* So I guess hurricane Irene was overhyped, but Katrina was overhyped too (remember when it was tens of thousands dead and people were turning to cannibalism?) so that doesn’t mean the damage wasn’t bad. Still, when you hear that Washington D.C. is getting hit with a earthquake and a hurricane within a week, it sounds like God is finally deciding to lay down His wrath on them, but from the results it doesn’t look like His heart was into it.
* People are acting like it’s a big deal that Rick Perry called Social Security a Ponzi scheme, but could someone explain to me how in any way it’s not a Ponzi scheme? There are no actual investments in it, and if new people stopped paying into it, it would stop being able to pay out, i.e. it’s completely dependent on new investors to keep the image of stability making it a text book Ponzi scheme. The big difference between it and other Ponzi schemes is that the government forces you to pay into it, so it doesn’t matter if you know it’s a scam. And the big difference between politicians and Bernie Madoff is that Madoff probably had more respect for other people’s money.
* In more Rick Perry news (I’m guessing we’re going to see a lot of Rick Perry in the near future), he’s billed the federal government $349 million for the cost of Texas having to deal with illegal immigrants. But if everyone sues the government for incompetency, then soon it will be bankrupt and… actually then probably have the same or better in levels of competency. This is an idea we should run with.
* If you were thinking liberals might finally get in more touch with reality to be competitive in 2012, here’s Jonathan Alter with an article demanding people prove Obama’s been a bad president. I guess by his logic you’re a great president until proven incompetent or something. See, I would have thought the burden of proof would be on Obama that he’s actually ever done anything useful, but what do I know; I’m not a partisan nutjob. Anyway, I guess this will be their 2012 campaign slogan: “9% unemployment, skyrocketing debt, leadership that consists of repetitive, pointless speeches — but you can’t prove he’s a bad president!”
* Actually, here’s about as close as you will get to objective proof in these sort of matters: A comparison of Reaganomics and Obanomics. Both had inherited an economic mess, both had huge unemployment at about this time in their presidency, but one cut taxes while the other just spent and spent and spent and expanded government. And only one had GDP growth skyrocketing by reelection time. But those Keynesians sound so smart! They’re plans would totally work if we were attacked by space aliens.
* Inside of compound of Libyan leader Qdaffy, they found an album filled with photos of Condoleeza Rice. Everyone always thought Qdaffy was a weirdo, but it ends up he’s just like the rest of us.
* So far, the Obama administration hasn’t been seizing people’s guns like they feared — in fact, they’ve even given out guns to Mexican drug cartels — but now the Obama administration has started confiscating axes. The U.S. Justice Department raided Gibson, accusing it of having exotic wood, to which Gibson replied, “That’s what she said.” So Obama’s connecting with the young people by declaring war on rock & roll. Actually, does that pop garbage kids listen to even have guitars in them? KIDS THESE DAYS AND THEIR MUSIC!!!
* I finished reading the Hunger Games
BTW, I’m trying to read more since it’s kind of silly that I’m trying to write scifi and fantasy but barely ever read any myself as an adult. What do you guys recommend in current fiction? I like stuff that’s fun and not so ponderous. For now, I’ve started John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War
* Make sure you read my column that was posted on Pajamas Media yesterday. In it, I apply the Coolidge Test and see whether a sack of hammers would have performed better, worse, or about the same as Obama in the various challenges he’s faced. Not to reveal too much, but SACK OF HAMMERS 2012!!!