Nov
7
2005

URLs du Jour (11/7/2005)

  • Jay Tea at the WizBang! blog is, like me, a constituent of Jeb Bradley (R-NH) and, like me, wrote him a letter complaining about his vote against HR1606, the bill to exclude Internet communications from McCain-Feingold restrictions. Unlike me, he has posted the contents of his mail here. Wish I'd been as eloquent.
  • In the "good news" department: Professor D. Drezner is moving right. Er, as you look at a map. Tufts wins, Chicago loses.
  • Ever wonder about this?

    While almost every state requires adults to wear seat belts, most do not require them to wear motorcycle helmets, even though riding a motorcycle is much more dangerous than driving a car.

    Jacob Sullum has a fascinating article at the Reason website explaining. He continues:

    The story behind this anomaly is both inspiring and discouraging—inspiring because it shows that a highly motivated minority can make a successful stand for freedom, discouraging because it shows that politics is more important than principle in determining why certain laws aimed at protecting people from their own risky behavior become widely accepted while others remain controversial.

    Recommended for people interested in how libertarian positions succeed, or fail to succeed, in the real political world. Aside: Sullum notes that every state except my beloved New Hampshire requires adults to wear seat belts; a minor local victory against the nanny state.

  • And if you haven't been reading Ann Althouse analyzing (and, mainly, eviscerating) various lefty commentators with respect to Judge Alito and his decision on the Family Medical Leave Act, and you're in the slightest interested, just go do it: a general introduction is here; her comments on Laurence Tribe are here; an article at "Daily Kos" here; Nathan Newman at TPM Cafè here; and "Armando" at Daily Kos here.

    But basically, you won't go wrong by just reading her blog habitually.

  • And Russell Roberts at Cafe Hayek supports Alan Alda for President. Well, not the real Alan Alda, thank goodness.
  • And there's a slide-show essay about Calvin and Hobbes (aka, "The Greatest Comic Strip Ever") at Slate. The essay is mostly worth reading, but (even better) it's illustrated with strips.

Last Modified 2012-10-26 5:49 AM EDT