I think that a bumper sticker that said “I’D RATHER HAVE BUSH’S THIRD TERM THAN JIMMY CARTER’S SECOND” would be a hot seller, assuming that Obama is the nominee. Note, contrary to convention wisdom, I still don’t assume that. There’s this little thing called a “convention” coming up that will determine that.
“The Sun Sets”
…finally, on the British Empire.
Strange to witness one of the oldest and most successful of nations commit suicide without even being aware of what it’s doing.
Strange indeed. And very sad.
[Update, a few minutes later]
You know, if the Saudis wanted to spend their money building Muslim hospitals in the UK (just as the Catholics have their own hospitals in the US), complete with restrictions as to how much hygiene is required on the part of the nursing staff, per sharia law, who could object to them orienting the beds in whatever direction they wished? The only people who would suffer would be the Muslims stupid enough to use their services.
But instead, because Britain, with its NHS (and other programs) has become a welfare state, it’s a lot cheaper for them to spend the money bribing MPs to institute such nonsense in the public hospitals, so they can save their money for funding madrassas that encourage people to bomb the Tube.
This would seem to have parallels to the public school system, and the battles over what kind of “science” to teach in science classes. It is an intrinsic pitfall of state-supplied health and education. Not to mention other vital needs.
“The Sun Sets”
…finally, on the British Empire.
Strange to witness one of the oldest and most successful of nations commit suicide without even being aware of what it’s doing.
Strange indeed. And very sad.
[Update, a few minutes later]
You know, if the Saudis wanted to spend their money building Muslim hospitals in the UK (just as the Catholics have their own hospitals in the US), complete with restrictions as to how much hygiene is required on the part of the nursing staff, per sharia law, who could object to them orienting the beds in whatever direction they wished? The only people who would suffer would be the Muslims stupid enough to use their services.
But instead, because Britain, with its NHS (and other programs) has become a welfare state, it’s a lot cheaper for them to spend the money bribing MPs to institute such nonsense in the public hospitals, so they can save their money for funding madrassas that encourage people to bomb the Tube.
This would seem to have parallels to the public school system, and the battles over what kind of “science” to teach in science classes. It is an intrinsic pitfall of state-supplied health and education. Not to mention other vital needs.
“The Sun Sets”
…finally, on the British Empire.
Strange to witness one of the oldest and most successful of nations commit suicide without even being aware of what it’s doing.
Strange indeed. And very sad.
[Update, a few minutes later]
You know, if the Saudis wanted to spend their money building Muslim hospitals in the UK (just as the Catholics have their own hospitals in the US), complete with restrictions as to how much hygiene is required on the part of the nursing staff, per sharia law, who could object to them orienting the beds in whatever direction they wished? The only people who would suffer would be the Muslims stupid enough to use their services.
But instead, because Britain, with its NHS (and other programs) has become a welfare state, it’s a lot cheaper for them to spend the money bribing MPs to institute such nonsense in the public hospitals, so they can save their money for funding madrassas that encourage people to bomb the Tube.
This would seem to have parallels to the public school system, and the battles over what kind of “science” to teach in science classes. It is an intrinsic pitfall of state-supplied health and education. Not to mention other vital needs.
A Convention Battle
We haven’t seen one of these with the major parties in decades, though I think it’s a good bet for Denver this year with the Dems.
But if you’re interested in how floor fights actually work, here’s some live blogging from Dave Weigel on the Libertarian convention (also in Denver). If this happens with the donkeys in August, there will be a lot of blood shed (literally, in the streets, I suspect).
The Cosmic Ghoul Missed One
Congrats to JPL on the successful (so far) landing of the Phoenix. Interestingly (though almost certainly coincidentally), it happens on the forty-seventh anniversary of Kennedy’s speech announcing the plan to land a man on the moon by the end of the decade.
And (for what it’s worth–not much, to me, and even more certainly coincidentally) it’s the thirty-first anniversary of the initial release of Star Wars in theaters. I didn’t see it that day, but I did see it within a couple weeks. I remember being unimpressed (“the Kessel run in twelve parsecs”…please), though the effects were pretty good. But then, I was a fan of actual science fiction.
[Update late evening]
It’s worth noting that (I think) this was the first soft landing on Mars in over twenty years, since Viking. Surely someone will correct me (or nitpick me) if I’m wrong.
[Monday morning update]
OK, not exactly wrong (it has been over twenty years), but it’s thirty years. I’m pretty good at math. Arithmetic, not so much.
Space Show
I had a post about this last week, but I forgot to remind people today, that I was on The Space Show this afternoon (I took a break from yardwork, where we’re tearing out old hedges, and still finishing up guttering–on the radio, no one can hear you sweating). Here’s a place to comment for anyone who happened to listen in.
One Of The Last Of The Paperclips
Dennis Wingo remembers Ernst Stuhlinger.
Thoughts On Global Warming
From Freeman Dyson. It’s a long read but worthwhile (as always).
[Update late evening]
Dayo Olopade has an uncomplimentary review of Dyson’s review.
FWIW, I don’t think that GW skepticism is equivalent to Pascal’s wager. But I don’t have time right now to say why.
Hope I live to tell the tale.
More Relationship Advice
It’s round two of Ask Barry!, over at Iowahawk’s place.