Category Archives: politics

the great sucking sound

Posted on Thursday, 2003 January 16 by Anton

My good friend Kennita Watson (occasional candidate for various unsexy offices) sent me this column/speech by state senator Tom McClintock (R, Thousand Oaks): Three numbers tell the entire story of California’s fiscal meltdown: 21, 28 and 36. Understand them and … Continue reading →

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through red red red glasses

Posted on Wednesday, 2003 January 01 by Anton

Here’s a chuckle: Maoist movie reviews. Disney and Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life” has as good side and a bad side. The good side is that it portrays the successful collective struggle of the apparently weak oppressed and exploited (in this … Continue reading →

Posted in cinema, politics | Leave a comment

market failure

Posted on Friday, 2002 December 27 by Anton

asparagirl had some peevish things to say about the then-looming New York transit strike. It wouldn’t be a problem if public transportation were open to competition – but neither the city nor the union wants that, obviously.

Posted in economics, politics | Leave a comment

Learned Hand

Posted on Thursday, 2002 December 26 by Anton

Could that guy turn a phrase or what? Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can even do much to help it. While it lies there it needs … Continue reading →

Posted in history, politics | Leave a comment

cunning

Posted on Thursday, 2002 December 26 by Anton

ScrappleFace: Sen. Frist Unveils GOP Racial Segregation Plan

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bleak

Posted on Thursday, 2002 December 26 by Anton

Yet another tale of petty banal evil. There are plenty of stories like this these days. I don’t know how many I’ve read where the writer describes some breach of civil liberties by employees of the state, then wraps it … Continue reading →

Posted in security theater | Leave a comment

nobody here but us potential terrorists

Posted on Friday, 2002 December 20 by Anton

Five Technically Legal Signs for Your Library Q. How can you tell when the FBI has been in your library? A. You can’t. the USAPATRIOT Act makes it illegal for us to tell you if our computers are monitored; be … Continue reading →

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