But for the act to be virtuous,
the donor must give to the right person,
for the right purpose,
in the right amount,
in the right manner,
and at the right time.
Aristotle
Guest Quote of the Day
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| Courtesy of the Illinois Policy Insitute |
Where Does YOUR State Stand on the
Personal/Economic Liberty Index?
The BOTTOM 5: California (49). New York (50), New Jersey (48), Rhode Island (46), Hawaii (47). In case you are wondering, my current state barely missed the bottom 5:
Where Maryland fails is the personal freedom dimension, where it is the second-worst-ranked state. Maryland boasts the seventh-strictest gun control laws in the country: carry permits are expensive and rarely issued; “assault weapons,” cheap handguns, and large-capacity magazines are banned; sales are banned unless by licensed dealers; and so on. Its marijuana laws are fairly harsh as well, except that the first offense of high-level possession is only a misdemeanor, and the state has an almost-useless medical marijuana exception. Maryland’s impositions on personal freedom also include extensive auto and road regulations, tight gambling laws, a ban on raw milk, a law allowing police to take DNA from certain felony arrested, burdensome private and home school laws that require private school teachers to be licensed and effectively subject curricula to government approval, very high drug arrest rates (though incarceration and other victimless crimes arrest rates are low), lack of same-sex marriage or equivalent status (since enacted by the legislature and confirmed by popular vote), high tobacco taxes, and an airtight, statewide smoking ban.
One Voice of Reason Off the Left Coast
Education Of, By and For the
A New Kind of Housing Bubble
A few prospective homeowners wrote to an investment newsletter. Here are excerpts:
- Having just spent a couple of years in Scottsdale, I have seen the 'local' market be propped up by Blackstone, etc. They bought the entire supply of houses regardless of condition. Propped up the real estate market overnight. - Jimbo
- Last year, my husband and I could not sell our house for what we paid in 2002 (in Westchester County). This week, our realtor advised us to re-list at 20% over last year. Bidding wars everywhere. - Elida
- "My wife and I moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in June, 2012. The city is loaded with vacant houses, but they're not for sale. The banks are holding them, we are told, waiting for prices to increase. We saw perhaps 25 houses and made offers on four of them. One example: a 70,000 deal fell through, and we quickly looked the house over and placed a 70,000 cash offer. We didn't get the place, because some investor offered 80,000! That kind of thing happened several times, and we decided to call it quits and rent an apartment… - Marty
Political Cartoon
In response to the Society of Actuaries study, the excuses have already started:
"These folks will be moving into a really fully insured product for the first time, so there may be a higher cost associated with getting into that market," Sebelius said.No, pricing reflects a government-manipulated market with special-interest mandates, and arbitrary policies that outlaw consideration of factors correlated with health costs (e.g., age).
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| Courtesy of Gary Varvel and Townhall |
Remy is back parodying another clueless self-important Hollywood progressive celebrity.
Legendary singer Dionne Warwick filed for bankruptcy, claiming she has only $25,000 in assets but owes more than $10 million in unpaid taxes. She owes 400 times what she has. She could end up serving three years — as the White House budget director. - Jay Leno
[In trouble with the IRS? I say a little prayer for you.]
A new survey found that the average American stays at his job for about four-and-a-half years. That is unless they're a late-night host on NBC. - Jimmy Fallon
[Or the first man in history to run up over a $6T deficit...]
Entertainment Potpourri
American Idol. The women are all but a lock to clinch this year's crown; my top 3: Candice Glover, Kree Harrison, and (below) Janelle Arthur. (If I had to name a favorite, Kree.) I was swerved by group pairings and performances in this week's Motown themed show; I know the Material Girl was raised in Michigan, but I don't consider her Motown; hearing Kree and Janelle make my favorite hit of hers a duet was a treat (I liked the performance better than the judges). I was disappointed there weren't more mixed gender pairings (I'm so used to hearing the Temptations on "I'm Going to Make You Love Me"); I would have loved to hear a Marvin/Tammi cover, some Ike and Tina, or even an R&B ballad like "With You I'm Born Again" or "Endless Love". (I'm writing before the elimination show; they often cover other era hits.) Or a medley of "My Guy"/"My Girl". I can't stand Nicki Minaj as judge (the bisexual flirting bit is growing old--it comes across as a cry for attention), and Keith Urban is easily the best new celebrity judge in years (I'm not a contemporary country fan and have none of his material in my collection; I know he's married to a famous actress, and they have a couple of daughters).
Janelle has an innovative arrangement of "You Keep Me Hanging On", one of the best I've heard. The inner record producer wants to tweak it at points, but this is flat-out one of the best covers I've ever heard. And how cool for it was it to see Smokey Robinson, one of the classiest singer-songwriters ever, on the show? I loved hear the back story to 'Tracks of My Tears'. (If the emhedded video is not functional, try this link.)
Musical Interlude: My Favorite Groups
Earth, Wind and Fire, "Sing A Song"
