From the Cato Institute:
Congressional Budget Office Releases New Deficit Numbers
Today, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported that the U.S. budget deficit will reach $337 billion this year, and it is likely to increase.
Stephen Slivinski, Cato's director of budget studies, comments: "The new CBO numbers show that Bush is still the biggest spending president since Lyndon Johnson. In fact, the growth rate of the 2006 budget was, even after adjusting for inflation, one of the highest rates of growth in 15 years. All of this at a time when Republicans are trying to claim they are the party of small government.
"In order for Bush to be successful in meeting his target of cutting the deficit in half as a percentage of GDP, spending would have to stay at 4 percent growth each year until the end of his term. But under Bush and a Republican Congress, spending has averaged over 7 percent growth every year since 2001. There has yet to be any sign that Republicans are willing to really do what it takes to get the budget under control."
· "The Grand Old Spending Party: How Republicans Became Big Spenders," by Stephen Slivinski, Cato Policy Analysis no. 543, May 3, 2005.
· "Bush Beats Johnson: Comparing the Presidents," by Stephen Slivinski, Cato's Tax & Budget Bulletin, October 2005.
Chris Edwards, Cato's director of tax policy studies, comments: "President Bush and Republicans in Congress keep claiming that they are getting spending under control and that spending growth rates are falling. That is simply not correct. The 8.0 percent growth rate in 2006, and massive 43 percent spending increase the past five years (FY2001 to FY2006), shows that federal government growth is completely out-of-control under the Republicans.
"President Bush's goal of cutting the deficit in half is not good enough. He should lay out a plan to bring the federal deficit down to zero by the end of the decade by cutting spending."
· Downsizing the Federal Government, by Chris Edwards.
· List of proposed Federal budget cuts from Downsizing the Federal Government
· "Potomac Fever," by Chris Edwards, December 12, 2005.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Assisted-Suicide
Supreme Court upholds Oregon assisted suicide law, 6-3
Activist judges: Roberts, Scalia, Thomas
Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General, et al., Petitioners v. Oregon, et al.
No. 04-623, 1/17/06
The Controlled Substances Act does not allow the Attorney General to prohibit doctors from prescribing regulated drugs for use in physician-assisted suicide under state law permitting the procedure.
Orgal Argument Transcript (pdf)
Slip Opinion (pdf)
Slip Opinion from FindLaw (html)
Euthanasia (from Greek: ευθανασία - ευ "good", θανατος "death") refers to assisted dying. The assistance ends the life of a person or an animal in a painless or minimally painful way. Euthanasia is most often performed in a merciful way, in order to end suffering.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia
Under Oregon’s law permitting physician-assisted suicide, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) – previously called the Oregon Health Division (OHD) – is required to collect information, review a sample of cases and publish a yearly statistical report. (1) Since the law, called the "Death with Dignity Act," went into effect in 1997, seven official reports have been published. However, due to major flaws in the law and the state's reporting system, there is no way to know for sure how many or under what circumstances patients have died from physician-assisted suicide.
Oregon DHS Physician-Assisted Suicide
On October 27, 1997 physician-assisted suicide became a legal medical option for terminally ill Oregonians. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act requires that the Oregon Health Services (OHS) monitor compliance with the law, collect information about the patients and physicians who participate in legal physician-assisted suicide, and publish an annual statistical report.
The Oregon Death with Dignity Act, a citizens' initiative, was first passed by Oregon voters in November 1994 by a margin of 51% in favor and 49% opposed. Immediate implementation of the Act was delayed by a legal injunction. After multiple legal proceedings, including a petition that was denied by the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the injunction on October 27, 1997 and physician-assisted suicide then became a legal option for terminally ill patients in Oregon. In November 1997, Measure 51 (authorized by Oregon House Bill 2954) was placed on the general election ballot and asked Oregon voters to repeal the Death with Dignity Act. Voters chose to retain the Act by a margin of 60% to 40%.
The Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain from their physicians and use prescriptions for self-administered, lethal medications. The Act states that ending one's life in accordance with the law does not constitute suicide. However, we have used the term "physician-assisted suicide" rather than "Death with Dignity" to describe the provisions of this law because physician-assisted suicide is the term used by the public, and by the medical literature, to describe ending life through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose. The Death with Dignity Act legalizes physician-assisted suicide, but specifically prohibits euthanasia, where a physician or other person directly administers a medication to end another's life.
Another good resource:
Seven years of assisted suicide in Oregon - information courtesy of the tendentious International Task Force.
Activist judges: Roberts, Scalia, Thomas
Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General, et al., Petitioners v. Oregon, et al.
No. 04-623, 1/17/06
The Controlled Substances Act does not allow the Attorney General to prohibit doctors from prescribing regulated drugs for use in physician-assisted suicide under state law permitting the procedure.
Orgal Argument Transcript (pdf)
Slip Opinion (pdf)
Slip Opinion from FindLaw (html)
Euthanasia (from Greek: ευθανασία - ευ "good", θανατος "death") refers to assisted dying. The assistance ends the life of a person or an animal in a painless or minimally painful way. Euthanasia is most often performed in a merciful way, in order to end suffering.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia
Under Oregon’s law permitting physician-assisted suicide, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) – previously called the Oregon Health Division (OHD) – is required to collect information, review a sample of cases and publish a yearly statistical report. (1) Since the law, called the "Death with Dignity Act," went into effect in 1997, seven official reports have been published. However, due to major flaws in the law and the state's reporting system, there is no way to know for sure how many or under what circumstances patients have died from physician-assisted suicide.
Oregon DHS Physician-Assisted Suicide
On October 27, 1997 physician-assisted suicide became a legal medical option for terminally ill Oregonians. The Oregon Death with Dignity Act requires that the Oregon Health Services (OHS) monitor compliance with the law, collect information about the patients and physicians who participate in legal physician-assisted suicide, and publish an annual statistical report.
The Oregon Death with Dignity Act, a citizens' initiative, was first passed by Oregon voters in November 1994 by a margin of 51% in favor and 49% opposed. Immediate implementation of the Act was delayed by a legal injunction. After multiple legal proceedings, including a petition that was denied by the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals lifted the injunction on October 27, 1997 and physician-assisted suicide then became a legal option for terminally ill patients in Oregon. In November 1997, Measure 51 (authorized by Oregon House Bill 2954) was placed on the general election ballot and asked Oregon voters to repeal the Death with Dignity Act. Voters chose to retain the Act by a margin of 60% to 40%.
The Death with Dignity Act allows terminally ill Oregon residents to obtain from their physicians and use prescriptions for self-administered, lethal medications. The Act states that ending one's life in accordance with the law does not constitute suicide. However, we have used the term "physician-assisted suicide" rather than "Death with Dignity" to describe the provisions of this law because physician-assisted suicide is the term used by the public, and by the medical literature, to describe ending life through the voluntary self-administration of lethal medications, expressly prescribed by a physician for that purpose. The Death with Dignity Act legalizes physician-assisted suicide, but specifically prohibits euthanasia, where a physician or other person directly administers a medication to end another's life.
Another good resource:
Seven years of assisted suicide in Oregon - information courtesy of the tendentious International Task Force.
Hamas Proves Democracy Is Panacea
On January 25, 2006, elections were held for the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). This was the first election to the PLC since 1996; elections have been repeatedly postponed due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian voters in the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem were eligible to participate in the election.
Hamas appears to have scored a major upset and defeated the ruling Fatah party in parliamentary elections.
Hamas, acronym of Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah (Arabic: حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, literally "Islamic Resistance Movement" and Arabic for 'zeal'), is a Palestinian Islamist movement closely related to the Muslim Brotherhood and is the democratically elected representative government of the Palestinian people. Its stated goal is to establish an Islamic theocracy in the area that is currently Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza strip.
Hamas regards historic Palestine - present-day Israel as well as the Palestinian territories - as an inalienable Islamic waqf or religious bequest, which can never be surrendered to non-Muslims. It asserts that struggle (jihad) to wrest control of the land from Israel is a religious duty incumbent on every Muslim individually (fard `ain). This position is more radical than that now held by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which in 1988 recognized Israel's sovereignty. Hamas does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state and refers to it as the "Zionist entity", a common hostile term for it in Arab political rhetoric. It has, however, dropped from its electoral manifesto the call for its destruction.
The Hamas Covenant, written in 1988, states that the organization's goal is to "raise the banner of God over every inch of Palestine," i.e. to eliminate the State of Israel (and any secular Palestinian state which may be established), and to replace it with an Islamic Republic.
What is more important: democracy/republic or rights?
Hamas appears to have scored a major upset and defeated the ruling Fatah party in parliamentary elections.
Hamas, acronym of Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah (Arabic: حركة المقاومة الاسلامية, literally "Islamic Resistance Movement" and Arabic for 'zeal'), is a Palestinian Islamist movement closely related to the Muslim Brotherhood and is the democratically elected representative government of the Palestinian people. Its stated goal is to establish an Islamic theocracy in the area that is currently Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza strip.
Hamas regards historic Palestine - present-day Israel as well as the Palestinian territories - as an inalienable Islamic waqf or religious bequest, which can never be surrendered to non-Muslims. It asserts that struggle (jihad) to wrest control of the land from Israel is a religious duty incumbent on every Muslim individually (fard `ain). This position is more radical than that now held by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which in 1988 recognized Israel's sovereignty. Hamas does not recognize Israel as a sovereign state and refers to it as the "Zionist entity", a common hostile term for it in Arab political rhetoric. It has, however, dropped from its electoral manifesto the call for its destruction.
The Hamas Covenant, written in 1988, states that the organization's goal is to "raise the banner of God over every inch of Palestine," i.e. to eliminate the State of Israel (and any secular Palestinian state which may be established), and to replace it with an Islamic Republic.
What is more important: democracy/republic or rights?
Monday, January 23, 2006
Folks
We had visitors on the weekend of January 6. Jude and Michelle were traveling abroad from Mississippi. Alf drove from Milwaukee to join us on Saturday.On Friday we (Jude, Michelle, Paul, Mary, Marye, and I) ate at an Indian restaurant on Franklin called Moti Mahal. Dinner was followed by competitive games of Yahtzee and Aggravation.
On Saturday evening, Paul and Mary served chili and corn bread for dinner. We played Cranium. Alf was humdinger champion.
On Sunday Alf, Jude, Paul, Tim, and I ran four+ miles at alumni pace. Then we ate breakfast and enjoyed a lazy afternoon in the man room watching football. Later that evening, Tim, Alf, Marye, and I went over to Lucy's to celebrate her birthday.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Economist
I recently subscribed to the Economist. I haven't received the magazine in the mail yet, but I can read articles online. Here are a couple good quotes:
Part of America's current prosperity is based not on genuine gains in income, nor on high productivity growth, but on borrowing from the future. The words of Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian economist of the early 20th century, nicely sum up the illusion: “It may sometimes be expedient for a man to heat the stove with his furniture. But he should not delude himself by believing that he has discovered a wonderful new method of heating his premises.”
But America's domestic demand needs to grow more slowly in order to bring the saving rate and the current-account deficit back to sustainable levels. If demand fails to slow, he will need to push rates higher. This will be risky, given households' heavy debts. After 13 increases in interest rates, the tide of easy money is now flowing out, and many American households are going to be shockingly exposed. In the words of Warren Buffett, “It's only when the tide goes out that you can see who's swimming naked.”
Part of America's current prosperity is based not on genuine gains in income, nor on high productivity growth, but on borrowing from the future. The words of Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian economist of the early 20th century, nicely sum up the illusion: “It may sometimes be expedient for a man to heat the stove with his furniture. But he should not delude himself by believing that he has discovered a wonderful new method of heating his premises.”
But America's domestic demand needs to grow more slowly in order to bring the saving rate and the current-account deficit back to sustainable levels. If demand fails to slow, he will need to push rates higher. This will be risky, given households' heavy debts. After 13 increases in interest rates, the tide of easy money is now flowing out, and many American households are going to be shockingly exposed. In the words of Warren Buffett, “It's only when the tide goes out that you can see who's swimming naked.”
Monday, January 09, 2006
Shining Path
Terrorism and Democracy: Two Documentaries Address the Peruvian Example
Of all the insurgent groups active in Latin America over the last half-century, none fitted the description of "terrorist" more aptly than Peru's Sendero Luminoso, or Shining Path. It began armed action in 1980, committed atrocities for more than a decade and was defeated under a president who was driven from office in 2000 for abuse of power.
So does Peru's war on terror offer any lessons to the United States?
"State of Fear: The Truth About Terrorism," directed by Ms. Yates, which opens Wednesday for a week, follows up on the work of Peru's Truth Commission, which concluded that more than 69,000 people were killed in terrorist or government-sponsored violence in Peru between 1980 and 2000. It also underlines how the war on terror was used to justify erosion of the country's democracy.
"The Fall of Fujimori," directed by Ms. Perry, which runs for two weeks starting Jan. 18, goes over some of the same ground, but much of it is based on interviews with Alberto Fujimori, Peru's president from 1990 to 2000, who is allowed to explain his strategy and claim credit for wiping out the Shining Path.
*
In "The Fall of Fujimori," Mr. Fujimori points out that he was overwhelmingly re-elected for a second term in 1995. "What were Peruvians willing to do in the name of peace?" Ms. Perry wondered in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. "They allowed military tribunals, they allowed death squads, they knew this was going on." And, she added: "I'm perplexed that they're going after him on pre-1995 charges when his re-election was a landslide."
*
Founded by Abimael Guzmán, a former philosophy professor, the Shining Path promised to reverse centuries of injustice suffered by Peru's Indian population.
Shining Path was founded in the late 1960s by former university philosophy professor Abimael Guzmán (also known as Presidente Gonzalo), whose teachings created the foundation for its militant Maoist doctrine. It was an offshoot of the Communist Party of Peru — Bandera Roja ("red flag"), which in turn split from the original Peruvian Communist Party in 1964.
Of all the insurgent groups active in Latin America over the last half-century, none fitted the description of "terrorist" more aptly than Peru's Sendero Luminoso, or Shining Path. It began armed action in 1980, committed atrocities for more than a decade and was defeated under a president who was driven from office in 2000 for abuse of power.
So does Peru's war on terror offer any lessons to the United States?
"State of Fear: The Truth About Terrorism," directed by Ms. Yates, which opens Wednesday for a week, follows up on the work of Peru's Truth Commission, which concluded that more than 69,000 people were killed in terrorist or government-sponsored violence in Peru between 1980 and 2000. It also underlines how the war on terror was used to justify erosion of the country's democracy.
"The Fall of Fujimori," directed by Ms. Perry, which runs for two weeks starting Jan. 18, goes over some of the same ground, but much of it is based on interviews with Alberto Fujimori, Peru's president from 1990 to 2000, who is allowed to explain his strategy and claim credit for wiping out the Shining Path.
*
In "The Fall of Fujimori," Mr. Fujimori points out that he was overwhelmingly re-elected for a second term in 1995. "What were Peruvians willing to do in the name of peace?" Ms. Perry wondered in a telephone interview from Los Angeles. "They allowed military tribunals, they allowed death squads, they knew this was going on." And, she added: "I'm perplexed that they're going after him on pre-1995 charges when his re-election was a landslide."
*
Founded by Abimael Guzmán, a former philosophy professor, the Shining Path promised to reverse centuries of injustice suffered by Peru's Indian population.
Shining Path was founded in the late 1960s by former university philosophy professor Abimael Guzmán (also known as Presidente Gonzalo), whose teachings created the foundation for its militant Maoist doctrine. It was an offshoot of the Communist Party of Peru — Bandera Roja ("red flag"), which in turn split from the original Peruvian Communist Party in 1964.
Friday, January 06, 2006
First Book of the New Year
The Plague by Albert Camus
Setting: Oran, Algeria
A plague inflicts the city of Oran, first killing rats and then hundreds of people each day. As a prophylactic measure, the city is sealed off from the outside world, exiled, imprisoned.
More later.
effulgence: radiant splendor, brilliance
suspiration: a long deep breath, sigh
Setting: Oran, Algeria
A plague inflicts the city of Oran, first killing rats and then hundreds of people each day. As a prophylactic measure, the city is sealed off from the outside world, exiled, imprisoned.
More later.
effulgence: radiant splendor, brilliance
suspiration: a long deep breath, sigh
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Jenna Jameson
So I was reading an article in the Economist about strip clubs in Scottsdale, Arizona. The article mentioned club owner Jenna Jameson, who is a porn star. I queried her name in Wikipedia and I read something I would like to share with you:
In 2005, her moan tones (moaning sounds) were made available for downloads as ringtones.
Yes.
In 2005, her moan tones (moaning sounds) were made available for downloads as ringtones.
Yes.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Driving Like the British
My sources tell me that in 64 of 243 countries, drivers proceed of the left-hand side of the road:
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bophuthatswana
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Cayman Islands
Channel Islands
Ciskei
Cyprus
Dominica
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Grenada
Guyana
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Lesotho
Macau
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
New Zealand
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
St. Vincent & Grenadines
Seychelles
Sikkim
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
St Kitts & Nevis
St. Helena
St. Lucia
Surinam
Swaziland
Tanzania
Thailand
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Uganda
United Kingdom
US Virgin Islands
Venda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Anguilla
Antigua & Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bophuthatswana
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Cayman Islands
Channel Islands
Ciskei
Cyprus
Dominica
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Grenada
Guyana
Hong Kong
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Lesotho
Macau
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nepal
New Zealand
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
St. Vincent & Grenadines
Seychelles
Sikkim
Singapore
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Sri Lanka
St Kitts & Nevis
St. Helena
St. Lucia
Surinam
Swaziland
Tanzania
Thailand
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Uganda
United Kingdom
US Virgin Islands
Venda
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Contact Strength
I bought a Metolius Slim Gym fingerboard at REI and installed it above the doorway to our bedroom.
First, I used 10x3 wood screws to mount a 10x36" piece of 3/4" plywood onto the wall, anchored by three studs, which were 16" apart from center to center. Then I screwed the fingerboard into the plywood. Now it is time to start strengthening tendons and ligaments.
Here's what the fingerboard has:
* 3 full-hand jugs
* 2 full-hand rounded slopes
* 1 set of 3 finger pockets
* 1 centered 3 finger pockets
* 1 set of 2 finger pockets
* 1 2-hand edge
Since I am weak, workouts will consist of open-handed dead hangs.
First, I used 10x3 wood screws to mount a 10x36" piece of 3/4" plywood onto the wall, anchored by three studs, which were 16" apart from center to center. Then I screwed the fingerboard into the plywood. Now it is time to start strengthening tendons and ligaments.
Here's what the fingerboard has:
* 3 full-hand jugs
* 2 full-hand rounded slopes
* 1 set of 3 finger pockets
* 1 centered 3 finger pockets
* 1 set of 2 finger pockets
* 1 2-hand edge
Since I am weak, workouts will consist of open-handed dead hangs.
Customized Google Home Page
Below is one screen shot split into three images; top to bottom is left to right.
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Quotes
Here are some quotes from books I've read.
From the Federalist:
Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war or the continual effort and alarm attendent on a state of continual danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty, to resort for repose and security, to institutions, which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe they, at length, become willing to run the risk of being less free.
To judge from the history of mankind, we shall be compelled to conclude, that the fiery and destructive passions of war, reign in the human breast, with much more powerful sway, than the mild and beneficent sentiments of peaces; and, that to model our political systems upon speculations of lasting tranquility, is to calculate on the weaker springs of the human character.
From John Kenneth Galbraith:
We associate truth with convenience, with what most closely accords with self-interest and personal well-being or promises best to avoid awkward effort or unwelcome dislocation to life. We find highly acceptable what contributes most to self-esteem.
Economic and social behavior are complex, and to comprehend their character is mentally tiring. Therefore we adhere, as though to a raft, to those ideas which represent our understanding.
From Nietzsche:
A thing that rarely strikes his senses will generally have but little influence upon his mind.
The vanity of others offends our taste only when it offends our vanity.
Cute
The Cute Factor
Scientists who study the evolution of visual signaling have identified a wide and still expanding assortment of features and behaviors that make something look cute: bright forward-facing eyes set low on a big round face, a pair of big round ears, floppy limbs and a side-to-side, teeter-totter gait, among many others.
*
A Blogger Creates a Blogger for a Trip Back to 2004
"Dog Days," by Ana Marie Cox
Ms. Cox has made her own dent in the political process with www.wonkette.com, the foxy blog that has made her well known in Washington circles. And "Dog Days" is predicated on the thought that it is a short leap from a blog to a blovel.
Interesting, but it sounds like the book sucks.
Scientists who study the evolution of visual signaling have identified a wide and still expanding assortment of features and behaviors that make something look cute: bright forward-facing eyes set low on a big round face, a pair of big round ears, floppy limbs and a side-to-side, teeter-totter gait, among many others.
*
A Blogger Creates a Blogger for a Trip Back to 2004
"Dog Days," by Ana Marie Cox
Ms. Cox has made her own dent in the political process with www.wonkette.com, the foxy blog that has made her well known in Washington circles. And "Dog Days" is predicated on the thought that it is a short leap from a blog to a blovel.
Interesting, but it sounds like the book sucks.
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