Friday 3 August 2012

FRIDAY MORNING RAMBLE: The ‘we’ve struck gold’ edition

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Sorry readers, it’s been a flu-ridden week for your humble writer this week: enlivened only by Olympics medal celebrations.  But here’s a few things that caught your writer’s eye around the net…

Don't come to London for the Olympics, they said. It it will be too busy, they said. They listened, and they didn't—so it's not. Not busy at all, that is; the economic malaise of hosting the Olympics.
Don't come to London - it will be too busy: They didn't, so it isn't – LIBERTY SCOTT

The Wall Street Journal explains ‘ badminton-gate’ with puppets. Yes, really.
Homemade Highlights: Olympic Badminton Scandal – LIVE WSJ

The Olympics have gone smoothly despite -- gasp! -- America's team wearing clothing made in China at the opening ceremony. "I'm so upset," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile, and burn them. ... We have people in the textile industry who are desperate for jobs." Here, Reid demonstrates economic cluelessness…
Myths We Live By – John Stossel, TOWN HALL

Thank goodness for The Onion. “Members of the U.S. men's gymnastics team have continued to apologize for their fifth-place finish in Monday’s team finals, mistakenly convinced that they dashed the entire nation's dreams of Olympic glory.”
U.S. Men's Gymnastics Team Thinks It Has Let Entire Nation Down – THE ONION

”Michael Phelps, the American who won his record-breaking nineteenth Olympic medal – his fifteenth gold – in the pool on Tuesday evening is unquestionably the greatest Olympic swimmer of all time. For some of us, however, that should automatically disqualify him from the contest to be named the Greatest Olympian…”
Why Phelps should be disqualified from any ‘Greatest Olympian’ contest – Mick Hume, SPIKED

American gold-medal winners will be shaken down by the Inland Revenue Service on their arrival back home. Because in the now-classic phrase of their president: that gold medal, you didn’t win that.
Go for the Gold! (Pay the IRS.) – WEEKLY STANDARD
Obama 'Invests' in People to Own Them – OBJECTIVIST INDIVIDUALIST

The politics of “You didn’t build that.”
Four Little Words: Why the Obama campaign is suddenly so worried. 
– Kimberly Strassel, WALL STREET JOURNAL
The intellectual roots of “You didn’t build that.”
The Shoulders of Giants: Obama didn't build "You didn't build that." 
– James Taranto, WALL STREET JOURNAL

Eric Crampton reckons Christchurch’s covered-stadium plan is a poison pill the government is trying to offload on the council.
Poison pillOFFSETTING BEHAVIOUR
The Plan – OFFSETTING BEHAVIOUR

“Fair tax”? What the hell does “fairness” have to do with tax?
Taxing Language: A Question for the Politicians - Fair: What Do You Mean? – Mark Hubbard, LIFE BEHIND THE IRON DRAPE

Louisa Wall’s bill to legalise gay marriage has whipped up opposition from those arguing the law should recognise the Biblical view of marriage. Be careful what you wish for.
A Biblical View of Marriage – AMERICAN ATHEISTS

And, since you asked for his opinion…
Gay Marriage Is for Suckers – Lindsay Perig0, SOLO

The right to agree with others is not a problem in
any society; it is the right to disagree that is crucial.

            - Ayn Rand

Len Brown has worked out the ideal way to kill Auckland’s inner city: by driving a train set right through the middle of it.
Irresponsible inner city behaviour – Phil McDermott, CITIES MATTER
Tunnel Vision: thin edge of the rail wedge – Phil McDermott, CITIES MATTER

Call the diplomatic “thaw” on Fiji what it is: a long-overdue backdown.”
Backdown on Fiji called a “thaw” – STEPHEN FRANKS

If cronyism didn’t exist, you’d get the sense that John Key would have had to invent it. No, cronyism isn’t the greatest threat to freedom. But it is a threat.  You want to get rid of it, you have to get rid of the mixed economy that is its perfect host.
Cronyism Is Not Today’s Biggest Problem – Don Watkins, LAISSEZ FAIRE
The Economics & History of Cronyism – David R. Henderson, MERCATUS

The insufferably pompous Gore Vidal is dead.
Here’s the late Hitchens on the now-late Vidal. And enjoy a classic piece of gladiatorial television, Norman Mailer versus Vidal and everyone else on the Dick Cavett Show a few years ago.
Vidal Loco – Christopher Hitchens, VANITY FAIR

Just to remind you where Gaza’s ruling Hamas is on history … “Gaza's ruling Hamas has criticized a Palestinian official for visiting a memorial at the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz and paying respects to its 1.5 million victims there, most of them Jews.”
Hamas blasts Palestinian official's Auschwitz trip – Jonathan So, HISTORY NEWS NETWORK

And where’s the coverage? Surely the role of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the coldblooded slaughter of Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics has not been forgotten ?
Where's the Coverage? PA President Mahmoud Abbas' Role in the Munich Massacre – SNAPSHOT

Come on, you knew this already, surely.
As A Teen, Obama Deeply Influenced By Communist Mentor – INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY

Here’s a really scary thought: New York Times’s Paul Krugman Wants To Be The Next Federal Reserve Chairman…
Paul Krugman Wants to Replace Ben Bernanke as Federal Reserve Chairman – NEWSBUSTERS

Those who have zero respect for Intellectual Property either have zero
intellectual property, or zero respect for what little they do have.

            - Bosch Fawstin

What’s wrong with plastic bags anyway? The latest war on these incredibly useful bags is fuelled by nothing more than greens’ loathing of modern consumption habits.
Why plastic bags should be free – Tom Bailey, SPIKED

A clarifying breakdown on the core issues surrounding the global warming debate.
How to detect pseudo-science: The case of Bill McKibben and catastrophic global warming – Alex Epstein, CENTER FOR INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS
Ronald Bailey on the Freak Out Over Two New Climate Studies – HIT AND RUN
Spinning more bad news to pretend it answers skeptics. When 400 “equals” zero – JO NOVA

Climate scientist John Christy tells US Senators why carbon dioxide is not a pollutant—and is not the cause of extreme weather.
John Christy’s stellar testimony today – ‘The recent anomalous weather can’t be blamed on carbon dioxide.’ – WATTS UP WITH THAT

Many classic English phrases can be heard only in India…
India: What are some English phrases and terms commonly heard in India but rarely used elsewhere? – QUORA

The belief teacher training takes a year, not a whole career, hurts pupils. It's time to rethink how we teach teachers.
Training does not make the best teachers – SPECTATOR

This is cool: a website to help you teach kids about business.
TeachingKidsBusiness.Com

It’s astonishing, but in today’s modern world otherwise intelligent people still people in goblins and demons. No, seriously.
Demonic activity and exorcism – Lucia Maria, NZ CONSERVATIVE

Yaron Brook calls it “one of the stupidest, most immoral ideas ever.”
The Case for Lying to Yourself – WALL STREET JOURNAL

Sixty minutes on “Mistakes Couples Make about Sex,” starting now…
Mistakes Couples Make about Sex – PHILOSOPHY IN ACTION [podcast]

More classic television, the recording of which was thought to have been lost:
Ayn Rand on Johnny Carson – Diana Hsieh, NOODLE FOOD

Oh, and CNBC marks the Library of Congress’s naming of Atlas Shrugged  as one of the 88 most influential books in America by saying “Read this book”!
Santelli Says Everyone Should Read This Book! – CNBC VIDEO

If Peter Jackson is having title trouble, he might check out other famous trilogies.
The 33 Greatest Movie Trilogies  - EMPIRE

And finally, yes, Alfred Hitchock’s Vertigo starring Jimmy Stewart & Kim Novak (below) was a great film, but is it really good enough to have knocked off Citizen Kane as “best picture of all time”? Crikey, it wasn’t even Hitchcock’s best (surely that was North by Northwest, right?) And just where the hell is The Third Man?
The Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time – BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE

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[Hat tip Mark Hubbard, Small Dead Animals, Don Watkins, Geek Press, Oliver Cooper, David Enrich, YALiberty, Craig Ranapia, John Stossel Updates, Ari Armstrong, Martin Kramer, Onion Sports Network]

11 comments:

Mark Hubbard said...

Lucia's nutjob Catholicism gives the perfect segway to a three slightly framed Russian women, heroines in every sense (well, other than their music) currently on Trial for upsetting the Catholics, and making that tyrant Putin more than a little bit uncomfortable.

Facing up to seven years jail for their public performance, 'Mother of God, Get Rid of Putin'.

Mark Hubbard said...

... sorry for the typos.

Jeremy Harris said...

Eastern Orthodox Christians haven't been Catholics for almost a Millenium.

Mark Hubbard said...

Well, for getting on the wick of Eastern Orthodox Christians then ... semantics. It's being reported by more than a couple of MSM outlets as Catholic ... catholic, orthodox, whatever, I couldn't care less as far as the principle is concerned. Putin is the real target, and the one they've come unstuck on, though with Western pressure he's having to back track publicly, which means they're hurting him.

Cheers for the 'fair' tax link Peter.

Jeremy Harris said...

Which is it then Mark? Are they on trial for upsetting Christians? Or on trial for upsetting Putin?

I'd strongly suggest that the latter is much more likely to have the power and motive to pull the judicial strings.

One only has to look at the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky to realise the truth.

Never put it past Objectivists to have stabs at Conservative Christians wherever possible.

Mark Hubbard said...

Jesus Wept. Both. Mainly Putin, that's who they're gunning for, obviously, but the method by which they attacked Putin, deliberately, mock prayer by a women's punk bank in a place of worship, then upset the 'Christians'.

This stuff's not hard, just basic comprehension.

And for the record, Conservative Christians, also known in this house as statist bigots, are fair game. The bigotry, and statism, admittedly, attaching more to the conservative than to the Christian component. And I say that as an ex-Exclusive Brethren.

(Disclaimer: but I do quite like the pot smoking Christians, if that makes a difference).

Wine o'clock early tonight I think. Are we done?

Mark Hubbard said...

... that's punk band ...

Lucia Maria said...

I don't believe in goblins. Demons, yes. Goblins, no.

gregster said...

Here, Reid demonstrates economic cluelessness

It's still difficult for me to believe that we are ruled by such morons who are ruining the world.

Keep stockpiling the weapons.

Jeremy Harris said...

Rand wept at that methinks.

There is no need to get shirty Mark. You're right this stuff isn't hard. It shouldn't be hard to differentiate 400 million EOCs with 1.1 billion RCs. Yet you managed it.

It also shouldn't be hard to figure out the whole matter is really about Putin using the power of the state to silence his critics - while pandering to some Christians who need a lesson on freedom of speech, rather than offended Christians seeking silencing of their offenders via the state. Yet again you managed it.

In the first instance I'm guessing it's because you don't care about Christianity and the differing beliefs of 1.5 billion of your fellow humans and in the second instance you do know that's what it's all about - but just wanted to smear Catholics.

And for the record crying "bigots!" and letting loose the dogs of sarcasm because you don't really want to have a debate with people with different core beliefs to yourself is usually a tactic of the hard left and a weak one at that.

Are we done?

Mark Hubbard said...

Right, so you tell me not to get prickly, then proceed, as from your first post to get prickly.

My major aim was Putin, the 'Catholics/Christians' were simply the segway from Lucia's post post, because Peter's ramblings didn't include Putin - read my first post again.

There is no debate to be had with Christians, or, at least, I'm bored with that debate, as with all other forms of mystical nonsense. I also said the bigotry tag applied mainly to the Conservative component, though mind you, that, together with Christianity, is a stifling combination. Vis a vis bigotry, where would we start? Colin Craig? Or try being a woman wanting an abortion in Southland at the moment.