I’m dealing with some renovation issues on my house, so expect pretty light blogging for the immediate future…
Real Life Temporarily Defeats Blogging
August 12th, 2010Christopher Hitchens on His Battle Against Cancer
August 6th, 2010As always, an interesting essay. Including wondering why cancer is the one malady people always battle. “You don’t hear it about long-term sufferers from heart disease or kidney failure.”
I previously talked about Hitchen’s cancer about a month ago.
(Hat tip: Diana Fleischman’s Facebook feed.)
Don’t Read This if You’re a Dog Owner and Have High Blood Pressure
August 5th, 2010Your dog gets into a tussle with another dog in an off-leash dog park. Do you:
- Separate the dogs
- Ask the owner of the other dog to leave the park
- Shoot the other dog dead.
Evidently, “3” is the answer you choose if you’re an off duty cop and criminally stupid. And because he was a cop, no charges were filed.
It angries up the blood, it does…
(Hat tip Say Uncle.)
Nuevo Laredo Shootout Update
August 4th, 2010Warning: Graphic Material Contained in Links Below
Dwight linked to this after-action report on a two-hour gun-battle between the Mexican Army and members of drug cartel in Nuevo Laredo. (Warning: Includes some graphic images.)
Later, some people pointed out that at least one of the images looked strangely familiar. Some commentators doubted whether such a gun-battle had even taken place at all.
But there are many news bulletins about the battle itself. Also, the vast majority of those photos appear to be from that shootout, many of which are also shown here. (Again, remember that graphic clip warning. We’re talking serious, non-CGI exploded skulls here.) Of course, maybe that set of photos is from another shootout as well, but the photos do seem to be, at the very least, compatible with the (admittedly sketchy) news stories on the event.
On the other hand, those stories of drug gangs taking over ranches on this side of the border appear to be bunk.
Michael Totten Interviews Benjamin Kerstein
August 4th, 2010So I saw the link for this Michael Totten interview on Instapundit, and the name Benjamin Kerstein rang a bell. He was the one that penned this excellent essay on Zionism as a refutation of liberalism, which I cited in some of my Helen Thomas coverage.
This interview talks about, among other things, the “reality bubble” English speakers in Tel Aviv walk around, the Arab-Israeli conflict, options for dealing with Iran, and more. It’s quite fascinating. Read the whole thing, and remember than Totten depends on reader tips for his funding.
71% of Missouri Voters Oppose ObamaCare
August 4th, 2010Those numbers aren’t from an opinion poll, they’ve from actual voting results on Proposition C.
Missouri is often considered a political bellwether state. It went for McCain in 2008, but only by .1% of the vote.
If ObamaCare is this unpopular nationwide, then Democrats are in for a world of hurt come November.
Living Off the Grid and Green Baiting
August 4th, 2010Interesting mini-interview with Nick Rosen, a proponent of living “off the grid.”
I especially liked this quote from him:
I rather like Thoreau because he was also a part-timer. He walked back to have his mother do his washing on Fridays. For him, it wasn’t a religion- it was a beautiful philosophical experience. It wasn’t a competition to see who could wear the hairiest hair shirt.
Naturally, right below the religious greens immediately start complaining that his hair shirt isn’t hairy enough…
Update: Link fixed.
Fake Austerity, the Obama Way
August 3rd, 2010Problem: Voters are outraged that government bureaucrats continue to get hefty pay and benefit hikes while the private sector suffers through the leanest years since the Great Depression.
Solution: A bonus (not pay) freeze, and only for political appointees (that’s, what, all of 2.000 people?).
Next on the list of Obama Austerity Measures: Offbrand caviar for the SEIU lounge.
Dr. Atkins Vindicated
August 2nd, 2010For years, the federal government, doctors and nutritionists have treated dietary fat as Public Enemy #1, despite scanty science of a link between fat intake and obesity. Meanwhile, the same people were talking up carbohydrates as a perfectly healthy food choice at the same time when, by an amazing coincidence, Uncle Sam was dishing up tens of billions of dollars in corn and grain agribusiness subsidies.In effect, saying no to meat and fat meant saying yes to high fructose corn syrup.
So a significant portion of Americans start cutting back on fat and loading up the carbs. Then, a little while later, that ungrateful little heretic, Dr. Robert Atkins, has the insolence to point out “Hey, obesity is up, not down, and diabetes is going through the roof. Maybe fat isn’t evil, and maybe too many carbohydrates can make you fat.” The condemnation of the Government Medical Complex was swift and merciless, and only increased in vitriol when he came out with a diet that actually helped people lose weight.
Now comes word that it’s all been one big fat lie. (Preceding pun blatantly stolen from Gary Taubes’ ground-breaking New York Times Atkins story from 2002.) Very large and rigorous scientific studies increasing show no link between dietary fat and obesity.
But don’t expect a significant change in federal government diet guidelines anytime soon, since the Atkins diet is still politically incorrect among the “meat is evil” religious environmentalist crowd, which make up a disproportionate share of our ruling elite. Big government means never having to admit you were wrong…
HELLO I AM MAJOR NIDAL HASAN
July 30th, 2010YOU MAY BE SURPRISED AT HEARING FROM ME, AS WE HAVE NOT SPOKEN BEFORE, BUT I AM UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ARE A PERSON OF TRUSTHWORTHYNESS.
I AM RECEIVING MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF OVER $6,000 A MONTH FROM THE UNITED STATES (U.S.) ARMY, BUT NO BANK WILL CASH THEM FOR ME.
IF YOU WOULD OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT IN MY NAME, I WILL SPLIT THE PROCEEDS WITH YOU 50/50.
PLEASE REPLY IN UTTER CONFIDENCE.
ALLAH AKBAR!
MAJ. NIDAL HASAN
CELLBLOCK 3F
BELL COUNTY JAIL
111 WEST CENTRAL AVENUE
BELTON, TX 76513-3078