Random Stuff You Need To Know

Banning smoking increases drunk driving? Ace says, "Eh, most studies are wrong but this is annoying."

There have been arguments over women in combat. This woman is a S.W.A.T. officer--in fact, she's one of the first.

Obama isn't a regular guy and his 37 bowling score kinda proves it. Hell, I think even I could beat that score. Can a non-regular elite guy get elected to President? Do we even want a guy who can't relate to the common American becoming President?

In a related item, the economy will probably be the biggest deal for the new President--that, and keeping Americans from being killed by psychopathic terrorists--and so, who do you think is most qualified to deal with this? I come up with a big donut on all three candidates. Sigh. Mama has some economic thoughts and they're good ones, as usual.

Want to help me? I don't beg for money, even though I could really use it to justify my sad existence here. But what I really, really want is for you to help my friend who is starting an awesome business. It's called Wing and A Prayer jewelry. Right now, they have prayer bracelets for all occasions, but what they're going to come out with and I'm totally psyched to tell you first, is that they'll have prayer bracelets for the families and friends of those in the armed services. The bracelets will reflect the colors of each branch. 10% of the sale of each bracelet will go to a charity. When I know which one, I'll tell you. The owners of this company, Jay and Denise, are the best sort of people. I just love them! Love them! Please support them!

Also, and this is not happy news, a friend of mine found out that his six year old son has cancer. His son is named Gunner. Please pray for him and his family. You can find more out about their story at Caring Bridge. I remember the days in the hospital with my own sons and looking out the windows and seeing happy people and wondering if I would ever be happy like that again. I am happy again, but there is an awareness that never leaves. Quite apart from our own superficial world, people struggle with their loss and grief and illness in hospitals and homes. Time is stopping for them or time is too short. Life is distorted through the hazy glass of pain and medicine and fear. What people need during these times is practical love--money and letters and groceries and food and maybe a housekeeper. Those shows of caring mean everything. Gunner's dad is a cop. His life is service to the community. Please pray for them all.

Pregnant Men & More Deviance

It's TOTALLY normal to wear furry suits as an adult. It's totally normal to be a woman, get your breasts lopped off, take testosterone to be a man and get pregnant. Totally. Normal. And you can't tell me any different.

Oh, and abortion is good and not at all racist.

Autism and Vaccinations

Glenn Reynolds has been pounding away recently on the "junk science" associated with choosing to not vaccinate a child. He cited a recent measles outbreak in Europe and the fact that 240,000 children die a year from measles as evidence that vaccines are necessary.

In the other corner of the debate, you have parents of autistic children, like Jenny McCarthy, whose son went into cardiac arrest after his MMR vaccine and who is convinced that the vaccination caused her son's autism. She is not alone in her belief. I have met scores of parents who saw a causal link between the immunization and the onset of the disease. Are these parents imagining the loss of their child's self? As Jenny asks the doctor, "Are these children acceptable losses in the name of immunization?"

I am not autistic, but I myself went into anaphylactic shock when I was given the MMR vaccine as a child. It resulted in an emergency room visit and my parents were convinced I was going to die. They decided then and there to not immunize my siblings. We have all made it to adulthood, but we did suffer from chicken pox, mumps and the other childhood viri. I should note that I got mumps even with being fully immunized as did my husband and his brothers, all fully immunized. They were the unfortunate recipients of bad batches of vaccines that didn't work and endured mumps in their teen years which could have resulted in sterilization. Not good.

It is unusual, but not rare, for vaccinated people to get the illness anyway. It has been a subject of research and concern. It seems that immunity fades for measles into adulthood. This has serious ramifications as a pregnant mother with measles is a huge problem. However, for the common kid, it should also be noted that measles is not a big deal. There is a mild fever and rash and when complications do arise, it's often dehydration secondary to fever and emesis. In the Western world, it's unlikely to be fatal. In areas where good medical care can't be had, it's more dangerous.

My son, age 10, is autistic. He was born at 24 weeks gestation and had different surgeries for different issues typical to premature babies. Developmentally, he's struggled and it's a challenge figuring out what came from prematurity or the autism. He's been on more hard core medications in his short life than many people will have taken for the four score and twenty they live on the planet. That means the stabilizers and preservatives that are in most medications were pumped into his tiny body. Did they contribute to his autism? Perhaps.

He also demonstrated an inability to acclimate to his surroundings even at a pound. The other babies managed to handle the sounds of the NICU, my son never could. Even at five months, had trouble if his schedule was messed up. I became a robot in response to his needs. So my son would probably have trouble immunizations or not. For my child, I think there is a genetic component.

However, it has been documented that parents have not been lying about the regressions they're seeing. Finally, doctors will admit that much. Parents have been told that they're imagining what they've seen before their eyes. This is absolutely maddening and restricts the scope of research when doctors won't acknowledge the clinical evidence sitting in front of them. How will autism be cured if one potential vector of disease is ignored?

Vaccinations are the holy grail of medicine. They are sacrosanct and therefore untouchable. Parents who have seen their children turn off after being vaccinated are not imaging what they are seeing. That doesn't mean that the virus is causing it. It doesn't mean the stabilizers cause it. It doesn't mean the fever is causing it. It doesn't mean that the brain inflammation is causing it. But something is causing the change. And the denials by the medical community are just exacerbating the distrust and undermining their own credibility. It's not a good idea to imply your patients are liars. They tend to resent it.

More research is needed. Those who rapturously enthuse about vaccinations sound hard and uncaring to parents dealing with the daily trauma of a child who is unreachable but who once interacted with the world. Criminalizing people who worry about the effects of vaccinations is ridiculous. The medical community needs to reach out and listen and research. Families lives are being destroyed with this scourge. And the verdict is far from in on the cause of autism.

Race: The Politically Uncorrect Truth

Well, John stirs the pot yet again. Here's a taste, go over to his Townhall column to see the whole thing:

Blacks are, on average, more racist than whites: As we've seen in the Democratic primary this year, black Americans are much more likely to vote for a person based on his skin color than white Americans. Also, most black Americans tend to think it's ok to belong to race-based organizations like the NAACP, while white Americans hold race-based groups like the KKK in disdain. Moreover, percentage wise, there are pretty clearly a lot more black Americans who dislike white Americans based on their skin color than vice-versa. Maybe that's understandable given the shameful treatment black Americans once had to endure in this country, but it's still the truth -- and don't even get me started on black Americans actually defending criminal scum like O.J. Simpson, Mike Tyson, and the L.A. rioters because they're black.

Do you believe this? I'm putting it up for a poll.

Blacks are....
	more racist than whites
	less racist than whites
	about the same as whites
pollcode.com free polls

Why Christians Are More Open Minded Than Leftists

A couple of my favorite socially liberal otherwise moderate bloggers, Ann Althouse and Rachel Lucas, have mentioned that the Left is always more vicious than the right. In their experience, conservatives are far more open-minded and "liberal" than their supposedly liberal counterparts. There are reasons for this and the reasons are rooted in the philosophy and belief systems of the leftists and the right-wingers. So, I thought it would be interesting to explore them.

Leftists believe, fundamentally, in the preeminence of men. Namely, the preeminence of themselves. If God is even in the picture, He is there as an abstract entity not as a being whose ideals are meant for today. Therefore, the ideals must be created by men. This is a tremendous amount of pressure. SomeONE has to be right. And so, a lot of blood gets sweated in an attempt to find the "right" way. The right way must be rational and make sense to them. And anyone who doesn't believe like the Leftist has after years and years of refinement, must be a total moron. Anyone who disagrees is not just irrational and stupid, he is also evil, because this person is disagreeing not with a an idea but a whole, fully thought out ideology.

Because Leftists essentially create their own religion, made up of their own rules, they tend to dislike anyone who deviates from the rules. In contrast, a Christian, knows that everyone falls short of God's rules. They might be the church lady, but actually there's usually only one row of church ladies. More likely, they're the average pew-sitters who are fully aware of how they, themselves, fall short. Throwing stones at someone who disagrees seems silly. Most Christians have had a spiritual notion finally sink in years, even decades, after first learning the principle. Most Christians see their own failings when looking at the Jesus blueprint. Most Christians know that they are just stumbling along like everyone else. Judge not lest ye be judged, and what have you.

Now, here's where I've seen the church people get aggressive: When someone claims to be religious and sets himself up as a spiritual leader of sorts, he can tend to be judged more harshly. The Anchoress has received hate mail from those on the right who expect more of her because she's a good Catholic. I think this has the same roots as the Leftist hate towards moderates or those who don't 100% see things purely. It is an absolutism that comes from having complete and utter faith in the self's ability to identify "truth". This perspective is annoying whether it's coming from a Leftist or a right winger.

Beyond the "we all fall short" dogma most Christians adhere to, there's also a strong belief in free will. People have to answer for themselves on judgment day and no one else. Everyone has to choose in their own time. Add to this the notion that most Christians believe that God has a plan for everyone. Do I need to go to some blogger or friend's house and convince them of anything? Not really. God takes care of those things. Christians have faith that God's in charge.

Contrast that with the screaming Left. Wouldn't you be screaming hysterically, though, if you thought the outcome of the entire universe was all on you? That tends to make every policy decision seem like life and death. Any person who doesn't see the light is deluded and must be converted, NOW, because, LIFE IS SHORT! We could all die by Global Warming or we could harm animals by wearing fur or we could do any number of Very Bad Things and must be stopped!

Faith tempers a person's reactions, or it can. Faith encourages civility. Faith reinforces free will. Faith gives a person an alternative when things seem like all is lost. In short, people of faith, Christians particularly, can have a sense of humor. They can relax because it's not all on them. They can be content doing their part knowing that should they fail, someone else will come to finish it. Faith makes for happier, more generous people. Why be condemning? Who knows God's plans?

And these are some reasons that Christians and conservatives can be kind to those who might not believe like them while Leftists leave mean messages, attack people personally and act like looney tunes when protesting. It's life and death to them. No, it's not. We're just all little blips on the surface of the universe. Leftists need to get some perspective. They need to get Jesus. They'd have more fun. Oh, and they'd be nicer, too.

Sacred Voting & Operation Chaos

Is mocking this ridiculous (worthy of ridicule) campaign season with Operation Chaos this:

I keep thinking about the Russian Immigrant who looked forward to his first chance to vote in America, and told Gerard Vanderleun, “I will vote always for best, always”…and about the people in Iraq who braved so much to hold their purple fingers in the air…and about the Iraqi and American dead who fought to give them that right.

And in thinking about them, I’m a bit ashamed of our three-ring circus and the casual menace which we are bringing to our own sacred process. They all deserve better than we’re giving them, right now.

What is your opinion? Is Limbaugh subverting a sacred trust, or is he - somehow - “saving” it?

Well, this election has been absurd. It's been too long. The Democrats are both certifiable liars. They are so extreme in their ideology that it's disturbing. The primary season has been like watching a girl fight. Tight lipped, pulled punches, low blows and bitch slapping. No arguing over substance, because there's no substance to argue over. It's been lame.

So does it matter who gets the nomination? The deal Clinton and Obama have made is to talk about nothing. They agree about everything, so what's to discuss? Basically, do you prefer vagina or mocha colored skin? The primary has been reduced to identity. How can anyone take it seriously? It has been completely UN-serious.

As for Limbaugh's entré into the big dance. Who cares? Is he making a bigger difference than the actual campaigns themselves? They too, are asking Republicans to defect and support them. And some are. Some women and Hispanics that voted for Bush are going for Clinton. And all the blacks that would have voted for Clinton are voting for Obama. This election is symbolic, don't ya know? There is no substance. How can Rush possibly make it worse?

Should we be embarrassed? Yes. But the candidates and those voting for them seem beyond irony.

BDS Intellectual Style

A friend's rant about Bush:

Bush and his flagitious camarilla have left the country in a lachrymose fettle! Cheney is an absolute agouti in my book. Their brains are obviously dessicated and shriveled from desuetude. Their skulls must be stuffed with kapok!

I kid you not. That came in an email today.

Fat Chicks & The Ideal Body

Last week, I noted the British would-be beauty queen's desire to break the mold. She is plus-sized. She is young and most everyone thought she was beautiful. Should she be in the competition? I mean... What are beauty pageants about anyway? In this politically correct world, solving humanitarian crises and being talented are weighted heavier, than, er, weight. Right. In the real world, it's her bikini and her dress and her face. It's a beauty pageant.

A friend of mine noted that beauty pageants are about achieving an ideal. And it seems that these days, it's politically incorrect to say you prefer fit and thin people, but when it comes down to brass tacks, people still feel free to secretly condemn fat people.

I know. I know. I'm talking about two different things. On the one hand, I find it ridiculous that the physical ideal is being defined down when it comes to something that is purely aesthetic. On the other hand, it seems that fat people are the last bastion of hate. Consider this research:

Puhl, who has been studying weight discrimination for nine years, said our culture has made it clear that it's wrong to discriminate against someone because of race, color, creed, gender, age and so forth, but that it's OK to show someone the door because he or she is fat.

"We send a message to citizens in our culture that this is something that is tolerated," she said. "We live in a culture where we obviously place a premium on fitness, and fitness has come to symbolize very important values in our culture, like hard work and discipline and ambition. Unfortunately, if a person is not thin, or is overweight or obese, then they must lack self-discipline, have poor willpower, etc., and as a result they get blamed and stigmatized."

Women in particular are harassed and weight is often the way a woman is disparaged. For example, blogger Violet Blue, a woman who blogs about sex says this:

I just write and talk about sex. But every woman on the Internet gets called slutty and ugly and fat (to put it lightly) no matter what; all we have to be is female. In dinner conversation, my friend Lori reminded me of the Oscar Wilde quote, "Give a man a mask, and he'll tell you the truth." I restated it for the Internet, replying, "Give a man a mask, and he'll slit your throat." The application here is, "Give a man (or a woman) an anonymous account, and he'll eviscerate your self-esteem."

The problem is, with so many women I talk to, the trolling is effective. The number of times I've talked down a crying girlfriend after she's been trolled in her comments about being fat, ugly, skanky, slutty or stupid is higher than I can count (no matter what she writes about). Trolls watch too much mainstream porn and TV, and believe stereotypes are real; they slap us with it and then we believe it, too. We compare ourselves to overly thin models, actresses, and porn stars, and it messes with our self-image and our ability to express ourselves sexually, and especially to enjoy sex.

And that is most definitely true. Go onto any blog and you don't see a man disparaged for his weight or face. It just doesn't happen. Rarely, a man's sex life or private parts are brought into the issue. Women, well, they just get it. They get reduced to the physical and sexual.

Is the blogosphere representative of society as a whole? To a certain extent. Women are harshly judged by their looks and their bodies. People are judged as lacking in character if they pack on the pounds. They are considered stupid. They are the butt of jokes.

In addition, the ideal seems pin-thin Hollywood girls. No one can measure up. And yet, there's a backlash against this trend, thus the chubby British girl going for the beauty pageant.

I think there are two things going on. First, I think the ideal needs to be thin and healthy but not anorexic. So the British girl should either lose some weight and get fit or get out of the running. It seems ridiculous to have a beauty pageant not be abut beauty. Second, the bias against fat people should be expunged from society but I don't expect it to be. People are visual. People view fat as controllable, and a reflection of a person's character.

As long as people have eyes, people will judge visually. There will be prejudice. However, the standards or ideal shouldn't be changed to make us feel better. There's enough political correctness these days. We don't need to go down this road with beauty queens. Beauty queens need to be, well, ideally beautiful.

"I don't want them punished with a baby"

Oh boy, I heard that speech yesterday by Obama and a chill went up my spine. A baby as punishment for the crime of what? Being stupid? One little old mistake and then...... a lifetime in kid hell, HELL, I tell you.

Ann Althouse blogged about it, of course and here's what she says:

Obama is obviously talking about contraception education, but there is an implicit — albeit deniable — signal about abortion rights. Note that he says "I'm going to teach [my daughters] first of all about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby." If they make a mistake, doesn't that mean they failed to use contraception? It suggests that to a lot of people, but I think he took the position that it would be a mistake to have sex at all, and therefore he wants them to know to use contraception — that is, to make a mistake with less consequence.

I don't think the "implicit signal" is deniable. He meant what he said--a baby is a punishment for a "mistake". The mistake being having sex without contraception. Having unmarried sex is not a mistake. It's reality. At least that's how I took it. His expectation is that his teenage daughters will be sexually active. I mean, he's a "realist" and that if they screw up with contraception, he doesn't want them burdened with a baby. His view is entirely accurate for the way many parents feel--especially ones who believe in abortion. I mean, that's the point of abortion, right? Abortion is to avoid the "punishment" a child reeks on the life of a young mother. Right?

This is not my view, by the way. I'm one of those simpletons who believes every child is a gift from God, even the child of a rapist. Adoption is always an option. A child conceived deserves a chance. That's my philosophy.

But what about teens and sex? Church kids have sex. They know their parents think it's wrong. They want sex. Or they want the boyfriend or girlfriend. They have scars. They are hurt. But they're doing it anyway. Who doesn't want sex?

So, is the answer for parents to hold the ideal and allow their kids to sneak to Planned Parenthood, like Rachel Lucas says:

Think about it: if they’re going to Planned Parenthood secretly, they obviously have parents who don’t want them to have sex. Which clearly isn’t stopping them from having sex, so what good would it do to force them to have parental permission to get the pill? The only outcome from that would be that instead of having sex with contraception, they’ll have sex without it.

Who wins then? Not the parents; they may feel great about having control over their daughter’s use or lack thereof of protection even while they can never control whether or not she has sex, but they won’t feel so great the day she comes home to tell them she’s pregnant.

What should parents do?

More Homeschooling News in California

John Stossel has a good article that's worth reading in its entirety, but here's the salient point:

That's reasonable news. But why is education the business of government? It's taken for granted that the state is every child's ultimate parent, but there's no justification for that in a free society. Parents may not be perfect -- some are pretty bad -- but a cold, faceless bureaucracy is no better.

I link to John even knowing that he hates chiropractors. The same argument could be made for health care choice, John. Millions of happy people who have gotten well and live healthy lives support chiropractic. Why should the government interfere? But I digress....

The amount of resources going toward education could be given back to the people. Imagine having that money and choosing your child's school. Yes, there is an economy of scale with public school education, but there is also so much waste it's breathtaking.

As I've said before, I'm no ideologue when it comes to education. Public, private, home--any choice can be a good choice depending on the circumstances. This is clear though: I'm for freedom of choice. And the way California is going, freedom is being taken away.

April Fools!

Dear Furry Little Friends,

I'd like to remind you peeps that yesterday was April 1 and as such, I posted completely ridiculous ideas for you all to consume. Some of you didn't just buy it, you ate it, hook, line and sinker. That made my day. In fact, this comment gave me so much amusement, it makes me want to post ignorant advice every single day. Wait a minute..... Some of you already think I do. In honor of the best commenter, I thought I'd include his diatribe here, for all to see. It's worthy of a greater audience:

I must say that reading what you have said has made me a little concerned for you. No ... that was an understatement ... I thought your words were so wrong I couldn't believe it. I actually printed them out and had my wife read what you have said. We have been happily married for 15 years now and let me tell you my opinion (which I will comfortably admit, is an opinion) you have never experienced love for what it really is. If you are in a relationship and this is what you guys practice then either you, him, or the both of you are cheating on eachother and are in a very unstable relationship. It might be time that you and your significant other (if there is one) should seek professional help. Normaly I would apologize for being so harsh but that is one thing that you are against so I won't. --Michael A. Cornella

Michael, sorry to give you such a heart attack. I'm truly happy that you're happy in your marriage. Please feel free to email your secrets and I'll share them here. I want to thank you, though, for giving me one of the best laughs of the day. For what it's worth, I have known love, more than I deserve. But you're right about one thing: there's no question I need professional help. Your advice is well-taken.

Cheers!

P.S. The "Top 5 Thinkers", well, the post might have been better titled, "The Top 5 Stinkers". Maybe I'll get around to the Top 5 Thinkers today or tomorrow.

Dr. Helen Smith, Blogger Glen Reynold's Wife, Suffers A Gender Identity Crisis

Today must be the day for self-examination. Poor, poor Dr. Helen. She's been around the men on her blog so long, she wants to do man things.

Links For Sex Scandal Rocks The Internet

Cyber sex usually means virtual sex, talking dirty from afar or what have you. Internet nerds aren't known for actually copulating. They just talk about it a lot. A lot. So, it is an absolute shock that two people I've considered friends have been swapping bodily fluids for the all important link--the life bread of the blogosophere.

Now, I was fairly sure that Cassy was slutty. I mean, it's kinda axiomatic. She's a woman. She's (or was) a conservative woman. She seems to enjoy submitting to the dominant white male patriarchy. Frankly, her professed love for conservative men made me a little sick. I wasn't alone. She claims to have changed her ways. Does she really think going lesbian will cover her true deviant desires for dominating, conservative, white males? Please.

But John Hawkins, conservative blogger and opinion maker on the right lowering himself. He's worse than Eliot Spitzer. How dare he criticize the leftist sex fiends like Bill Clinton, Barney Frank and old Eliot. And now, he's finally following his dream. Forget politics and turn toward his slutty love. His new website is Celebrity Slut Puppies.

10 Ways To Keep Your Relationship Smokin' Hot

Relationships are difficult. I'm here to help. Here's some words of wisdom to keep your relationship from turning dull and boring:

1. Keep the mystery alive--Too many people reveal too much too often. Why share where you're going or what you're doing or who you're with. A little doubt keeps things spicy.

2. Call rarely--It's so annoying to have your work interrupted by mindless blather about nothing. One of the biggest myths is that your significant other actually cares what you're thinking about when you're chomping your food on your lunch hour. Newsflash! No one cares.

3. Retreat from conflict--People often deal with conflict by trying to resolve it and talk it out. This can be a big mistake. Most likely, the things you fight about today are the things you're going to fight about forever. Don't resolve it. Accept it. Stay away for as long as possible. The other person will eventually get tired of being angry.

4. Don't expect your spouse to meet your sexual needs--You should know that the best sex of your life happened before you got married or moved in together. You didn't get married for sex. You got married for companionship, bill-sharing and maybe having a kid or two. Having sexual expectations is just setting yourself up for disappointment. Let it go.

5. Spend time cultivating interests that don't include your spouse--One of the biggest problems in marriages is that people think they should do stuff together. Why? If you like golf, and your wife hates it, well, she'll just have to get over it and understand that golf makes you happy. If she likes shopping, she needs to do it when it's convenient for her. Her man will understand. Togetherness is overrated.

6. Don't change--Be you. Until you're your true, unchecked self, you can't really be free. Trying to get rid of annoying habits or irritating traits is just energy wasted. A true partner will love you no matter what.

7 Don't apologize--True love means never having to say you're sorry. Why should anyone expect an apology? You're doing the best you can with what you've got and if the person doesn't understand it, they have the limited world-view, not you. Saying you're sorry is for sissies. Men are emasculated enough. Women cow-tow to men too often. Stop apologizing!

8. Don't give tokens of affection--Materialism in all its guises is just manipulation. Don't do it. A person who needs concrete proof of love is superficial and not worth your time anyway. True love doesn't need to be spoken or given or shared. Rings are just that--symbolic. Who needs symbols? The real thing is just understood.

9. Ignore special dates--Again, this is just a manifestation of artificial constraints imposed by society. Every day is special! Why focus on birthdays or anniversaries? They are days like any other and it's ridiculous that people have expectations of gifts or kindness on those days.

10. Stop saying "I love you"--The words become vain and meaningless after a while. True love doesn't need constant reinforcement. True love just "knows". If your partner needs to hear the words, well, that's just too demanding. Who needs demanding in an intimate relationship? Forget it and move on.

Some of these pieces of advice might seem unconventional, but really, relationships are cracking under the pressure of inane expectations. People want too much, expect too much and just generally put too much faith in other human beings. There is no perfect partner out there. You can't be the perfect partner. Why try? Just be yourself and the person right for you will find you and love you just the way you are. That's true love and the world needs more of it.

My Favorite Thinkers of the Blogosphere

There are just so many smart people out there, it's tough to whittle it down. I want you guys to be informed and illuminated by the best and brightest, though. It's not fair that I keep these amazing sources to myself.

5. Markos Moulitis--It's taken me a while, but I've seen the light. He is noble. He is good. He is what's best about blogging. He will leave a legacy we can only hope to emulate.

4. Andrew Sullivan--He sees the truth in front of his nose, fights to see it and shares the truth daily. It's a relief to have him in the blogosphere. It would be empty without him.

3. Amanda Marcotte--She is a genius. I simply don't link to her enough. Her wisdom on race is...moving.

2. Paul Krugman--An economist, a thinker, a brilliant mind unsullied by political whims. He just writes the truth. It's so disappointing that he doesn't branch out and talk about other things, too. Although, when he does, I'm always thrilled.

1. Glen Greenwald--The most succinct, articulate blogger on the web. The way he crafts a sentence puts the average blogger to shame. Read him every, single, day.