More catching up

Watch this extremely cool video of a spaceship approaching Jupiter. Who knew that Jupiter had such interesting weather?

For fans of the San Francisco Forty-Niners: an interesting article on the draft of a quarterback.

The Trump Education Secretary had a lot of opposition from the Democrats--she cared more about the kids than the teachers unions. It turns out this might be a win for the Christian Right.

A collection of interesting road patterns from the Digital Globe.

Peggy Noonan, editorial writer at the Wall St. Journal, gave the commencement address at the Catholic University of America. It contains wisdom for any graduate.

America’s tallest dam was built from earth, stone and concrete – and the towering ambition of Gov. Pat Brown. But now Pat Brown’s son, current Gov. Jerry Brown, finds himself cleaning up the mess.

As you may recall, the Corps of Engineers is tasked with management of all navigable waters in the US. The out of control court system has expanded that definition to include all waters, including wet spots in fields and construction lots. In California, a farmer is facing a $2.8M fine for plowing his own wheat field.

The "Big One", meaning a major earthquake will happen in California. Here's a seismologist trying to alert people to the fact.  We are relatively safe in Grass Valley, CA, but remember that the transportation infrastructure will shut down and the grocery stores only keep a couple of days food in stock, so keep a bag of rice and a bag of beans on hand to feed your friends who come up from the Bay Area (assuming that they can get here).

Links are overdue; catching up.

A historically black college leader thinks Trump is a step up from Obama, who talked big but never did anything for them 

Ken Ham built a giant replica of Noah's Ark and is turning it into a Biblical tourist attraction.  Be sure and click on the slide show.

Connecticut is one of those "blue model" states where the Democrats and the unions control the budget. Of course one of the richest states is headed toward bankruptcy because of fiscal irresponsibility. They are running out of other peoples money  Maybe things are getting so bad that the government might engage in a little restraint?

Do you agree with this author on his selection of the twelve sexiest warplanes of all time? Keep clicking "more" to see the photos.

If you give a man a fish: here's a thoughtful essay on work, welfare, and government regulations.

Here's a terrific collection of anecdotes about the media. Be sure and scroll down to the one about the pine tree killed by global warming.

As always, a thoughtful essay on the Donald Trump presidency from Victor Davis Hanson.

The Trump critics are worried. Suppose after all the scandalous news coverage and the Mueller investigation, suppose there's nothing there?

The New York Times's Nicholas Kristof penned an ode to a Christian abortionist, Dr. Willie Parker. In explaining how a Christian could favor abortion, Kristof argued that the Christian opposition to abortion is "relatively new in historical terms." He could not be more wrong.

A sociological term, cultural appropriation is used to describe the adoption of elements or practices of one cultural group by members of another. This has been a big deal lately, especially in academic circles. You are no longer allowed to dress up as a native american on Halloween or wear a sombrero to a Cinco da Mayo party, or braid your hair, unless you happen to be of that particular ethnicity. This writer objected to this fad and lost his job.

A professor at Duke University called "diversity training" a waste. He was right of course, but now he's in trouble.

Is the news coverage of Donald Trump biased? Is it "fake"? Let me count the ways.

Topical Links

Everything you think you know about salt may be wrong

Michael Goodwin on Comey

And best of all, Scott Adams on Comey

Blue states and blue cities (blue as in liberal) promise great benefits to their citizens, especially the ones with political power. With Socialism, things come to an end in cruelty

You may have read about an American citizen arrested in North Korea. He is an evangelist teaching at a university. Despite the danger, Christians keep going there to teach

As you know, it's so hard to fire a government employee that incompetent people are often shuttled off to a save place where they keep their salary. Turns out you can't even fire a felon if they commit crimes on their own time

Here's a cool photo of a prototype jet fighter in 1942

The United States Marine Band plays Stars and Stripes Forever

And if you liked that, here's the US Army band and chorus performing Battle Hymn of the Republic. The uniforms aren't as snazzy, but the chorus is pretty good.

Mother's Day

This Mother's Day, let's remember the mothers whose babies were never born.

A little over three years ago I knelt before a row of flickering candles in a church I didn’t belong to and said goodbye to a baby I didn’t have. A baby who had lived inside me for nine short weeks. Whom I’d loved. Whose future I’d begun to plan. Whose little beating heart had begun to claim mine. But who was gone. I wasn’t going to be a mother after all.

Wednesday link roundup

A new study examining explanations for the 10- to 15-year “hiatus” in global warming has scientists “more confident than ever that human influence is dominant in long-term warming.” Why devote pages to something they say never happened?

And of course, Al Gore, whose predictions have never come to pass, wants to eliminate carbon fuels on the backs of the people with a 15 trillion dollar tax.

Wish you were a billionaire in 1916? People of modest means today are richer than John D. Rockefeller.

Venezuela is imploding, but NBC avoids naming the reason: Socialism.

Liberals are upset. Liberals are always upset, in this case about health care. Taking the gold for Freestyle Idiocy is California Democrat Senator Kamala Harris, who is incredibly stupid even for a California Democrat senator.

Jackson Wyoming has the highest average income in the United States: $300,000. You might be surprised to learn which is the most popular car in Jackson.

Here are some fascinating details about the President's secret air force.

There is a new book out with salacious details from Obama's youth. I enjoyed this quote  While at Harvard Law School, Obama gained a reputation as an annoyingly compulsive orator. “In law school, the only thing I would have voted for Obama to do would have been to shut up,”

Most of you are aware that Universities don't teach anymore, at least not in the social and cultural areas. You could learn some STEM subjects, but forget about the classics, or history, or politics. Victor Davis Hanson has an essay on the subject worth reading.

What the health care bill ought to say

I haven't addressed health care much in the blog, because the problems are structural. Employer paid insurance and completely distorted the concept of insurance, which everybody understands in the case of auto or home insurance: you pay for the small stuff and buy insurance for the big things--like cancer or heart surgery. Another problem is that insurance companies negotiate huge discounts, which means that hospitals raise their fees to cover the discounts, and there is no clear rational pricing mechanism. People who pay retail are grossly overcharged, even after the token discounts for people paying cash.

Well, here's a proposal for a new health care law that might put rationality back into charges for medical procedures and allow the free market to attack health care costs.  Read each item in this list carefully.

Monday's blog roundup

Donald Trump is getting set to nominate a slate of lower court justices with the right kind of attitude

Watch this terrific video of the University of Texas Tuba/Euphonium ensemble perform Down to the River to Pray  Great cinematography as well. Another take on this classic: Sam Robson mixes his own vocal ensemble 

Who is attacking free speech? We were told it would be the conservatives. Actually, it's the liberals. Here's another story "Will Fascism come to America through its colleges?"

Contemplating a move to Portland? Here's the top ten reasons not to.

Want to have Obama speak at your function. He will come for a modest fee.

Here's a fun new predator from the Cambrian. Looks like the Trilobite may not be the meanest kid on the block.

The media are focused on a couple of issues in their coverage of Trump. They are missing the significant things he's doing in the name of freedom and the economy

My hero Mike Rowe lectures Tucker Carlson on the economy

Probably you missed this on the media, in fact there was no way they could cover this story. Bill Nye, the science guy, is branching out from global warming to sexual preferences. Here’s an incredible video from his show which hardly seems appropriate for his audience of young people, or perhaps even for you for that matter. Do not watch if you are offended by gross sexual expressions. 

Remember the "March for Science", which of course was really a march for global warming?  Here's a fun roundup of zany photos.

We ought to able to count on the Catholic Church to protect fundamental Christian principles, but here's a diocese that punished a teacher who quoted a saint that criticized Islam.

Today's link roundup

Scott Adams considers Donald Trump to be a master persuader who appears to be accomplishing much from nothing but talk. Read his analysis.

Roger Simon comments on the rage in America. He has never seen it so bad.  He was inspired by the inappropriate rant by Stephen Colbert on his late night show, surprising because he is likely to have upset some portion of his fan base.

Trump has chosen a nominee for Army Secretary. Actual professors in military academies are upset because this person apparently has Christian values. What is happening to our military?
Update: Green withdraws from nomination.

People who support the Second Amendment will enjoy this story about a fellow in Nashville who took out three armed robbers without reloading

These was a lot of talk about Trump's first 100 days in office. Turns out this measure is an artifact 

No link roundup would be complete without at least one story on climate change. It seems that a new op-ed writer in the New York Times wrote a piece calling for reasonable debate over climate change. The readers went into an avalanche of hysterical criticism. What part of op-ed don't they understand?

More on climate change. Here's an environmentalist who has changed his view on nuclear power. He thinks it's the only clean energy that can power the nation.

As you might have deduced, you can find a judge to rule anyway you want. They don't seem to consider the law anymore, just their personal political beliefs. As an example, consider the judge who ruled against Trumps latest attempt to restrict the flow of people from certain Muslim countries. It turns out this guy is a bundler who raised $200,000 for Obama. I guess you know his leanings.

What is happening to ethics in higher education. A group of grad students at Yale are going on a symbolic hunger strike for better wages. Why symbolic? They can go eat if they get hungry.

Five ways that Democrats can better connect with the common people. Look out for satire.

In regard to the recent riotous protests on college campuses, here's what Ronald Reagan did when it happened on his watch. Full disclosure: I am a veteran of the People's Park riots; I was there in the National Guard.

A championship football coach is being criticized for being the wrong color, despite his 16-0 record and the support of his predominantly black players.