The good professor discusses Eric Alterman's analogy between Iraq and Vietnam. He asks, So, the question raised by the Vietnam analogy here is: Are we serious about winning? And who, exactly, is going to intervene on a massive scale to stop us if we look like we're going to win big? Well, there are several places from which opposition could arise. Most obviously, there are … [Read more...] about Who Will Stop Us?
Why Iraq?
Nick Gillespie suggests that Bush is eager to invade Iraq because it's a lot easier to find than Osama bin Laden. … [Read more...] about Why Iraq?
Safe Supermarket Discounting
Glenn Reynolds has been tracking worried comments by Susanna Cornett and Kim du Toit about the privacy hazards of supermarket discount cards. However, sometimes hi-tech problems have low-tech solutions. My friend Ken teaches information technology for MBA's, and in his security classes he shows them a stupidly simple way to avoid nearly all the privacy risks of supermarket … [Read more...] about Safe Supermarket Discounting
Death in Chicago
Slate's Eric Klinenberg writes about the worst U.S. natural disaster of the 1990's, at least in terms of the loss of life. It wasn't the Northridge quake or Hurricane Andrew. It was the heatwave that hit Chicago in July of 1995, killing 739 people. If this doesn't ring a bell, welcome to flyover country. Klinenberg's article discusses other reasons for the general lack of … [Read more...] about Death in Chicago
Anti-Panty-Terror
Yet more proof that the feds are wasting time instead of fighting terrorism: Our U.S. postal service (the people whose response to Anthrax contamination of their facilities was to immediately send a piece of mail to everyone) is now wasting time prosecuting a South Carolina college student for allegedly selling used underwear on a web site. (via Reason) This federal crime … [Read more...] about Anti-Panty-Terror