With the right pose and hat, any one of them could look as heroic as a Che Guevara T-shirt. These revolutionaries need better PR. Martyrdom works too.

Ooh, it's true. Many years ago I was a severely republiphobic lefty. To test my beliefs I'd hang out in conservative discussion groups, became right-curious, even read a few books, and before I knew it I was one of them, fighting on their side against my former liberal colleagues. I'm sure some of them were curious too. I can't even remember the point at which the balance tipped, leading me to wonder if it was... there all along.

And yet, for all their frothing at the mouth at the very mention of her name, there are rarely any takers for a return to the pre-Thatcher world. They hate her like you hate the fitness instructor who, rather than hand you a chocolate and tell you everything's going to be OK, screams at you the harsh reality that you're overweight, in bad health, and will only improve things by hitting the treadmill for ten minutes longer than you can bear.

Though I might agree with the Austin Powers one...

Oh to be a fly on the wall of the royal Rolls-Royce to hear the Queen and her husband discuss the restoration after the launch. I imagine it will be heavily expletive-laden.

I'll say this about Canadians: you guys are unique in the Anglosphere in that you're not afraid to disrupt the two-party duopoly on a regular basis. In the two years I lived in Toronto I think I saw the main conservative party change names & leaders about three times. Good stuff and good luck to Wildrose; could be the beginnings of yet another upheaval. I'll keep an eye on this one next week.

It's not being mentioned anywhere, but the artist who made the cake (and performed as the 'head') is Makode Aj Linde... who is actually black. Not that it makes the cake any less tasteless, but it does add a slightly different perspective to things.

And that was after he spent five minutes pawing at the wanted photo, trying to free the man who looked like him trapped inside the poster.

After reading the article, it seems pretty clear they thought the old biddy was a troublemaker and a pain, and just gave whatever ridiculous reason they thought would make her go and bother someone else. The fact they chose the 'carbon footprint' one is testament to the fact that people will swallow any old environmental line without question. 

Seems de facto independence is all the rage these days, whether it's the 'sovereignty-association' favored by the Parti Quebecois, Scotland's 'devolution max' or Puerto Rico's territory status. Limbo is better: all the autonomy and trappings of full independence, while maintaining the protections of a larger country's stronger currency, share of the foreign debt, armed forces. It's almost as though countries now prefer the franchise model with quasi-independent management.

It's 5AM, I'm staring out the window at a sea of office buildings and freeways as I read this piece and wondering what I wouldn't give right now to be out in the middle of nowhere, behind a wheel and all alone. Truckers have the life really; playing an economic role more vital than any politician, but enjoying the kind of peace only anonymity and solitude on the road can bring. Really enjoyed it, thanks for sharing such an evocative story.

I'm starting to think this podcast, even by itself, is worth the annual Ricochet subscription cost. I really enjoy the guests' perspectives and conversation flows. Oh yes, and the outtakes.

Wow -- a rather harsh critique of NZ in that article. Can't say I've ever been there myself, but after growing up in Australia I've met a lot of people from NZ and they've always been perfectly charming. I'm thinking that writer may have had a personally negative experience there and I'm hoping that's the case, since escaping to NZ is a part of my "when it all goes to hell" plan. If nothing else, they speak English and are a long way away from... everywhere. (They also have a fairly active libertarian party which sometimes participates in coalition governments.)

"It's funny... I love driving this fine automobile yet I'm consumed by the urge to drag myself from it and put a bullet into the back of my head."

I notice it's listed on the US store as $2.99 from my location (Japan). Not that $2.99 isn't a reasonable price, but I do have an in-principle objection to a 200% international markup on a digital product. I'm assuming this is Amazon's fault, of course.

It confirmed a suspicion I've had for a while: I might like Huntsman more than I've admitted to myself in the past (and so might others). 

Perry still came #1 for me though.

It happens when they realize (or don't) that they've become institutionalized in a system more powerful than they ever imagined; one that cares less about right/left ideology than expanding further into people's lives and perpetuating its own influence. Anyone on a crusade to reduce this influence runs up against brick walls repeatedly until they too give in.

Sorry, in a bit of a cynical mood today... 

Presidential nomination applications really need to include this question: "Are you having, or have you ever had, an extramarital affair with someone who is disgruntled with you, or who may gain financial advantage by revealing this information to the public?"