No, Obama and Buffett are peddling a myth when they claim that secretaries pay more taxes than their bosses. No surprise — Obama has spent much of his life peddling myths, with great success, to fools.
There Is No Market For Space Tourism
I mean, how silly is it to think that someone would pay money to see something like this?
Kelo
A sad epilogue:
Susette and I were talking in a small circle of people when we were approached by Justice Richard N. Palmer. Tall and imposing, he is one of the four justices who voted with the 4-3 majority against Susette and her neighbors. Facing me, he said: “Had I known all of what you just told us, I would have voted differently.”
I was speechless. So was Susette. One more vote in her favor by the Connecticut Supreme Court would have changed history. The case probably would not have advanced to the U.S. Supreme Court, and Susette and her neighbors might still be in their homes.
Then Justice Palmer turned to Susette, took her hand and offered a heartfelt apology. Tears trickled down her red cheeks. It was the first time in the 12-year saga that anyone had uttered the words “I’m sorry.”
It was really an appalling decision. It greatly enhanced local governments’ capacity for tyranny.
Is Neil Stephenson…
…becoming too conventional? A review of his latest book.
[Update a couple minutes later]
A new book about the high frontier, and an accompanying 3-D space colony app.
[Update a few minutes later]
An interview with Stephenson about the book.
You Don’t Say
Obama deficit plan may miss its targets. Our days of taking this guy seriously should be way past a middle.
AtlasGate
Headline Of The Day
…maybe even of the week, or month: “Anonymous Officials Push Open Government.”
In Which One Of The Rubes
This wasn’t a speech to get something done. This was the sort of speech that sounded better when Ted Kennedy was delivering it. The result is that we will get neither short-term stimulus nor long-term debt reduction anytime soon, and I’m a sap for thinking it was possible.
Yes, I’m a sap. I believed Obama when he said he wanted to move beyond the stale ideological debates that have paralyzed this country. I always believe that Obama is on the verge of breaking out of the conventional categories and embracing one of the many bipartisan reform packages that are floating around.
What a fool.
[Update a while later]
The Biggest Earmark
…plods on. My thoughts on last week’s SLS announcement, over at PJM. As usual, the comments are chock full of foolishness.
A Dubious Honor
Jason Hanson has been kicking for the Lions for twenty years, apparently an NFL record. It’s been a rough two decades, but maybe this season will make up for it.