Stat Geek Politics

     I am a born stat geek. I was the kid when told to go out and play would write baseball standings in the dirt for an hour before going off to find a game somewhere. We now have a new version of stat geeks taking over the political columns and I personally love reading them. My two favorites are Nate Silver and Sean Trende. One leans Democrat the other Republican. Both tend to let the stats talk more than their heart. This gives you a better feel for what is really happening than the obvious party hacks that so often fill commentary sites. Today is a good example of both what they right and how even numbers can change quickly this year. Nate on Romney's Prevent Defense and Sean on Rick Perry's Ill-fated Campaign. Both are a different way to look at politics but very compelling.

Brian

SOPA Round 2

      Three more articles on SOPA and PIPA that I found later in the day as RCP finally caught up with the rest of the web. The print media never did and only Countdown with Keith Olbermann did in the visual media. The rest assume we are all to distracted by the other things we do on the web to notice. So for a real breakdown of what these bills are SOPA vs.  PIPA: Anti-Piracy bills, uproar explained is the best breakdown on what the bills do that I have seen. ZDNet with a list of who went black, and Brad Feldman with both an informed and heartfelt take on why he opposes these bills. I once asked a cop if I was in California or Russia and found out that they aren't a lot different, with the passage of these bills the question of whether we are in The United States or China will become a moot point.

Brian

SOPA Blackouts and Lost Freedoms

      The need for Blackouts to protest SOPA is a sad day for anyone who spends more than an hour a day on the internet. For more on SOPA protest see these articles - SOPA Blackout Seeks to Stop Internet Censorship Bill, The Truth About SOPA, Why We Go Black. My friends a Brutish & Short also went black in protest and I just want to take time to say that SOPA is just a logical extension of the rights we have been stripped of since 9/11. To get a better idea of those missing rights see 10 Reasons The U.S. is No Longer the Land of the Free, but suffice it so say that if the government wants to silence you they now have the power to do so in no uncertain terms. Your freedom is dependent upon you staying under the radar. As I like to say, Welcome to the Police State.

Brian

Yesterday's Leftovers

     More bashing of the Republicans for not having quality candidates.
     Middle Class is Moving Forward, not Backward is proof that if you cherry pick your numbers you can prove anything you want.
     My man Nate Silver on the perils of not researching you pollsters.
     And finally Jerry Holbert with the belly laugh of the day.
     

   

Yesterday's Leftovers

      Kind of a mixed bag yesteday.
     More piling on Romney from the Right and the Left, and then there is this question Isn't a Bainful Turnaround What America Needs? Which was so earnest that I am not sure it isn't satire.
     Nice look at new Egyptian politics from Thomas Friedman,
     New angle at the same old soapbox for Mr. Reich

Read Away

Brian

This is So True it is Too Funny

      I started with an open mouth gape but soon realized this was political satire and just hilarious.

Brian

Sunday Funnies Editorial Style

     More traditional comics today

    

Yesterday's Leftovers

     But Hoover wasn't bitter about losing to Roosevelt.
     Sophistry at it's best just in time for MLK's brithday, too bad no one they are pretending to convince would read this magazine.
     Our daily piling on of Romney, once again from the oh so confused right.

 Overall a yucky day in the opinion pages.
     Finally a reminder, never buy a car the original release year.