"There are men, in all ages, who mean to exercise power usefully; but who mean to exercise it. They mean to govern well; but they mean to govern. They promise to be kind masters; but they mean to be masters." Daniel Webster

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Monday, January 30, 2012

Whatever You Think of Mitt Romney

I don;t think he has killed 20 million people.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

Are You an Out-of-Touch Elitist?

Take Charles Murray's quiz to find out.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

$57.5 Million

That's the average box office take so far of the films nominated for the Oscar for best move.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Making It in America

The best economics article of the year?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Friday, January 20, 2012

Empire of the Summer Moon

This biography of Comanche leader Quanah Parker was nominated for a Pulitzer prize, and it certainly deserves it. It's well written, detailed and doesn't sugar coat either the Comanches or their conquerors.

Quanah was half white, the son of "white squaw" Cynthia Ann Parker. The story of Cynthia Ann's capture by Comanches and her uncle's five-year search for her was the basis of John Ford's film "The Searchers."

Contrary to many Westerns, only the Comanche and their allies the Kiowa fought from horseback. Other Plains Indians were what the Europeans called dragoons, horse-mobile infantry who fought on foot. And the Eastern Indians didn't even adopt the horse until they shortly before they were moved to reservations.

Quanah was the last and probably the most successful of Comanche war leaders. But after being forced onto the reservation, he remade himself as a very successful cattle rancher and businessman dealing with and often out dealing whites. He also outmaneuvered several older, more established Comanche leaders to get the federal government to recognize him as the principal spokesman for the tribe. The government later came to regret that since he became an effective, and relatively honest, leader who demanded he live up to their treaty obligations.

Quanah, who hated whites in his youth, later adopted several white orphans, dressed in white clothing and built what was then the largest house in Oklahoma. He owned one of the first automobiles in the state, had gas lighting installed before virtually anyone else in the state and just generally seemed fascinated by new technology. But he refused whites' demands he cut his hair, get rid of his many wives or stop spreading the peyote religion.

He became a national celebrity, even riding with Teddy Roosevelt in his inauguration parade. That was much to the disgust of residents of West Texas, many of whom lived through Quanah's raid where the lucky settlers were killed in battle. Those who survived faced torture and mutilation if they were men and gang rape and mutilation if they were women.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

What Happened to All the Puerto Rican Major Leaguers

The New York Times looks at the decline of baseball on the island.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The Age of Austerity

Investor's Business Daily looks at federal spending.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Roving Gambler

Flame and Citron

Flame and Citron is a noirish war movie based on the lives of the two most successful members of the Danish resistance in World War II. It's a solid effort, well acted. According to Wikipedia, a couple of the most improbable events really happened and were, in fact, even more like a move writer might dream up than how they are actually depicted in the film.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

The Bane of Civilization

My former grad school professor Don Boudreaux looks at the attacks Mitt Romney's rivals in the GOP presidential race are making on free enterprise.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Conservatives vs. Capitalism

Jay Nordlinger looks at the attacks his opponents are making on Mitt Romney.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Convention Center Glut

Doubling and even tripling down on bad bets.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Monday, January 2, 2012