Open thread. Play nice. … [Read more...] about Open Thread
The Swedish Welfare State
An interesting article at The New Libertarian: "The Swedish self image is special. That we are a moral superpower, a higher civilization, richest of them all, have the best welfare and are neutral since we are so good – it lives on" -- Johnny Munkhammar in the liberal magazine Liberal Debatt, number 4, 2003 Sweden is in a sense an ideal natural experiment in economic … [Read more...] about The Swedish Welfare State
A Breakthrough Drug, But Only For Women
They all have HPV, but the guys can't get vaccinated The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is a breakthrough drug because it dramatically reduces the odds of women getting deadly cervical cancer. Some 20 states are considering or have adopted mandatory programs for middle school-aged girls to be vaccinated against HPV, although most are allowing opt-out provisions for … [Read more...] about A Breakthrough Drug, But Only For Women
Al Qaeda Leaders Regaining Power
Mark Mazzetti and David Rohde wrote a depressing article for the New York Times. It seems that Al Qaeda leaders, who are hiding in Pakistan are regaining power of their terrorist network and that they have set up training camps for terrorists "in the tribal regions near the Afghan border". As the authors of the article point out, the Bush administration has said for a number … [Read more...] about Al Qaeda Leaders Regaining Power
U.S.’s Latest Weapon Is Truly A Pane
Just call this "enemies on the rocks":AMERICAN troops are to get a secret new weapon — artificial ice. Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will put sheets of the substance on roads, alleys and rooftops to stop their enemies using them. Their own boots and vehicle tyres will be coated with a chemical immune to the synthetic skid pans. The Sun has seen a copy of the … [Read more...] about U.S.’s Latest Weapon Is Truly A Pane
Fox News Lives Up To Its Slogan
This time it was fair and balanced. … [Read more...] about Fox News Lives Up To Its Slogan
John McCain Makes The Break
It sounds as if John McCain is making a calculated risk that he's willing to lose some voters who supported him because he was an unpredicatable independent-thinking Republican and replace them with GOP primary voters and social conservatives who want more predictable positions:Republican presidential candidate John McCain, looking to improve his standing with the party's … [Read more...] about John McCain Makes The Break
The Insurgents Defeat
Wounded in Iraq, Neglected at Walter Reed
Jeremy Duncan at Walter Reed: From one hell hole to another The Washington Post has a blockbuster of a story today about the travesty that the once proud Walter Reed Army Hospital has become because of the Iraq war. The former crown jewel of military medicine has been transformed into a holding ground for physically and psychologically damaged outpatients, says the Post, … [Read more...] about Wounded in Iraq, Neglected at Walter Reed
Giuliani’s Lead Grows Over McCain Among GOP Primary Voters
A new poll shows former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani expanding his lead over Arizona Senator John McCain among Republican primary voters for the 2008 GOP nomination. Both are out on the hustings. Both are getting more and more "face time" on cable news networks in terms of coverage and "live" interviews. Both are trying to shore up pockets of resistance among the GOP … [Read more...] about Giuliani’s Lead Grows Over McCain Among GOP Primary Voters
Are Jews Paranoid?
The issue is examined by Oxblog's David Adesnik. Do you have a PROBLEM with that???! … [Read more...] about Are Jews Paranoid?
Futile
Because I received so much feedback - both in comments and in e-mails - on my post futile, which I published at my own blog and linked to from here, I have decided to publish it here in its entirety. We are all wondering sometimes about the usefulness of what we do. Man's greatest fear is not death, it's being useless. It's being forgotten after death. Thus, all of us try … [Read more...] about Futile
Iraqi Terrorists Adapting
The New York Times reports: Documents captured from Iraqi insurgents indicate that some of the recent fatal attacks against American helicopters are a result of a carefully planned strategy to focus on downing coalition aircraft, one that American officials say has been carried out by mounting coordinated assaults with machine guns, rockets and surface-to-air missiles. The … [Read more...] about Iraqi Terrorists Adapting
The Kids are Alright… (albeit not in the U.S. and G.B.)
Photo: Sema Babacan Peaktalk's Pieter Dorsman spends two interesting posts on a UNICEF report 'considering children's well being in 21 industrial nations.' In which countries are children best off? In what countries are children very happy and in what countries are they unhappy? Good news for the Netherlands and Sweden: 1. Netherlands 2. Sweden 3. Denmark 4. Finland 5. … [Read more...] about The Kids are Alright… (albeit not in the U.S. and G.B.)
A Jazz Legend
The great Fats Waller doing his song "You're Feets Too Big": … [Read more...] about A Jazz Legend
Conservative GOPers Targeting Hillary (UPDATED)
The Los Angeles Times reports that GOP conservatives' political knives are out -- bigtime -- for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. And one of the political knives is reportedly held by former Clinton advisor Dick Morris, now a columnist and Fox News contributor:Old enemies of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are out in force. Just weeks after she joined the Democratic Party's flock … [Read more...] about Conservative GOPers Targeting Hillary (UPDATED)
Sometimes It’s Hard To Sing “The Star Spangled Banner”
And sometimes it's hard to listen to it: … [Read more...] about Sometimes It’s Hard To Sing “The Star Spangled Banner”
Intel On Iran
Suddenly, There’s a Helo Down in Afghanistan
Perhaps a bit suspicious, considering how they're getting shot down in Iraq? Reuters via MSNBC: KABUL - A helicopter of the U.S.-led coalition force crashed in southeastern Afghanistan on Sunday, the coalition said, but did not say if there were any casualties. A search and rescue operation for the helicopter and its occupants had been launched, a spokesman said in a … [Read more...] about Suddenly, There’s a Helo Down in Afghanistan
Bionic Eye Available Within Two Years
The (London) Times reports that scientists have announced that bionic eyes that "can restore sight to the blind should be available commercially within two years." An early version of the prosthetic retina has already been fitted to six patients with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative and incurable eye condition that affects 1 in 3,500 people. All have recovered the ability … [Read more...] about Bionic Eye Available Within Two Years