Intellectual Crack - By John Derbyshire - The Corner - National Review Online

Intellectual Crack - By John Derbyshire - The Corner - National Review Online: " College is primarily a credentialing rite, a prolonged and fantastically expensive mental bris."

Althouse: "Labor Day parade organizers confirm that no Republicans will be allowed to participate in this year's Labor Day Parade."

Althouse: "Labor Day parade organizers confirm that no Republicans will be allowed to participate in this year's Labor Day Parade.": ""[Marathon County Labor Council] president Randy Radtke says they choose not to invite elected officials who have 'openly attacked worker's rights' or did nothing when state public workers lost most of their right to collectively bargain."

Pretty sure this is viewpoint discrimination, making this a violation of the First Amendment.

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Andy Warhol Quotes (page 2 of 2)

Andy Warhol Quotes (page 2 of 2): ""Sometimes people let the same problem make them miserable for years when they could just say, "So what."
"My mother didn't love me." So what.
"My husband won't ball me. So what.
"I'm a success but I'm still alone." So what.
I don't know how I made it through all the years before I learned how to do that trick. It took a long time for me to learn it, but once you do, you never forget." "

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Andy Warhol Quotes

Andy Warhol Quotes: "What's great about this country is America started the tradition where the richest consumers buy essentially the same things as the poorest. You can be watching TV and see Coca-Cola, and you can know that the President drinks Coke, Liz Taylor drinks Coke, and just think, you can drink Coke, too. A Coke is a Coke and no amount of money can get you a better Coke than the one the bum on the corner is drinking. All the Cokes are the same and all the Cokes are good."

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Buchanan: Collected Works, Buchanan and Tullock, The Calculus of Consent: Logical Foundations of Constitutional Democracy, Front Matter | Library of Economics and Liberty

Buchanan: Collected Works, Buchanan and Tullock, The Calculus of Consent: Logical Foundations of Constitutional Democracy, Front Matter | Library of Economics and Liberty: "Constitutional "choice" in the Calculus is unique in that such choice presupposes a type of generational uncertainty that prevents the decision maker from predicting how the choice will influence his or her welfare in the future. Thus, constitutional choice differs from ordinary political decision making in that it is devoid of direct self-interest."

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The Desperation-of-Deprivation Myth - Mark Steyn - National Review Online

The Desperation-of-Deprivation Myth - Mark Steyn - National Review Online: " President Obama has further incentivized statism as a career through his education “reforms,” under which anyone who goes into “public service” will have their college loans forgiven after ten years.

Why?

As I point out in my book, in the last six decades the size of America’s state and local government workforce has increased over three times faster than the general population. Yet Obama says it’s still not enough: The bureaucracy needs even more of our manpower."

The Desperation-of-Deprivation Myth - Mark Steyn - National Review Online

The Desperation-of-Deprivation Myth - Mark Steyn - National Review Online: "Any tourist in London quickly accepts that, unless he hails a cab or gets mugged, he will never be served by a native Londoner: Polish baristas, Balkan waitresses, but, until the mob shows up to torch his hotel, not a lot of Cockneys. A genial Member of Parliament argued that the real issue underlying the riots is “education and jobs,” but large numbers of employers seem to have concluded that, if you’ve got a job to offer, the best person to give it to is someone with the least exposure to a British education."

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Instapundit » Blog Archive » “I WANTED THE PRETTY GIRLS COMING UP TO ME AND SAYING ‘Hi, I see that you’re good at Centipede.’”…

Instapundit » Blog Archive » “I WANTED THE PRETTY GIRLS COMING UP TO ME AND SAYING ‘Hi, I see that you’re good at Centipede.’""

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Liberals’ Wisconsin Waterloo - The Washington Post

Liberals’ Wisconsin Waterloo - The Washington Post: "And teachers unions may no longer automatically deduct dues from members’ paychecks. After Colorado in 2001 required public employees unions to have annual votes reauthorizing collection of dues, membership in the Colorado Association of Public Employees declined 70 percent. In 2005, Indiana stopped collecting dues from unionized public employees; in 2011, there are 90 percent fewer dues-paying members. In Utah, the end of automatic dues deductions for political activities in 2001 caused teachers’ payments to fall 90 percent. After a similar law passed in 1992 in Washington state, the percentage of teachers making such contributions declined from 82 to 11."

Robert Barro: Keynesian Economics vs. Regular Economics - WSJ.com

Robert Barro: Keynesian Economics vs. Regular Economics - WSJ.com: Ironically, the administration created one informative data point by dramatically raising unemployment insurance eligibility to 99 weeks in 2009—a much bigger expansion than in previous recessions. Interestingly, the fraction of the unemployed who are long term (more than 26 weeks) has jumped since 2009—to over 44% today, whereas the previous peak had been only 26% during the 1982-83 recession. This pattern suggests that the dramatically longer unemployment-insurance eligibility period adversely affected the labor market. All we need now to get reliable estimates are a hundred more of these experiments.

Robert Barro: Keynesian Economics vs. Regular Economics - WSJ.com

Robert Barro: Keynesian Economics vs. Regular Economics - WSJ.com: If valid, this result would be truly miraculous. The recipients of food stamps get, say, $1 billion but they are not the only ones who benefit. Another $1 billion appears that can make the rest of society better off. Unlike the trade-off in regular economics, that extra $1 billion is the ultimate free lunch.

How can it be right? Where was the market failure that allowed the government to improve things just by borrowing money and giving it to people? Keynes, in his "General Theory" (1936), was not so good at explaining why this worked, and subsequent generations of Keynesian economists (including my own youthful efforts) have not been more successful.

Gov't Paying Farmers, Ranchers $112M to Protect Bird Too Numerous to be Threatened | CNSnews.com

Gov't Paying Farmers, Ranchers $112M to Protect Bird Too Numerous to be Threatened | CNSnews.com: “In the past two years, we’ve committed $112 million to this Sage Grouse Initiative in 11 states, using five separate programs.”

Global warming runs out of gas

Global warming runs out of gas: Mr. Gore is not a happy Jeremiah. You hear him on the tape near rage, repeatedly shouting "bulls--t" over the arguments of his critics. He raves about conspiracy - a rebirth of the tactics of the dreaded tobacco industry of a few decades back. He blames "media manipulation" for the refusal of people to take up his gloomy summons. He hisses at "volcanoes and sunspots" as having much or anything to do with climate. "Bulls--!" he cries over and over - perhaps it's the methane content that has him mesmerized with the word. Listen to this aria: "They pay pseudo-scientists to pretend to be scientists to put out the message: 'This climate thing, it's nonsense. Man-made CO2 doesn't trap heat. It may be volcanoes.' Bulls-t! 'It may be sun spots.' Bulls--t! 'It's not getting warmer.' Bulls--t!"

Can a person win the Nobel Peace prize twice? I surely hope so, for this is the E=mc² moment of our green time.

Interview: Samantha Bee, author of I Know I Am, But What Are You? | Memoirville

Interview: Samantha Bee, author of I Know I Am, But What Are You? | Memoirville: The website Cake Wrecks makes me laugh every time I visit it, without fail. Other peoples’ spelling errors thrill me more than I should probably ever admit (see: answer number three. I told you I was a nerd!). But spelling errors on a hideously decorated celebratory cake? I mean, that’s like heroin to me.

Bad luck? Bad faith? - The Washington Post

Bad luck? Bad faith? - The Washington Post: All but five Republican members of the House — moderate, establishment, Tea Party, freshmen alike — voted for a budget containing radical Medicare reform knowing it could very well end many of their careers. Democrats launched gleefully into Mediscare attacks, hardly believing their luck that Republicans should have proposed something so politically risky in pursuit of fiscal solvency. Yet Obama accuses Republicans of acting for nothing but partisan advantage.

That’s Government Stimulus Alright « The Enterprise Blog

That’s Government Stimulus Alright « The Enterprise Blog: So back in 2009 Fisker Automotive received half a billion dollars in government subsidized loans to develop and sell their luxury electric cars.

Courtesy of Business Insider, here’s a sneak peak at your government tax dollars at work:

High-end electric car maker Fisker is using a comically oversexed brochure to get people interested in its $100,000 car.

The tag line reads, “Designed to get you hot, not the planet.”

Government subsidizes a $100,000.00 car. Awesome.

California unemployment rises in July to 12% - latimes.com

California unemployment rises in July to 12% - latimes.com: "It was the second straight monthly increase in joblessness as measured by a federal survey of households.

California's unemployment rate was the second-highest in the nation, exceeded only by Nevada at 12.9%.

The state's employers added a modest 4,500 new jobs to payrolls, according to a separate monthly check of businesses. Last month, there were a revised 30,500 new jobs."

Here are some ideas to help California:

1. Elect all democrats

2. Pass more job-creating taxes

3. Pass more job-creating regulations

4. Pass more job-creating entitlements

Anything I'm missing?

Space Aliens Are Probably Progressive Liberals - By Daniel Foster - The Corner - National Review Online

Space Aliens Are Probably Progressive Liberals - By Daniel Foster - The Corner - National Review Online: By now you’ve probably read about the paper — authored by a NASA scientist along with two professors from Penn “Hockey Stick Graph” University — laying out various scenarios that might play out in the aftermath of first contact with an alien intelligence. The paper, published in Acta Astronautica, hilariously suggests that an otherwise benevolent alien race might nevertheless destroy us in a “preemptive” strike designed to stop us from global-warming our way to galactic domination. You read that right. Shall we call this manner of preemptive strike the Gore Doctrine?"

I know some scientists do real science every now and then. But, I pretty much resent scientists attempts to affect shape public policy in any way.

For first time, more corn used for ethanol than livestock | TheGazette

For first time, more corn used for ethanol than livestock | TheGazette: For the first time ever, more of the corn crop may go into gas tanks than into the stomachs of cattle and poultry destined for kitchen tables.

Depressing.

Bachmann Pledges Gas Will Be Less Than $2 a Gallon - By Katrina Trinko - The Corner - National Review Online

Bachmann Pledges Gas Will Be Less Than $2 a Gallon - By Katrina Trinko - The Corner - National Review Online: “Under President Bachmann you will see gasoline come down below $2 per gallon again. That will happen,” Bachmann said

That's crazy talk.

Hard-Wired Envy, Bryan Caplan | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty

Hard-Wired Envy, Bryan Caplan | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty: "If people envy people richer than themselves, I say we should fight envy, not inequality. A number of people have objected that 'Envy is 'hard-wired.'' They're right - but it doesn't matter."

Are Taxes on Corporations Taxes on People?, David Henderson | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty

Are Taxes on Corporations Taxes on People?, David Henderson | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty: "I remember that in addressing the issue in the 1980s, the late Herb Stein said that it's as if people think that if the government imposed a tax on cows, the tax would be paid by the cows."

Paul Simms: “God’s Blog” : The New Yorker

Paul Simms: “God’s Blog” : The New Yorker: "Unfocussed. Seems like a mishmash at best. You’ve got creatures that can speak but aren’t smart (parrots). Then, You’ve got creatures that are smart but can’t speak (dolphins, dogs, houseflies). Then, You’ve got man, who is smart and can speak but who can’t fly, breathe underwater, or unhinge his jaws to swallow large prey in one gulp. If it’s supposed to be chaos, then mission accomplished. But it seems more like laziness and bad planning."

The Volokh Conspiracy » Eugene Volokh

The Volokh Conspiracy » Eugene Volokh: "Even given the normal latitude for hyperbole and imprecision in such a context, it seems to me that Michael Moore’s recommendation calls for (and reflects) more ignorance of the Constitution — or willful disregard for the Constitution — than “guts.”"

Instapundit » Blog Archive » JAMES TARANTO: The Great Deflation: Barack Obama Keeps Getting Smaller And Smaller: Like a leak…

Instapundit » Blog Archive » JAMES TARANTO: The Great Deflation: Barack Obama Keeps Getting Smaller And Smaller: Like a leak…: "You deserve better than you’ve been getting out of Washington over the last 2½ months–for that matter, for the last 2½ years.”

For the last 2½ years. Is that not as explicit an acknowledgment of failure as has ever been heard from a sitting president?"

11th Circuit Rejects Mandate in Health Law - NYTimes.com

11th Circuit Rejects Mandate in Health Law - NYTimes.com: "The Cincinnati court ruled that the mandate was constitutional. The Atlanta court disagreed, in a majority opinion written by Chief Judge Joel F. Dubina, who was appointed by the first President George Bush, and Judge Frank M. Hull, who was named by President Bill Clinton. Judge Stanley Marcus, another Clinton appointee, wrote a dissent."

Breaking: 11th Circuit Rules Individual Mandate in ObamaCare Unconstitutional (Updates)

The PJ Tatler » Breaking: 11th Circuit Rules Individual Mandate in ObamaCare Unconstitutional (Updates): "Breaking: 11th Circuit Rules Individual Mandate in ObamaCare Unconstitutional (Updates)"

Wow.

Obama plan: Destroy Romney - Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com

Obama plan: Destroy Romney - Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin - POLITICO.com: "“Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney,” said a prominent Democratic strategist aligned with the White House."

Give a man a fish, and he’ll riot for free fish | The Daily Caller

Give a man a fish, and he’ll riot for free fish | The Daily Caller: "Give a man a fish, and he’ll riot for free fish"

Why Do Russians Hate Ice? - NYTimes.com

Why Do Russians Hate Ice? - NYTimes.com: "Later, I asked one of the waitresses, why the no-ice policy.

“Over in Ukraine, they put ice in their drinks,” she explained. “But not in Russia.”

“Really? My family’s from Ukraine, and they don’t use ice.”

“Well then I guess we all don’t use ice.”

“Yes,” I persevered, “but why?”

“That’s just how it’s always been,” she shrugged."

Matt Damon’s got a lot to learn - BostonHerald.com

Matt Damon’s got a lot to learn - BostonHerald.com: "Sorry, Matt, but if I were your math teacher back at Cambridge Rindge and Latin, I’d have to give you an F. Wrong on theory and fact.

First the data — starting with Matt’s myth that teachers work for a shi— . . .  er, “less-than-adequate” salary.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the average Boston teacher earned around $80,000 last year. That was the average. And that doesn’t include the generous health care or pension benefits, which would equal $100,000 in the private sector. All for just 180 days of work."

The Mathematics of Basketball - ScienceNOW

The Mathematics of Basketball - ScienceNOW: "To shoot, or not to shoot, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to try to score right away or wait for a better chance.

Professional basketball players face that quandary multiple times in every game. And in an article posted at arXiv.org on 29 July, Brian Skinner, a graduate student in theoretical physics at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, provides some mathematical guidance for the best time to take aim."

A break from automated blogging.

Here's a thought inspired by the Wu thing. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a law that says, every time a political office holder resigns, the largest opposing political party gets to choose his replacement. An alternative: the person who received the second most votes in the last election should automatically take office.

I think that would encourage the party to look harder at a candidate's behavior earlier, but it would also likely encourage politicians to try and wait out any controversy.

Fabulous picture, but…

Fabulous picture, but…: "Suppose you take a loan and buy a Lexus. You decide to buy a car for your wife. You keep the Lexus and take out a second loan to buy her a Ferrari. Your wife loses her job, so you’re struggling to make the payments on both cars and your teenaged daughter asks for a car and you buy her an Acura. So what’s the source of your impending bankruptcy? It can’t be the Acura, right? That’s only a small part of your debt!"

The Volokh Conspiracy - John McCain as Gandalf?

The Volokh Conspiracy - John McCain as Gandalf?: "To paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen: I served with Gandalf in numerous D&D campaigns; I knew Gandalf from reading the Lord of the Rings umpteen times; Gandalf was a friend of mine. And John McCain is no Gandalf."

Greg Mankiw's Blog

Greg Mankiw's Blog: "Lacy, Will you marry me? Kyle.

My first thought: How charming!

My second thought: I hope there is not another couple named Lacy and Kyle sitting on the beach this afternoon."

Althouse: "We all remember that classic scene from The Godfather where the movie producer Jack Woltz wakes up with a horse's head in his bed."

Althouse: "We all remember that classic scene from The Godfather where the movie producer Jack Woltz wakes up with a horse's head in his bed.": "The cinematic trick is: You're so preoccupied with the startling thing you've actually seen as you discover the horse head along with Woltz that you have no mental space remaining in which to ask how'd they get that thing in there? You might ask: What sort of people would do a thing like that? — which is the aspect of the scene that TPM invokes in its absurd analogy. But you're not supposed to think: No way could they do that. In fact, if you're inclined to ask questions like that, you probably don't enjoy movies too much."