I enjoy Jeeves and Holmes too.  There are so many great recommendations in this thread. 

I also think the Ian Flemming James Bond novels are a fun read.  Not too difficult, but much more gritty than the movies.

I always wanted to be (from age 4 on) and still want to be a 35 year old male.  I am not far past now, but freezing at 35 seems great for me.  At 35 I was just old enough to have great credibility in my chosen profession but still enjoy the benefits of being a relatively young man (joints work, metabolism not slowing too much, etc).

I agree with Rachel.  I agree with the evils of environmentalism (I think Ricochet's James Delingpole has a great distinction in one of his early podcasts - environmentalism is liberal and conservationism is conservative).  I also agree Republicans particularly buy into green policy to readily.  How is the a social conservative vs everyone else issue? 

Is there a supposition out there that social conservatives are not also small government and pro-liberty conservatives? 

I for one am socially conservative, and I lean quite a lot toward not using the power of the state to enforce my beliefs because I do not want a government geared up to regulate at that level.

I was a short, very light young man in a small high school where if you were male and breathing you were to play football.  This was great for me, because I had been planning the day I would step on the field from 2nd grade.  I loved it but chose to give it up my junior year after a knee injury and sternly worded advice from the surgeon who was amazed a person my size was playing football. 

Since it is obvious from one glance that my children will be no heftier (although likely will grow taller) I am discouraging them from playing.

That said, I loved the physical nature of the game and could pop up from any hit dished out.

I believe that physical sports are good for boys and young men.  I especially think team sports are good character builders.  There is nowhere to hide.  If you bite on a fake and a wideout catches a pass on a out and go pattern, there is nobody to blame but yourself.  The kind of direct consequences experienced in this environment teach valuable lessons for later in life.

I predict no field goals for the Niners and two for the Ravens.  Niners win 28-27.  Ravens will be unable to stop the Niners offense at the end of the game to prevent the go ahead touchdown. 

At least that is how I would script it.....

I agree wholeheartedly.  Let's win the arguement, not placate the anti-gun crowd.  I think the reason we have the gun rights currently afforded us and the reason the previous assault weapons ban expired is by taking a stand.

@Howellis

We live in a world of limited resources.  If we chose to expend resources on instituting mandatory federal background checks prior to any firearm transaction, those resources are now not available to helping the mentally ill.  Let's put our time, energy, and money into helping those who need it, as I believe this will be a more effective strategy to diminishing the types of horrific crimes we see on the increase.  Overall crime is down in the US, but this one category of crime is up.  The one common factor in these crimes is a mentally ill perpetrator.  Let's focus our resources there and not overburden law abiding citizens with generally good judgement.  If we are to burden law abiding citizens, let's do so in a way that is most effective in getting help to those who need it and incarcerating those beyond help.

Here is the objectionable line that distresses Professor Epstein.

"Universal background checks, especially those conducted instantaneously through the National Instant Background Check System, do not impose a significant burden on lawabiding
citizens."

I believe that mandatory background checks do impose a significant burden on law abiding citizens.  My friend Rob and I are both gun enthusiasts.  We both own multiple firearms.  What if I wanted to sell one to him?  Say this is the only firearm related transaction I will do this year.  Must I somehow run a background check on my friend Rob before I sell him my firearm?  He lives within 10 minutes of my home and 5 minutes from the school my children attend.  Is it not in my highest self interest to determine the state of Rob's mental health before I convey a dangerous weapon to him?  Am I not likely a better judge of his current mental health than any government records (especially knowing he has cleared a recent background check)?

I agree signing the letter may be unwise, and I am interested in hearing the reasons why.  I am willing to wait for an answer however, either on this post or in the next episode of Law Talk. 

I am surprised at the personal attacks I saw in the comments which was what motivated my comment more than anything.  I am not endorsing or happy with the position from what I know now.

I think "endorsed" is a mischaracterization of the stance Professor Epstein took.  He said that in his well educated opinion, the proposed laws are not unconsititutional, while at the same time he indicated he felt that none were going to be effective in attaining the desired means.

As far as the willingness to engage, Mr. Senik noted that the post was submitted as Professor Epstein was on the way out the door.  I think it unkind and unfair to question the good Professor's motives just because he has failed to deliver immediate gratification in the form of a response. 

We know nothing of the details of the journey's length, nor access to internet, etc.  I would note that Professor Epstein had no obligation to bring this up at all, and that his doing so indeed shows willingness to engage.

That said, I am distressed regarding the language that was supposed to be deleted.

If you are Christian and are not being persecuted, you are not doing it right....

I have long believed that I am treated as a pariah already.  I believe in God and believe the Jesus died on the cross for my sin.  I do believe homosexual behavior is a sin, but I do not believe that this marks those who engage in that behavior as special in any way.  After all, all sin is an abomination to God, and I am guilty.  I believe the only solution to sin is to believe and repent.

I do not believe in a significant human contribution to global warming.  I do not believe that human kind, outside their own stupidity, will experience a significant energy shortage, and I do not believe in overpopulation. 

I have been treated like I have some part of my brain missing, either by an acquaintance or a coworker for expressing one or more of the above in the last year. 

According to them: I had been "brainwashed".  I am just "ignoring" the problem.  I am "listening to the wrong people."  I already am a pariah. 

For me, it will not change anything, and I do not plan to nack down but will deal with the world as it is with grace, Lord willing.

My nine year old son has two modes, stop and full throttle.  This leads him to scores of minor and even less minor injuries fairly often.  I love to tell him,

"It will feel better when it quits hurting." 

He buys it every time.....so far......

In order to work, meeting participants need to realize there are a variety of personalities involved, and effective leadership must ensure all are given a chance to express themselves.  Even more than given a chance, there must be a protocol to ensure input from all involved.  Great leaps of progress can be made by well run meetings where all are given opportunities to be effective.  Inject fear, boredom, or misunderstanding, and the amygdala kicks in to shut down the frontal cortex in the brain, making all participants half as smart as they should be.

I am an extreme extravert, ESTJ actually.  However, I can sit on an airplane for 8 hours straight, and "recharge my batteries" with no other human interaction.  It turns out that E vs. I is not very instructive in the imaginative department (which is more likely described by the S vs N of the MBTI.)  It also turns out that a person can (and should!) type develop.  Your MBTI type simply describes how your brain prefers to operate, not how it actually operates.  To see how you are in practice, you need something like an Occupational Personality Questionnaire.  This shows how you "actually" tend to behave at work and often socially.  I am an "S" which should predispose me to liking details, but I really hate to attend to details on my projects.

Mollie, you seem to behave like your preference, you like to be social but at some point you need to recharge. 

BTW, I think the extravert to lack of productivity analysis is too simplistic.

So, I'd like to know a few things of the Ricochetti:

1. Are you married?  Yes

For those who are married:

1. How old were you when you got married?  22
2. Is it your first marriage?  Yes
3. How long have you been married?  13 1/2 years
4. Two children - Boys 9 and 11