Sunday, June 08, 2008

Worth Reading - Short Takes 6/08/08

Short takes is my way of cramming a lot into a small space for you..kind of like the young gentleman above is doing! Here's a brief rundown of some of today's items of interest for Joshua's Army:

Elizabeth Scalia,who blogs under the name the Anchoress has a fascinating piece on why the Democrats dumped Hillary for the new sensation, Mr. Hope N'Change... that Obama is the political equivalent of the trophy wife It also explains why Hillary and her adherents may just do the equivalent of a 'first wives' club' on Obama come November. (hat tip, Ms. Bookworm)

It's hard to believe, but even a blind pig finds a truffle every once in a while. In his latest column Short on Ahmadinejad, Long on Buffett - the normally fatuous Thomas Friedman of the NY Times looks at two bets placed on Israel's future, one by Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the other by super investor Warren Buffet. After revealing that little Israel's booming economy is attracting almost as much venture capital start up money as China (yes, you read that right), he delivers the money line:

"Iran’s economic and military clout today is largely dependent on extracting oil from the ground. Israel’s economic and military power today is entirely dependent on extracting intelligence from its people. Israel’s economic power is endlessly renewable. Iran’s is a dwindling resource based on fossil fuels made from dead dinosaurs.

So who will be here in 20 years? I’m with Buffett: I’ll bet on the people who bet on their people — not the people who bet on dead dinosaurs."



In Iran and the Problem of Evil - Michael Ledeen compares the current paralysis over Iran to the paralysis of the Western democracies over the rise of faschism inth elate 1930's.

Anybody remember the magic cure all, embryonic stem cell research? The stuff feckless state governments like California's spent billions on in give aways to private firms for 'research'? As my old blogpal and ex-Council mate AJ Strata reveals in Adult Stem Cell Treatments Flourish, While Embryonic Stem Cell Research Goes Nowhere, it was money down the toilet, as it is actually adult stem cells that are proving to be the scientific breakthrough, rather than the products of embryo farms.

In How Obama, McCain Should Choose VP - Michael Barone, the dean of American political reporting speculates on the proper criteria.

And with Hatemonger Aravosis Attacks McCain Over Military Disability Pay Greg at Rhymes With Right takes on a particularly odious commentator's attack on John McCain's supposed non-support for veteran's benefits.

Enjoy yourselves...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

the anchoress essay reminds me of this gem i got via e-mail over the weekend:

Subject: Post Turtle

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75 year old Texas rancher, whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man.

Eventually the topic got around to Obama and his bid to be our President.


The old rancher said, "Well, ya know, Obama is a 'post turtle'."

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a 'post turtle' was.

The old rancher said, "When you're driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that's a 'post turtle'."

The old man saw a puzzled look on the doctor's face, so he continued to explain.

"You know for sure he didn't get up there by himself, he doesn't belong up there, he doesn't have a clue what to do while he is up there, and you just want to help the dumb idiot get down."