I was a bit surprised to see centrist Republican Senator Lugar coming out for withdrawal from Iraq right in the middle of a major offensive. Why now? One clue is Lugar’s reference to the Baker report as the basis for an alternative Middle East policy. Here is an excerpt from his remarks, as reported in [...]

In my last post I talked about hot and cold cognition. In this post I am going to talk about slow cognition, aging, weight lifting and the getting of wisdom. I was replacing a motor mount on my Holden Apollo, aka Toyota Camry. Specifically this thing: It is held at the bottom by three 14 [...]

Victor Davis Hanson compares the heyday of the John Birch Society in the 50s and 60s to the extreme American left of today in this essay entitled The Crazed Fringe. While he was growing up on a farm in California, I was dong the same in New Hampshire. We didn’t get the pamphlets that his [...]

My spy in Paris – let’s just call her Griselda the Magnificent – sent me this superb example of the postcarder’s art. Such fine fellows! But look at that sub sandwich about to be scarfed down! Straight from Subway – the American fast food chain. Is nothing sacred to these Americans? No doubt the chappie [...]

Michael Yon tipped early and well that there was a big operation underway in Baqubah near where he is embedded. Yon’s post, Be Not Afraid, is one of his best yet because he uses his special talent to convey the feeling of war – in this case the beginning of a big offensive. His opening: [...]

It’s is simple story really. Physicist Robert Bussard claims to have a fusion generator that can solve the worlds energy problems. The machine is small – about 2.5 to 3.5 meters, produces no radiation, and would make enough electricity to power a couple of cities. It also could be used to power ships and spacecraft. [...]

I have felt strongly since 9/11 that the jihadis are, despite their apparent devoutness, thoroughly modern men who have more in common with the fascists and Japanese militarists of the 40s than with the Muslims of the early caliphate they idolize. It was not until I read a thoroughgoing review of Japanese militarism in Japan’s [...]

Cobb is a blogger I really like reading because he constantly surprises me with his razor sharp perceptions and unusual takes. Professionally he is a programmer, a poet, a self styled yuppie, and a thoughtful dad. His bio is here, and the one line version reads: ‘Dad, architect, writer, entrepreneur’. His Normblog profile is here. [...]

John Podhoretz makes an interesting observation about the role of the Internet in the defeat of the immigration bill in this NY Post article. After explaining that it is unusual for major bills to be defeated in a floor vote because they are usually only allowed to reach the floor if they are certain of [...]

Many have observed that today’s war coverage differs radically from that of WWII – including me in my last post. I posted this link to a satire of contemporary coverage based on D Day and then discovered that James Lileks had posted some real 1944 CBS radio coverage from D Day. It is available here. [...]