bar exam: terminated

I passed the California bar exam. I don’t wish that experience upon anyone.

Time to move on with the rest of my life. From now on, you can find me at http://brandonmiddleton.typepad.com.

Peace.

links for a late Monday afternoon

Ahead of legislative and executive discussion of global warming, the Washington Times notes the following:

Brian Kennedy, spokesman for the Institute for Energy Research, said Mr. Bush should realize that the U.S. is already ahead of the Europeans.

“U.S. taxpayers are already spending more than $40 billion a year to address climate change, and to date we’re achieving better results than the Europeans are under a bureaucratic regulatory framework,” he said. “That should be kept in mind before any rash — or political — decisions are made inside the White House. Excessive regulations would come with significant economic consequences and additional costs for consumers.”

Christopher C. Horner, author of “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming,” said the Bush administration should have seen the regulatory problems long ago and that the president is trying to solve them the wrong way.

“There’s a way to responsibly do this, but calling for a bill isn’t it. Democrats — and all presidential candidates — desperately want Bush to take ownership of the issue before he goes, leaving them free of the burdens of responsibility for their rhetoric,” Mr. Horner said.

He said Mr. Bush should have been spending the past two years pointing out that even as the U.S. reduces the rate of growth of carbon emissions, it is taking manufacturing jobs from Europe. Nations that adopted strict carbon emissions are facing economic consequences while finding the goals impossible to meet, he said.

“The U.S. is the world leader in reducing the rate of growth of CO2 emissions while also growing its economy — faster on both counts, as with population as well, than its principal antagonist, Europe, which is suffering for reasons of political ‘face’ under a failed scheme that the Democrats and McCain amazingly want to burden us with,” he said.

To me, there are far too many uncertainties in global warming policy to justify the much more certain risk of economic catastrophe that would accompany the restrictions Al Gore and friends want.  Is global warming really happening?  Sure temperatures have increased over the past century or so, but what about the decrease over the past decade?  Assuming global warming is happening, are we absolutely certain that humans have caused it?  Predicting the weather 24 hours in advance is difficult enough, so how we can be sure given the multitude of climatic factors that global warming would not occurred absent industrialization?  If we do decide to go forward with drastic cuts in emissions and other significant regulation, are things going to change for the better?  The underlying assumptions of global warming bureaucrats appear to be that will be far less flooding and other natural disasters, that much fewer people will live hungry and in poverty, and that somehow that the dying off of animal species that has been occuring since the beginning of mankind will stop — in short, solving global warming will also solve the major macroeconomic issues that have perplexed policymakers for years.  I’m just a bit skeptical.

A “Compassion Forum“?!?!?!  Now that’s high comedy.

John McCain: Just another proponent of National Greatness Conservatism – individualism is not welcome.

Looking back at affirmative action and the use of statistics.

hello again

Things are busy right now.  Combine that with the fact I’m becoming less of a fan of my own blog – the format is dull and its title is just stupid (maybe a third try at a blog is in order) — and you get a lack of posts.

Nonetheless, here are a few things I’ve come across over the past couple of days that I think are worth taking a look at . . .

With each passing day, Obama seems to be more like a typical DC politician, and less like an agent of change, or hope, or whatever.  I was never going to vote for the guy, but I enjoyed his “outsider” attitude.  Now I’m growing tired of him.  The way he has handled his own statement on John McCain and 100 years in Iraq is simply baffling — check this out at Instapundit.

Meanwhile, Tom Bell at Agoraphilia offers a unique perspective on how Obama can actually make change happen.

Apparently, some at the Daily Kos were happy that a champion of individual rights has died.  Hat-tip: Althouse.

I think we need to stop preaching to children that college is anything and everything, a can’t miss experience, the end-all/be-all — you get my point.  Sounds like one man is attempting to get that message to the masses.

I prefer Panera coffee over Starbucks.  But what I really detest about Starbucks is how they go along with the notion that capitalism needs to be more “just,” and that profits are inherently bad and only benefit a select few.  Jonathan Adler’s discussion of Starbucks’ gift-card policy got a lot of comments, and now a known boycott specialist is trying to lead one against the socialists in Seattle.

 

the definition of pathetic behavior

Available here.

I admit it, I’m insecure

Go here, read the comments.

A related note to newer restaurants: Don’t be afraid to carry a classic domestic brew, preferably on tap (i.e. Budweiser, MGD, etc.).  Although those of us who enjoy a smooth beer over one that smells like a Bath & Body Works product may be a dying breed, we’re not dead yet, and it doesn’t cost much to please us.  Further, you won’t be considered unhip or low class if you have these beers available.  Rather, you may actually be a place of nostalgia.

the next Dick Clark

Get ready for Ryan Seacrest for the rest of your life.

He’s alright in my book.

what sort of people would spend their Saturday at a baseball hall of fame?

From the Cincinnati Enquirer:

Beth and Dave Middleton spent Saturday doing what Reds fans have done for years – listening to Joe Nuxhall’s voice.

“This is awesome,” said Dave, 55, after hearing Nuxhall audio highlights in the new Nuxhall exhibit at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

The display, “The Ol’ Lefthander,” opened Saturday. It’s a tribute to Nuxhall, who died in November at age 79, after 64 years as a player and broadcaster for the club.

Beth Middleton, 55, a loyal Reds radio listener from Sycamore Township, was impressed with the collection of photos, uniforms, hats, plaques and other memorabilia donated by the Nuxhall family. She wasn’t expecting to find 36 Nuxhall radio highlights that can be heard on headphones.

“I listened to all of them. It brought back a lot of funny memories with Marty (Brennaman),” she said. “Fans will love this.”

Obama will make you a believer

If Republicans had someone this charismatic, they’d be doing the same thing.

Hat tip: Instapundit.

ESPN’s Jayson Stark looks favorably upon the Reds

Stark has recently noted improvements in starting pitching and the bullpen.  Both aspects needed much improvement, so I think if Stark is anywhere close to being right, the Reds should be in good shape to play over .500 for the season.

Barney Franks supports decriminalization of marijuana

And Radley Balko has some thoughts: “If we’re down to choosing between the authoritarian socialism of today’s GOP or the socialism-with-individual liberty of Barney Frank, I’ll take the latter in a heartbeat. We could do worse to have more like him in Congress.”