Why Dr. Paul Krugman Rocks.....

Because he does have a unique ability to concisely point out the hypocrisy and perfidy in our federal government.

Ezra Klein wonders why we still have multiple agriculture committees when we hardly have any farmers, and proposed their abolition. But I’d propose the opposite solution: more committees to represent comparably-sized segments of the population.

We should, in particular, have several Congressional committees, plus a Cabinet-level department, representing Americans who play World of Warcraft, who outnumber American farmers.

I personally would like to be the paladin class designate. I feel I understand the concerns of my fellow pallys. I would do my utmost to address the lack of healing diversity, and deplorable state of the plate drops off of end-game mobs.

Seriously though, I do believe Ezra Klein is on to something. The traditional American Farm, just really doesn't exist on any scale nowadays. Most are corporate farms which reap the benefits that were initially designed to help the individual farmer, not Monsanto. That is an extreme source of waste and poor management. Billions of dollars could be reallocated if we changed the structure of the farm subsidies. But the inertia those programs have now is going to make it hard to dismantle the system....

-Cheers

R.I.P

Michael Jackson |MTV Music

Though there were trials and travails. This is how I will always remember him.

He was too young by far.

-Cheers

...And the Theme of this post is?

I really like the extra sauce on the sandwich. Nice touch.

I really like the throw pillow in the second image.

And I am mildly interested about that HBO show.

-Cheers

Nice Editing or....Sick Skill.....

Not sure which it is, but either is pretty snazzy.

-Cheers

"It's a strange world.....Lets keep it that way."

Thought a change of pace might be nice. Came across an interesting Newsweek article that I found to be absolutely riveting.

It is another log on the eternal Nature vs. Nurture debate.

Don't Blame the Cavemen.

On jealously:

Let's not speculate on the motives that (mostly male) evolutionary psychologists might have in asserting that their wives are programmed to not really care if they sleep around, and turn instead to the evidence. In questionnaires, more men than women say they'd be upset more by sexual infidelity than emotional infidelity, by a margin of more than 2-to-1, David Buss of the University of Texas found in an early study of American college students. But men are evenly split on which kind of infidelity upsets them more: half find it more upsetting to think of their mate falling in love with someone else; half find it more upsetting to think of her sleeping with someone else. Not very strong evidence for the claim that men, as a species, care more about sexual infidelity. And in some countries, notably Germany and the Netherlands, the percentage of men who say they find sexual infidelity more upsetting than the emotional kind is only 28 percent and 23 percent. Which suggests that, once again, it depends: in cultures with a relaxed view of female sexuality, men do not get all that upset if a woman has a brief, meaningless fling. It does not portend that she will leave him. It is much more likely that both men and women are wired to detect behavior that threatens their bond, but what that behavior is depends on culture. In a society where an illicit affair portends the end of a relationship, men should indeed be wired to care about that. In a society where that's no big deal, they shouldn't—and, it seems, don't. New data on what triggers jealousy in women also undercut the simplistic evo-psych story. Asked which upsets them more—imagining their partner having acrobatic sex with another woman or falling in love with her—only 13 percent of U.S. women, 12 percent of Dutch women and 8 percent of German women chose door No. 2. So much for the handy "she's wired to not really care if I sleep around" excuse.

Interesting stuff there.

-Cheers

Failing upward....

I tried and failed to come up with something humorous to post today, but I just do not have it in me. Instead here are some of the news items that have been occupying my mind.

• Greenwald has a nice post up, on criticizing the Obama administration.
• A welcome exchange between Chuck Todd and President Obama.
• CNN's coverage is loads better now.
• Nico Pitney asks the toughest question of the Press Conference.
• Michael Caladerone is suspicious.
• A favorite target of mine, Joe Klein. Wants people to chill out on the Iran comments.
• People need to figure out how to read polls, more importantly people who can not should not talk about them.
  

I think I am going to go pick up some books. Need to shake off a bit of that old ennui I feel coming on.

I have a fair mind to misbehave.

-Cheers

Don't Pull....Kush....

There are a million and one jokes I feel should be made. But I will pass. My karma can not handle that.

-Cheers

Oh it is freaking on.....

Michael Savage is complete and utter douche bag.

Savage declares: "The white Christian heterosexual married male is the epitome of everything right with America"

Also he does not seem to be able to read the cross tabs on polls either. I am not even sure where to start now. It is like these people are not even trying to hide their bigotry anymore.

Evil Overlording.....

I am still not quite sure....but this has to factor into my plans for world domination some how.

Sonic Black Holes

This is achieved by two clouds of atoms (called a Bose-Einstein condensate) cooled to almost absolute zero, with a pool of very low density between them. Atoms can flow very rapidly, pretty much unhindered, into this area of low density at speeds over four times the speed of sound.

This just sounds so cool!!!! No pun intended.

-Cheers

First rule....same as the Second...

For those that are wondering here are the other rules.

Necessity is a Mother....

Not sure what to even say about this...



-Cheers

The Revolution will be Tweeted.

Blatantly stole the title, but it is apropos.

If you have not been keeping up with the on goings in Iran, you should be ashamed. This is what a people yearning for freedom look like.

I don't know if they will be successful in forcing the entrenched power structure to back down. But they are trying and some are willing to die for a more free world for themselves and their children.
That is something to support, where ever it shows in the world.


Both the Dish and Huffington Post have done a spectacular job.

-Cheers

Joan Walsh Vs. Bill O'Reilly

This was an interesting dust up. Mrs. Walsh is not always one of my favorites, but the woman has stones and can be a forceful advocate. The "interview" is illuminating (with commentary here, here and here)



It is the reason I loathe discussing anything with people like that. The logical dissonance that he goes through is just stupefying.

My only quibble with Mrs. Walsh's performance would be, I would have stuck more to the 1% line of attack. The idea that this sort of abortion (late term) is common, or even routine is a dangerous assumption. Also I would have gone into greater detail of why this sort operation is performed, the sort of deformities that can only be detected at this state of development and the very real risk to the mother. Also the very limited access that women even have to this procedure if necessary. Many doctors will simply not perform this procedure (hence the referrals to Dr. Tiller and those like him) even if it is medically necessary. For fear of this sort of backlash.

Andrew Sullivan has a very moving collection of readers stories on the subject. While I will absolutely concede that there will always be someone who will abuse this system. I do in my heart of hearts believe it needs to be a legal option. These people who chose to share their stories moved from the hypothetical world into the physical one. Real people having to confront the real consequences proceeding with a difficult birth or a catastrophic diagnosis. No one should make light of that. It is torturous what these people have gone through.

This is one of the most intensely private issues there is. I personally do not like the idea of forcing anyone to carry a still born child to term merely to salve someone else's conscious.

-Cheers

Isn't that the one with Ice Cube...

Those that know me well, know that I can and will argue pretty much about anything, pretty much anywhere. Generally the only requirement is that it piques my interest in someway or that it makes me angry.

Today I got involved in a discussion that invoked the latter.

In the African American community, barbershops can be a place for discussion on a wide range of topics. From the standard sports bravado to urbane stylings of big city night life. As much as I loathe painting large swaths of the population with generalizations, this is a truism across the country regardless of region.

Now since I have that paint brush out, I will add a second coat. In this instance what drew my ire was the damn near ubiquitous homophobia that runs rampant in the African American community.

What started as a conversation on the relative coverage of Michael Vick's tribulations ranged eventually to pederasty/Catholic Church (yes I have the ability to warp just about any conversation). This is not a common transition and it was a circuitous route that was taken to get there. But arrive we did.

And stoked did my anger get.

What I found troubling, in the conversation was the conflation of homosexuality and pedophilia. It was literally articulated that it is some how worse if a little boy is molested by another man, then if a girl were. And it was subtly implied that homosexuality represented a tacit proclivity for pedophilia.

I argued vigorously that these things are not related. Gay men no more fantasize about little boys, then straight men fantasize about little girls. Being gay, does not in anyway, shape, nor form lead to being a pedophile. Pedophilia is rape. It is about wielding power and influence over another being regardless of their wishes. It is a deviant behavior.

The idea that it is somehow worse, for a little boy to be molested by his uncle then for a little girl to suffer the same fate, is disturbing on just so many levels. I am sure this is some sort of cultural bias playing out. But as I have said many times this post it is disturbing. In my mind there is no hierarchy of molestation. It is the destruction of innocence and abuse, pure and simple.

Anyway this is something I thought I would share.

**Also, more for your plate. Completely unrelated, but thought provoking nonetheless. An interesting dialog at the Atlantic. It's an interesting back and forth on identity politics.

-Cheers

"Post-Racial"

My most heartfelt sympathies go out to the family and friends of Stephen Johns.

There is a lot of coverage about this all over the teevee and the tubes. But I must give Shep Smith over at FOX his due, for calling out his watchers and offering some salient commentary.



This throws the recent invectives hurled at Judge Sotomayor, into even more stark contrast. She is not a racist. That above is what racism consists of.

Steve Benen over at Washington Monthly has more to say on the topic.

I just feel sick to my stomach so I will leave it again with my condolences.

-Cheers

The Future is now....

It seems that re-runs and direct to video movies have also revived the Futurama franchise. I only hope that Al Gore puts in an appearance.

-Cheers

Group Hug....

It seems Mr. Whelan decided to offer an apology to publius.

Publius accepted that apology.

And in general there was much rejoicing.

I still think it is the sign of a petty man, though.

-Cheers

More inside baseball....

Hilzoy tosses her hat into the ring.

Again this is more an issue, to me, of not being able to support your argument. So instead of addressing the merit of the criticize, you attack the critic.

-Cheers

Who you calling a coward?

There are many gross generalizations in the liberal vs. conservative debates. But this exchange encapsulates, the structural and intellectual difference between conservative and progressive movements as they are constituted today.

This is some serious inside baseball here. But it is something that I think gives insight into into the shell -shocked nature of the republican party and its functionaries in the blogosphere.

"publius", is a blogger who contributes to Obsidian Wings ( a fine blog by the way), who did what good bloggers do. Poked holes in the argument presented by Ed Whelan in regards to the Sotomayor nomination.

What results can only be described as some of the most juvenile behavior I have seen. Basically, Ed couldn't defend his argument, and instead decided to "out" publius (posting under a pseudonym is quite common and is generally respected).

Here are the collected posts (here, here, here, here and the Volokh post referenced).

I highly recommend reading them. And I would add that it is absolutely uncontroversial that circuit courts and the Supreme Court do, in fact, make policy. The law is not a perfect instrument. There are times when its intent is far from clear and the application of that law can be even murkier. This the void that judges at time fill.

Also this constant meme that conservatives even care about the rule of law or are strict constructionist, should be absolutely demolished. Conservatives are just as guilt of results oriented rulings as they accuse liberals of being. Just look at the debate over abortion, the Terri Schiavo case, or the Ricci case.

Basically by the conservative metric you are an activist if you rule in a manner that they do not agree with. The fact that this is not pointed our more often is a travesty.

-Cheers

Hammer Time!

It's been a crappy week. But this did make me laugh.



-Cheers

She blinded me with....Sequins.

I am not sure what I like the best, the sheer number of sequins or the sequined tie.

It just screams "MORE BEDAZZLE!".

-Cheers

Advertisements....

Normally I seriously hate on American commercials, but I can honestly say this is pretty solid entry from the yanks.

This Buds for you.


-Cheers

*giggle*

Buckshots of Awesome....

Where to start? No real point to this post other then a scattering for things from around the web.

So lets begin shall we?

• Lindsay Graham is a douche. Oh yeah, so are Rush Limbaugh and most of the right-wing punditocracy.
• Why is Pat Buchanan still on the teevee?
• Stem Cell contacts can cure blindness!!!
• Rep. Lamar Smith seems to think that "Liberal Media Bias" is the greatest threat to the United States.
• E.J. Dionne serves up some "WTF" pie as a response to this sentiment.
• Blossom got her hair did.
• And finally to all the single ladies out there.

-Cheers

And now for something different.....

Trying not to talk about the various depressing news items from this week.

So I will deflect and distract with dance.

I am often reminded of a kernel of wisdom gleaned from the that tome of eternal wisdom "The Evil Overlord List"

46. If an adviser says to me "My liege, he is but one man. What can one man possibly do?", I will reply "This." and kill the adviser.

One man can move mountains!

Also this is the stuff dreams are made of.

-Cheers

Good News!

The available window for the Earth's capability of sustaining life has been increased by a billion years!

I know you were all very concerned about that.

In all seriousness though, this does increase the likelihood of finding extraterrestrial life fairly dramatically. If other biospheres have similar lifespans then maybe we will get that chance to meet our new alien overlords.

-Cheers