Friday, September 23, 2011

Friday Feed Bag

This has been one of those weeks that you get to Friday and you really wish it were Saturday already.  Between Obambarrasment at the United Nations to the GOP "debate," from the Solyndra scandal that would have brought impeachment charges to a Republican president to yet another Congressional CR to keep the government moving it's been exhausting.  All this going on with the back drop of Europe crumbling and the stock market cratering...oh, and did I mention that a satellite might fall out of the sky?



But don't worry - if the satellite does fall and do damage to you, you can rely on America's lawyers to help!  Ever wonder how a case gets to the Supreme Court? Take a look:


I've just about finished my stack of articles relating to the tenth year anniversary of 9/11.  I know I mentioned one in last week's Feed Bag, allow me to present two more to you.  The first is from il miglior fabro, Victor Davis Hanson: The Ripples of 9/11.  His wrap up paragraph is like a good Scotch, just swirl it around and sniff:

The common denominator in these ten years? American life under its hypercritical, volatile, and mercurial democracy proves resilient; the Islamic terrorists and their authoritarian sponsors who would destroy it do not. And even after a decade of acrimony, partisan rancor, and stasis, Americans continue to be horrified—and angry—over those who were murdered on September 11. We’ve done our best for ten years to ensure that it cannot happen again.

Makes you feel a teensy bit better in this madcap time, doesn't it?  

OK, stop that feeling right now and read this piece: The Fruits of the Philosophy of Self-Abnegation.  The central theme of this piece we have discussed often on these pages:
Intellectually, we have refused to face the fact that we are at war and should act to end it quickly. Morally, we have denied all principles except one: moral goodness means self-sacrifice. Psychologically, we lack confidence in our efficacy, and have murdered our self-esteem by leaping into the quicksand of sacrifice. Politically, we are at perpetual war, because to win decisively would be an act of self-interest—and that is the one action we dare not take.

Finally, to round out your weekend reading, you really should put this in your "stack of stuff:" "Nathan Glazer's Warning."  As a real estate practitioner, I see a lot of effort to practice sociology by site planning.  Mr. Glazer warned us a long time ago where the road of best intentions heads.

Have a great weekend...don't forget your aluminum foil hats to protect yourself from the satellite!

Rumble on!

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