DYSPEPSIA GENERATION

We have seen the future, and it sucks.

Archive for October, 2007

The Invisible Lesbian

31st October 2007

Read it. And this.

Posted in You can't make this stuff up. | 1 Comment »

Crealev builds a levitating lamp

31st October 2007

Read it. Me want.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | 1 Comment »

Some Christian pastors embrace Scientology

31st October 2007

Read it. “Unclear on the concept” seems such a totally inadequate phrase.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on Some Christian pastors embrace Scientology

Malaysian Spiritual Leader: Women’s Sexy Clothing is ‘Emotional Abuse’

31st October 2007

Read it. Keep up the good work, girls.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | 1 Comment »

What’s gone wrong with music?

31st October 2007

Steve Sailer nails it again. There was a tremendous difference between the music of 1945 and that of 1955, and a substantial difference between that of 1955 and that of 1965 — my older brother and I, just over five years apart, are effectively part of separate musical generations.

Between 1965 and 1975 is much less difference, and between 1975 and 2005 it’s almost negligible.

The rise of rap is, so far as I can tell, the only significant musical development (if, indeed, one can call it music rather than recited poetry) during that period, that I can recall. (No, disco was not a development. It was a fashion statement, and lasted about as long.)
High-schoolers today can listen to Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones and will readily admit that it’s “classic rock”; when I was in high school, music from before we were born was antedeluvian crap the parents listened to, for which we had no time.

The problem has become that the punk-New Wave rebellion against the blues got institutionalized, and the same musical styles that were refreshing in 1977-1982 are still hanging around. The more linear, abstracted styles that emerged after 1977 were interesting, but you can’t keep mining that vein — abstracting an abstraction hits diminishing marginal emotional returns pretty quickly.

So what happened?

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on What’s gone wrong with music?

Race, Marriage, and Poverty

31st October 2007

Read it. I understand that Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams have a deal not to ride on the same airplane, so that the country isn’t faced with the prospect of losing both of its great black economists in one accident. It’s probably just an urban legend, but a comforting one nevertheless.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Race, Marriage, and Poverty

The New Class Warfare

31st October 2007

Read it. Really rich people don’t care about taxes, because even if you take away most of their income they still have ten times what you started with.

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The psychodynamics of science in the media

31st October 2007

Read it. Watch a trained professional take an entire page to go over what a Dilbert cartoon can cover in three panels.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on The psychodynamics of science in the media

Hydrogen Seen As Much Less Efficient Than Batteries For Cars

31st October 2007

Read it. On the other hand, hydrogen is more entertaining — just look at old footage of the Hindenburg if you doubt it.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Hydrogen Seen As Much Less Efficient Than Batteries For Cars

Speaking Ruth to Power

31st October 2007

Read it. A very good illustration why we must never let a Clinton into a position to appoint a Supreme Court Justice ever again.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | 1 Comment »

Vibrated Mice Form More Bone And Less Fat

31st October 2007

Read it. Just in case you’re in the market for bonier mice. And who isn’t?

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on Vibrated Mice Form More Bone And Less Fat

‘Driving While Black’

31st October 2007

Thomas Sowell would like certain people to get over themselves. I have to say I agree with him.

Posted in Whose turn is it to be the victim? | Comments Off on ‘Driving While Black’

Stevens probed on fishing earmarks

31st October 2007

Read it. Good old Ted Stevens, the gift that keeps on giving.

Posted in Your tax dollars at work - and play. | Comments Off on Stevens probed on fishing earmarks

IQ, Race, and History

30th October 2007

Read it. I haven’t read Hart’s book yet — it’s on my list of Things To Do In My Copious Free Time — but I think that Kling carries quite a bit of baggage along with him into this review.

Hart is not someone whose views I trust.

Well, that’s fine, but at least tell us why not.

Arnold raises some worthwhile questions, but I don’t think he gives them enough thought before drawing his conclusions. The basic problem is more objectively defining what the term “IQ” means — or, prior to that, what the term “intelligence” means. Just saying that intelligence is the ability to think better than someone else is worse than useless, because “think” itself isn’t a well-defined term, and the statement appears to say something useful without doing so.

I suspect that Hart and Kling are using “IQ” in different ways, and that makes for a tedious and unfruitful discussion. The problem with these quasi-political discussions is that nobody starts out by defining his freaking terms, which would be the first thing they’d do if they were writing a systematic treatment of any other subject.

That chaps my butt big-time.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on IQ, Race, and History

Boy meets girl. Girl jilts boy. Boy murders girl. Newspapers blame Iraq war.

30th October 2007

Read it. This is the same reason the Times and the Post periodically run lists of names of the dead — not to honor them or to commemorate their service, but to create as large a virtual body pile as possible.

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Remember How TJX Was The Worst Data Breach In History? Well, It Was Actually Worse

30th October 2007

Read it. It would appear that the only sure way to avoid identity theft is never to give your personal information to anybody — and that includes the government.

Of course, that means you have to pay cash for everything. And that won’t get you an iPhone.

I’m not a big fan of punitive damages in lawsuits against corporations, since that only hurts the stockholders rather than the actual culprits. However, I’d be up for some cruel and unusual punishment on corporate managers that breach their fiduciary duties.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Remember How TJX Was The Worst Data Breach In History? Well, It Was Actually Worse

Expressing Economic Ideas

29th October 2007

Arnold Kling. Good stuff. Read it.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on Expressing Economic Ideas

New Cleveland Imam Quits Before He Starts

29th October 2007

Read it. And rightly so, it would seem.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on New Cleveland Imam Quits Before He Starts

Missile Defense Test a Success

29th October 2007

Read it. And place your bets on when — or whether — this news will make it to the New York Times or Washington Post.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Missile Defense Test a Success

EVIL EXPOSED

29th October 2007

Read it.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on EVIL EXPOSED

Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery

29th October 2007

So buy it already.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on Gastroanomalies: Questionable Culinary Creations from the Golden Age of American Cookery

Does gerrymandering cause polarization?

29th October 2007

Read it. A good question.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Does gerrymandering cause polarization?

Too few words for America’s many faiths

29th October 2007

Read it. It is a mark of how low we have sunk that most “intellectuals” in America have a knowledge of religion  that would disgrace a cartoon character.

Posted in Axis of Drivel -- Adventures in Narrative Media | Comments Off on Too few words for America’s many faiths

Blackwater

29th October 2007

Even Steve Sailer sometimes gets it wrong. Perhaps if we paid our military a competitive wage, they wouldn’t look elsewhere for work? Hmm? Actually, they ought to be paid higher than market, including a premium for the risk of getting shot. But no — people like Steve want their monopsony. Dorks.

The dirty little truth is that working for the government means being paid less than a competent person could make in private industry … which is why most government employees come from the shallow end of the gene pool, and take their bonus in petty exercises of power that this monopsony gives them.

And if Steve had bothered to do a little research, he would have found out that “Blackwater” is the name of the area in which their headquarters is located. Don’t go Ron Paul on us, here, Steve.

Posted in Your tax dollars at work - and play. | 2 Comments »

You couldn’t make it up

28th October 2007

Read it. That big light in the sky in the east used to be London.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on You couldn’t make it up

Lumberjack’s Law

28th October 2007

Read it. I’ve been thinking this for a while. Good to know I’m not the only one.

I think we’ve gotten to the point where anything bad, that can’t be directly linked to George Bush, is going to be blamed on Global Warming.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Lumberjack’s Law

To Know Contractors, Know Government

28th October 2007

Read it. Of course, this doesn’t fit the usual Upper Crust mantra of “Government good, private bad”.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on To Know Contractors, Know Government

After smart weapons, smart soldiers

28th October 2007

Read it. The problem is not the enemies abroad but the enemies at home.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on After smart weapons, smart soldiers

Mass appeal to Latin tradition

28th October 2007

Read it. Sometimes the old ways are best.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Mass appeal to Latin tradition

Human race will ‘split into two different species’

27th October 2007

Read it. No doubt the goblins, being oppressed, will all vote Democrat — so at least they can be oppressed democratically.

Oh, wait, we’ve got that now. So what will change?

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on Human race will ‘split into two different species’

American kids, dumber than dirt

27th October 2007

Read it. If a foreign country did this to our people, we would rightly consider it an act of war.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on American kids, dumber than dirt

GPS Tracking: Drivers’ New Best Friend?

26th October 2007

Read it. A very interesting notion.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on GPS Tracking: Drivers’ New Best Friend?

Vet Sues Army Over Parking Space Firing

26th October 2007

Read it.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Vet Sues Army Over Parking Space Firing

New England and the Bavarian Illuminati

26th October 2007

Read it. Adam Weishaupt, call your office.

Posted in News You Can Use. | Comments Off on New England and the Bavarian Illuminati

Oops! Cold Spring starts to realize they just kicked to the curb their top fundraiser

26th October 2007

Steve Sailer delights in pointing out inconvenient truths — and, unlike AlGore, he’s right.

Considering the lame-brained ingratitude involved, if I were Watson I’d make the rounds of the donors I’d previously contacted and urge them not to give to Cold Spring.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Oops! Cold Spring starts to realize they just kicked to the curb their top fundraiser

It Is Written

26th October 2007

Read it. This isn’t intended as comedy but it’s pretty funny nevertheless.

He also realizes that his quest is inherently Protestant, even though he himself is an agnostic Jew. The idea that an individual could strip all the layers of interpretation away to attain a pristine and plain truth is the quintessence of Protestantism: it is, he openly acknowledges, DIY Bible. William Miller would have felt right at home with this mission, based as it is on the elementary Protestant principle of sola scriptura.

Which is why Protestants are inherently as dimwitted as Muslims.

Posted in Think about it. | Comments Off on It Is Written

Copters Grounded as Fires Burned

26th October 2007

Read it. Typically government is part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

Posted in Your tax dollars at work - and play. | Comments Off on Copters Grounded as Fires Burned

The Leopard’s Spot (On)

26th October 2007

Jeremy Wagstaff has some comments on the new Apple operating system; Vista is looking even more lame, if possible.

Leopard looks hot, and makes Vista look impoverished and, I suspect, somewhat irrelevant, like someone trying to sell aluminum siding to people who realise that while people still have it on their houses, no one really wants it anymore. Apple see what people want and give it to them.

And that about says it all.

Posted in Dystopia Watch, Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on The Leopard’s Spot (On)

Immigration Raids Cut Illegal Alien Use On American Farms

26th October 2007

Read it. I guess enforcement works.

The farmers enjoy big subsidies on their crops. Plus, they get ethanol subsidies. On top of all this, their illegal alien workers cost us far more (e.g. in education and health care for them and their kids) than they pay those workers in salaries. Enough already.

What he said.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Immigration Raids Cut Illegal Alien Use On American Farms

Kenyan tribe punishes developers with curse

26th October 2007

Read it. That’ll show’em.

Posted in You can't make this stuff up. | Comments Off on Kenyan tribe punishes developers with curse

Maybe Mark Steyn is Wrong

25th October 2007

Read it.

Posted in Is this a great country, or what? | Comments Off on Maybe Mark Steyn is Wrong

The League of Extremely Rich Donors for Free Speech

25th October 2007

Steve Sailer has a great idea.

Of course, one could get more bang for one’s buck (so to speak) by putting out contracts on certain cowardly administrators, but I tend to prefer the direct approach.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on The League of Extremely Rich Donors for Free Speech

What went wrong with anthropology of family structures?

25th October 2007

Read it. Apparently anthropology is as full of fashion as a catwalk in Milan.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on What went wrong with anthropology of family structures?

School Reform That Can Work

25th October 2007

Read it. It has no chance in government-factory schools, of course, but there may be some hope for private schools and homeschooling efforts.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on School Reform That Can Work

Deja vu all over again

25th October 2007

Steve Sailer dares to say, “Told you so.”

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Deja vu all over again

Humans Do Not Adjust To Daylight Savings Time

25th October 2007

Read it. Hear, hear.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | Comments Off on Humans Do Not Adjust To Daylight Savings Time

Who’s Afraid of an Iranian Bomb?

25th October 2007

Read it. Not as many as you might think.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on Who’s Afraid of an Iranian Bomb?

Informer tells of corrupt Mexico

25th October 2007

Read it. I’m shocked, I tell you, shocked.

Posted in Dystopia Watch | 1 Comment »

Amnesty International: Terrorists Fail to Respect Human Rights

24th October 2007

Read it. I’m shocked, I tell you, shocked.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on Amnesty International: Terrorists Fail to Respect Human Rights

Dutch Intifada, Week 2

24th October 2007

Read it. Those pesky Muslims are at it again.

Posted in Living with Islam. | Comments Off on Dutch Intifada, Week 2