Medary.com

American oligarchy? -- "Noting that the upper reaches of the investment banking industry are overwhelmingly Democratic, Caldwell argues that "there is nothing 'curious' about a president seeking to arm his most reliable supporters with political power." Indeed, according to Caldwell "the intermarriage of financial and executive branch elites could only have happened in the Clinton years, simply because there is not sufficient Republican manpower in New York's investment banks to permit it.""

The traditional (and current) party of oligarchies and machine politics is the Democratic Party. The traditional (and current) party of political and social reform is the Republican Party. Sorry to burst everybody's balloon, there. But the fact remains that by any objective standard, it is the Democrats who wish to--conservatively--extend the current New Deal/progressive policies that have been enacted for the past century, and that are at the root of our current financial (and, arguably, most of our social) problems today. It is the Republicans (or, more accurately, the politically disaffected Tea Partiers, who are trying to drag the Republicans along kicking and screaming) who are the true forces for change, reform, and real progress in America today.

Can We Control the Boom?

Maya Plumbing: First Pressurized Water Feature Found in New World

The world doesn’t conform to the left’s prejudiced expectations

Global Warming: Future Temperatures Could Exceed Livable Limits, Researchers Find -- Buried in this panic piece: "The study did not provide new evaluations of the likelihood of future climate scenarios, but explored the impacts of warming." So, "we still don't know for sure if warming is really occurring, but if it is, it could be really, really bad." Gee, golly, do ya think?

Obama Administration Glosses Over Key Concerns for Doctor Shortage

Black Bears Making Comeback In Missouri: Experts Offer Tips To Avoid Attacks -- "the state Department of Conservation recommends carrying "a weapon or pepper spray."" Bears don't know nuthin' about no Second Amendment, and no First Amendment, neither . . .

Leaving Las Vegas -- "the corporate tax rate (in Macau) ranges from 3 to 12%. Individual tax rates range from 0 to 12%. There are no minimum wage laws in Macao. There is no VAT in Macao. “Resident and non-resident individuals are taxed only on Macau-source income. An individual is considered resident if that person holds an identity card or permanent residence permit issued in Macau.”"

Parents Stunned After Son is Accidentally Shot, Killed by Brother -- Kids should not have unsupervised access to firearms. Kids should also not have unsupervised access to power tools, or automobiles. This used to be called "common sense."

Mayor Defends Red Light Cameras: State Senator Wants Camera Ban

U.S. International Broadcasting in Leaderless Limbo -- American international broadcasting is just bad. The best I've heard around the world is the BBC (no surprise there) and China Radio International. You can pick either one up almost anywhere on Earth with a decent shortwave radio.

Senate backs plan attacking "too big to fail" -- Unfortunately, what they're referring to is Senatorial egos and self-images being "too big to fail."

Are We Over-Medicating Our Children? -- Are we overmedicating everyone?

Two New Cruise Ships for Princess Cruises to Enter Service in 2013 & 2014

What’s Yours is Mine: The Dangerous Implications of a “Right” to Free Credit Scores

Governor Palin at the TIME 100 Gala (Update: Who Sat at Palin's Table?)

Mizzou living large at the center of Big Ten expansion talk

Tonight's election returns

White House In A Panic?

Suspicious White Powder Sent to AZ Governor Jan Brewer – FBI Called In (Video)