Surfing the Web...

11.28.06

A short list of stuff I found interesting on the web today.

Like I Care
"The first person I knew who had a Web site of his own was a fellow Washington journalist. This was when many journalists were still just getting into e-mail, but the URL for this Web site quickly circulated around town and around the world. Why? Well, we were all impressed by the technological savvy. But we were absolutely astounded by the solipsism. What on earth had gotten into Joe (not his real name)? This was a modest, soft-spoken and self-effacing fellow, yet his Web site portrayed him as an egotistical monster. Or so it seemed at the time. All of the elements that struck us as obnoxious maybe eight years ago no longer seem that way. In fact, they are now virtually required for any writer's Web site. The Web address, of course, was his name: JoeJournalist.com. It's hard to recapture why even that seemed pretentious. But it did. Then there was his deadpan list of books he'd written and awards he'd won. And quotes from other journalists about how wonderful he is. It all seemed totally out of character and terribly immodest. Poor Joe! Had the World Wide Web driven him crazy?" By Michael Kinsley (Washington Post)

The Attack of the Name-Calling Columnist of the New York Times
"By my count, Thomas Edsall found the need to use the word 'protectionist' 5 times in his attack (NY Times Select, so no link. Sorry.) on the populist appeal of many of the Democrats who won seats in Congress this month. It's too bad that he couldn't refrain from name-calling long enough to think about the underlying issues. The basic point is very simple: recent trade deals have been designed to put less educated workers in competition with low-paid workers in the developing world. This drives down the wages of less-educated workers (people without college degrees) in the United States. Lower wages for less educated workers benefits higher paid workers like Thomas Edsall because it means that they can buy their manufactured goods for less and pay less when they have work done on their home or garden or hire a nanny. We did not have to design our trade deals this way." By economist Dean Baker

Spam Never Dies
"Three years ago, MSNBC.com intentionally answered spam advertisements for cheap mortgage loans to see what would happen. Very soon, we received offers from a host of mortgage brokers, including household brands like Ameriquest and Quicken Loans, proving that spam is big business. Now, we’ve proven something else: Spam never dies." By the Red Tape Chronicles blogger.

Fiji PM to Meet Army Chief to Avoid Coup
"Laisenia Qarase, Fiji's prime minister, is to hold a last-ditch summit with the Pacific island nation's military commander amid fears of a coup." (Al-Jazeera) Another good reason, perhaps the best one, why standing professional armies are dangerous. What does a little island nation-state like Fiji even need an army for, anyhow? A great question that never gets asked or answered by the statists.

Michigan City Library Yanks Web Access Over Porn
If you wanna look at that stuff then go to a cyber cafe. Why should taxpayers pay for these guys' porn addiction? Leave the puters for the kids to do their homework on you pervs.(Detroit News)

Massachusetts' Senator Kerry Ranks Last in Likeability Poll for Politicians
No surprise here.(MSNBC)

US Dollar is Play Money to Foreign Tourists
"A depressed dollar is turning Fifth Avenue into a virtual flea market for global travelers as strong currencies like the British pound and the euro create a glut of great deals on fashions, electronics and hot status brands." (NY Post)

Jeff Cooper Dies at 86: We'll miss you, Col. Cooper.
"The great Jeff Cooper, a.k.a. 'father of modern pistolcraft' has died. According to Ed Head, Operations Manager at the Gunsite Academy, Inc., Col. Cooper passed away peacefully at his home on the afternoon of September 25 (2006)."(defensereview.com)

Patriot 2: A Celebration of Liberty
A pretty good CD (or as mp3 downloads) of the libertarian/paleo-con oriented music of Matthew Fitzgibbons. Good stuff. Not at all hokey or maudlin, like I had expected it to be. I first heard Fitzgibbon's music on a Radio Free Liberty.com podcast. Worth a listen IMHO.