosting jobs and wages.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Observations from the Range
Went to the range today, finally getting around to seeing how some of my Dad's old handguns perform.
I should have known they would be perfect. He may have been frugal (I doubt he bought any of his guns new) but he was a perfectionist.
Anything hit beyond 10 yards with the .25 and beyond 15 yards with the .32 was pure luck.
Any living thing ever hit with a .25 is likely going to keep doing what it was doing unless the shot was very lucky.
They are all dangerous but a Colt .45 is very scary.
Lots of young kids there learning from their dads.
Guy next to me was sighting some kind of rifle. I don't know what it was or what he hunts but yikes. I had my 29 db earmuffs on and every time he fired that cannon, I jumped a foot.
I should have known they would be perfect. He may have been frugal (I doubt he bought any of his guns new) but he was a perfectionist.
Anything hit beyond 10 yards with the .25 and beyond 15 yards with the .32 was pure luck.
Any living thing ever hit with a .25 is likely going to keep doing what it was doing unless the shot was very lucky.
They are all dangerous but a Colt .45 is very scary.
Lots of young kids there learning from their dads.
Guy next to me was sighting some kind of rifle. I don't know what it was or what he hunts but yikes. I had my 29 db earmuffs on and every time he fired that cannon, I jumped a foot.
What's happened to Dems?
Hanson on Dems:
By habit I remain a registered Democrat, largely because my parents and grandparents were agrarian populists in outlook. I also try to vote and support (even as our district boundaries keep changing) one Democrat, Jim Costa, our local Democratic congressman, who is cut from the Scoop Jackson mold. Central Valley Democrats used to be considered mainstream center-right people in a way unimaginable now. We forget that a long time ago, Democrats were considered sort of tough, practical minded, a world away from the blueblood golf course crowd, receptacles of conservative values in a way the elite Republicans were not. That’s ancient history now.
I throat clear like that because of the steady insanity shown by the Democratic political class.
…
When we factor in the “Betray-us” ad, the Hollywood antics, and the university embarrassments, whether denying Larry Summers a right to speak at UC Davis or welcoming in Ahmadinejad at Columbia, one is forced to ask, “What happened to liberal thinking and the Democratic Party?” Why do dissent and criticism almost immediately devolve into elemental rage, whether Durbin screaming that our soldiers are Nazis or Moveon.org that their leader is a traitor? Why do deans, media heads, and politicians show such bad taste?
You’ll have to read his answer at his pajamasmedia post (it’s the penultimate section under “Democrats”).
By habit I remain a registered Democrat, largely because my parents and grandparents were agrarian populists in outlook. I also try to vote and support (even as our district boundaries keep changing) one Democrat, Jim Costa, our local Democratic congressman, who is cut from the Scoop Jackson mold. Central Valley Democrats used to be considered mainstream center-right people in a way unimaginable now. We forget that a long time ago, Democrats were considered sort of tough, practical minded, a world away from the blueblood golf course crowd, receptacles of conservative values in a way the elite Republicans were not. That’s ancient history now.
I throat clear like that because of the steady insanity shown by the Democratic political class.
…
When we factor in the “Betray-us” ad, the Hollywood antics, and the university embarrassments, whether denying Larry Summers a right to speak at UC Davis or welcoming in Ahmadinejad at Columbia, one is forced to ask, “What happened to liberal thinking and the Democratic Party?” Why do dissent and criticism almost immediately devolve into elemental rage, whether Durbin screaming that our soldiers are Nazis or Moveon.org that their leader is a traitor? Why do deans, media heads, and politicians show such bad taste?
You’ll have to read his answer at his pajamasmedia post (it’s the penultimate section under “Democrats”).
Friday, October 19, 2007
Maybe Teachers Should Pack
From John Lott at TCS Daily today:
The benefit from concealed handguns on multiple-victim public shootings is particularly large. Examining all the multiple-victim public shootings in the United States from 1977 to 1999 shows that on average, states that adopt right-to-carry laws experience a 60% drop in the rates at which the attacks occur, and a 78% drop in the rates at which people are killed or injured from such attacks.
The benefit from concealed handguns on multiple-victim public shootings is particularly large. Examining all the multiple-victim public shootings in the United States from 1977 to 1999 shows that on average, states that adopt right-to-carry laws experience a 60% drop in the rates at which the attacks occur, and a 78% drop in the rates at which people are killed or injured from such attacks.
Sen. Reid, the First Rule of Holes is...
"When you're in a hole, stop digging."
This ploy to make it seem you had an intentional hand in raising this money (more than $2M) for MC-LEF is embarrassing.
This ploy to make it seem you had an intentional hand in raising this money (more than $2M) for MC-LEF is embarrassing.
Socialized Legal Care
A modest proposal from JWR’s Medicine Men:
The principle is simple. Access to lawyers is a fundamental human right. You are entitled to all you want, for any reason or for no particular reason at all, subject only to the government's willingness to provide it. In order to make sure you get everything the government thinks you need, from routine legal services to hit-the-jackpot lawsuits, the government will simply start treating lawyers the way they treat doctors.
...
2. There shall be tens of thousands of pages of government rules and fine print regarding how to practice law. These will require hundreds of hours a year to master, will change constantly, often without notice, and may result in lawyers having to hire and pay employees who do nothing but puzzle over rules of compliancy.
3. Failure to abide by these rules may result in harassment, fines or prison time.
4. Legal fees will be based on a relative value scale established in the 1980s, and will be cut back every year. Lawyers will simply have to handle more clients for less.
The principle is simple. Access to lawyers is a fundamental human right. You are entitled to all you want, for any reason or for no particular reason at all, subject only to the government's willingness to provide it. In order to make sure you get everything the government thinks you need, from routine legal services to hit-the-jackpot lawsuits, the government will simply start treating lawyers the way they treat doctors.
...
2. There shall be tens of thousands of pages of government rules and fine print regarding how to practice law. These will require hundreds of hours a year to master, will change constantly, often without notice, and may result in lawyers having to hire and pay employees who do nothing but puzzle over rules of compliancy.
3. Failure to abide by these rules may result in harassment, fines or prison time.
4. Legal fees will be based on a relative value scale established in the 1980s, and will be cut back every year. Lawyers will simply have to handle more clients for less.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Light Week
The Austin Downtown Lions Club's (it's a sad website, I know) Rose Week ends tomorrow. It's our Autumn fund raiser and involves a lot of work. The roses get delivered tomorrow as I head to Athens. I hope to be more active next week.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Prager on Coulter's anti-semitic comments...
Why are they anti-semitic?
Prager at Townhall:
What damage has she ever done to Jews? What is wrong with a person believing that it would be better if another person adopted their faith? Is there one liberal who doesn't believe that a conservative would be better -- "perfected," if you will -- by embracing liberal beliefs and values? Why is it laudable for a liberal to hope that conservatives convert to liberalism, but dangerous and hate-filled when a Christian hopes that Jews or anyone else will go to heaven (that is, after all, Ann Coulter's and most other Christians' primary concern) by believing in Jesus?
I do dislike the term "perfected," though, preferring the term "completed." And, neither refer to a temporal, physical or moral perfection or completion, rather a theological or religious perfection or completion.
Update: Medved audio with Coulter (ten minutes on Oct. 15) at TH.
Prager at Townhall:
What damage has she ever done to Jews? What is wrong with a person believing that it would be better if another person adopted their faith? Is there one liberal who doesn't believe that a conservative would be better -- "perfected," if you will -- by embracing liberal beliefs and values? Why is it laudable for a liberal to hope that conservatives convert to liberalism, but dangerous and hate-filled when a Christian hopes that Jews or anyone else will go to heaven (that is, after all, Ann Coulter's and most other Christians' primary concern) by believing in Jesus?
I do dislike the term "perfected," though, preferring the term "completed." And, neither refer to a temporal, physical or moral perfection or completion, rather a theological or religious perfection or completion.
Update: Medved audio with Coulter (ten minutes on Oct. 15) at TH.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The Looming Tower
Re: Re: 3rd Party Threat
More from Carol Platt Liebau on Michael's concern:
In short, if the religious right decided to support a third candidate, it would become the biggest loser in a Giuliani-Clinton contest, whatever the outcome. Even so, it is tempting for those opposed to Giuliani’s pro-choice stance to speculate that a Hillary Clinton presidency might shock the country into greater receptivity to policies espoused by people of faith. But it’s worth remembering that similar hopes, coupled with discontent with the presidency of George H.W. Bush, inspired some to vote for Ross Perot in 1992. As a result, America endured eight years of a Clinton presidency – and set Hillary Clinton on the path she’s pursuing now.
In short, if the religious right decided to support a third candidate, it would become the biggest loser in a Giuliani-Clinton contest, whatever the outcome. Even so, it is tempting for those opposed to Giuliani’s pro-choice stance to speculate that a Hillary Clinton presidency might shock the country into greater receptivity to policies espoused by people of faith. But it’s worth remembering that similar hopes, coupled with discontent with the presidency of George H.W. Bush, inspired some to vote for Ross Perot in 1992. As a result, America endured eight years of a Clinton presidency – and set Hillary Clinton on the path she’s pursuing now.
"Saint Al of the Ecopalypse"
Sounding rather Thunderdome-ish, Mark Steyn comments more on Michael's "consensus."
From the Australian:
For example, the former vice-president predicts a rise in sea levels of 6m "in the near future". "The Armageddon scenario he predicts," declared Burton, "is not in line with the scientific consensus."
...
A schoolkid in Ontario was complaining the other day that, whatever subject you do, you have to sit through Gore's movie: It turns up in biology class, in geography, in physics, in history, in English.
Whatever you're studying, it's all you need to know. It fulfils the same role in the schoolhouses of the guilt-ridden developed world that the Koran does in Pakistani madrassas. Gore's rise is as remorseless as those sea levels. I assumed Gore's clammy embrace would do for the environmental movement what his belated endorsement had done for Howard Dean's 2004 presidential candidacy: kill it stone dead. But governor Dean was constrained by actual humdrum prosaic vote tallies in Iowa and New Hampshire. The ecochondriacs, by contrast, seem happiest when they're most unmoored from reality.
From the Australian:
For example, the former vice-president predicts a rise in sea levels of 6m "in the near future". "The Armageddon scenario he predicts," declared Burton, "is not in line with the scientific consensus."
...
A schoolkid in Ontario was complaining the other day that, whatever subject you do, you have to sit through Gore's movie: It turns up in biology class, in geography, in physics, in history, in English.
Whatever you're studying, it's all you need to know. It fulfils the same role in the schoolhouses of the guilt-ridden developed world that the Koran does in Pakistani madrassas. Gore's rise is as remorseless as those sea levels. I assumed Gore's clammy embrace would do for the environmental movement what his belated endorsement had done for Howard Dean's 2004 presidential candidacy: kill it stone dead. But governor Dean was constrained by actual humdrum prosaic vote tallies in Iowa and New Hampshire. The ecochondriacs, by contrast, seem happiest when they're most unmoored from reality.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Now I'm just getting sick...
I posted my disgust with FEMA's granting of almost 2 year's worth of rent to my wonderful clients' Katrina beneficiaries here.
Today I got notice that the City of Austin will pick up the tab from November 1 through February 28, of, of, of 2009!
Today I got notice that the City of Austin will pick up the tab from November 1 through February 28, of, of, of 2009!
Re: Cowboys
Just heard Gary Coghill (sp?) on a radio program that features him on Fridays here in Austin. Normally he is a movie critic based out of Dallas but today he had to opine on Romo regarding his 5 interceptions last week.
Apparently, at the press conference after the game when asked about the 5 picks, he replied, "It felt like 7."
The guy must be getting self-effacement lessons. That is the kind of stuff that will make him the Second Coming in Dallas.
Update: I got Cogill's spelling incorrect. Here's his website.
Apparently, at the press conference after the game when asked about the 5 picks, he replied, "It felt like 7."
The guy must be getting self-effacement lessons. That is the kind of stuff that will make him the Second Coming in Dallas.
Update: I got Cogill's spelling incorrect. Here's his website.
Egad!
From Linda Halderman, M.D., FACS (PajamasMedia.com) on Hanson's website:
More disturbing is Senator Clinton’s May 24, 2007 statement that “doctors and patients don’t know which medical interventions are most effective — and which have little benefit.”
Rather than trusting the decision about a medication or course of treatment to a surgeon or the parent of a sick child, Senator Clinton proposes instead to establish a “Best Practices Institute” so that “doctors, nurses and other health professionals…would know what drugs, devices, surgeries and treatments work best.”
More disturbing is Senator Clinton’s May 24, 2007 statement that “doctors and patients don’t know which medical interventions are most effective — and which have little benefit.”
Rather than trusting the decision about a medication or course of treatment to a surgeon or the parent of a sick child, Senator Clinton proposes instead to establish a “Best Practices Institute” so that “doctors, nurses and other health professionals…would know what drugs, devices, surgeries and treatments work best.”
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Re: 3rd Party Threat
Works and Days: Iraq
Be sure to read Victor Davis Hanson's three pieces at W&D on his recent trip to Iraq.
Re: Cowboys
Six turnovers and the Pokes still win and two Superbowl thrashings. If it weren't for the Oilers, I suspect Buffalo would hate Texas.
Having said that, I agree that this will all come crashing down soon. Don't they play a real team on Sunday?
Having said that, I agree that this will all come crashing down soon. Don't they play a real team on Sunday?
The F-ing Cowboys
God I can't take much more of the sports talk up here. To coin a Jim Rome phrase, Cowboys fans are all myopian. And not just the fans, but the talk show hosts are giddy beyond belief and the SB spin is in FULL effect. An example...
Before the Bills' game Monday night, the general feeling was that there was NO WAY Dallas could or would lose. They were going to roll out and destroy the Bills. It would be over by halftime, that is how good the Cowboys are and how bad the Bills are.
Tuesday morning, the spin was that the Cowboys showed their true greatest by winning a close game. It was a good thing for them to play and win a close game. Nothing about how bad they played, nothing about the Bills - if one hadn't known anything, you would come away from the spin thinking the Cowboys played a GREAT team, played a GREAT game and won. A truly great team doesn't win all their games easily - the truly great ones play and win close ones.
Romo is the second coming. Phillips is a genius. Jerry is a genius. I'm going to have to listen to Mike Gallagher or my jihadist station in the mornings; Medved in the afternoons. Shoot me now...please.
Before the Bills' game Monday night, the general feeling was that there was NO WAY Dallas could or would lose. They were going to roll out and destroy the Bills. It would be over by halftime, that is how good the Cowboys are and how bad the Bills are.
Tuesday morning, the spin was that the Cowboys showed their true greatest by winning a close game. It was a good thing for them to play and win a close game. Nothing about how bad they played, nothing about the Bills - if one hadn't known anything, you would come away from the spin thinking the Cowboys played a GREAT team, played a GREAT game and won. A truly great team doesn't win all their games easily - the truly great ones play and win close ones.
Romo is the second coming. Phillips is a genius. Jerry is a genius. I'm going to have to listen to Mike Gallagher or my jihadist station in the mornings; Medved in the afternoons. Shoot me now...please.
The Great Flood Update
The repair work started this morning. Ceiling is down in the kitchen and the good news is that the structure looks fine, the beams and wood look fine - so no surprises so far. Walls look fine as well. They will know more in the next couple of days. C and I have spent the last few weekends doing the whole floors/carpets/counter tops/stove stop/back-splash/sinks etc thing. She seems shocked at how much the "upgrades" she wants to do are going to cost us out-of-pocket. I think I came to that realization several weeks ago.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Cheese
A post for Michael's son. Learning of his love of cheese (one I share), I forgot to ask if he's tried any of the smoked cheeses. I just had a piece of one of my faves...smoked Gouda. Has he tried any? I know those bleu cheeses will take some time. The smoked cheeses, however, he might like.
Re: Google
Last week was the celebration of Sputnik. They allow China to censor.
Today they trade at $615 per share.
Today they trade at $615 per share.
Google unpatriotic
"Not only did Google honor an achievement by a totalitarian regime that was our Cold War enemy, they griped, but it did so without having ever altered its logo to commemorate U.S. military personnel on Memorial Day or Veterans Day."
And don't forget the first Commie in space.
And don't forget the first Commie in space.
Hmmmmmm
"In 1988, the surgeon general, C. Everett Koop, proclaimed ice cream to a be public-health menace right up there with cigarettes . . . . It may seem bizarre that a surgeon general could go so wrong. After all, wasn’t it his job to express the scientific consensus? But that was the problem. Dr. Koop was expressing the consensus."
Now where have I heard about some other scientific consensus lately?
Now where have I heard about some other scientific consensus lately?
Monday, October 08, 2007
Stephen Hunter
Thanks to Michael for letting me know that my favorite author’s new Bob Lee Swagger novel is out.
And, yes, I know that The Shooter was pretty awful.
Come to think of it, maybe I am a gun "nut."
And, yes, I know that The Shooter was pretty awful.
Come to think of it, maybe I am a gun "nut."
Re: The Dumbing Down of the Electorate
It's also part of having started the campaign two years prior to the election.
Victor Davis Hanson blogging from Kuwait
From his Works and Days at Pajamas Media:
(3) As a supporter of some four years of the now unpopular effort to remove Saddam and leave a democracy in his place, I continue to have only one reservation, albeit a major one. The U.S. soldier in the field is so unusually competent and heroic that one comes to despair at the very thought of losing even one of them. As a military historian I know that an army that can’t take casualties can’t win, but I confess after spending 16-hour days with our soldiers in impossible conditions one wonders whether the entire country of Iraq is worth the loss of just of these unusual Americans. I understand both the lack of logic and perhaps amorality in such a sweeping statement, but feel it nonetheless out here.
(3) As a supporter of some four years of the now unpopular effort to remove Saddam and leave a democracy in his place, I continue to have only one reservation, albeit a major one. The U.S. soldier in the field is so unusually competent and heroic that one comes to despair at the very thought of losing even one of them. As a military historian I know that an army that can’t take casualties can’t win, but I confess after spending 16-hour days with our soldiers in impossible conditions one wonders whether the entire country of Iraq is worth the loss of just of these unusual Americans. I understand both the lack of logic and perhaps amorality in such a sweeping statement, but feel it nonetheless out here.
“You Can’t Legislate Morality”
I’ve always thought that was the most ridiculous statement ever, ok, maybe not ever, about governance. What is legislation about theft, rape, murder, tax evasion, perjury, etc…, if not the legislation of morality?
Dr. King, through Star Parker, taught me why I was wrong today at Townhall in her column on Jena:
The Rev. Martin Luther King pointed out that "It may be true that you cannot legislate morality, but behavior can be regulated." He observed that through legislation, he may not be able to get the other guy to love him, but he sure can use it to stop the guy from lynching him.
Dr. King, through Star Parker, taught me why I was wrong today at Townhall in her column on Jena:
The Rev. Martin Luther King pointed out that "It may be true that you cannot legislate morality, but behavior can be regulated." He observed that through legislation, he may not be able to get the other guy to love him, but he sure can use it to stop the guy from lynching him.
Friday, October 05, 2007
The Dumbing Down of the Electorate
Last night I was listening to Michael Savage and he was going off on journalists and how/what they are reporting about the Presidential candidates. Instead of reporting what their views / stances are (and he piped in with Rudy, there wouldn’t be anything to tell us because no one knows what his positions are), we just get told how money each raised in the past week/month/quarter. So if Hillary raises more than Obama, that means she is a better candidate. He made the analogy of how journalists no longer review movies, they just tell us the box office $$ each week. The higher the gross, the better the movie. He had me laughing out loud and thinking that he is a loonie.
But, driving to work this morning, Mike Gallagher was talking to Gov. Huckabee and was making almost the exact same argument, not so much using the movie box office analogy, just that all we hear about the candidates is how much $$ they raise, not about their positions. And on CNN online this morning, the lead story in the politics section was about fund raising. Perhaps Savage isn’t as loonie as it might appear.
But, driving to work this morning, Mike Gallagher was talking to Gov. Huckabee and was making almost the exact same argument, not so much using the movie box office analogy, just that all we hear about the candidates is how much $$ they raise, not about their positions. And on CNN online this morning, the lead story in the politics section was about fund raising. Perhaps Savage isn’t as loonie as it might appear.
Re: 3rd Party Threat
Dobson has a HUGE following.
I’m not prepared to worry just yet although gf2 and the survey did get me going a bit last night. I think it just a slam at, duh, Rudy. Rudy’s my candidate in spite of many of his social positions because I think he’s the only guy who can beat her. And he's right on WWIV. He's the guy I think of when I hear the Samuel Jackson line about which I asked earlier, "I don't like you because you're trying to get me killed!"
He also seems to be the only guy, other than Paul, who seems to really understand the markets.
I know, I know, the Stepford Candidate from Massachusetts is a great business man but I don’t like some of what I’m hearing from him. I need to learn more about Mitt’s health insurance plan in Mass., too, and what he wants done nationally.
Back to Dobson, he is just not being practical. I appreciate that if one were as marrow-deep pro-life as Dobson is, then one could justifiably be conflicted as a matter of principle about supporting someone who is pro-choice, also as a matter of principle, regardless of what he promises about judges. But he needs to be practical and I suspect he will be.
I think the timing of this is pretty astute on Dobson’s part. Make noise now in an effort to get his preferred candidate the nomination and if that fails and Rudy wins, shut up. Who is going to throw his hat in the ring against Rudy? Huckabee (probably Dobson's choice)? I don’t think so. Romney (I don’t even know what Dobson thinks of Romney)? Not a chance. Newt? Even though staunchly pro-life, Dobson would still have to hold his nose. Paul (the oxymoronically pro-life Libertarian)? Maybe, but he’s so bad on WWIV, I don’t think he could garner much support.
No, I think if Rudy wins the nomination, Dobson just goes quiet. Or, he has one of those meetings like he did with the Supreme nominees and comes away convinced Rudy will do the right thing with the judges.
Even if I’m wrong, I’m not sure the Evangelical base would follow Dobson on this (I know I won’t) given the alternative.
I’m not prepared to worry just yet although gf2 and the survey did get me going a bit last night. I think it just a slam at, duh, Rudy. Rudy’s my candidate in spite of many of his social positions because I think he’s the only guy who can beat her. And he's right on WWIV. He's the guy I think of when I hear the Samuel Jackson line about which I asked earlier, "I don't like you because you're trying to get me killed!"
He also seems to be the only guy, other than Paul, who seems to really understand the markets.
I know, I know, the Stepford Candidate from Massachusetts is a great business man but I don’t like some of what I’m hearing from him. I need to learn more about Mitt’s health insurance plan in Mass., too, and what he wants done nationally.
Back to Dobson, he is just not being practical. I appreciate that if one were as marrow-deep pro-life as Dobson is, then one could justifiably be conflicted as a matter of principle about supporting someone who is pro-choice, also as a matter of principle, regardless of what he promises about judges. But he needs to be practical and I suspect he will be.
I think the timing of this is pretty astute on Dobson’s part. Make noise now in an effort to get his preferred candidate the nomination and if that fails and Rudy wins, shut up. Who is going to throw his hat in the ring against Rudy? Huckabee (probably Dobson's choice)? I don’t think so. Romney (I don’t even know what Dobson thinks of Romney)? Not a chance. Newt? Even though staunchly pro-life, Dobson would still have to hold his nose. Paul (the oxymoronically pro-life Libertarian)? Maybe, but he’s so bad on WWIV, I don’t think he could garner much support.
No, I think if Rudy wins the nomination, Dobson just goes quiet. Or, he has one of those meetings like he did with the Supreme nominees and comes away convinced Rudy will do the right thing with the judges.
Even if I’m wrong, I’m not sure the Evangelical base would follow Dobson on this (I know I won’t) given the alternative.
Re: Third Party Threat
This isn't a cop out, but since I haven't watched or read about ANY of the seemingly 1,000 debates that have been held so far (1 year BEFORE the freaking election), I don't have any idea. Plus, have the wacko parties (Libertarian, Communist, Green, etc.) even "nominated" or announced who their candidates are?
But, to try to answer your question, instead of telling you who I would vote FOR if the election were tomorrow, let me tell you who I would NOT vote for (in no particular order):
McCain - no
Giuliani - no
Thompson - no
Huckabee - no
Obama - no
Hillary - no
Edwards - no
Hunter - no
So I guess that means I'll have to choose between Richardson, Romney or Paul.
Oh joy....
But, to try to answer your question, instead of telling you who I would vote FOR if the election were tomorrow, let me tell you who I would NOT vote for (in no particular order):
McCain - no
Giuliani - no
Thompson - no
Huckabee - no
Obama - no
Hillary - no
Edwards - no
Hunter - no
So I guess that means I'll have to choose between Richardson, Romney or Paul.
Oh joy....
Thursday, October 04, 2007
The third party threat
The discussion tonight on HH led by gf2 (KLP) re Dobson is scaring the bejeebus (!) out of me. Questions: How many people are in his organization? Of those, how many will walk away if he tells them to? Where are they located? Are there enough in any red state that a third party candidate would throw the state to Hill? If so, how many states would it take to scuttle victory? Is Perot in '92 a fair analogy or did he have many more votes than Dobson can generate?
Scooter, I know you're busy but I'd like your memo on my desk by the time I get in.
LJ, I started to write that you should help Scooter with his memo because, while it's our problem, one would expect you'd be interested in the answers because you stand to gain; but then I thought, "I can't imagine the LJ I know supporting any of the Dims." But you must support someone. So I ask, who? And do not give me any crap about it's too early, etc. If you prefer, my question to you is: If the election were held today, for whom would you vote?
Scooter, I know you're busy but I'd like your memo on my desk by the time I get in.
LJ, I started to write that you should help Scooter with his memo because, while it's our problem, one would expect you'd be interested in the answers because you stand to gain; but then I thought, "I can't imagine the LJ I know supporting any of the Dims." But you must support someone. So I ask, who? And do not give me any crap about it's too early, etc. If you prefer, my question to you is: If the election were held today, for whom would you vote?
Re: Into the Wild
Does anyone watch Survivorman or the "phony" Bear Gryllis show?
I wouldn't worry about any kind of Dixie Chicks moment; you can't help who picks up the rights to a project in which you have interest.
And, I'd say we should've known that Comrade Penn would become a good actor and director because of his performance in Fast Times.
I wouldn't worry about any kind of Dixie Chicks moment; you can't help who picks up the rights to a project in which you have interest.
And, I'd say we should've known that Comrade Penn would become a good actor and director because of his performance in Fast Times.
Re: ManU
Just in case LJ picks up BBC America, he can join the dozens of fans of Footballer's Wives.
Kind of a Dallas meets Dynasty meets Desperate Housewives on crack.
Embarrassing Update: I've watched too many of the episodes. The women are exceedingly, er, uh, hot. Our friend Cin watches, too.
Kind of a Dallas meets Dynasty meets Desperate Housewives on crack.
Embarrassing Update: I've watched too many of the episodes. The women are exceedingly, er, uh, hot. Our friend Cin watches, too.
Re: Into the Wild
The DMN gave it a great review. In fact, every review I've read so far has been very positive. I've been looking forward to seeing this for quite a long time. It opened here in Dallas last weekend and I have got to find some time to see it.
One of my all time favorite books and it started me on my obsession with Alaska/Artic/Canadian-themed wilderness books. One might not approve of Comrade Penn's politics, but is a very good actor (who would have predicted that following "Fast Times at Ridgemont High") and a very good director.
One of my all time favorite books and it started me on my obsession with Alaska/Artic/Canadian-themed wilderness books. One might not approve of Comrade Penn's politics, but is a very good actor (who would have predicted that following "Fast Times at Ridgemont High") and a very good director.
Re: Pains me
ManU is THE greatest sports franchise in the world. As I red devil supporter, I must defend them. Besides, people who think football (soccer) is boring must have never watched a baseball game.
Into The Wild
is Jon Krakauer's account of the journey of Chris McCandless, who "torched his money, abandoned his family and flung himself into the Alaskan wilderness with a new identity and only a whisper of a prayer of survival." It's a great book. Krakauer also wrote Into Thin Air, his first hand narrative of the disastrous 1996 climb of Everest, also a great read.
Into The Wild is now a movie, coming out this weekend it looks like. Directed by Comrade Penn, so I've got a Dixie Chick decision to make. Review in the Chronic here.
Into The Wild is now a movie, coming out this weekend it looks like. Directed by Comrade Penn, so I've got a Dixie Chick decision to make. Review in the Chronic here.
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
St. Paul on Diana West
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.
1 Corinthians 13:11 (New International Version)
From BibleGateway.
1 Corinthians 13:11 (New International Version)
From BibleGateway.
Though it pains me to link it...
Tom Sowell's "Random Thoughts" on the greatest sports franchise in history (with apologies to Manchester United):
More than one-fourth of the American League pennants in the 20th century were won by the New York Yankees -- and they didn't win their first pennant until 1921.
More than one-fourth of the American League pennants in the 20th century were won by the New York Yankees -- and they didn't win their first pennant until 1921.
Red Mass
Attended my first Red Mass this evening at St. Mary Cathedral Church. Amazingly beautiful building.
The Austin Diocese celebrates it following the First Monday in October to coincide with the opening of Supreme Court. The purpose is to bless/consecrate lawmakers, judges, lawyers, etc... to do their best.
Very humbling.
Had to go in light of publication this week of the memoirs of Associate Justice Thomas, My Grandfather's Son.
The Austin Diocese celebrates it following the First Monday in October to coincide with the opening of Supreme Court. The purpose is to bless/consecrate lawmakers, judges, lawyers, etc... to do their best.
Very humbling.
Had to go in light of publication this week of the memoirs of Associate Justice Thomas, My Grandfather's Son.
Re: Judge Dad
Shouldn't that be "an (expletive) judge?"
Of course I'm kidding; one must assume the expletive started with the fourth consonant and ended with the fifth.
Of course I'm kidding; one must assume the expletive started with the fourth consonant and ended with the fifth.
Re: WW IV
How strong are NP's arguments on the propagation of democracies in the Middle East aspect of the Bush Doctrine? That is the tine with which I am losing faith.
World War IV
The Bush Doctrine explained, neoconservatism defended. If you believe we're in a war--and I do--Norman Podhoretz's book proposes that it's World War IV.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Re: Reid and Harkin v. Limbaugh
On further reflection I could've been more concise.
By stooping to criticize Limbaugh despite his power (real or imagined and I've conceded I'm a fan), Reid and Harkin and the rest demean their offices.
By stooping to criticize Limbaugh despite his power (real or imagined and I've conceded I'm a fan), Reid and Harkin and the rest demean their offices.
Reid and Harkin v. Limbaugh
I guess I've underestimated the power of Rush. I've listened fairly regularly for years, primarily just for the enjoyment of listening to a guy who so clearly enjoys what he does: entertaining his audience.
Sure, I occasionally learn something like I did yesterday in his 90 minutes with Associate Justice Thomas, but I'd never use him as a primary source. What does he regularly call himself? Something like, "expert broadcast specialist." The other titles he bestows upon himself are pretty clearly marketing ploys.
Reid's comments and especially Harkin's drug reference on the floor appear so whiny, so small; it's embarrassing. Why give this attention to a radio host? The answer has to be they fear him. How cowardly is that? Afraid of a radio guy.
I know he has power and probably did have an effect in the '94 Republican taking of Congress but he's still just a radio guy.
This is silly. Please stop it.
Sure, I occasionally learn something like I did yesterday in his 90 minutes with Associate Justice Thomas, but I'd never use him as a primary source. What does he regularly call himself? Something like, "expert broadcast specialist." The other titles he bestows upon himself are pretty clearly marketing ploys.
Reid's comments and especially Harkin's drug reference on the floor appear so whiny, so small; it's embarrassing. Why give this attention to a radio host? The answer has to be they fear him. How cowardly is that? Afraid of a radio guy.
I know he has power and probably did have an effect in the '94 Republican taking of Congress but he's still just a radio guy.
This is silly. Please stop it.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Arkansas and Texas
Ok, I'm now completely sold that our "student-athletes" need a playoff in Division 1A. Why do I have any reason to watch the rest of the UT season except on the extremely remote chance that there will be X number of one-game losses for those ahead of the one-loss teams?
Of course I'll watch and even pay any outrageous PPV fees, but with much less heart.
And, I readily acknowledge that UT should have two losses.
Of course I'll watch and even pay any outrageous PPV fees, but with much less heart.
And, I readily acknowledge that UT should have two losses.
Re: The Hillary Laugh
I listened to the HH Friday show yesterday and Chowda Man had much fun with same.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
My Llama .45
I've had my Llama .45 cal. for about 20 years. It was a gift from my Dad. On my Dad's passing, my brother and I divied up his quite substantial arsenal (much larger than I had suspected).
Included in my haul are two Colt 1911 .45s. Ok, more of the same except for the classic 1911 style that I've envied for some time.
New to me are two little Colt autos, a .32 and a .25. Both pea shooters.
A Ruger long barrel .22 six in the cylinder pistol. Still a pea shooter but a genuine target pistol.
Also new to me a Marlin .44 mag Rem. Magnum rifle...classic cowboy design...like Chuck Connors carried in The Rifleman. And a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum, also six in the cylinder. I knew these were powerful guns but I went to Academy today to by ammunition. Obviously I need to do that before I take them out to see how they perform. As Lileks would say, "jeebus!" these are huge bullets. I had no idea what magnums (magna?) were.
Obviously, my .45s are actually larger. The magnum projectiles are not so imposing (except that the .357s are hollow point) but the cartridges holding the charge are huge. I cannot imagine what the recoils will be from these things.
Almost felt illegal just buying these things.
Included in my haul are two Colt 1911 .45s. Ok, more of the same except for the classic 1911 style that I've envied for some time.
New to me are two little Colt autos, a .32 and a .25. Both pea shooters.
A Ruger long barrel .22 six in the cylinder pistol. Still a pea shooter but a genuine target pistol.
Also new to me a Marlin .44 mag Rem. Magnum rifle...classic cowboy design...like Chuck Connors carried in The Rifleman. And a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum, also six in the cylinder. I knew these were powerful guns but I went to Academy today to by ammunition. Obviously I need to do that before I take them out to see how they perform. As Lileks would say, "jeebus!" these are huge bullets. I had no idea what magnums (magna?) were.
Obviously, my .45s are actually larger. The magnum projectiles are not so imposing (except that the .357s are hollow point) but the cartridges holding the charge are huge. I cannot imagine what the recoils will be from these things.
Almost felt illegal just buying these things.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Re: The Great Flood
So far, State Farm has been great. We are using their Preferred Service Plan, which is basically you pay your full deductible up front, and from then on you pay nothing. Once the general contractor and the flooring contractor get involved, State Farm pays them, not us. The only thing(s) we pay are any upgrades that we want (counter tops, flooring, carpet, etc).
You pay the deductible to people who dry out the house. However, I was told by the operations manager guy that came out a couple of times during the process that their bill ALONE would probably end up twice what my deductible was (State Farm will pay them the difference). So right then, I'm ahead of the game....
State Farm gave us a list of 4 or 5 general and flooring contractors to choose from. If you don't have a preference, the next ones in the rotation are chosen for you. While they won't "endorse" any one over the other (since they all have to meet certain standards for State Farm), one of the State Farm guys who works in this program told me about each one, so I got a sense of them.
State Farm is also paying for any increase in our electric bill during the dry out time (our usage went WAY up...3076 kwh the month before to 4800 this month), any increase in our water bill, eating expenses since our kitchen will be torn up and not usable, and for any days we have to stay in a hotel or extended stay place.
So far they are getting high marks from me....
You pay the deductible to people who dry out the house. However, I was told by the operations manager guy that came out a couple of times during the process that their bill ALONE would probably end up twice what my deductible was (State Farm will pay them the difference). So right then, I'm ahead of the game....
State Farm gave us a list of 4 or 5 general and flooring contractors to choose from. If you don't have a preference, the next ones in the rotation are chosen for you. While they won't "endorse" any one over the other (since they all have to meet certain standards for State Farm), one of the State Farm guys who works in this program told me about each one, so I got a sense of them.
State Farm is also paying for any increase in our electric bill during the dry out time (our usage went WAY up...3076 kwh the month before to 4800 this month), any increase in our water bill, eating expenses since our kitchen will be torn up and not usable, and for any days we have to stay in a hotel or extended stay place.
So far they are getting high marks from me....
Friday, September 28, 2007
Still a little groggy...
Had some gum work done today under conscious sedation. Total success but I'm moving a little slowly.
Re: It's Rudy and Hillary
I'll take it, too. Rudy's been hitting me up for $$$ for months. Guess I'll get out the checkbook.
"That's what I'm talking about."
I thought that phrase was recently coined; it wasn't. Listen to Pinetop from 1929 in today's Bleat.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
McCain's Energy Policy
Who knew the crusty "maverick" would be the most sensible? From today's NRO:
We have in use today, a zero-emission energy that could provide electricity for millions more homes and businesses than it currently does. Yet it has been over 25 years since a nuclear-power plant has been constructed. The barriers to nuclear energy are political not technological. We’ve let the fears of 30 years ago, and an endless political squabble over the storage of nuclear spent fuel make it virtually impossible to build a single new plant that produces a form of energy that is safe and non-polluting. If France can produce 80-percent of its electricity with nuclear power, why can’t we? Is France a more secure, advanced, and innovative country than we are? Are France’s scientists and entrepreneurs more capable than we are? I need no answer to that rhetorical question. I know my country well enough to know otherwise.
We have in use today, a zero-emission energy that could provide electricity for millions more homes and businesses than it currently does. Yet it has been over 25 years since a nuclear-power plant has been constructed. The barriers to nuclear energy are political not technological. We’ve let the fears of 30 years ago, and an endless political squabble over the storage of nuclear spent fuel make it virtually impossible to build a single new plant that produces a form of energy that is safe and non-polluting. If France can produce 80-percent of its electricity with nuclear power, why can’t we? Is France a more secure, advanced, and innovative country than we are? Are France’s scientists and entrepreneurs more capable than we are? I need no answer to that rhetorical question. I know my country well enough to know otherwise.
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
GM Strike
GM able to get "union-aligned trust" to take some of its health care liabilities.
From Reuters:
The agreement allows GM to shift more than $50 billion of retiree health-care liabilities to an independent union-aligned trust -- a breakthrough expected to allow Detroit automakers to cut in half a labor-cost gap against Japanese competitors.
If GM couldn't manage the costs, how well will this "trust?" Good for GM but those UAW folks better start saving.
From Reuters:
The agreement allows GM to shift more than $50 billion of retiree health-care liabilities to an independent union-aligned trust -- a breakthrough expected to allow Detroit automakers to cut in half a labor-cost gap against Japanese competitors.
If GM couldn't manage the costs, how well will this "trust?" Good for GM but those UAW folks better start saving.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Re: Re: Pokes
Who knew LJ was a closet jihadist?
I'm still not sold on the Pokes' Offensive Line. We'll see.
Doesn't Dr. Skip (Bayless) still have a voice in Big D? He was a real homer under Landry but never seemed afraid to speak truth to power after the Landry decapitation.
I'm still not sold on the Pokes' Offensive Line. We'll see.
Doesn't Dr. Skip (Bayless) still have a voice in Big D? He was a real homer under Landry but never seemed afraid to speak truth to power after the Landry decapitation.
Hindsight Bias
Nice article on the subject today at TCS.
From the part on Afghanistan and Iraq:
In hindsight, most people made the right decision about Afghanistan and Iraq. That is, in hindsight, most people are in favor of invading the former and against invading the latter.
...
In fact, the unexpectedly low cost of invading Afghanistan may have been one of the reasons for the unexpectedly high cost of invading Iraq. The Bush Administration probably based its expectations of the latter on the outcome of the former.
For now, it is not clear what is the best strategy in Iraq. Some argue that the larger the role that Americans take in the war, the less incentive for the Iraqi government to address difficult issues. Others argue that without a major American presence, security will deteriorate and the country will sink into sectarian violence. Years from now, we may know the answer to these and other questions. And with hindsight bias, we will wonder how those who were on the wrong side of the issue could have been so blind. Meanwhile, real decisions have to be made with imperfect information.
From the part on Afghanistan and Iraq:
In hindsight, most people made the right decision about Afghanistan and Iraq. That is, in hindsight, most people are in favor of invading the former and against invading the latter.
...
In fact, the unexpectedly low cost of invading Afghanistan may have been one of the reasons for the unexpectedly high cost of invading Iraq. The Bush Administration probably based its expectations of the latter on the outcome of the former.
For now, it is not clear what is the best strategy in Iraq. Some argue that the larger the role that Americans take in the war, the less incentive for the Iraqi government to address difficult issues. Others argue that without a major American presence, security will deteriorate and the country will sink into sectarian violence. Years from now, we may know the answer to these and other questions. And with hindsight bias, we will wonder how those who were on the wrong side of the issue could have been so blind. Meanwhile, real decisions have to be made with imperfect information.
Finally
The one lesson we could learn from our European betters finally arrives. From the DMN:
NRG Energy and CPS Energy filed with regulators Monday for licenses to build two new nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project, the first nuclear power application in nearly 30 years.
...
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects applications for about two dozen new licenses in the next couple of years as power companies attempt to take advantage of federal loan guarantees for nuclear reactors. The NRG application may test Americans' appetite for the pollution-free energy that carries a risk of radioactive spills.
But of course:
NRG's other partner at the South Texas Project, the city of Austin's utility, hasn't decided whether to invest in the new reactors and won't make that decision for a few months, spokesman Ed Clark said.
NRG Energy and CPS Energy filed with regulators Monday for licenses to build two new nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project, the first nuclear power application in nearly 30 years.
...
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission expects applications for about two dozen new licenses in the next couple of years as power companies attempt to take advantage of federal loan guarantees for nuclear reactors. The NRG application may test Americans' appetite for the pollution-free energy that carries a risk of radioactive spills.
But of course:
NRG's other partner at the South Texas Project, the city of Austin's utility, hasn't decided whether to invest in the new reactors and won't make that decision for a few months, spokesman Ed Clark said.
Re: Pokes
I can barely listen to "The Ticket" because it is almost 24/7 "boys". My radio choices are very limited and especially in the mornings, I find myself listening to this station that I think is Arabic. During part of my morning drive, they have what I think is the adhan (muslim call to prayer) which for some reason I find somewhat soothing. Then a speaker saying who knows what, then music. For all I know, the speaker is spewing some bin Laden type musings - or it could be a commercial. I did hear a station promo once that said "Dallas....Houston", so perhaps it is carried in H-town.
Anyway....back to the Cowboys. Sunday night I did what I normally do - I watch their games until it seems like they will win, then I turn it off.
Anyway....back to the Cowboys. Sunday night I did what I normally do - I watch their games until it seems like they will win, then I turn it off.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Myth of the Rational Voter
This is a tough read...lots of charts and math (neither of which is my strong suit) but worth the read so far.
Pokes
Watched that game last night...is Romo...are the Pokes for real? I'm not yet sold but the OL surprised. LJ, the radio buzz in Dallas must be going nuts.
Re: Single-payer Portent
From a reader citing this:
“On March 1, 2008, the level of subsidy will begin to be reduced, which will gradually lead families toward independence. Program participants will pay a portion of the cost, which will begin at $50 per month and incrementally increase each month thereafter until the program concludes on March 1, 2009...
and of course FEMA/HUD, both admin agencies with bush appointees at helm. Years of Rep controlled Congress could have made changes if they'd wanted to...”
Me: Well, I'm happy that the winding down seems to have commenced. Should have been transferred to HUD a long time ago (not that my faith in HUD far exceeds my faith in FEMA but, working often with HUD, faith in HUD does exceed faith in FEMA). FEMA should be for the quick in and out, HUD for the long-term. I realize there are those who will likely need assistance for about...forever.
It appears my clients' tenants will have received two full years of free rent and a third year that will average one-half of the total rent for the year if the increments are also $50.00 and good for them.
The Republican controlled Congress, the GWB Agencies, and GWB are precisely those upon whom I lay the blame. Can't point the finger anywhere else.
“On March 1, 2008, the level of subsidy will begin to be reduced, which will gradually lead families toward independence. Program participants will pay a portion of the cost, which will begin at $50 per month and incrementally increase each month thereafter until the program concludes on March 1, 2009...
and of course FEMA/HUD, both admin agencies with bush appointees at helm. Years of Rep controlled Congress could have made changes if they'd wanted to...”
Me: Well, I'm happy that the winding down seems to have commenced. Should have been transferred to HUD a long time ago (not that my faith in HUD far exceeds my faith in FEMA but, working often with HUD, faith in HUD does exceed faith in FEMA). FEMA should be for the quick in and out, HUD for the long-term. I realize there are those who will likely need assistance for about...forever.
It appears my clients' tenants will have received two full years of free rent and a third year that will average one-half of the total rent for the year if the increments are also $50.00 and good for them.
The Republican controlled Congress, the GWB Agencies, and GWB are precisely those upon whom I lay the blame. Can't point the finger anywhere else.
Single-payer portent
Ok, I’m getting a little ticked now.
We all remember August 29, 2005. Of course, that was the day Katrina hit. By November, my gracious clients had purchased two brand new 3-2 homes in Austin. They then leased them to two Katrina families for whopping $600 per month for three years with three one year options AND an option to purchase at any time at the price my clients paid for the homes WITH ALL rent paid to be applied to the purchase price.
Play one’s cards right and that means one rents for six years and has an automatic $43,200.00 down payment to apply toward the purchase of a six year old home that was built for about $170,000. In other words, the tenants get $43,200.00 PLUS any appreciation over six years in INSTANT equity. Finance the balance over 30 years at a high 7.5% and the payments, less tax and insurance, would be about $890.00 per month.
Yes, yes, Scooter, you mentioned all this in 2006. Why the capital letters? Why so upset?
Because I just got notice today that FEMA HAS EXTENDED THEIR RENTAL SUBSIDY (100%) THROUGH NOVEMBER! TWO YEARS AFTER THE EVENT!
I certainly don’t blame the families here. I'd keep my nose in the trough/mouth at the teat as long as possible, too. I’ve even kinda lived it recently with all the tests my Dad went through in his last months on Medicare. But having lived through all the inefficiencies imbedded in that system (rough guess, maybe $5000-$9000 in unneeded tests), this FEMA thing continues to depress.
Heaven help us if we go single-payer health care.
We all remember August 29, 2005. Of course, that was the day Katrina hit. By November, my gracious clients had purchased two brand new 3-2 homes in Austin. They then leased them to two Katrina families for whopping $600 per month for three years with three one year options AND an option to purchase at any time at the price my clients paid for the homes WITH ALL rent paid to be applied to the purchase price.
Play one’s cards right and that means one rents for six years and has an automatic $43,200.00 down payment to apply toward the purchase of a six year old home that was built for about $170,000. In other words, the tenants get $43,200.00 PLUS any appreciation over six years in INSTANT equity. Finance the balance over 30 years at a high 7.5% and the payments, less tax and insurance, would be about $890.00 per month.
Yes, yes, Scooter, you mentioned all this in 2006. Why the capital letters? Why so upset?
Because I just got notice today that FEMA HAS EXTENDED THEIR RENTAL SUBSIDY (100%) THROUGH NOVEMBER! TWO YEARS AFTER THE EVENT!
I certainly don’t blame the families here. I'd keep my nose in the trough/mouth at the teat as long as possible, too. I’ve even kinda lived it recently with all the tests my Dad went through in his last months on Medicare. But having lived through all the inefficiencies imbedded in that system (rough guess, maybe $5000-$9000 in unneeded tests), this FEMA thing continues to depress.
Heaven help us if we go single-payer health care.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Good Heavens Krauthammer was depressing today...
Thursday, September 20, 2007
ISI Civics Quiz
C'mon, my SSJ brethren, take the quiz. Let's hear those results. I'm ready if you humiliate me.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Last Tues morning at 3:05 am
I haven't been reading the board much lately. In fact, I haven't been doing much of anything other than work, sleep and dealing with an event that occurred last week.
I woke up at said time to the sound of what I thought was rain drops. Since it had rained very hard here in DFW the night before, I didn't think much of it. However, it didn't sound "right" - the rain sounded louder than normal. So I listened for a minute and decided that the rain was coming from inside the house. I went out of our bedroom, through the family room into the kitchen, where the rain sounds were extremely loud. I turned on a light and saw....
water pouring out of the light fixture I had turned on. I looked down and saw that I was standing in water. I looked around and water was coming out of most of the light fixtures in the kitchen. I ran upstairs and the landing area was drenched. I turned on a light and water was coming out of the little closet where our water heater is. I opened the closet and water was just pouring out of the bottom of it. I tried to turn the water off via the cut off value, but it didn't work. After trying to turn the water off to the entire house (which is at the street at the meter which was under water because of the rain the night before), I got a hose and was going to drain the water heater using the hose value at the base of the water heater (until I could get the water turned off). I was going to run the hose from the water heater to the tub in the upstairs bathroom - when I tried to attache the hose, that part blew out and a jet stream of water started spewing out against the opposite wall. I finally got a wrench and used it to turn off the water to the heater.
When I went downstairs to the kitchen, water was still coming out of the light fixtures and there was about a 1/4" of standing water in the entire kitchen. That water went out into the dining room and out into the wood floors of the family room. Ceilings, walls, carpet....well, I think you get the picture. C was out-of-town all that week at a sales meeting, so she could only use her imagination to picture what the house looked like. By the time she got home, all the water and wet and the like was gone, so it didn't look as bad as she expected. Basically every room in our house except for our upstairs computer room, our downstairs master bedroom and master bath were effected in some way. The walls and ceiling in the kitchen as well. We won't know the full extent until 1) everything is dried out and 2) a claims person assesses the damage.
A water removal company has been out here since 10am that day trying to dry out everything. At one point, we had over 25 fans, blowers and dehumidifiers in the house. Plus, these weird looking floor-mats that are all over the wood floors sucking the water out from under them. The new paint job we had done a year ago in most of indoors - ruined probably. The new floor we had just put in the week before in the upstairs bathroom - too soon to tell. C mandated that we had to get a tank-less water heater installed - I don't want to get into how much that cost (while our insurance will cover damages from the water, they won't cover the cost to replace the thing that caused it).
The insurance claims person comes out Friday to assess the damage and start the process of repairs/replacement. C and I are getting geared up for that fight. Hopefully it won't be as I expect it will be. Supposedly State Farm (our insurance) is #1 in customer satisfaction. We'll see...
I woke up at said time to the sound of what I thought was rain drops. Since it had rained very hard here in DFW the night before, I didn't think much of it. However, it didn't sound "right" - the rain sounded louder than normal. So I listened for a minute and decided that the rain was coming from inside the house. I went out of our bedroom, through the family room into the kitchen, where the rain sounds were extremely loud. I turned on a light and saw....
water pouring out of the light fixture I had turned on. I looked down and saw that I was standing in water. I looked around and water was coming out of most of the light fixtures in the kitchen. I ran upstairs and the landing area was drenched. I turned on a light and water was coming out of the little closet where our water heater is. I opened the closet and water was just pouring out of the bottom of it. I tried to turn the water off via the cut off value, but it didn't work. After trying to turn the water off to the entire house (which is at the street at the meter which was under water because of the rain the night before), I got a hose and was going to drain the water heater using the hose value at the base of the water heater (until I could get the water turned off). I was going to run the hose from the water heater to the tub in the upstairs bathroom - when I tried to attache the hose, that part blew out and a jet stream of water started spewing out against the opposite wall. I finally got a wrench and used it to turn off the water to the heater.
When I went downstairs to the kitchen, water was still coming out of the light fixtures and there was about a 1/4" of standing water in the entire kitchen. That water went out into the dining room and out into the wood floors of the family room. Ceilings, walls, carpet....well, I think you get the picture. C was out-of-town all that week at a sales meeting, so she could only use her imagination to picture what the house looked like. By the time she got home, all the water and wet and the like was gone, so it didn't look as bad as she expected. Basically every room in our house except for our upstairs computer room, our downstairs master bedroom and master bath were effected in some way. The walls and ceiling in the kitchen as well. We won't know the full extent until 1) everything is dried out and 2) a claims person assesses the damage.
A water removal company has been out here since 10am that day trying to dry out everything. At one point, we had over 25 fans, blowers and dehumidifiers in the house. Plus, these weird looking floor-mats that are all over the wood floors sucking the water out from under them. The new paint job we had done a year ago in most of indoors - ruined probably. The new floor we had just put in the week before in the upstairs bathroom - too soon to tell. C mandated that we had to get a tank-less water heater installed - I don't want to get into how much that cost (while our insurance will cover damages from the water, they won't cover the cost to replace the thing that caused it).
The insurance claims person comes out Friday to assess the damage and start the process of repairs/replacement. C and I are getting geared up for that fight. Hopefully it won't be as I expect it will be. Supposedly State Farm (our insurance) is #1 in customer satisfaction. We'll see...
Re: Big TV's
Yes, we have a 42" HDTV. We've had it since 2002. Ours is a LCD. We have been talking about getting another one and in talking to people about the plasma/LCD argument, most agree that the picture on plasma is better, but over time images "burn" into the screen. That doesn't sound good to me, so I think we'll go LCD again.
And yes, I watch my Hogs in HD - when they win, it seems even sweeter. When they lose (as they did last week), it's doesn't seem as bad.....
And yes, I watch my Hogs in HD - when they win, it seems even sweeter. When they lose (as they did last week), it's doesn't seem as bad.....
Big TVs
I know Michael has taken the plunge and suspect LJ watches his Hogs on HDTV. Any thoughts on LCD v. Plasma?
Longhorns starting to look like Cowboys
This is getting out of hand. From the Daily Texan:
The Texas football team took another legal hit Tuesday when news broke that the second Longhorn in a week's time was arrested and suspended indefinitely.
…
He's the seventh Longhorn arrested in less than four months, including two on felony charges.
The Texas football team took another legal hit Tuesday when news broke that the second Longhorn in a week's time was arrested and suspended indefinitely.
…
He's the seventh Longhorn arrested in less than four months, including two on felony charges.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
