Sunday morning reading - September 13, 2009

’Round and ’round the money goes.

A computer analysis by the Center for Public Integrity has revealed that fully three-quarters of the [members of John Murtha’s House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee] have been involved in similar patterns of behavior — in circles of relationships fraught with potential conflicts of interest, involving former congressional staffers-turned lobbyists, earmarks, and campaign cash.  In these circles, former staffers became lobbyists for defense contractors; the contractors received earmarks from the representatives; and the representatives received campaign contributions from the lobbyists or the contractors.

Data mining in the public interest. RTWT, and Spot YOUR Earmarker!  (I see Indiana’s Pete Visclosky made the list.  Oh boy!)  Makes up for its length by raising your blood pressure.  4000 words (via: IP)

Drawing some boundaries.  Ric Locke has 15 ideas for restoring the intent of the Founders and reclaiming our liberty.  One favorite:

6.  Every declaration, order, rule, or proclamation, however styled or construed, for violation or nonperformance of which any Person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property in any degree, is a Law, and every Law of the United States shall be placed before, and debated and passed by, the Congress; Regulations drawn up by unelected functionaries, and having the force of Law upon their face, are null and void in every respect.

Good ideas, I think.  How about you?  1400 words (HT: CGH)

Magical thinking falling flat.

They’ll yammer on and on about how the right are delusional, but they’ve yet to come to grips with the fact that The One is full of fail, and that the blame lies with himself and his administration.  The Spendulus fiasco, TARP auto bailout, Cash for Clunkers’ unforeseen side effects—all of these were Obama initiatives that sank, because they were forged out of magical thinking. People who live in the world somewhat attached to material realities know that symbolism can be good, but that it hardly amounts in and of itself to policies that will operate in their interests.  Dialectical materialism is the opiate of the intelligentsia.

Dan Collins on the leftosphere in denial.  Lots of links/examples.  650 words

Cookery corner.  Rachel on doing Tex-Mex in England:

...We’ve learned the hard way that when the UK label says (as it does on this “Mexican” cheese at Tesco) that it is “HOT! SPICY! AUTHENTIC MEXICAN! BURNS YOUR FACE OFF!” – it is never anything even remotely at all in any way like those things.

It’s usually like the regular thing – for example, plain mild cheddar cheese – with a timid dash of…pepper.  The “super-hot ass-kickin’ salsa!” is essentially a liter of ketchup with a tablespoon of onion gently blended in.  Gently!  So as not to overwhelm you.

I may be from Texas but this should tell you how shocking the spiciness-calibration differences are between the US and the UK:  Stone cold truth, my face gets sweaty and I have to fan myself when I eat Taco Bell mild sauce at home.  That’s not a joke people.  When I say I want some spice, I mean just a little.  But I have tried jars of things over here that are labeled “Super Fire Hot!” – and they are about as super fire hot as a spoonful of honeydew melon.

Also, the difference between English and American “pie,” and the joy of chopping up fresh produce.  2500 words, 11 photos

Oh, and I’ve added a few links to the September 11 post.

Happy Sunday.

Posted by: Old Grouch in Linkage at 15:17:17 GMT | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 564 words, total size 6 kb.