Sunday Smörgåsbord

Weekend roundup of some of the articles/commentary I found interesting News relating to the Iraqi vote: Wapo—reports something positive? The world is coming to an end tomorrow, no doubt… Even “Terrorist Promo Central” (Reuters) takes a mostly positive tone. (Yep, that confirms it: the world is coming to an end.) More confirmation of a world turned upside down as the Strib, and The Seattle Times manage to choke out mostly upbeat stories. Wonders never cease. Of course, the good news from Iraq contrasts starkly with politics here. Thomas Sowell, “Spoiled brat politics: Part I” and “Spoiled brat politics: Part II”. Sowell’s comments on spoiled brats leads rather well into David Limbaugh’s observations, “More thoughts on Miers”. The Anchoress points out the hypocrisy of (“the egregious”*) David Frum of neocon infamy—praised Miers and prophesied her nomination back in the summer, now flip–flopped and attacking her. *”the egregious Frum” is Jerry Pournelle’s stock reference to someone (oddly, David Frum—heh) who he believes to be unprincipled and unworthy of his place and influence in the public forum. Quite apart from Pournelle’s commentary, the evidence the Anchoress presents of the egregious Frum’s lack of principle is enough to damn him in my eye, were he not already in disfavor with me. (As though the egregious Frum cared. Heh) TMH’s Bacon Bits rounds up some thought-provoking info on the Asian Bird Flu and illuminating information drawn from experiments with the Spanish influenza virus that caused the 1918 pandemic. I do think some of the comparisons being made to the worldwide flu pandemic of 1918 may be overblown, though. For one thing, sure, transmission via fast and easy transportation systems available today may spread the stuff faster and more widely, but medical technology has advanced too, and so have public health measures. It remains to be seen just how much of the alarmism is Chicken Little behavior and how much is of substance. This is definitely one to follow, and The Mary Hunter is doing yeoman’s work in his posts on the topic—watch his blog for roundups and insight. Well, there’s a whole big buncha other news and views out there that certainly ought to be included here, but I’m feeling just too darned lazy to post any more.  Read my Blogroll, eh? Oh, but I can’t close without this. Hie thee to The Carnival of the recipes #61.  It’s a very special Ramadan edition!!! :-) Oh, and you'll kick yourself if you miss some of the fine posts noted over at Stop the ACLU's Open Trackback Sunday.