Innocent Bystanders

Amazing Science Fact: Breast Density March 31, 2013

Research from the University of California San Francisco says 12% to 15% of women above the age of 40, have extremely dense breasts.

Feature or bug? Discuss.

Another Obamaesque Foreign Policy Success March 30, 2013

It’s not enough that he’s allowed North Korea to acquire nuclear arms and delivery mechanisms, but he’s apparently brought us to the brink of nuclear war:

North Korea Official Website Promises “Merciless Nuclear Attacks” on US

Smart diplomacy. I do not think it means what you think it means.

But not to worry, sez the Administration:

North Korea is unlikely to carry out its bellicose threats to unleash a nuclear attack on the US and South Korea unless the Kim dynasty’s control of the communist regime is threatened, the White House intelligence chief said on Tuesday.

Unless, of course, you should worry:

But James Clapper, the US director of national intelligence, cautioned that Pyongyang remains an unpredictable and serious threat because it is difficult to gauge at what point North Korea’s leadership would feel its existence to be in jeopardy.

Let me sum up:

1. You allowed North Korea to develop and test nuclear weapons.
2. Now you’re trying to guess when they might use them. Which could be any time, really. So thanks for that.

See, in grown-up foreign policy land, you try to avoid worrying about Step 2 by preventing Step 1. When you’re at Step 2, your foreign policy has already failed.

And you have failed the American people.

Greater Than March 26, 2013

I am

Want to know why?  Because I haven’t made it my life’s mission to force my aberrant political and sexual views on the majority of a country by appealing to nine senile tyrants with no conception of personal liberty.

If you have one of those dumb equals signs on your Facebook page, car windshield, or anywhere else, but in your behavior you show yourself willing to violate our Constitution, I’m far better than you.

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Governance March 26, 2013

Today I heard the quote from Gen. Charles de Gaulle: “How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?”  Eh, vaguely amusing, but Winston Churchill he is not.

The question bugs me, though, because he’s suggesting a diverse population cannot be governed.  This assumes that governance means making everyone think and act the same.  That notion is an outrage, up with which I will not put.  You govern the people of France, as you govern any other people, by giving them as much freedom as possible consistent with the social contract.  It reminds me of how liberals complain, when they’re in charge of the government but Republicans won’t give them carte blanche to implement every socialistic fantasy, that the country has become ungovernable.  We are governable – give us a strong military, competent police, and effective foreign policy, and then get out of our way.  The fact that we might behave differently with our freedoms does not suggest we’ve degenerated into anarchy.

Contrast de Gaulle’s lame attempt at a quip with Joseph Smith; when he was asked how he governed the Mormons, he responded “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves.”  Eh, not as funny as anything Churchill said, but at least he recognizes the importance of freedom.

Serious Question, You Guys March 26, 2013

Suppose you had this elaborate plan to sneak into LauraW’s house late at night, chloroform her into unconsciousness, and then tattoo something onto her hump so she would always remember you.  What kind of tattoo would be the best thing for that situation?

Hey March 24, 2013

So, uh, what’s goin on?

Speaking of Exports… March 10, 2013

…which we almost were in the preceding post, it’s time to check in on one of my favorite examples of “Obama’s Promise-Breaking in Progress!!”

Yes, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released January’s export data last week, so we can once again check to see how much progress the President is making toward his promise to double exports by January 2015.

And the answer is:

None at all.

The Imperceptible Comeback of American Manufacturing March 10, 2013

I swear, the press works so hard for this president. I mean, they’ll take any tiny piece of maybe-good-news and turn it into a Positive Trend with Long-Term Implications Here we have Heesun Wee of CNBC telling us of the resurgence in Buy American and American manufacturing:

‘Made in the USA’ Making a Comeback

A curious thing is happening among American shoppers. More people are taking a moment to flip over an item or fish for a label and ask, is it “Made in the USA?”

So you read through the article looking for the exciting stats on increased sales of domestic goods, and you find . . . nothing. How, then, does Heesun support his claim? Well he has 3 examples:

1. A website (USA Love List) started by a blogger has increased traffic since it started in Nov. 2011. (How much? They don’t say.)
2. An American company (Architec Housewares) has been talking to retailers about their ‘Made in America’ product line. No sales stats – they’ve apparently just been talking. And the size of this company that’s such a noteworthy green shoot? Nine employees. Yes, nine.
3. An American toy company is doing well in exporting to other countries. That company’s size? Well, it dwarfs little Architec Housewares: Green Toys boasts a staff of 13!!

He also mentions Walmart’s pledge to buy $50 billion more domestic products over the next 10 years, and GE’s plan to invest $1 billion to “revitalize its appliance business.” Neither of these has anything to do with consumer sentiment – in fact, only the website with the mystery hits expresses consumer sentiment.

So is it real? I mean, sure the guy wrote a fanciful and poorly-sourced article, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. To check, I like to look at a little thing called imports, which tells us how much foreign stuff we buy. In January of 2012 we bought $43.1 billion of consumer goods from abroad. In January 2013, the “Made in the USA” comeback has reduced that to a mere $44.4 billion.

Oh wait, that’s an increase, isn’t it.

I’d like to believe in a resurgence of American manufacturing, I really would. I prefer an economy with a strong manufacturing base. But I’m just not seeing these bright rays of hope that people like Heesun are bathing in.

From the Truncated Headlines Department March 8, 2013

…lion?