Today looks like a good day to stay inside. There was a stretch yesterday afternoon when the sun was out and it felt nice outside. My neighbor was outside mowing his lawn, and I thought briefly that I should be doing the same, but I think I’m going to wait for the weekend and hope the weather will cooperate before the grass gets so tall my lawnmower won’t be able to handle it. This morning, we’re in April again, except for all the vegetation.
I’m reminded of an aphorism that says If you don’t treat a cold, it lasts seven days. If you do treat it, it lasts a week.
I should have remembered that earlier, but since I’m in day six here, that offers some hope.
- It’s been a few days since I mentioned the MCPPA. Joel Rosenberg has the latest, and it looks as though tomorrow might be the day it hits the Senate floor. [mitch]
- Damn. There’s going to be a special advance screening of Serenity (the movie based on Firefly) on May 26th in twenty cities, including this one. But they’re already sold out, and it doesn’t open until September 30th. Feh.
- Chicago now has a Spycam Force of thirty cameras, soon to be expanded to over two thousand. It seems to be reducing crime, but given Chicago’s history of police abuses, what’s the price in freedom going to be? [wired]
- I’m not alone in thinking the Real ID Act isn’t the best idea. The JPFO call it The End of America:
Well, frankly, if the Real ID Act doesn’t make you paranoid, you’re not paying enough attention. We ask you to consider the long-term impact of a few other acts of government.
And then goes on to point out how income tax would only affect the rich and social security numbers would never be used for identification. This “mission creep” is typical of how government grows. Remember that the federal government didn’t do much about firearms until prohibition ended, and suddenly all those revenooers needed new jobs, so some new regulations got written and there’s suddenly lots more to do to keep those boys busy. [endwar] - Speaking of taxes we didn’t agree to, Judge Approves End of United Pension Plans. There’s another 5 billion (at minimum) tacked onto our tax-bill because United risked their pension money in order to make bigger profits, and lost the gamble. Rather than being forced to fold up shop, we just get to hand over buckets of money, and United’s shareholders will go on making money, whether the company is profitable or not. [claire]
- Warren has more on the UAL pension, saying it’s a Classic Moral Hazard of defined-benefit plans (like Social Security). That’s one of the reasons I think any meaningful reform needs to switch to a defined contribution plan. It’s just too easy for those who should be responsible to duck their obligations in a defined-benefit plan. [coyote blog]