February, 2010 archive
And Now for Something Completely Different 0
Chinese temple art:
Packing the Court 0
It is idea that seems attractive at a distance, but, close up, it’s a non-starter.
FDR tried it and failed. I think that precedent would prevail.
QOTD 0
Charles Darwin, from the Quotemaster:
False facts are highly injurious to the progress of science, for they often endure long; but false views, if supported by some evidence, do little harm, for everyone takes a salutary pleasure in proving their falseness.
Comment Rescue, Fee Hand of the Market Dept. 1
A commenter to this post said:
What they need to do is stop the direct to consumer advertising, like all the other countries, with the exception of New Zealand.
I agree.
The advertisements for prescription drugs directed at private citizens put a lie to the theory that market forces will encourage businesses to act morally (remember that private citizens cannot purchase prescriptions drugs without a prescription; all they can do is pester their doctors for prescriptions).
Market forces encourage business to sell more stuff using any means possible.
For example.
Note that this article talks about the FDA’s failure to regulate. If the FDA is failing to regulate (and it is), it is not because the persons who work there don’t care.
It’s because 30 years of Republican Economic Theory and Faith in the Fee Hand of the Market have spayed the FDA.
The FDA is a gelding, as are most other regulatory agencies.
Republicans, under the tutelage of their corporate masters, have made it so.
Sticky: Please Report Broken Stuff 2
I have moved this site to a new server. Please use the email link at the top of the page to tell me of any broken links, missing pictures, or anything else whifty. Please include a link to the specific post or page in your email so I can fix it quickly.
Housekeeping 0
I have deactivated the Gatekeeper plugin in favor of Akismet. If all goes well, no more “What color is an orange?”
An Armed Society Is a Polite Society 3
Yahoos with guns make us all safer.
What I Have Learned from Drug Commercials 2
It is really quite astounding what one can learn.
Apparently, as a nation, Americans can’t make a (ahem) move without drugs.
For example (Warning: May be almost as offensive as the commercials themselves):
Dustbiters 0
While I was offline and then occupied with migrating the site, I lost track of the banksters.
I see that they are still showing their mastery of the universe by going out of business.
One down so far this week:
And two:
Hung Out To Dry 3
No legal protections for clotheslines in Virginia:
(snip)
Still no dice. The (House of Delegates) panel tabled the measure, effectively killing it. The 5-2 vote broke down along party lines, Democrats for and Republicans against.
Since this proprosal protects an individual freedom (to hang clothes out on the line) and makes environmental sense, but does not involve guns, it is quite logical that Republicans would oppose it.
iVodka 0
According to Bloomberg, there’s an app for that.
(snip)
One of the distiller’s new initiatives is an application for Apple Inc.’s iPhone that allows the user to scan the barcode of a bottle of Smirnoff or Tanqueray gin and be shown cocktail recipes based on that liquor, Moseley said.
Diageo also aims to tap middle-aged women, who it says account for 62 percent of vodka purchases made in stores, by advertising and running promotions through food and lifestyle Web sites such as NBC Universal Inc.’s Today show.
The Entitlement Society 0
David Bochover on the banksters bonuses for showing up to work policies demolishes the “we have to pay for talent” sophistry:
I’m Back (Updated) 0
I’ll muck with the theme tomorrow. Something’s not working with my Pine View Farm theme, but the database has been restored and seems to work okay on the new hosting outfit. There won’t be much posting until I finish unpacking and have the place looking more like home.
It’s been kind of nice to have a little vacation from blogging. Feeding the blogbeast can take some effort.
But I have saved up this gem, which pretty much sums up Republican Economic Theory:
Addendum, the Next Day:
Well, I’ve fixed everything but the color of the title at the top of the page. It’s starting to feel like home–like a new place with one piece of furniture that just doesn’t match and needs to be reupholstered. The upholstery has been ordered.
