Yglesias is a fool.  He has restated the Broken Windows hypothesis.  Problem is, he probably believes the original, too.

Byron York thinks the Romney camp acquitted themselves well on this.  You know, this might yet not be a catastrophe.

The Transition does look beautiful, and like a "proper" flying car.  As a stealth Dutchman (I'm only Dutch when it suits me), I was rather pleased to come across a Dutch model - the PAL-V.  This looks pretty, can fly *today*, and since it fits pretty closely to existing regulations, is expected to go into production next year.  Mind you, it is really a motor bike that converts into an autogyro, so not really the "proper" flying car.  But hey, you might actually be able to buy it!

The demonstration drive and flight (real drive, real transition, real flight - no CGI) are impressive.

For a real Jane Austen stand against popular culture, look at the treatment of the play "Lovers' Vows", and amateur dramatics in "Mansfield Park".

Oh phooey!  I can't think of a CoC compliant metaphor to describe how excited (and apprehensive) you would be about conducting *that* interview!

In the UK the rise of the Australasian False Interrogative (or High Rising Terminal) was strongly correlated with the broadcast of Australian soap operas (Neighbours, Home and Away) in the early evening, when children were just home from school.  The broadcasters quickly realised that the audience was schoolchildren and targetted accordingly.  The 1980s and 1990s were thick with articles deriding the AFI/HRT, but it has rather gone out of fashion.

Could be.  It certainly warrants excitement, as James D. or Matt Ridley will tell anyone who will listen.  It means that there is an energy supply abundant enough to keep us going the few generations needed to approach alternatives like viable fusion.  And that means that we should have the capacity to address other, more pressing problems of humanity.

Saw the headline and thought "if they can manage Greece, why no meet-up in Tunbridge Wells"?

Then my geography kicked in.

<sheepish>

I think what is usually missed about the Dutch experience is that the policy there is not total liberalisation, but rather that drug addiction is treated as a medical, not a criminal problem.  Marijuana is available in specific outlets, but supply of harder drugs is controlled.  I haven't lived in the Netherlands since the 90's, and not in Amsterdam since the 80's,  but while I lived there the view was that drugs, in terms of the local population, were considered a controlled problem.  However, there was a honeypot effect which drew drug abusers from other countries, and managing them constituted the worst part of the problem.  With the advent of Ecstasy, the police intervened at raves to ensure safety of drugs as much as anything else (again, the emphasis is on medical management). Wikipedia's articles on this are a reasonable background.

As mentioned above, though, I think violence in Amsterdam has many roots, not least the failure to assimilate immigrants in recent years, resulting in the creation of ghettos around already challenged areas.  There are similar areas of The Hague, and these are are perceived internally as a national scandal.

But you were visiting the Robinsons.  It is more than a matter of geography or climate - as Elizabeth says to Jane near the end of Pride and Prejudice "Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness."

Nothing for it, we need to strive for Peter's good temper.

James, I was a bit concerned (I've been with Shell since 1979, and my father before since before the war) at the suggestion that Shell had bought a speaker at CPAC.  Shell really takes its General Business Principles seriously, and the bit about political activities of companies is really quite clear:

Shell companies act in a socially responsible manner within the laws of the countries in which we operate in pursuit of our legitimate commercial objectives.

Shell companies do not make payments to political parties, organizations or their representatives. Shell companies do not take part in party politics. However, when dealing with governments, Shell companies have the right and the responsibility to make our position known on any matters which affect us, our employees, our customers, our shareholders or local communities in a manner which is in accordance with our values and the Business Principles.

Thinking a bit further, though, the recently retired CEO of the US subsidiary, John Hofmeister, has set up a non-profit "Citizens for Affordable Energy", and I suspect that in this capacity he was addressing CPAC.  And I should hope he had a good word for the company he used to run!

Troy, I know you host "Young Guns", but I never really took it that seriously.  But in video, you look far too young to have had the career you have had.  I'm not jealous (honest), just flabbergasted.

And "Law Talk" is as ever, of course, a joy.

I am covered with shame.

:(

But change that to a similar level of concentration - someone creeps up behind you and pinches your book, or the iPad you are using to read a magazine.  Would that be pretty?

Things have to be very, very bad indeed for a recession not to end of its own accord.  We've see the charts comparing this recession with that at the beginning of the Reagan presidency - so we know for a fact that it has been mishandled.  Just not as badly mishandled as by Hoover/Roosevelt.  Well, good.  Obama doesn't have to be the worst president ever for me to prefer that an alternative replace him after the next election.

I clearly have a drink problem.  I spilled tea all over my BlackBerry, and it has been out-of-use for a fortnight.

AND MY HEART IS BROKEN!!!!