Quote of the Day
Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned.Milton Friedman
Images of the Day
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| Via the Bastiat Institute |
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| Via We the Individuals |
Entertainment Potpourri
A couple of items of note:
- Jay Leno's Final Tonight Show. I have watched so little national network TV recently, I probably would have missed last Thursday's finale if it wasn't for a Facebook blurb about the taping. I still remember originally siding with Letterman in the Carson successor decision, but I did watch Leno on his first night as permanent host. I eventually got bored with Letterman's one-sided political humor; I stopped watching late night years ago but for a while I regularly watched Leno's first half hour with the monologue and some comedy feature like Jaywalking. Jay has been the only host whom has done a decent job with equal-opportunity political humor, something Obama acknowledged in a cameo appearance when he jested about naming Leno ambassador to Antartica. I don't understand why NBC forced highly-rated Leno, whom relished the job and was good at it, into premature retirement. I will say I respect his successor, Jimmy Fallon, whose mentions in my irregularly scheduled Political Humor feature are second only to Leno. I suspect Leno will find another TV gig, but personally I would focus more on the comedy and less on the interview bits, maybe a half hour format. I was surprised over the failure of Katie Couric's syndicated talk show; I thought she was a principal reason for the Today Show's success.
- The New Season of American Idol. Thumbs DOWN! The premiere closed lower for yet another consecutive season since 2006. It's coming across to me like a glass of flat soda: boring. The new judges are an improvement over last year's diva soap opera, but that's not saying much. I miss the old train-wreck acts (contestants with mediocre talent whom think otherwise), and contestants seem to be the same old same old. Some are praising new judge Connick's performance (I thought carrying one of the male contestants was rather odd behavior), but my impression is that he's a little too full of himself. I haven't tuned out yet, but I'm working more on the blog than paying attention to the show. Perhaps I'm a little burned out after a dozen seasons of watching. As I write, the show is in the middle of Hollywood week as the judges make a series of cuts to reduce the group to a final set for single weekly eliminations. This week the contestants do the final solo performances before the final cuts. I'll see if any performers stand out in my judgment...
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| Via Citizens Against Government Waste |
It creates massive profits for the BIG insurance companies by reducing the quality of care...
Only an economic illiterate could say that...The mandates force prices up in a low-margin sector, transferring costs to businesses and ultimately policyholders. Government "investments" in the sector have drastically exacerbated sector inflation without commensurate improvements in outcomes. What generally happens in a low-margin industry under government attack is consolidation. It is true bigger companies have economies of scale to mitigate the damage of megalomaniac government policy, and the predictable but unintended consequence of government meddling is less competition.
(Libertarian Republic). Florida Ordinance Makes It Illegal For Homeless To Use Blankets. The idea that something as basic as covering oneself from the elements could land them in jail is just about as far away from the founding documents as it gets.
Will Charlie Brown have to bail out Linus?
(Jeffrey Tucker). Intellectual property is theft.
You stole that idea from another thief.
(Illinois Policy Institute). Does Google Glass make driving less safe? It’s possible – but Google Glass also has the potential to make driving safer. For example, one new Google Glass app, DriveSafe, is designed to prevent drivers from nodding off at the wheel. Another app in the works from Harman International would provide drivers with collision warnings.
Other apps could let drivers check directions, choose their music and do other things they might currently have to look away from the road at a screen to do. And perhaps many legislators don’t realize that Google Glass doesn’t actually obstruct the wearer’s view, but instead lets you see information by looking slightly up and to the right.
Do you think that you can outlaw potential distractions? I once got rear-ended in Naperville at a red light by a mother whom was distracted by her fussing baby... How about significant others bickering in the front seats or feuding siblings in the back? Cellphone calls? Changing the music on the radio or CD player? Never mind trying to control for drivers agitated (road rage), under the influence, overly tired, without insurance, etc.? We cannot control other people's behavior, but they can be held responsible for the consequences of that behavior.
(Drudge Report). GALLUP: OBAMA APPROVAL 39%... Dems Raise Money Off Threat of Impeachment…
The impeachment of Obama is an empty threat, and I am no fan of Barry Obama. Even under the best of circumstances after this fall's election the Democrats will have more than enough votes to block conviction; recall under Clinton, the Dems voted unanimously against conviction, despite compelling evidence of misconduct. Voting to convict the first black President would be political suicide.
Besides, this is a case of being really careful of what you wish for. Can you say "President Biden" running for reelection in 2016?
(Cato Institute). "In many respects, free trade agreements give free trade a bad name. But does that mean free traders should oppose them?"
To flood our markets with cheap imports while diminishing the value of production and disregarding the implications of export values is not only stupid, it is insane.
Typical protectionist fear-mongering rubbish...
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of the original artist via the Independent Institute |
R.E.M., "Losing My Religion". Hypnotic arrangement, somewhat obscure lyrics. I'm hesitant to comment on a song's lyrics, because it's all too easy for the writer to say, "No, he doesn't have a clue." But in fact songs are interpreted within the validity of one's own experiences. To me, "losing one's religion" is a more cynical, realistic reflection on one's cherished ideals--faith, love, country, whatever. For example, I wrote in yesterday's post how my dreams of an academic career were shattered almost immediately after I barely started: I had given a frank appraisal in private of a poor dissertation proposal by a doctoral candidate I had befriended. I found myself subsequently personally threatened by his dissertation chair; among other things, I found myself blacklisted from participation in dissertation committees during the remainder of my stay at UWM. This broke my heart because I had accepted their offer, primarily because of their graduate program. My ideal of knowledge for the sake of knowledge had been undermined by the reality of petty academic politics.
There are similar considerations elsewhere--being hurt by someone you really loved or frustrated by the evolution of organized religion. For example, as a Catholic, I've never been happy with the historical fact of the European religion wars, the Inquisition, the co-opting of religion and state (say, the Holy Roman Empire and the Crusades), convoluted canon law (which seems just as outrageously nuanced as when Jesus criticized the Pharisees), and self-serving bureaucratic responses to rogue priest sexual abuse scandals.
