Clint Eastwood Is The Man - Figuratively And Literally - Screen Rant: "“My father had a couple of kids at the beginning of the Depression. There was not much employment. Not much welfare. People barely got by. People were tougher then.”

“We live in more of a pussy generation now, where everybody’s become used to saying, “Well, how do we handle it psychologically?” In those days, you just punched the bully back and duked it out. Even if the guy was older and could push you around, at least you were respected for fighting back, and you’d be left alone from then on.”

“I don’t know if I can tell you exactly when the pussy generation started. Maybe when people started asking about the meaning of life.”"
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This is an interesting observation. Eastwood is right that, on the whole, Americans were psychologically tougher and more resilient in the past. I wouldn't go so far as to say we have become a nation of whiners, as Phil Gramm says, but we certainly obsess about our hurties a lot, where in the past people laughed at other people's weakness. I see Oprah Winfrey on the TVs in the gym (I try not to look) and I can hardly restrain myself from chucking a weight through the screen. What a hideous display of weakness and shameless dysfunction. However, while Eastwood is right true about the culture as a whole, the strange thing is that we have some extremely tough subcultures. Take a look at the UFC sometime. They make boxers look like ballet dancers. I trained in mixed martial arts for many years and I didn't see any shortage of tough people, including some women. There are other subcultures like that. Maybe we are turning into Eloi and Morlocks.

Google Hopes to Open a Trove of Little-Seen Books - NYTimes.com

Google Hopes to Open a Trove of Little-Seen Books - NYTimes.com: "A settlement in October with authors and publishers who had brought two copyright lawsuits against Google will make it possible for users to read a far greater collection of books, including many still under copyright protection."
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Google Books will be expanding to include zillions of out-of-print but copyrighted books, and this is a great thing for those of us who do research.

Matusalem Gran ReservaI had a shot of this on New Year's Eve at The Matchbox in Chicago, and it is easily the best rum I have ever tasted. Just a random thought for the New Year.

Political Punch

Obama wants to create 600,000 new government jobs
He's got your libertarianism, right there.

Beat the New Boss: D.C. libertarians plot their Obama administration strategies. - Reason Magazine: "With the Bush administration ending in a frenzy of disappointment, most libertarians don't expect much more luck with Obama, outside of a few issues involving drug policy and executive power. The debate in Washington now is on how much effort to spend trying to remake the Republican Party. 'We're fighting for the soul of the GOP,' says Tanner, who adds that libertarians need to look beyond the party, at other reformers, other populists, people who won over Americans as much as Bush has lost them. 'We need to seize that Ross Perot mantle of fighting against these guys.'"
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The article doesn't acknowledge one other fact: the neoliberal economic paradigm has been put through a meat grinder by the collapse of the housing and financial markets and the massive bailout and quasi-socialization strategy that has been put in place. I don't buy the argument that lack of regulation caused the problems, and in fact I think over-regulation has a bigger share of the blame. But the media and policy elites have created a dominant rhetoric that says the federal government must ride to the rescue with vast, expensive, aggressive initiatives. Bush enthusiastically signed on to that agenda and Obama has already said he wants to extend it. And the same thing is happening in Europe. In fact, I don't see any nation that is even remotely interested in laissez-faire economics now.

So as far as I can see, the Thatcher-Reagan era is now over. All this libertarian macho talk about "fighting against these guys" and "winning over Americans" is laughable.

If Libertarians were living in Mom's basement under President Bush, they will be sharing the backyard with the family dog when the new crowd takes over in a couple of weeks.

WBBM 780 - Chicago's #1 source for local news, traffic and weather - AP Digital

Illinois state workers to attend ethics seminar: "CHICAGO (AP) -- Think of a state that could use a little refresher course on ethics in government. There's a good chance a certain state whose governor allegedly tried to sell a U.S. Senate seat comes to mind.

And as it turns out, Illinois is set to hold just such an ethics course for state workers this Wednesday.

More than 200 state employees are expected to take part in the ethics seminar at University of Illinois-Chicago. Featured speakers include agency heads, as well as speakers from Gov. Rod Blagojevich's own office."
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Not from The Onion. At my university, this charade takes place. We peons have been required to take ethics training on-line annually for several years now, while the bouffant crook who ran the state was busy peddling influence, facilitated by the rest of the gang in Chicago and Springfield.

Residents on outdated dirt trail hit dead-end - The Connecticut Post Online

Residents on outdated dirt trail hit dead-end - The Connecticut Post Online The local government won't fix the private road, which seems to be a dangerous one.

Charity homes built by Hollywood start to crumble - Times Online

Habitat for Insanity? Charity homes built by Hollywood start to crumble - Times Online: "Residents of a model housing estate bankrolled by Hollywood celebrities and hand-built by Jimmy Carter, the former US president, are complaining that it is falling apart.

Fairway Oaks was built on northern Florida wasteland by 10,000 volunteers, including Carter, in a record 17-day “blitz” organised by the charity Habitat for Humanity.

Eight years later it is better known for cockroaches, mildew and mysterious skin rashes."
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The place was built by volunteers, including Hollywood types and of course former peanut farmer and former (horrible) President Jimmy Carter. Now it is a dump.

Democratic Underground - On one hand, we have Dems threatening not to seat an African American - Democratic Underground

Democratic Underground - On one hand, we have Dems threatening not to seat an African American - Democratic Underground: "On one hand, we have Dems threatening not to seat an African American duly appointed to serve in the US Senate by a sitting governor; an African American who has worked his way up from local office through statewide office before this appointment.

On the other hand, we have Dems cheering the naming of a wealthy white woman who has never held public office, interviews badly, but has an important surname and the 'right' pedigree.

No further comment needed."
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This Democratic Underground post was linked on Instapundit. I knew the issue would go in this direction. Blagojevich is crafty, isn't he? If Harry Reid follows through on his threat to physically block Burris from entering the chamber, he is an even bigger fool than he appears, which is saying something.

We are at a historic low point in the quality of American public policy makers. Even the ones at the top of the heap are abysmal. Not just in Illinois--in Washington, and I mean both parties and all three branches of government.

Legislature expected to get several HOA-related bills

Arizona Legislature expected to get several HOA-related bills
No kidding. That's like saying, "Sun expected to rise tomorrow morning." Why so many single-issue bills every year, instead of the big, complex ones you see in Florida, Arizona, New Jersey, etc.? Pat Haruff tells me it is because the AZ legislators are part-timers, and this piecemeal approach is typical of the way things are done there. I wonder if that is a good or bad thing. I can see arguments for and against it.

What's ahead in 2009 for Coto and the canyons? | coto, caza, canyons, county, fire - News - OCRegister.com

What's ahead in 2009 for Coto and the canyons? - OCRegister.com: "CITYHOOD FOR COTO?

Coto de Caza may be a gated community, but it's not a part of any city. So, it gets it government services from the county of Orange. In the last Local Agency Formation Commission annexation study done of the region there were several options detailed for Coto de Caza and surrounding areas ranging from forming its own city to becoming part of a new bigger city to being annexed by neighboring Rancho Santa Margarita.

Residents of Coto de Caza, including members of some of its homeowners' association boards, have been discussing what to do about the future of Coto de Caza's governance. Whether or not that includes the nearby communities of Wagon Wheel, Las Flores and Ladera Ranch remains to be seen."
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I think in the near future a lot of private communities will be thinking about cityhood or annexation or dedication of private roads, etc., to the public.

Foreclosure crisis hits Virginia | Waynesboro News Virginian

Foreclosure crisis hits Virginia | Waynesboro News Virginian: "The number of foreclosures in Virginia more than doubled during the first 11 months of 2008, compared with all of 2007.

Data analyzed by the Richmond Times-Dispatch show 27,938 foreclosures statewide in the 2008 period for all property types, including single-family homes, businesses, condominiums and lots. In 2007 in Virginia, the total was 10,718, an increase of 161 percent.

The Richmond area was hit with 2,248 foreclosures last year through November, nearly four times — 287 percent — the total for all of 2007."
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This is a detailed article based on a good deal of research. The author notes that "Residential foreclosures cut across all income levels and house styles and prices..."

Sam Shepard Arrested -- Blows It Big Time - TMZ.com

Sam Shepard Arrested -- Blows It Big Time - TMZ.com: "Sam Shepard got popped early this morning for an alleged DUI and speeding. Shepard was doing a reported 46 MPH in a residential zone in -- get this, Normal, IL. The actor responded to the cops request to pull over by parking his Tahoe on the curb. According to the Pantagraph.com, the 65 year-old blew an impressive 0.175 which is roughly twice the legal limit."
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The Right Stuff days are over, I guess. Sam Shepard played test pilot Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff. For Chuck Yeager a .175 was the blood alcohol level you woke up with on a week day, just before flying an experimental aircraft at 600 mph. Now you go 46 and go to jail. Plus you get a bad mug shot.

Presenting: Cro-Magnon v. Neanderthal in the Battle of Extinction | Popular Science

Presenting: Cro-Magnon v. Neanderthal in the Battle of Extinction | Popular Science
Good headline for the start of the NFL playoffs.

Who Saw The Housing Bubble Coming? - Forbes.com: "There were, in fact, many warnings dating back more than seven years--but in the euphoria of rising home prices, no one listened. As time went by and no crash occurred, many of those doing the warning lost credibility or decided that perhaps they were wrong and moved on to other issues."
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For my part, I starting posting warnings from others about the housing bubble in August, 2004, but wasn't sure prices were about to collapse yet, and by summer of 2005 I was saying "did you hear a pop?"

'Grand View Six' group fights for right to place political signs

'Grand View Six' group fights for right to place political signs: "Six homeowners, sued for placing campaign signs in their yards during the last election, are fighting back.

The homeowners reside in the Grand View subdivision, a 198-home neighborhood northwest of Patterson and 28 roads, and are being sued by their homeowners association. The HOA’s covenants and restrictions ban political signs from yards, and the HOA contends it has state law on its side. A spokesman for the homeowners disagrees."
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Thanks to Mike Reardon for sending this link. Here we have an association spending the members' money to fight for the power to ban political signs--even though there is a state law saying people can display them. What an outrage. Take a look at this, all you libertarians who love HOAs.

Ill. governor's federal security clearance revoked: "CHICAGO (AP) - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has revoked embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich's access to classified federal security information, officials said Friday."
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This is terrifying. I mean that Rod Blagojevich had a security clearance until today. Can't you just hear him trying to sell classified information? "Are you kidding me? This ^&%$ is @#$%^& golden! I'm not giving this information up for %^&#^*& nothing, you ^*^^$$^&&*^%$#@@#!!"

CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Aides: Democrats have plan if Burris shows up « - Blogs from CNN.com: "Senate Democratic leaders think Roland Burris, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's pick to fill President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, will likely show up on Capitol Hill Tuesday for the opening day of Congress, according to a Democratic aide familiar with Senate Democratic leaders' plans.

They have prepared a contingency plan in case he does, the aide added.

Burris will not be allowed on the Senate floor, according to this aide and a Senate Democratic leadership aide."
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Oh, really? The Democrats who run the Senate are going to physically prevent the only black Senator from entering the chamber? That should make for some images we haven't seen since about 1962. Maybe they can find someplace to hook up a fire hose.

I hope he shows up and calls their bluff.

Five Democratic governors seek $1 trillion federal assistance | U.S. | Reuters: "Governors of five U.S. states urged the federal government to provide $1 trillion in aid to the country's 50 states to help pay for education, welfare and infrastructure as states struggle with steep budget deficits amid a deepening recession.

The governors of New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio and Wisconsin -- all Democrats -- said the initiative for the two-year aid package was backed by other governors and follows a meeting in December where governors called on President-elect Barack Obama to help them maintain services in the face of slumping revenues."
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If we continue with this bailout madness the role of the national government in our economy and our system of federalism will be fundamentally transformed. To do such a thing by constitutional amendment would be at least a legitimate decision that the people have the power and the right to make. They would not do it, of course, and the bailout is unpopular. It would never pass as a constitutional amendment. But it is being done simply on the authority of a horrifically unpopular Congress, and a historically unpopular lame-duck President who has a record of making disastrous or highly questionable decisions.

Ash borers spread in Cook County -- chicagotribune.com: "Trees in south and southeast Cook County forest preserves have been found to be infested with emerald ash borers, which have already killed millions of trees throughout the upper Midwest."
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They are pretty little bugs, but the ash borer may turn out to be a horrifically expensive pest for municipalities and homeowner associations. The infested trees have to be cut down and removed, and that costs $500 per tree at least, according to one arborist I spoke with.