Tea partiers

They were the people who were doing the important things right -- and who are now watching elected politicians reward those who did the important things wrong.

from the WSJ - titled: The Real Culture War Is Over Capitalism


We were looking into refinancing yesterday because we're in an ARM and I'm nervous about the inflation that's almost sure to arrive when the economy starts recovering and finds itself awash with lots of shiny new dollars. We weren't finding very attractive rates for our particular situation so Gerri called a friend who used to be a mortgage broker. His advice - quit paying your mortgage for three months. Banks will be throwing themselves (and money) at your feet.

We're not going to do that, but that's the environment that the new administration has created. Behavior that is rewarded is repeated. When money is available for people who don't pay their mortgage, then people won't pay their mortgages. Obviously.

interesting

The Cancun airport is the first in Mexico to install 50 new heat thermometers to detect passengers with elevated fevers. The thermometers are set to be put into use tomorrow for both departing and arriving travelers. Cancun and Quintana Roo have yet to officially report a confirmed case of swine flu, maintaining that there are zero infected people in the state. And that's it for the good news.

I just hadn't heard of that technology. Kind of cool. Kind of Big Brother.

From here. 

simple math ...

 If the government increased the top tax rate from the current rate of 35% to 100% (yes, that's right 100%), it would only collect an extra $400 billion this year. In other words, confiscating all the income that is currently taxed at 35% would not raise enough revenue to cover any of the annual deficits projected in the next 10 years. 

from Forbes

Bad news for Nike, et al.

Barefoot runners suffer fewer injuries.

French response to piracy:

France's policy is to refuse to accept acts of piracy and avoid having French citizens taken ashore as hostages, 

Makes sense to me.  

Really? We're actually NEGOTIATING with pirates?

That seems likely to encourage more piracy. Hard to believe a couple of SEALs couldn't manage to get the captain off. Where's Rambo or Jason Bourne when you need them? 

No liberal bias to see here. Move along.

The curious case of 200 nearly identical MSM headlines 

An ACORN-funded organization sends out a press release and it's dutifully rolled out to newspapers around the country. Follow the link for a discussion of other numbers representing 'uninsured' Americans. (again, via Instapundit.)

libertarian perspective

being libertarian does not mean you have to have a cold heart. You can be a bleeding heart, but you show it by what you do, not what you advocate forcing other people to do.

 (via Instapundit)

Phages kill antibiotic resistant bacteria ... but not here, thanks.

In use in Eastern Europe since the early 1900s, phages are viruses that attack bacteria. Considered as safe and reliable as aspirin over there, the FDA has reservations that make their use rare and last-ditch here.

 

studies published over the past several decades, based on trials conducted at Eliava and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, have shown that phage therapy has an 80 to 90 percent success rate against bacteria likely to show antibiotic resistance, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In contrast, many antibiotics fail outright against the evolved forms of these pathogens.

 

That's 80 - 90 % success against bacteria that we can't kill - the so-called flesh-eating bacteria. 

(via Instapundit)