I’ve given this exactly no serious thought, but Megan McArdle has an interesting proposal. My first-pass reaction is that this would weaken the humanitarian argument aspect of the argument for immigration, but it’s probably still worth pondering.
Visa Auctions?
June 25th, 2007 · Comments Off on Visa Auctions?
Tags: Markets
Say the Right Things When Electioneering
June 25th, 2007 · Comments Off on Say the Right Things When Electioneering
The Supreme Court has ruled, by a 5-4 vote, in favor of Wisconsin Right to Life, which had been embroiled in long struggle with the Federal Election Commission over ads the anti-abortion group was prevented from broadcasting. The spots would have asked voters to urge Sens. Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl not to filibuster Bush’s […]
Tags: Law
Fictional Deities
June 22nd, 2007 · 9 Comments
TCSDaily seems to be on a real tear against Christopher Hitchens’ book-length jeremiad against religion: The lastest attack there blasts Hitch for neglecting to grapple with the theological ideas of some of his favorite literary giants. He says not a word, for instance, about Shakespeare’s Iago as a critique of atheism. What’s that you say? […]
Tags: Religion
The First Casualty of Politics Is Humor
June 22nd, 2007 · 2 Comments
The folks at ThinkProgress are purporting to be upset about this exchange on Glen Beck’s show: [Michael] Graham asked Beck if he wanted to see the Clintons murdered in the [spoof Sopranos] video. “[S]eriously, Glenn, didn’t you at one point want to see, like, Paulie Walnuts or someone come in and just whack them both […]
Tags: Journalism & the Media
Public Service Announcement
June 22nd, 2007 · 7 Comments
“Awesome Canadian hip-hop” are three words seldom strung together in that order; as far as I’m aware, it’s a descriptive phrase with a unique extension: Edmonton-based rapper Cadence Weapon. He’ll be playing The Red and the Black next month.
Tags: Washington, DC
The Stupid Are Cocksure
June 22nd, 2007 · 4 Comments
Kevin Drum suggests that Rudy Giuliani—who seems to imagine that having watched things blow up makes him a terrorism expert—is a prime example of the Dunning-Kruger Effect: Dunning and Kruger, in a famous series of tests, found that “Incompetent individuals, compared with their more competent peers, will dramatically overestimate their ability and performance relative to […]
Tags: Journalism & the Media
Just a Bit Off the Top
June 21st, 2007 · 15 Comments
I realize Ross’ defense of circumcision in response to Andrew Sullivan’s most recent attack on the practice is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but to the extent that it’s serious, it’s not all that cogent. First, there’s the aesthetics. I’ve heard preferences in both directions here, but frankly, I’m not sure why this should cut in either direction […]
Tags: Sexual Politics
Incarcarex
June 21st, 2007 · Comments Off on Incarcarex
Via Jacob Sullum:
Tags: Random Cool Link
Worst. Profile. Ever.
June 21st, 2007 · Comments Off on Worst. Profile. Ever.
Pace Slate, I find it hard to believe Esquire‘s July cover story about Angelina Jolie can be “the worst celebrity profile ever written.” I’m inclined to nominate this vigorous fellating of Keanu Reeves in Details, which the inimitable Matt Welch references in his takedown of the entire genre.
Tags: Uncategorized
British Invasion
June 21st, 2007 · 4 Comments
Did I miss the memo specifying that the Britishism whinge would be supplanting the more familiar whine this year? I feel like I’m suddenly seeing this once-obscure variant everywhere. Is that extra “g” adding some special nuance?
Tags: Language and Literature