Archive for February 2009

Taxation with Representation Equals . . . Tyranny?

“You know, you think like the average Joe, the little guy makin’ three hundred grand a year.” – Duke Phillips Writing at Salon yesterday, Gary Kamiya very ably mocked and dismantled the internet sensation that is Rick Santelli’s 15 minutes of YouTube fame and those who sympathize with him.  Santelli represents the people who spent [...]

Something Militaries Should Not Be Doing

“Bogey’s airspeed not sufficient for intercept.  Suggest we get out and walk.” – Air Force Pilot On Tuesday of this week the White House announced that President Obama is ordering an additional 17,000 American troops to Afghanistan immediately.  These troops are not meant to signal the beginning of an overall reinforcement strategy, but are rather [...]

Tears for Fears

“You don’t even know what you’re worried about anymore.” – Marge Simpson Alexandra Pelosi, who became slightly famous for her 2000 Bush campaign documentary, premiered another one on HBO Monday night, Right America: Feeling Wronged.  With a camera on her shoulder she interviewed people at McCain/Palin rallies through the final three months of the campaign [...]

One Down, Two to Go

“Hoke, slow down, you’re going too fast.” – Eleanor Sherman “I got better things to do than drivin’ a crotchety old woman like you around.  From now on, my name isn’t Hoke, it’s Malcolm H.  And when the revolution comes, you will not be spared.” – Malcolm H The popular economic stimulus bill, backed by [...]

War for Sale, Slightly Used

“This war is in danger of going all quagmire on me.” – Richard Nixon’s Head Lost amid the hubbub over bailouts and stimulus have been a couple of potentially significant developments in Afghanistan.  Why only “potentially” significant?  Because that country, our policy in it, and the larger world’s commitment to it are giant unknowns at [...]

Will Future Nazis Burn iPhones or Kindles?

“Stupid books.” – Bart Simpson There was a fascinating article up at Ars Technica this week about the history of what, for lack of imagination, everyone refers to as the “e-book”.  The story begins in the late nineties when you couldn’t open a magazine without reading an article about how the internet was going to [...]

Sarcastic Clapping

“Are we gonna die son?” – Homer Simpson “Yeah.  But at least we’ll take a lot of innocent people with us.” – Bart Simpson Congratulations to the government of Israel!  In exchange for three weeks of bombing and a half assed invasion of Gaza you stopped ineffectual rocket fire for two whole weeks.  That is [...]

Sign of the Times

“Look, if you . . . if you do find internet, let us know, will ya?” – Stephen Stotch “How?  You won’t have internet.” – Randy Marsh Yesterday morning I was engaging in the ancient tradition of wasting time on the internet.  My Google results were coming in all screwed up and Firefox was blocking [...]

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