Orson Scott Card isn’t very happy with his fellow Democrats. I’m sure that it’s very frustrating for him to have to defend George Bush, about whom there are a great deal of things worthy of criticism (if so, I certainly share it), but the lunacy of the continuing attacks on him make it necessary.
Walmart Derangement Syndrome
Jonah Goldberg talks about the Democrats’ latest amusing dementia. So does Rich Lowry.
Did Hezbollah Win?
Amir Taheri thinks not. Michael Young agrees.
Longer term, I suspect that the media is another loser, with continuing self-inflicted blows to its credibility in the wake of the fauxtography and willing (and even eager) acceptance of staged Hezbullah propaganda. I hope so, anyway.
Get Rid Of The Corporate Income Tax
So writeth Jane Galt (not the first time she’s clamored for this).
While undoubtedly the discovery that most of the tax burden falls on employees will be for some a strike against the tax, and for others a sign that we need some stiff laws to force those corporations to place the burden elsewhere, it seems to me that this piece of information makes the corporate income tax no less attractive than it was before–which is to say, not at all. Levying a corporate income tax is a very inefficient way to do what we want, which is to redistribute money from the company’s richer owners, customers, and managers to its poorer employees.
(All right, maybe we don’t all want to do this; no doubt many of my readers are even now cringing in horror at the thought. But let us posit, for the sake of discussion, that we do want to do this, because that is at heart of all the arguments I have ever heard in favour of the corporate income tax, and even assuming the ends, the means make no sense.)
I agree. The corporate income tax is nuts, and arguments for it are born purely of economic ignorance.
Spreading The Word
Jon Goff’s musings on essential spacefaring technologies was very useful, inasmuch as it seems to have kicked off a substantial discussion in the blogosphere. One wonders how many at NASA are reading.
[Friday morning update]
Jon has some further thoughts. I would add one technology to his list: routine EVA equipment and orbital assembly techniques.
Taking It Off The Market
Here’s an interesting strategy–Ford is considering taking the company private. That could help a lot, if they have the cash to do it.
Exposing The Lies
Zombie Time has an exhaustive expose of the media’s slander against Israel in the ambulance incident. It would be both appropriate and ironic to give this piece a Pulitzer. It will never happen, of course.
Of all the expos
Overreaction
Bruce Schneier says that our mindless reactions to terrorist plots is a victory for them in itself:
Regardless of the threat, from the would-be bombers’ perspective, the explosives and planes were merely tactics. Their goal was to cause terror, and in that they’ve succeeded.
Imagine for a moment what would have happened if they had blown up 10 planes. There would be canceled flights, chaos at airports, bans on carry-on luggage, world leaders talking tough new security measures, political posturing and all sorts of false alarms as jittery people panicked. To a lesser degree, that’s basically what’s happening right now.
Our politicians help the terrorists every time they use fear as a campaign tactic. The press helps every time it writes scare stories about the plot and the threat. And if we’re terrified, and we share that fear, we help. All of these actions intensify and repeat the terrorists’ actions, and increase the effects of their terror.
Nasty Weather?
We’ve had a quiet season so far, but as we get into the end of August, that could be changing:
The Canadian model continues to be very consistent and very gung-ho, developing 97L into a strong tropical storm on Saturday, south of Jamaica, then taking the storm into the Gulf of Mexico as a hurricane.
I Blame George Bush
Polar bear genitals are shrinking.
Are they sure it isn’t just the cold water? I always have that problem. At least that’s the excuse I use.
Oh, and speaking of sucky science jobs, measuring polar bear privates has to be right up there.