Author: Eric Scheie

Between out of town guest hecticness (or would that be hecticism?) and watching tonight’s Sugar Bowl game, I’m guilty of blog neglect. Feel free to scold me, but right now it’s halftime and my spirits are lifted. By all appearances, VA Tech appeared to have a superb defense, but the Wolverines seem to be onto…

According to Gallup, the Republican presidential race is the “most volatile for the GOP since the advent of polling.” The Gallup report says this is the first time since 1964 where the GOP front-runner spot has seen so many changes. Gallup counts four front-runners and seven lead changes since polling began in May with former Massachusetts…

Via Dr. Helen, I just learned about a legislative horror pending right here in my home state (Michigan). HB 5882, would make it a crime for a man to leave, threaten to leave, file for, threaten to divorce or terminate support to, a pregnant woman (even if he is not the father) with intent to…

Passwords irritate the hell out of me. While I know they are a necessary evil, it is so easy to lose track of what password was created for what account, and this is even worse if I am on the road with a laptop. Unfortunately, I tend to become dependent on having the same computer…

So says Charles Krauthammer. All I can say is that I’m having a rough time defending them (this was especially the case over the holidays), and I am getting sick of it. I wish I could just get the hold-my-nose-and-vote part over with. MORE: OTOH, the latest Rasmussen poll shows Romney handily beating Obama. Here’s…

A ballot initiative is in the works in Michigan that would amend the state Constitution to legalize marijuana. An email from M. Simon alerted me to what I should have seen yesterday afternoon but missed because I was busy: local reporter Ryan Stanton’s excellent piece on the subject. Whether it will make it onto the ballot,…

Reading Michael Yon’s interview with General Barry McCaffrey (via Frank) reminded me that there are very powerful people who are hard at work establishing in the public mind an ineradicable connection between drugs and terrorism (and hence the need to do Whatever We Can). They have to, because otherwise the use of extreme remedies such as…

OK, I was going to ignore the latest round of recycling Ron Paul’s alleged racism (this all came up and was thoroughly discussed in the last election cycle), but this time there’s a new twist. Whether Ron Paul is in fact racist, homophobic, or anti-Israel, what galls me as a longtime libertarian is to see…

As one of my longtime favorite politicians here is Senator Chuck Schumer, I am shocked — SHOCKED — to learn that he his brother in law is becoming a federal judge. “SOME SUSPECT CRONYISM,” said Glenn Reynolds earlier. No way. That would never happen. I mean, we’re talking about the man who said, “I think Fannie…

From Glenn Reynolds, a good question to ponder: WHAT DO WE DO When The Internet Mob Is Wrong? You can point out that they’re wrong, and tell them what the truth is, but that approach falls on deaf ears if what is wrong is what they want to believe. Also, there is a well established meme…

(The following is a guest essay, sent to me by a friend whose pen name is “Liberty Guardian.”) Which contemporary political figure claims to be a Teddy Roosevelt Progressive, extols FDR as the best 20th century President, and lavishes praise on SEIU leader Andy Stearns? Who sat down on the couch with Nancy Pelosi to…

After being intrigued and somewhat enchanted in a semi-awake state this morning by Turkish military music which is intended to do just that — — I found myself puzzling over the historically important nexus between the Mongols and the Turks, and then I stumbled onto a fascinating coincidence. The great Mongol Turk chieftain and conqueror…

The event is undeniable. I’m liking the fact that we’ve turned the clock already. Meanwhile, another undeniable event — Christmas — is coming. (Whether the White House likes it or not.)  

Glenn linked this post earlier, and my concern was aroused. Much of the discussion of the above event has mentioned the formal notice sent to WordPress by the US Justice Department. That notice asked WordPress to freeze records associated with three blogs hosted on its US-based servers. Those blogs were: http://tallbloke.wordpress.com (written by Tallbloke, who…

I don’t want a Chevy Volt. So why do I have to pay for someone else’s Chevy Volt? Chevy Volt Costing Taxpayers Up to $250K Per Vehicle Analyst: ‘This might be the most government-supported car since the Trabant’ Each Chevy Volt sold thus far may have as much as $250,000 in state and federal dollars…

Blogging is slow right now because of the Christmas rush. However, a friend sent me a link to a bizarre story about a teacher accused of assaulting a McDonald’s manager with food. The headline is Hash Browns Rage! Teacher Arrested For Pelting McDonald’s Worker With Food At Drive-Thru Window Teachers didn’t act that way when…

Newt Gingrich thinks that when the country’s founders set up three branches of government, what they intended to create was a sort of a super triumvirate, under which whatever 2 out of 3 of the branches wanted would end the inquiry. Thus, if the Supreme Court were to stand in the way of the President…

Steve Chapman’s take on criminalization of gay sex is similar to mine. Like me, Chapman finds it amazing that the barbaric practices in certain countries actually have conservative defenders: It may be hard to believe, but some 76 countries outlaw gay sexual relations. At least five — Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen —…

An exceptionally scary link from Glenn Reynolds made me realize what a cruel, vicious, and oppressive society America is. Half of Americans live below the median income level! Got that? This is a crisis, folks, and it is not likely to go away anytime soon. And as Glenn points out, even our sainted president probably…