Economy Grows at Fastest Pace Since 1984

From NewsMax.com: "The 7.2 percent pace marked the best showing since the first quarter of 1984. It exceeded analysts' forecasts for a 6 percent growth rate for third-quarter GDP, which measures the value of all goods and services produced within the United States."

The remaining challenge is to improve the job picture (yours truly trying to do the same, since my employment at a local software reseller/developer imploded). But this supports a couple of concepts I've believed for a long time:

1. The economy is getting better, despite the carping and harping from the left.


2. Tax cuts work. So shut up about "tax cuts for the rich" already. Everybody who pays taxes, in my opinion, should pay less. Lower the rates, and economies (and overall tax revenues) get better. The left, whose stock in trade is wealth redistribution and de facto vote-buying (with other peoples' money), never get this.

Gimme a comment or something willya?

I added the capability for readers to leave comments after each post. I know, I know, traffic is pretty light here, but I thought this spiffy commenting capability was nice enough to add. So, even if you want to tell me to go to hell, lemme have a comment once in a while! (Now I REALLY feel like I've entered the blogosphere.)

Howard Dean, Metrosexual

DenverPost.com reports today that Howard Dean declared himself to be a "metrosexual," referring to the recently hyped buzz-phrase. According to the DP, metrosexuals are "straight men in touch with their feminine sides."

This sounds awfully -- well -- silly to me. Dean may end up with the nomination, but I find it unlikely that this guy can win. He's irresponsible with regard to the war in Iraq, wants to raise everybody's taxes again (right, Howard, repealing a tax cut isn't the same as raising your taxes -- sure, if you say so), and he's been in charge of one of the most left-wing states in the union.

Then this. I mean, it's not that it's a slip of the tongue, really. Obviously, this kind of hipster-lingo is on this guy's mind. I don't think serious, presidential-type people have this kind of stuff in their radar, much less in their vocabularies. Thanks to Drudge for laying this one on us.

Words from the past that still ring true

Another great reference from Andrew Sullivan. A quote from George Orwell --

"It is, I think, true to say that the intelligentsia have been more wrong about the progress of the war than the common people, and that they were more swayed by partisan feelings. The average intellectual of the Left believed, for instance, that the war was lost in 1940, that the Germans were bound to overrun Egypt in 1942, that the Japanese would never be driven out of the lands they had conquered, and that the Anglo-American bombing offensive was making no impression on Germany. He could believe these things because his hatred for the British ruling class forbade him to admit that British plans could succeed. There is no limit to the follies that can be swallowed if one is under the influence of feelings of this kind. I have heard it confidently stated, for instance, that the American troops had been brought to Europe not to fight the Germans but to crush an English revolution. One has to belong to the intelligentsia to believe things like that: no ordinary man could be such a fool."

Sullivan is on my daily "must read" blog list -- he should be on yours as well.

Justice delayed

This is definitely good news, kind of. For those not familiar with the Gerald Amirault case, it is an incredible example of how mob mentality and political correctness, combined with legal professionals of the lowest sort to keep an innocent man in jail for 17 years. Check this out, then wonder how many more Gerald Amiraults there may be.

Dave Barry's Blog -- worth the trip

Sometimes I think I prefer Dave Barry's Blog better than his columns -- at least as well, anyway. Really fun, casual, and often informative, in a weird sort of way. Case in point is this article recommended/linked by Dave (mature adults only -- oh, what am I saying? Read it) : French judge handy with penal code.

Nice take by Philip Revzin on the Cubs loss and life in general.

Sisyphus and the Second City

Did anyone really believe China's space program was benign?

Inside the Ring - The Washington Times: Inside the Ring is where Bill Gertz reports China's first astronaut launch was also a spy mission. This is not small news, but of course, the major media (other than the Washington Times) are ignoring it. The politically correct position is that China means us no harm, I guess. But they do, and they mean to mount a takeover of Taiwan at some point in the foreseeable future. Ahem, uh, Mr. Clinton, how much of our technology do you suppose went into making this mission possible?

No joy in Mudville

The Cubs didn't make it. After a freaky end to game 6 of the NLCS, they couldn't hold up against the Marlins in game 7. Almost made it, but not quite. Great going anyway, guys. It was a truly great Cubs season, and I think there will be more. As we always say, wait until next year.

Ok, I know I shouldn't laugh,

but the visual image of this seems funny to me -- German man charged with teaching dog Hitler salute. In Germany, course, they have laws against this, which would probably violate the 1st amendment here. How many hours do you imagine it took for this dog to learn to salute on cue? Disclaimer: No, I don't think Nazis are funny, unless we're talking Col. Klink, but this seems relatively tame, especially compared to real Neo-Nazi hate-spew.

What we have acheived in Iraq

Here is the story that isn't being told -- thanks to Andrew Sullivan's Blog.

You don't say

Movies have been appealing to a low common denominator for some time -- the successful ones anyway. Is this really the first time directors and producers have realized this? My most recent confrontation with low-end quality was when my son and I went to see Old School with Will Farrell. Stupid premise, mainly sex and gross-out jokes. I'm just not the audience for this, but my 15-year-old was equally mystified, and the movie is aimed at him.

Series Tied Up

The Cubs lost tonight at Wrigley, instead of winning the first round of the NL playoffs. The five-game series is tied, so tomorrow is it. Kerry Wood will be pitching, and hopes are high that this will turn the trick. Chicago needs this one little miracle.

Dylan is now blogged

Check it out. PS: It helps if you're a Cubs fan just now.

Rush Limbaugh Was Right

Donovan McNabb isn't a great quarterback, and the media do overrate him because he is black. By Allen Barra. Now, about the drug issue, I don't know, and it's too early to tell. Being addicted to painkillers isn't legal certainly, but it's not all that uncommon. My concern is if the brouhaha is politicially motivated. The timing, i.e., coming into the real political season, is somewhat suspicious.

You have to wonder what THIS is going to look like

Gore close to cable buy (New York Daily News Gore's new network has a couple directions it can go, I think. First, it's either going to be so LIKE the big three network news organizations that it's really not going to make much of a dent. OR, it can consciously go left of the networks, and truly be a socialist news organ. THIS might actually be interesting...well, maybe not. As the article states, the network as it currently exists runs a lot of CBC news (Canada). Nothing like government-run broadcasting to put you to sleep, the Beeb notwithstanding. (I actually still enjoy the BBC, despite the blatant anti-US stance they've taken recently.)