"This was the voice of moderation until 13 Sept, 2025"
by dr ngo! I'm just reading Giles Milton, Nathaniel's Nutmeg - which actually is about a mariner named Nathaniel (Courthope) and his search for nutmeg – and came across this wonderful sentence: One of the more popular books [of 16th century England] was Andrew Borde's Dyetary of Health, a guide to good living which earned the … Read more
by russell From the dreaded public media organ of the socialist nanny state: a modest proposal here is what I like about it: it's simple it allocates social costs to the folks who generate them it raises revenue (yes, it is of course a tax) it employs a power (the power to tax) that is … Read more
–by Sebastian The Supreme Court got it right on DOMA. DOMA involved the federal government trampling all over one of the traditional areas of state power–definition of marriage. I'm also thrilled to have gay marriage in my home state of California. I believe that is the best ultimate policy result, and should I ever … Read more
by Doctor Science As I write, Texas State Senator Wendy Davis has been talking for more than 7 hours and has less than 4 more to go, in her filibuster to block passage of an omnibus abortion bill. Video livestream and countdown clock here. Texas Senate rules are strict, and Davis is required to stay … Read more
by Ugh Prosecutors are sort of a strange duck in the lawyer world, as they are not charged by the ABA model rules with putting client interests – i.e., the government – first. The ABA rule on "special responsibilities" of prosecutors is here, and the comment to the rule is here. The model rule … Read more
by dr ngo My previous reflections were not intended as a full-scale political/intellectual autobiography, but a prelude to broader questions. What in life changes and what doesn't, taking into account the variations – the “swings and roundabouts” – that accompany both tendencies? Each dynamic, I came to realize, is unique, idiosyncratic. There are no Universal … Read more
by liberal japonicus An Illinois Republican official resigned Thursday, after writing a vicious attack on a biracial, female congressional candidate–calling her the “love child” of the Democratic National Committee, destined to work for “some law firm that needs to meet their quota for minority hires.” The target was Erika Harold, a former Miss America and … Read more
by Doctor Science Last Saturday I went up to New York City to meet some fans I’ve known online for years. After dinner, we all went to the new movie of Much Ado About Nothing. The movie was put together by Joss Whedon basically to reboot his brain between filming and post-production on The Avengers. … Read more
by russell Human genes cannot be patented say the Supremes. Unanimously. OK, so maybe we're not totally screwed. That is all.
by Doctor Science It was this kind of Monday here in New Jersey: Hiroshige, Two men on a sloping road in the rain, from Eight views of Kanazawa. Rainy and cold, cold and *really* rainy. It reminds me of my theory (need I say it is mine?) about the connection between Starbucks and the African … Read more
by dr ngo Another advantage of aging is that it helps give us perspective on the world over time, just as travel, especially residence abroad, helps provide perspective on the world across space and ethnicity. Put in terms of academe, both history and area studies point us to alternatives to what it's like all around … Read more
by Ugh It seems that there is a bit of a to do about the information the NSA collects on Americans. Whether or not this is "legal" – from a statutory or Constitutional perspective – it's a bit troubling. First, it has been done in complete secrecy outside of government officials (until these reports). Second, … Read more
by liberal japonicus This insightful piece about Daily Central correspondent John Oliver in the Grauniad is quite interesting, but what I want to highlight His earliest Daily Show appearances played almost exclusively on his Britishness; most Americans, he points out, hear his distinctively Brummie accent as standard Posh English. He once interviewed Tea Party activists … Read more
by Doctor Science I will be personally enriched by Governor Chris Christie’s decision to hold a special October election for Frank Lautenberg’s Senate seat. I’m a pollworker: every NJ election puts $200 in my pocket (for 15+ hours of work, mind you, so it’s hardly a sinecure). Nonetheless, I think it’s a really lousy idea. … Read more
by Doctor Science When I’ve had a garden, they’ve been shade gardens. I like to plant a lot of perennials, especially native plants, but for summer-long color to break up the relentless green my go-to plant has always been the common impatiens . A typical shade garden in August. Or it used to be. source. … Read more
by dr ngo Growing old is not entirely negative, though it certainly ain't for wusses. If I sounded angst-y in my last post, and even morbid in the comments, it's because I split up my reflections on age and happened to post the downside first. One big advantage of aging is experience, and not only … Read more
by liberal japonicus I had this for the Friday open thread, but didn't want to blogblock dr ngo's post. The Guardian, riffing about an AP report here, reveals that al-Qaida is organized like a bad cubicle farm. After 15 years as one of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb's top commanders, it became clear that the Algerian terrorist Mokhtar … Read more