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10.30.00
Technology Review has a good article on Transmeta's technique for low-powered computer processors. The key is the underlying software. The CEO, Dave Ditzel is quoted saying, "By having this software layer, we can change underlying hardware every year. So 10 years from now, we can have 3,000-bit-wide architecture or whatever the state of the art will be. We can make that change. Everyone is focusing on this first chip. That's not the point. The point is, for the next decade we have a technique that's going to let us move faster than anyone else does. It's a cliché right now, but we can work on Internet time."
"The Software Chip" [via Robot Wisdom]
Is it just me, or does Paula Jones look like one of those pro wrestling valets?
Charles Morse writes:
But a leftist like Gore, confronted with the possibility of losing, can be a dangerous creature indeed. There is nothing uglier and nastier than a leftist about to lose. Unlike most conservatives, or average people, the leftist stands to lose more than an election. His "raison-detre", his metaphysical purpose for living is at stake. Therefore, we can expect anything and everything from the Gore camp in these final days.
Lying about GW taking away Social Security benefits and having the NAACP label Bush as a racist are just the beginning. Al "Stiffy" Gore must win. He's been bred since birth to rule. Now, with the electorate on the edge of rejecting him as their savior, Stiffy sees this as a greater threat to the planet than the internal combustion engine.
"What to Expect from Gore in the Home Stretch"
GW was in Northeast Wisconsin Saturday. Gore will be stopping in Green Bay today, and then he'll head south to Milwaukee where Jon Bon Jovi will be joining him for a rally. I have to ask: Is AlGore "Living on a Prayer" by bringing in heart-throb Jon? Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
"'W' Is for Win"
Robert Bartley writes, "From the convention to this final week, the character issue has shaped the whole campaign."
"Ken Starr's Vindication"
10.29.00
One of my favorite book stores, Laissez Faire Books has a discussion forum. I posted a message on my current read: Jacques Barzun's From Dawn to Decadence.
I noticed this from a Sunday Times article:
To groans from aides envisaging a revival of complaints about his propensity to embroider the truth, he said he had spent "many a Saturday night in a small courthouse filling out forms related to black lung", a common and unpleasant ailment among miners.
Have we discovered another lie? Although to Stiffy, "many a Saturday night" might mean a Tuesday and a Thursday scattered over a three year period. A "small courthouse" might mean the state capitol in Charleston, WV. And "filling out forms" might mean speaking about the issue while in the U.S. Senate. But Al means well, and facts be damned when it's the politics of good intentions.
"Gloves Come off in Fight for Key States" [via Drudge]
Hooray for Lee Iacocca. If GW won't mention how AlGore wants to eliminate the internal combustion engine, then he will.
"Iacocca Joins Blast on Gore Car Policy"
10.28.00
It's called "Daisy Girl II," and it's really raised the ire of GW's and Stiffy's campaigns. Funded by a little-known Texas advocacy group, it recreates the infamous "Daisy" commerical from 1964 where a nuclear explosion is shown after the picture of a little girl. Back in 1964, LBJ used the commerical to claim Barry Goldwater couldn't be trusted with the nuclear button. Daisy II accuses Clinton/Gore of selling nuclear secrets to China. It's not a stretch to infer that. The Communist Chinese funneled money into the 1996 Clinton/Gore campaign, and China did steal nuclear secrets (most likely from the Los Alamos National laboratory) during that time. GW's campaign has renounced it. Over at Stiffy's headquarters, Joe Lieberman blammed the ad on Newt Gingrich! I thought he's been out of politics for a few years, yet the Democrats always seem to try to blame everything on him.
"Negative Campaigning Goes Nuclear"
According to the Gallup/CNN/USA Today three-day tracking poll, GW leads Stiffy by 13 points! Some simple-minded GW boosters would be running around naked in the streets (except in my town because the cold front just went through). I, however, am more subdued. While GW has a lead now, he was behind just a few days ago. Either Gallup doesn't know what they're doing [see below] or the American electorate has a awful case of bipolar disorder.
John Fund has been looking into the erratic numbers from Gallup. He found that the big swings are because Gallup isn't polling the same percentage of Republicans and Democrats every night. So, when a lot of Dems respond to calls (many people of any political persuation refuse to participate), Stiffy's numbers rise (no pun intended). Something similar happens to GW's numbers when they get a lot of responses from Republicans.
"Gallup's Credibility Gap"
Whenever AlGore spouts off about how he wants to make government smaller, remember that according to the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, he wants to increase federal spending by $2.334 trillion over 10 years. GW doesn't want to spend as much, but unfortunately, his proposals would increase federal spending by $425 billion over 10 years.
"Risky Schemes and Squandered Opportunities: A Comparison of Al Gore's and George W. Bush's Spending Proposals"
While only 26, I'm seeing the culture gap between myself and high school kids. One day at work I mentioned Debbie Gibson, she stood there and asked, "Who?" Boy, how time flies and fame fades.
Beloit College Releases the Class of 2004 Mindset List
10.25.00
The Tivo is hooked up. It's not hooked up the way I'd like, but I'm trying to figure out how to split the signal (so I can record one program while watching another) with a TV that only has an RF (coaxial cable) input. The instructions that came with the Tivo didn't offer any help. I'll have to see if there's any help over at the Tivo web site. But using the live functions is very helpful. The pause button for live viewing is great when a bathroom break in in order. Even as I write, some Star Trek re-runs should be getting recorded. The process is easy. It's as simple as using a web browser. I really like to see what other shows it will tape as recommendations.
If Tivo wanted to give away the boxes to generate some word-of-mouth, they're succeeding. I'm yapping about it here, Mike's said he likes his Tivo, and I'll be telling people at work about my new toy. If any other company has a neat new product that needs a little promotional help, send a free one my way.
"Live" and "electronic dance music" do not seem to go together at all. Most of the music is made with computers, drum machines, and synthesizers inside studios (or bedrooms in Moby's case). When you think about dance music in a live setting, you think of a smoky club filled with sweaty people pack together in a throbbing, bouncing mass with a DJ standing in a booth above the fray. So, I was skeptical about Underworld's new live album Everything, Everything. But the energy is there right from the start with "Juanita/Kiteless" and continues with "Push Upstairs" and "Pearl's Girl." "Jumbo" has a delicate beauty--something I rarely find in dance music. One aspect to Underworld is that they have a real singer in Karl Hyde. Until now, besides "Pearl's Girl" and (the slightly overrated) "Born Slippy," I've never listen to Underworld. Now, I'm hooked.
If you're hesitant about the disk, do what I did and go to Half.com or see if you can find a deal at one of the auction sites (eBay, Amazon, Yahoo).
TAM still is outside the cool weblog clique looking in. No mention of this fine Net institution in Fairvue's "We Didn't Start the Weblogs." TAM was also missing from Fairvue's blog.elements and his "Blog Song." A campaign is in order to right this injustice. All e-mail should be directed to nikolai@fairvue.com. If you love TAM as much as I do, then join my crusade.
What a shock! National Review endorses GW.
10.23.00
Alan Caruba breaks down the election voter bloc by voter bloc and concludes GW will win. While Caruba's analysis is sound, GW will win because he connects better with the public than Stiffy. Gore wants to win so badly. He's been born and bred for high office, and the pressure has to be intense. You can see that in the way he tried to empathize with every questioner (including moderator, Jim "I don't vote" Lehrer) in the third debate, and how he tried to look intellectually superior in the first debate. Many voters can see that Stiffy isn't comfortable in his own skin on the public stage.
In the age of the television President, an emotional connection with an candidate is vital. JKF is still revered years after being killed. People loved the funny, yet seriously patriotic Reagan. Many think that Clinton's womanizing and moral failings make him seem more like an average guy. GW looks like a friendly guy you can talk baseball with, while still entrusting him with the fate of the nation.
Just because personality is important to electoral victory, ideas are still crucial. If personality was all that mattered, then Tiger Woods could run as a Communist and win by a landslide. Real tax cuts, Social Security reform, and military readiness are all winning issues for GW. And now, Bush is pinning Gore in the liberal, big-spending corner.
While Gore thought the debates would drive nails in Bush's presidential coffin, it's Gore who'll have to look for the perfect epitaph for his political gravestone.
So, let me be clear: with a little over 2 weeks until Election Day, I predict GW will beat Stiffy and become the next President of the United States.
"Has Al Gore lost the election? Yes."
This billboard gives a whole new meaning to the term "mixed messages." It's perfect for one of those "undecided voters" out there. [via WOIFM]
With Gore giving up on Ohio and Louisiana, GW is taking a shot at California and turning the election into an Electoral College landslide. Bush is even leading in Minnesota! If GW can win there, Stiffy's doomed.
"Bush Campaign Sets Sights on California"
10.21.00
Socialist-leaning Europe has more school choice than the U.S. Education money follows the child and forces private and public schools to compete. It just might be one of the only European ideas that should be emulated here.
"European Observations on U.S. Public Education"
This may be the best political parlor game I've ever played. The similarities are scary.
Gore or the Unabomber
By the way, Soviet ally and Communist Party head, Gus Hall keeled over last week. Hall was a man who thought life in the Soviet Union was great but didn't want to live there because "This [the U.S.] is the best country in the world in which to live." He was also a man who pushed for Workers' rule, yet traveled by limo. One of Communism's "Useful Idiots" has bit the dust.
"Communist Party boss Gus Hall dead at 90"
10.20.00
Not to toot my own horn--ok, I'm going to toot anyway--but Henry Payne and Diane Katz make the same point I made in a recent article for Enter Stage Right. Stiffy's radical environmentalism in his Earth in the Balance is a political albatross and GW should capitalize on it.
"What About Al’s Book?"
Quote of the Day goes to John Miller and Ramesh Ponnuru:
Vice President Gore dodged a campaign catastrophe when he resisted the enormous temptation, during his interview with Rolling Stone, to say he was the fifth Beatle.
"Helter Skelter"
According to a Gallup tracking poll, GW is at 50% with a 10 point lead over Stiffy. If there ever was a time to peak, right about now would be best.
10.19.00
When I bestowed the monicer "Stiffy" on AlGore, I had no idea Rolling Stone thought of him that way too. See for yourself the last gasp of a losing candidate.
Rolling Stone cover [via Rush Limbaugh]
Sorry, GW, but when you say stuff like this, you sound goofy:
This is analog thinking in a digital age, 28K thinking in a broadband era, an eight-track ideology in an MP3 world.
Unless you're a guy intimately involved with high tech (which I don't think you are), don't try to sound like it.
"Bush: Gore is an 'Analog' Guy"
Wired News has a great article on how US-tech masterminds cannot impose a one-size-fits-all vision of information technology on developing countries. It's a great argument in favor of bottom-up development rather than top-down.
"IT Is About Access, Or Is It?"
Great blurb from Anarchy Lew about the greatness of the well-off:
In truth, making money in a capitalist economy is identical to giving to the community. In a market economy, profits are an indication that one is serving one's fellow man. The richer you become in business, the more you have contributed to the betterment of humanity -- even if you are doing so for purely selfish reasons.
"National Treasures"
Many thanks to Mr. Gustafson at the Winona Post for the kind mention of TAM. It seems I have a growing audience in the Southeastern Minnesota area.
Ms. Peggy Noonan (who deserves a Pulitzer) has the final word on Tuesday's debate:
All three [debates] made clear Mr. Gore's central problems, one being that while it is certainly possible to respect his talents it is very hard for normal humans to like him.
"Gore's Behavior Contradicts His Message"
There was one point in Tuesday's debate where GW was talking about education and AlGore just stood there like he was the prized exibit in a wax museum. He didn't move a muscle for 20 seconds and just looked straight ahead into space. Because of that visual memory, I will give Prince Albert the nickname of "Stiffy." That may or may not be applied to his sex life, but that's between Tipper and him.
There were some other annoying Gore characteristics: after the first question was asked (about a "Patients' Bill of Rights"), GW gave his answer and AlGore--I mean, Stiffy--leaped toward Bush and demanded to know if he supported the Dingle-Norwood bill. Bush said he supported a Patients' Bill of Rights, but that wasn't good enough for Stiffy. AlGore HAD to know if GW supported a specific bill locked up in some Congressional committee in D.C. Other than Reps. Dingle and Norwood, VP Stiffy was probably the only person to have read the bill and committed the language to memory.
Some would say that means Stiffy has a solid grasp of the issues. I say that Gore is an arrogant man trying to show off his "superiority" to the American public. What he did was come off as a know-it-all jerk.
Another annoyance from Stiffy was his prancing around the stage to get close and intimate with the questioners. I'm guessing he was trying to copy Oprah's technique; but it failed and he looked condescending and fake.
I mentioned much of the appearence stuff because policy-wise, nothing new was heard Tuesday. GW's for tax cuts for everyone, Social Security and Medicare reform, rebuilding the military, and bringing integrity back to the White House. Stiffy supports tax cuts for social engineering purposes, more money at the failing public school system, and war against Big Oil, Big Drug Companies, and Big Hollywood (while collecting loads of cash from the Left Coast).
One wrinkle in GW's argument was his labeling of Stiffy as a "big spender." He also said again and again that he trusted people, while Stiffy trusted government. This put AlGore back on his heals and forced him to come up with a response:
The federal government has been reduced in size by more than 300,000 people, and it's now the smallest number that we have had since--the smallest in size since John Kennedy's administration. During the last five years, Texas' government has gone up in size. The federal government has gone down; Texas' government has gone up.
However, most of the federal employment reductions have come because of decreases in defense spending. [Mike offers expanded commentary on this point.]
Once again, GW held his own against Stiffy. He responded to AlGore's attacks and stayed on message. One thing Bush failed to mention is Gore's environmental radicalism. Gore's quote about eliminating the internal combustion engine from his Earth in the Balance could play well with auto workers in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Transcript: Presidential Debate, St. Louis, MO
10.17.00
Bill tries to decode the AlGore AI program, but it's hopeless for me. And I majored in computer engineering for a year back in college. Unfortunately, the three programming courses I had taught me Pascal (a worthless language) rather than C. Thanks anyway, Bill.
Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan was killed in a plane crash last night. I know Sen. John Ashcroft wanted to beat him for the Senate seat, but not this way.
"Missouri Governor Dies in Plane Crash" [via Drudge]
Juanita Broaddrick provides Drudge a powerful open letter to Hillary Clinton. In it she describes the First Lady as "cold, calculating and self-serving." She goes on to write, "You cannot tolerate the thought that you will soon be without the power you have wielded for the last eight years. Your effort to stay in power will be at the expense of the state of New York."
Open Letter to Hillary
10.16.00
If you thought the St. Louis Rams had a magical season last year, you haven't seen anything yet. Yesterday, their kicker went down early in the game. They had no back-up. That meant no field goals or extra point attempts. No problem. The Rams just made 4-of-5 two-point conversions and some key fourth downs to beat the Atlanta Falcons 45-29.
"Faulk-led Rams Rush Past Falcons"
Only conservative geeks would find this funny. I can't make heads or tails of this.
"The Al Gore Program" [via vfih]
This little bit from vfih:
I have a feeling that people will get bored listening to me prattle on about homeschooling, my move from the political left to the right, the latest book I'm reading. But I recognize that as a fault in myself, a little paranoia -- since the people who read this are obviously here reading it. Maybe a little paranoia is healthy for weblogs. Not too much, just a little.
Don't count me as one who would get bored with reading about that. I'm always interested in the journey a person takes to develop their beliefs and philosophies. David Horowitz's Radical Son takes you on just such a journey, and it's the best autobiography I've read.
Eric Gustafson reports that a Indian band in Minnesota is preparing for an economic environment not based on casino gambling. The tribe's getting into the banking business.
"Money in the Bank"
10.15.00
The answer to ending poverty isn't redistribution of wealth, it isn't massive amounts of foreign aid, and it isn't government central planning. Nobel Prize winner Douglas North says, "We must create incentives for people to invest in more efficient technology, increase their skills, and organize efficient markets. Such incentives are embodied in institutions. Thus we must understand the nature of institutions and how they evolve."
"Poverty in the Midst of Plenty"
I touted An Equal Music last year. Now, here's an interview by the author, Vikram Seth.
"Hearing a Different Music"
What's more shocking: Gary Oldman being a conservative in Hollywood; or Oldman bad-mouthing his latest film The Contender? I do want to see it even though it'll bash Republicans throughout.
"Oldman Says Studio Democrats Ruined Contender" [via Drudge]
For your pro-GW consumption, I'm pulling this quote from today's NY Times:
Gore campaign officials say they feel enormous pressure because they have less to spend than the Republicans, who are spreading resources in more states. Advisers to Mr. Gore said they would decide after the St. Louis debate whether to give up on some major states — Ohio and Louisiana are among the possibilities — and pump resources elsewhere.
Usually, I'd be complaining that Republicans were uselessly saving their money until the end of the election, but having enough cash on hand for force Prince Al to give up Ohio would be a big winner.
"No Room for Error in Weeks Before the Vote"
10.13.00
Beware! Today is Friday the 13th with a full moon. Either an asteroid will hit the earth and destroy all civilization or wierd people will just run around tonight causing mischief.
Students at AlGore's high school don't like him. St. Albans' Brian Finn says Gore talks to people "as if he is talking to four-year-olds." Finn also offer this hard-hitting quote:
We are all too familiar with people like Al Gore and their competitive, ambitious demeanors. We don’t want to look into Al Gore’s cold, calculating eyes and have those eyes belong to us in thirty years.
"Candidate Al Gore - An Alumnus All Too Familiar" [via FrontPage Magazine]
Here's some post-debate analysis:
Ramesh Ponnuru said GW "clobbered" AlGore and was full of "confidence."
Rich Lowry thought GW was "well-informed, confident, and even deft," but he especially liked his toughness.
Robert George makes an interesting comment. He writes that when GW said America should be "humble, but strong" it was a jab at Gore as well as a foreign policy vision. If you think about it, "humble, but strong" does describe GW. He's not the arrogant St. Albans uber-student who was born and bred to one day be President. GW realizes he's just an ordinary man who makes mistakes. He wants to win the election--not for family revenge--but to strengthen the country. And if he doesn't win, you won't see him scurry off into oblivion. He'll just go back to Texas and continue to serve as governor. In short, GW's confident and comfortable with himself. There's pressure to win, but it's not like the life-fulfilling goal of AlGore. Americans are catching on to this difference. Many people see GW as more sincere and think he has better leadership qualities. People just like GW more.
Jonah Goldberg doesn't think AlGore's an alien (even though he was born 9 months after the Roswell incident), but he does think he's Mr. Spock.
"In Search of Kirk"
10.12.00
Since when was GW suppose to be able to talk for almost 45 minutes on foreign policy? No body expected the grasp of world affairs that he had. He went from outlining his vision of U.S. leadership in the world (a "humble" but "strong" America) to discussing the Middle East, then on to talking about Yugoslavia. GW wanted to hammer home the idea that Clinton-Gore's strategy of "nation building" wasn't what was needed. AlGore based his foreign policy on American "values," while GW based his on "strategic national interests." Wishy-washy undecided voters on MSNBC clamped on to Bush's stance, some turned their little popularity dial to the max. At the same time he was emphasising a less intrusive U.S. world role, GW said he would rebuild the military and improve morale.
A point GW hammered Gore with was over IMF loans to Russia that ended up in the pockets of a few corrupt individuals. One of them was the Russian Foreign Minister who Gore had close relations with. All Gore could say was that the IMF made some calls that were "highly questionable."
Gore made a mention of fighting international corruption:
But I think one of the big issues here that doesn't get nearly enough attention is the issue of corruption. The governor mentioned it earlier. I've worked on this issue. It's an enormous problem. And corruption in official agencies, like militaries and police departments around the world, customs official -- that's one of the worst forms of it.
And we have got to, again, lead by example and help these other countries that are trying to straighten out their situations find the tools in order to do it.
Gore wants the world to lead by the U.S.'s example. Well, with Travelgate, Filegate, Whitewater, Chinagate, the latest flap over government oil bids, and Gore's habit of lying, the rest of the world might just learn the wrong lesson about corruption.
After the lengthy foreign policy discussion (and with much of the audiance probably over at Fox watching the baseball game), the debate turned to racial profiling. Gore called for a federal law banning racial profiling. Bush said racial profiling was "flat wrong," but he didn't want to "federalize the local police."
Bush then made a great move by talking about inadequate education for minorities as a civil rights issue. He talked about teacher retraining, strong accountability, and sensible curriculum. Bush mentioned that the "biggest discrimination comes: in public education, when we just move children through the schools." Mucho points for that piece of rhetoric.
Gore had problems when it came to the gun issue. Gore said that he wanted to protect gun rights, not only for hunter and sportsmen, but for homeowners too. He said he just wants to make sure they stay out of the hands of kids and criminals by licensing new gun owners and restoring the 3 day waiting period before buying a gun. Since the instant check was designed to replace the waiting period, Bush opposed that. GW also opposed gun licensing for the simple reason that "the only people who are going to show up are law-abiding citizens."
Bush extended the discussion on gun laws by talking about the problems in the culture that "disrespects life." Unfortunately, he made a silly remark partially blaming the Columbine tragedy on the Internet.
Even on Gore's pet issue, the environment, GW held his own. Gore still believed in the quote from his book Earth in the Balance that protecting the environment should be our "central organizing principle." He thinks Detroit car makers are "iching" to come out with environmentally-friendly cars. What they're waiting for, Gore didn't say. Gore opposed oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and said Texas was a very polluted state.
Bush said Texas was cleaning up. Brownfields were being restored. He then mentioned how Gore supports high energy taxes. But he failed to say how Gore authored a BTU on all energy in Bill Clinton's 1993 budget.
Bush withstood attacks on his tax cut plan. Gore said tax cuts to the wealthy would be far more than Bush was proposing for federal spending. In response, GW said, "[T]he top 1 percent receive $223 [billion] as opposed to $445 billion in new spending. The top -- let's talk about my tax plan. The top 1 percent pay -- will pay one-third of all the federal income taxes, and in return get one-fifth of the benefits because -- benefits, because most of the tax reductions go to the people at the bottom end of the economic ladder." Then Bush put Gore on the defensive by saying Gore would leave 50 million Americans out of tax cuts.
Coming into this debate, Gore was under pressure not to look like the jerk he did last week. Supposedly, Gore's campaign aids made him watch a Saturday Night Live spoof of the debate to hammer down the point. Last night, Gore didn't roll his eyes or sigh, but he still came off as a smarter-than-thou jerk. He played kiss-up (without actually kissing) to Jim Lehrer. He hunched forward and looked too eager to answer a question or respond to GW's answers.
GW's expectations were higher than the first debate because of how well he held himself. Bush looked comfortable talking with Lehrer. His answers were filled with confidence. He looked Presidential. When attacked, he fought back with conviction and confidence.
I give GW the win. His grasp of foreign policy was impressive. While not the clearest speaker, he sounded comfortable with the issues and comfortable in his own skin. Gore had to be on constant guard over his mannerisms and looked stiff.
While most instant polls gave Bush the victory, the overall polls probably won't change. GW will still show a steady climb that continues from last week. Gore is in trouble. His lies caught up to him and affected the way he conducted himself in the debate. All his comments will continue to be scrutinized, and that will prevent him from going negative on Bush. Of course, with less than 4 weeks left in the campaign (tons of Internet news cycles), all this momentum can turn on a dime.
Debate Transcript
Post-debate Quote of the Day goes to James Poniewozik:
This debate, for Gore, was more about not doing certain things than doing anything in particular: for starters, he lost the heavy blush that made him look like the Corinthian leather seat from a 1979 Chrysler Cordoba.
"The Debate on TV: What Happened to Al Gore, Attack Debater?"
Unlike AlGore's verbal run-arounds when he messes up the facts, GW's crew quickly (and honestly) acknowledged that his man made a mistake on the Byrd murder case.
"Bush Makes a Mistake About Byrd Murder in Texas"
Some serious questions need to be answered by the Clinton administration over bids for oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. How did it happen that three unknown companies had winning bids for the oil. One company was only incorporated three months ago, another is nothing more than a New York City apartment, and the third is a tiny operation running out of Denver. What connections, if any, are there between these companies and the White House, the Clinton-Gore campaign, or Bill Clinton's legal defense fund? Is this just sheer incompetence on the part of the Energy Department or is there corruption involved?
"Officials: Oil Bidders Not Detailed"
10.11.00
Yahoo has me wrapped around their little finger. Not only do I have it as my home page, and as my e-mail provider, and as the home of one of my fantasy football leagues, I now have a voice mail box. If you really want to leave a message, call 1-800-MY YAHOO. My mail box is 262-629-4065.
National Book Awards finalists have been announced. The non-fiction nominees are Jacques Barzun's From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, 1500 to the Present, Alice Kaplan's The Collaborator: The Trial and Execution of Robert Brasillach, Nathaniel Philbrick's In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex, Patrick Tierney's Darkness in El Dorado: How Scientists and Journalists Devastated the Amazon
"Sontag and Oates Lead Field for National Book Awards"
I'll leave Mike with the pre-debate analysis. I'll save comments for after tonight's big event.
Despite AlGore's enviro-babble, technology and the scientific method could combat increased carbon dioxide. Scientists dumped lots of iron into the Southern Ocean. This caused "growth of algal plankton which suck up carbon dioxide." The scientists don't see this as a quick-fix for global warming, but it's something to remember when a eco-nut goes off about how man is a cancer to Mother Earth.
"Blooming Marvellous" [via Robot Wisdom]
October is Nobel Prize month, and the one of most interest to TAM is the economics prize. The University of Chicago's James Heckman and Daniel McFadden of the University of California at Berkeley share this year's prize for their work in microeconometrics. I'm not a fan of econometrics. It just reinforces the physic-envy held by many economists, and some of the theoretical assumptions are unsound. But chalk one up for the University of Chicago for having another Nobel economist.
"Heckman, McFadden Share Nobel Economics Prize"
"US Economists Scoop Nobel Prize"
From the Nobel Prize announcement:
In the field of microeconometrics, each of the laureates has developed theory and methods that are widely used in the statistical analysis of individual and household behavior, within economics as well as other social sciences.
Inside.com reports that most reporters on GW's plane think AlGore will win. On a recent flight, a reporter got his peers sloshed on Margaritas and a straw poll was taken. By a 5-1 ratio, the reporters voted for AlGore. And some people still question the media's liberal bias.
"For In-Flight Entertainment, Bush Reporters Poll Themselves on Governor's Chances" [via Media News]
I don't care if they're covered in body paint, naked dancers prancing around the desert do not turn me on.
Declan McCullagh makes up for it with this pics of some free market economists.
The late Pierre Trudeau: Communist sympathizer.
"Trudeau and His Communist Friends"
10.10.00
The Washington Post reports that AOL and Disney agreed to contracts that limited where the Mouse could link outside of the AOL network. Critics of the AOL-Time Warner merger are up in arms saying that the combined company would limit consumer access to the Internet. So what if AOL wanted to keep as many of its subscribers looking at home-grown content. That doesn't limit consumer choice, because there are ways to the Net other than AOL. If consumers think AOL is so limiting, then they can leave. One reason I won't use AOL is their preference to push content from their partners. I may not care for what they have to offer, so I will use someone else. That's called freedom, instead of the victimology spewed by AOL bashers.
"AOL Restrictions Alleged"
Yesterday was Columbus Day. That's why you couldn't get your mail. Jeffrey Hart offers up this nice blurb about the discoverer of the New World.
To denigrate Columbus is to denigrate what is worthy in human history and in us all.
This is in response to the Columbus bashing; that he brought nothing but murder, oppression, and torment upon the New World.
"Hero of History"
Mark Helprin lays the blame of the ailing U.S. military squarely on Bill Clinton:
If Gov. Bush becomes president, the armies his father sent to the Gulf will not be available to him, not after eight years of degradation at the hands of Bill Clinton. Given that their parlous condition is an invitation to enemies of the United States and, therefore, Mr. Bush might need them, and because the years of the locust are always paid for in blood, he should take this issue and with it hammer upon the doors of the White House at dawn.
"Mr. Clinton's Army"
10.09.00
Mucho congratulations go out to Mike for passing the Virginia bar exam. Mike can now be mentioned in the same breath as Johnny Cochrane, William Kunstler, Greg Craig, and Alan Dershowitz. He will now hone his ability to ambulance chase while being the unofficial legal scholar to TAM. (His first mission is to confirm whether I can get a permit for a nuke.)
Now that TAM has both an unoffical legal scholar and an unofficial bio-guru (genehack), I will be taking applications for sex advice columnist, snack food reviewer, and eBay auction hunter (purely for personal use). E-mail me and give it your best shot. The winning prize isn't a Tivo (mine's on the way), but it's a great resume booster (if they don't laugh you out of the interview).
I have yet to watch last week's GW/Gore debate. I don't even know if I have it taped. Nevertheless, I'll offer Joe Schembie's take:
This is complete bunk. In a formal debate setting, Gore would have been automatically disqualified, and the debate would have been forfeited in Bush's favor. No impartial high school or college debate panel of judges would have tolerated Gore's juvenile antics.
"Gore Did not Score!"
Michael E. Kreca offers the theory that the Soviet Union, through U.S. agents, pushed the U.S. into war with Japan in WWII.
"The Needless US Pacific War with Japan -- Courtesy of Stalin and FDR"
10.08.00
To AlGore, I could be considered the working poor, since I work in retail for a low wage. Yet, according to Tax Clarity, I wouldn't get any of Gore's targeted tax cuts. I don't have kids, and I don't need to take care of any ailing parents. However, GW's tax cut would slash $300 from my taxes, and that doesn't include any charitable deductions I could write off. GW not only has the most sensible (and moral) tax plan, but it's in my self-interest to support it.
James Glassman on the up-coming departure of Joel Klein from the anti-trust division of the Justice Department:
But, in filing an unwarranted lawsuit and pursuing it with typical Kleinian fervor, he did enormous damage -- not just to Microsoft itself, but to the entire high-technology sector, and to the economy. He has been, in short, a menace to the New Economy.
"Goodbye, Joel Klein"
Tech Central Station interviewed my favorite CEO, T. J. Rodgers of Cypress Semiconductor. Here's a quip about the over-reaching federal government:
I mean, if you look at the Federal government, the one that was intended when we were created versus the tumor that we’ve got now, they are intervening in every single way. They take a huge amount of money out of the economy. They take some of the money they take out of the economy and come back and use it to try to force or at least induce Silicon Valley to go into a certain direction on certain technology issues. They interfere with their ability to compete. The anti-trust law is a great example. Today, if you make a $15 million acquisition…you still have to get Hart-Scott-Rodino permission from the Federal government to go through with it, and it is arduous and it is expensive. It is not a trivial bureaucracy.
This is the same T.J. Rodgers who called for the end of corporate welfare, took on a nun over political correctness and diversity, and opposes entanglement between Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C. He's bold and uncompromising. I love him.
Interview with T.J. Rodgers
Federal bureaucRATS are at it again. The FCC wants to force open access to buildings for communications companies.
"The FCC’s Bizarre Building Mandate"
Henry Mayer's All on Fire is a book I really want to read. Jeffrey Rogers Hummel provides a good review.
Anybirthday.com says that 10.5 is the most common b-day in the U.S. It also happens to be nine months after New Years Eve. Since my b-day is on the fourth, I guess that means my parents celebrated the new year a little early. That's all I want to say about my parents and sex. I have the willies right now, and I feel dirty.
"October 5th is most common birthday in U.S." [via as x approaches infinity]
10.07.00
As I'm blogging, Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti is playing. I just bought it, and it might already be my most favorite album in my collection. The first disk is just loaded with hard rock classics like "Custard Pie," Houses of the Holy," "Trampled Under Foot," and Zeppelin's 2nd best song (after "Stairway to Heaven") "Kashmir." The second disk mellows out, but is still impressive. Their "Boogie With Stu" makes really old school boogie woogie sparkle and sound really, really cool.
After the VP debate last Thursday, Dick Cheney has a new fan in Reason's Michael Lynch:
Cheney was just short of brilliant on Bush’s tax and Social Security policies, framing both in terms of individual choice and not getting bogged down in the numbers. We trust him on Social Security because, when not decked out in his blue on blue shirt and tie combination, he looks like he has first hand familiarity with the program. I trust him on the tax policy not only because I like the gist of what he's saying, but also because he explains it in compelling terms.
"Second-Class Turnaround"
Virginia Postrel places blame on air travel problems, not on deregulation, but on the "socialist infrastructure."
"Don't Blame Deregulation for Airline Problems"
Anarchy Lew is right about the growing anti-war stance in the Republican Party, but his call for the end of a standing army is ludicrous. National defense is a proper role for government. (But not for Lew because he's an anarchist.) That doesn't mean a re-evaluation of military priorities is in order. Going into the Balkans was stupid, so was intervention in Somalia and Haiti. But let's not be rash and bring all forces from the Pacific back into Fortress America until we're sure Communist China doesn't have a craving for things Japanese and Korea (and I don't mean the food).
"Standing Armies, Political Mischief" [via ETWOF]
10.06.00
My B-Day went better than I ever imagined. I'm not as jaded about it as I was a few days ago. Sometimes you realize you have more friends than you think, and it makes you feel a little silly thinking otherwise. Sorry, no pics to upload. Oh, bummer.
Last night's Mets/Giants game had more fireworks than the veep debate, but in a worthless ABC instant poll, most viewers thought Dick Cheney won. I listened to the end of it on the radio while coming home from work. Each candidate was extordinarily polite. I was surprised that Cheney said the federal government had no role in legalizing gay marriages. Some social conservatives might be upset, but strict constitutionalists like me just smiled.
"Cheney Won Vice Presidential Debate, ABC"
Social psychologist Robert S. Feldman explains AlGore's habit of lying by blaming Clinton:
There have been some very obvious cases of people lying and not much happening to them. You don't need to look any further than President Clinton.
When you have models like that, it really does create a climate where keeping to the absolute truth is not always necessary.
Just the fact that the AP is writing a story like this means Al's lies may hurt him if they continue.
"Gore's Embellishments Persist" [via Drudge]
Yugoslavia may finally be seeing the end of Slobodon Milosevic. This powerful Reuters picture eloquently sums up the state of his control.
Jonah Goldberg is tired of the media honoring the undecided voter. "These people can't make up their minds, in all likelihood, because either they don't care or they don't know anything," writes Goldberg.
"Don't Praise the Ignoramus"
Quote of the Day goes to Marilyn Manson:
If I had to pick, I'd pick Bush, and not necessarily by default.
"Rock On, Republicans"
10.04.00
Happy B-Day to me...blah, blah, blah! Enough of that. I'm 26, so what?!
I worked last night and didn't catch the Big Debate. It's waiting for me on tape for tonight. No comments until then. But Mike is offering insightful stuff:
So what happened to Al Gore, the invincible debater? He didn’t show up tonight. Instead he was replaced by Al the Arrogant, Al the Defensive, Al the Long-Winded, and Al of the Heavy Sigh. It almost seemed unfair to pit those four against only one of Governor Bush. But on the final scorecard, a focused, confident Bush held back the Al Team, essentially debating him to a draw. For Bush, widely held to be the underdog in this match-up, a tie was a decisive win.
The Weekly Standard offers some instant analysis. Not much worth to me until I watch the Big Event.
While blogging at this moment, I'm digging a sampler from Revolution Magazine. It's loaded with electronic dance music from Emperor Norton Records. The tracks have more groove, soul, and disco flavor than what I usually listen to (Chemical Brothers, Crystal Method, Global Underground trance). Good stuff, nevertheless. Arling & Cameron's "Let's Get Higher" is the best song on the sampler. If I were on American Bandstand, I would say, "It's got a good beat, and I can dance to it. I give it a 80." Then Dick Clark would give me some cheesy complementary gift like a box of Raisinetts.
10.02.00
I swear September had 31 days. That is until I went to work yesterday and saw 10.01 on all the computer screens. This being 10.02 means it's two days until the hallowed anniversary of my birth.
Enter Stage Right just published an article of mine on AlGore's Earth in the Balance. Here's a blurb:
Based on Gore's analysis, his solution is wide-ranging. He doesn't propose a few new laws or regulations. He doesn't advocate better defined private property rights to take advantage of market mechanisms to provide better incentives for polluters to stop polluting. No, Gore calls for making "the rescue of the environment the central organizing principle for civilization." This means "to use, in short, every means to halt the destruction of the environment and to preserve and nurture our ecological system." One method in his plan of environmental totalitarianism is a Global Marshall Plan which would provide aid and technology to developing nations to develop in a more environmentally friendly way. Gore's central planning through financial and technological aid would be supplemented with government agencies filled with "experts" who would help developing nations use environmentally friendly technologies. Then there's Gore most famous proposal from Earth in the Balance: eliminating the internal combustion engine.
"Gore's Book May Put Election in the Balance"
AlGore is caught in another lie. What are we up to, 5, 6, 13 lies? Who can keep track? Prince Albert has been parading around a woman named Winifred Skinner who says she collects cans just to pay for her prescription drugs. You would think she's a poor, down-trodden gal. No, she chooses to scrounge around for cans while her well-off son pays to re-roof her home and cover her property taxes. Let's see if AlGore tries to use her in the big debate tomorrow night? GW should have an easy counter-attack to her.
"The Myth of Winifred Skinner"
Sean Hackbarth
Writer/Bookseller
Allenton, WI
https://www.angelfire.com/wi/shackbar
shackbar@free-market.net
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