Doing some tab clearing here … Holder sez Fast & Furious was a bad idea That he, of course, opposed. Yeah. Okaaaaay. But why lacerate his spleen in the first place? Dunno how big a problem this is going to be for people outside of China. But it’s something for PM buyers to be aware of. One more reason to be glad you don’t live in Britain. Who knew that maple syrup played such an intriguing part in American history? Dr. Andrew Weil on dealing with depression. J.D. Tuccille on “Free-Range Publishing.” Some things in life really do get better.…
Category: Official thuggery, bad prosecutions, and bad law
The road from self-reliance to self-pity. Whole gangs of “constitutional sheriffs” in Northern California? Wonders never cease. (Too bad this intriguing article never gets around to mentioning the very important state of Jefferson.) Via Wendy McElroy: You’ll never believe the latest group the FBI considers a threat. (I’m going to have to create a new topic category for Stupidity Above And Beyond the Call of Even the Government.) While I don’t agree with this writer’s snarky take on Occupy Wall Street, it sure does seem some young lefties are learning some real-life lessons. Including one right out of Atlas Shrugged.…
Man, this round of deadlining is hurting my head and my whole self. I’ve just done the second draft of the most difficult article I’ve written in years. Probably wrote 15,000 words overall (that’s about 1/6th of a novel, people) to get 4,000 that I hope are useable. Write, rewrite, cut, cut, cut, rewrite, cut, cut. Have a feeling the client will still want one more session of slash and burn. Maybe tear the thing down to 3,000 or 3,500. After that, more deadlines. More challenging ones, in a way. Some days, I wish I’d taken up a promising career…
It’s amazing — and encouraging — how many commentators suddenly seem to be realizing that the problem isn’t “right” or “left” or even a matter of a system needing “reform.” The problem is oligarchy. Tuesday I linked to a very good article about The Bigs. Novelist Barry Eisler is among the first to come right out and use the proper term. (Tip o’ hat to J.) That noxious Louisiana law banning second-hand dealers from transacting any business in cash. You may have read about it. Ellendra in the comments points to an article that says it was passed in virtual…
So much for “democracy.” Farewell transparency (we hardly knew ye). Welcome murder.gov. (The Al-Awlaki assassination was even worse than we thought.) If Bank of America wants to charge new fees, that’s their business. If customers don’t want to put up with it, that’s their business. (Of course, the fees are yet another predictable unintended consequence of gummint, but that’s another story.) But look what BofA does to sell the idea. Does it go to the customers? To the markets? Nooooooooo. Another Sign of Our Times. The DoJ and the WH are furiously scared of the Fast & Furious truth coming…
A good man died last week. Al Woodbridge. Although he was only one of many abused by the ATF in the 90s (and by federal kangaroo courts), he was one of the toughest. H/T to JJ. I really like the way James Altucher thinks. This guy, on the other hand is edging toward the real answer but is still way sidetracked. Will he ever get the Real Clue, do you think? (But Occupy Wall Street is seriously interesting, isn’t it?) Common sense and enlightenment raise their battered heads once again in the world of mind-altering drugs. A good article on…
They probably hope to save themselves by selling a billion Justin Bieber stamps. Compromise. Ptooey! Y’know, in a free country they’d be in favor of privacy. I agree this is boneheaded. But this is another misuse of the word “mistake.” It’s not like GM did it by accident or anything. I was a little premature when I railed against this 14 years ago when the pilot project was just getting underway. (This is “freedom” as brought to you by “conservatives.” With the help of “liberals.”) I don’t care if they do make them in camo. It’s a dumb idea. Probably…
Some stuff I’ve been collecting while being quiet: Jake MacGregor is back again. Chapter 34 and 35. Ron Paul: speaking truth to knuckleheads (it’s harder than speaking truth to power). Another example of how government helps lower medical costs and make life easier for people. Jacob Hornberger: Blaming America. For fans of the DullHawk flag (aka “Time’s Up”). One of those good news stories. About a gutsy woman and her big, gutsy horse. A rare act of justice One reason I’ve quit focusing on stuff like this is that no matter how creepy it gets, you know next week it’ll…
For a dose of strange beauty on this strange, ugly day: the most amazing photo of Saturn. The eccentric geek who gave the world the wonderful Project Gutenberg. Airport “security” from a Muslim woman’s perspective. It takes guts to say this these days: “Addiction is not a disease of the brain.” “Socioeconomic collapse and preparedness timing.” From a guy who’s been living it. Fourteen thousand rounds missing? I wonder why they even bother to report this? From what I’ve heard over the years from National Guardsmen, Army reservists, and other part-time military folk, this is just par for the course.…
I wasn’t going to mark today. The tragedy for the 3,000 and their families and friends is beyond unspeakable. But we have to speak of it — ceaselessly — because the horror was delivered with such drama. And with such convenience for those who crave to rule. We don’t hold week-long “all mourning all the time” media events for the 100,000 who die in the U.S. each year from the effects of prescription drugs. Or the tens of thousands killed in pointless political wars. Why are we supposed to believe that those are lesser tragedies? Did those victims somehow suffer…