Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Hitch Hooks It, Deep Into the Left

"George Bush may subjectively be a Christian, but he—and the U.S. armed forces—have objectively done more for secularism than the whole of the American agnostic community combined and doubled."

“Bush’s Secularist Triumph"

The subtitle is good, too.  "The left apologizes for religious fanatics. The president fights them."

Posted by John Venlet on 11/09 at 11:34 AM
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I'll Take the Stir Fry, Please

What is more effective in getting individuals to repay loans?  Pieces of paper which pledge assets in case of default, or, ostracism?  In China, well at least in Wenzhou, its ostracism.

"Borrowers default on nearly half the loans issued by the state-owned banks, but seldom do so here on money that is usually borrowed from relatives, neighbors or people in the same industry. Residents insist that the risk of ostracism for failing to repay a loan is penalty enough to ensure repayment of most loans."

From an article in The New York Times titled “Informal Lenders in China Pose Risks to Banking System."

This informal lending, without the blessing of the state, is called "Wenzhou “stir-fry".” Make mine to go.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/09 at 07:50 AM
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Cosmetic Neurology

"Neo: ...Can you fly that thing?
Trinity: Not yet.

(Cellular)

Tank: Operator.
Trinity: Tank, I need a pilot program for a V-212 helicopter. Hurry.... Let’s go"

Recall those lines from the Matrix? Here’s Dr. Anjan Chatterjee’s, of the University of Pennsylvania, vision

"As he envisions it, cosmetic neurology one day could mean not only sharpening intelligence, but also elevating other dictates of the brain — reflexes, attention, mood and memory. Studying for the SAT? Take this drug to retain more of those pesky facts. About to report for duty at the fire station? These pills will improve your reflexes. Here’s the 800 number. Ask your doctor."

“Brain-boosting “cosmetic neurology” on the horizon"

Or, on a related note in this field of endeavor.

"Sending a weak electrical impulse through the front of a person’s head can boost verbal skills by as much as 20 percent, according to a new study by the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke."

I don’t know.  When I read the above sentence, taken from this article titled "Apply Current, Boost Brain Power," I immediately thought of battery powered heated socks.

Via Arts & Letters Daily.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/09 at 04:27 AM
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It's the Freedom, Stupid

I hardly think that Alberto Abadie is the first to cast doubt on the “root cause” of terrorism, but I tend to agree with the following.

"A John F. Kennedy School of Government researcher has cast doubt on the widely held belief that terrorism stems from poverty, finding instead that terrorist violence is related to a nation’s level of political freedom."

and

"In the past, we heard people refer to the strong link between terrorism and poverty, but in fact when you look at the data, it’s not there. This is true not only for events of international terrorism, as previous studies have shown, but perhaps more surprisingly also for the overall level of terrorism, both of domestic and of foreign origin,” Abadie said."

“Freedom squelches terrorist violence"

Via Drudge.

Posted by John Venlet on 11/09 at 04:17 AM
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