Some Weekend Reading and Viewing, Courtesy of reason

Over in The Washington Post, reason's Matt Welch and Nick Gillespie explain "How 'Dallas' Won the Cold War" in celebration of the nighttime soap opera's 30th anniversary.

In The Wall Street Journal, Reason Foundation Policy Analyst Shika Dalmia looks at the real scandal in the tenure of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. Hint: It's about basic economic development, not seamy text messages. Read more here.

And at C-SPAN's BookTV, look for Nick Gillespie interviewing Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason. The first airing is at 10pm ET tonight, followed by repeats at 9pm on Sunday, and 7am and 11am on Monday. More details here.

Comments

[Travis]

The city politics in Detroit sound like an episode of The Wire.

[Orange Line Special]

Those are definitely three enthralling links, I'm sure. I didn't visit any of them, but I'm sure others will.

In other news, why do I keep p0wning George Mason University academics? Can someone who's familiar with GMU give some background on that august institution?

[shrike]

Susan Jacoby is da bomb!

What a great lady - rational and humanist that she is.

Too bad the GOP fascists hate her - she is for open markets, open society, and open dialogue.

Looking for neo-fascists like 'TallDave' and 'Neil' to disparage her and support the Bush anti-freedom platform any minute......

I hate fascists.. that is just me though.....

[Ruwart / Blue-Skinned Guy 2008]

Regarding "fascists" the person at the end of this video (note: not one of mine, so don't be scared) is quite entertaining.

[J sub D]

Jeez, you folks at Reason really need a Detroit liaison.
From the WSJ article -
For instance, he managed to land the contract to host the 2006 Super Bowl and convince General Motors, Compuware and, more recently, Quicken Loans Inc. to relocate their offices downtown. He also succeeded in creating three casinos, and in convincing developers to restore old, historic hotels such as the Book-Cadillac to serve the casino patrons.

I know it seems like forever, but Kwame Kilpatrick was not elected until 2001, taking office in January of 2002. The Compuware headquarters move to downtown was an accomplishment of the Dennis Archer administration.
As was the purchase of and relocation to the Renaissance Center by General Motors.
Mayor Archer also was responsible for the 2006 Superbowl being played at Ford Field downtown.
The opening of the three casinos, Comerica Park and Ford Field were likewise Dennis Archer accomplishments.
Quicken Loans and the restoration of the Book Cadillac Hotel (the Fort Shelby Hotel too) can be credited to Kwame Kilpatrick.
[/correcting]

This city desperately needs to adopt a libertarian philosophy. It won't. It is mired in the past, relying on governmental solutions even though they have been failing miserably since 1970.

[shrike]

I am not here to make friends...

I am here to battle opponents.fascists -- like TallDave.

They are pure shit. Pure suck-offs for Cheney....

Its OK - the tide is slowly turning,,,,,,

[Detroit]

Shika Dalmia's article was very poorly researched. As the above post states GM had signed on a lease in 1996... 5 years before Kwame took office and the previous mayor, Dennis Archer was responsible for Compuware, the casinos and the athletic fields moving downtown. Kwame has promised to bring Quicken Loans downtown but so far it has just been talk.

[BakedPenguin]

Those are definitely three enthralling links, I'm sure. I didn't visit any of them, but I'm sure others will.

I don't think we could count the number of H&R readers who would say the same about your posts, Mr. Click-n-Tard.

...why do I keep p0wning George Mason University academics?

Well, I didn't go to look at the crap you wrote (see above sentence), but it must be your advanced degrees in HumanGeography or PopulationSociology. Oh wait, you don't have those. No, it must be because you are a DeludedDouchebag arguing with ThinAir.

[J sub D]

Baked Penguin, a belated Happy World Penguin Day to ya!

[Warmongering Lunatic]

Further, GM moving from the General Motors Building in Detroit's New Center to the Renaissance Center in Detroit's downtown was (obviously) an intra-city move.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

I'll tell you who won the Cold War. Hands Across America. In a fit of rank stupidity the Rooskies decided to broadcast the NY part of that thing as a propaganda move. See how bad it is in the West? People are starving and lookit this protest.

What the Soviet people saw was Manhattan at dusk with all the bright lights, Beemers, blaring horns, and all those well dressed Americans in their leather jackets & reeboks, holding hands and swaying to the beat.

The propaganda move backfired and it was downhill from there.

[David E. Gallaher]

I happened to attend a business seminar of sorts in a Double Tree Inn of Dallas which was the home away from home for many of the lesser lights of "Dallas." We enjoyed shmoozing with them at the bar.

"To this day, you can visit an ersatz "SouthForkscu" ranch in the nowheresville Romanian town of Slobozia (yes, that's its real name)."

To illustrate what a small world we inhabit, I once showed a photo of me in Vietnam posing by a 122 mm artillery shell that I had saved as a souvenir. It had Russian writing on it. I had occasion to show it to an acquaintance from Romania living here in the US. He said those were made just around the corner from where he lived in Romania.

[David E. Gallaher]

Reverend Sewer,
Propaganda always backfires.
I'm thinking of the latest NYT story showing Dubya enlisted retired generals to fudge the truth about his Iraq misadventure.
I'm also thinking that Eisenhower was the last President capable of making good, reasonable strategic decisions. As Commanding General he allowed Bill Mauldin political cartoons to appear in Stars and Stripes back during WWII.

[David E. Gallaher]

That's William F. Buckley, Jr. on the mechanical bull isn't it?

[D.A. Ridgely]

"couthness"?

[Tom]

Yeah, I hate to say it, but the glaringly false information in the WSJ piece basically negates the column's entire premise.

Those big-shot development projects and their accompanying tax incentives may or may not be bad policy, but they're not Kilpatrick's credit or blame either way.

Aside from providing daily personal drama for metro Detroiters, he's been pretty useless all around.

[CharlesWT]

I live a few miles from Southfork Ranch. It was always bemusing to me to pass by and see people from all over the world standing along the fence line, gazing at the place.

[Kolohe]

Susan Jacoby is da bomb!

What a great lady - rational and humanist that she is.

Too bad the GOP fascists hate her - she is for open markets, open society, and open dialogue.

I'll read more by her, then; the first time I had heard of her was her appearance on Colbert this week, and sorry, to me, she seemed like a typical left-liberal in the interview.

[Kolohe]

Yeah, I hate to say it, but the glaringly false information in the WSJ piece basically negates the column's entire premise.

You know, I like the magazine and of course love this site, but I find the 'policy wonks' from the foundation itself seriously wanting. There this WSJ thing, and a few weeks ago, the 'government policy' guru on CNBC talking about the mortgage bailout didn't have his facts straight either.

[BakedPenguin]

a belated Happy World Penguin Day to ya!

Thx, J sub.

[BakedPenguin]

TWC - they've had a lot of moments like that. I've heard of propaganda broadcasts showing the "very high cost of food" in the capitalist countries. Of course, they also showed that the stores were full of food, something none but the very privileged there had seen (in the "Inner Party" stores).

[Guy Montag]

I'll read more by her, then; the first time I had heard of her was her appearance on Colbert this week, and sorry, to me, she seemed like a typical left-liberal in the interview.

Well, that is the key isn't it? If she is an International Socialist then she is a heroine to some. Anything short of an International Socialist, of course, would be a National Socialist to the same people.

[Guy Montag]

BP,

TWC - they've had a lot of moments like that. I've heard of propaganda broadcasts showing the "very high cost of food" in the capitalist countries. Of course, they also showed that the stores were full of food, something none but the very privileged there had seen (in the "Inner Party" stores).

In Victor Bulenko's(sp?) book Mig Pilot he mentions this. As a Soviet Aviator they would show how "awful" things were in America and he would ask who ownwd all those cars. The instructor would tell them that everybody was in horrible debt to bankers. Forgot the exact words, but the folks today who talk about the "lending crisis" seem to be borrowing a lot of those talking points. Some in print and some like the ones Reason covered in front of the World Bank.

[Guy Montag]

In other news: Mrs. Clinton is "offering" Sen. Obama the opportunity at a 22nd debate and is acting like the first 21 just did not cover enough.

Also, she keeps saying that she "got more votes, from people who voted". Of course, that leads to the topic of Democrats multiple voting, corpses voting, etc.

Especially, in the case where only one of these two candidates were named on the ballot, both were told not to campaign in MI and FL, only one followed the rule, etc.

How long until Mrs. Clinton begins claiming Al Gore victim status?

[ed]

For the 22nd debate I'd like to see both candidates attempt to climb a greased pole. At the top of Hillary's pole there will be a copy of the Constitution and a match. Atop Obama's, a watermelon. The moderator: Larry Flynt. Oh, and Hillary has to wear a mini skirt.

[Kilpatrick]

You're all just hate me 'cause I'm black!

[Kilpatrick]

Correction: Take out the "'re" in "you're". Oops.

[Guy Montag]

So, everybody is watching Project Overkill on "Muscle Car", SPIKE TV? It is sponsored by Royal Purple synthetic oil. Anybody use that stuff? I have been Mobil 1 all the way for ages.

[Yahoo Answerer: Now with Retzi]

This is why South Park needs to be translated into as many languages as possible.

[Guy Montag]

YANwR,

Idunno, I think most of the muscle car people who count can tell what the cars are without translation.

[Chris Potter]

Oh, and Hillary has to wear a mini skirt.

I have a funny feeling that would make everyone appreciate the pantsuit.

[Naga Sadow]

Distressing. When a publication makes glaring errors like the WSJ did, I have trouble picking up another copy to read for weeks.

[Naga Sadow]

On the other hand, this Kilpatrick guy is hilariously stupid. Rather Clinton-ish. Wonder if an email of this to the Cheaters producers will give that show a "special assisnment"?

[Daniel Reeves]

http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/imgad?id=CP7Gi-WWleLskgEQoAEYwgQyCOBj9qAMGprh

Why is this shitty advertisement on my screen?

[vanya]

That "Dallas" article was truly one of the dumbest things you guys have ever produced. And I mean that in all sincerity, just mindboggling hit-your-head-in-the-face-with a fryingpan stupidity from smart people like Welch and Gillespie, whom I normally credit with a fair amount of perceptiveness. No one in Russia ever heard of that show. And Romania was one of the last countries in the East Bloc to overthrow its Communist rulers. And more importantly the fall of Communism had nothing to do with popular discontent - it had everything to do with the Communist nomenklatura in the USSR and the Eastern Bloc realizing that even they had shitty lives compared to ordinary middle class Western Europeans and Americans. Communism was dismantled from the top down, and the elites didn't need "Dallas" to tell them they were falling woefully behind.

[Orange Line Special]

Mrs. Clinton is "offering" Sen. Obama the opportunity at a 22nd debate and is acting like the first 21 just did not cover enough.

Reason could spend $10,000 (or much less) and put on real debates. Feel free to take that idea and run with it; all I ask is one hat tip and as long as it follows that format (covering immigration and featuring everyone from Krikorian to Griswold) I won't complain.

And, holding debates as described at the link would be a way to get libertarian ideas out there. Barr or others could be included. Reason would also get a lot of publicity.

So, why won't Reason do that?

I'm going to guess because they know such debates would rock the Beltway, and they might not get invited to cocktail parties or get covered by the WaPo, and they can't have that.

[J sub D]

So, why won't Reason do that?

I'm going to guess because they know such debates would rock the Beltway, and they might not get invited to cocktail parties or get covered by the WaPo, and they can't have that.

I'm going to guess that since it's a LoneRetardIdea, it was SummarilyDismissed as a StupidDipshitFantasy.

Does anybody think my guess is more on the money?

[Brian Courts]

I'm going to guess that since it's a LoneRetardIdea, it was SummarilyDismissed as a StupidDipshitFantasy.

Does anybody think my guess is more on the money?

Perhaps, but I'm gonna guess that even the reason staff have taken to filtering his self-obsessed whining so it doesn't get summarily dismissed as much as simply ignored.

[Let\'s rap]

I think it's great that commenters jump in and show all those who don't comment - the majority of readers of any site - just how childish libertarians are.

Perhaps being mindful of that fact that maybe 80% to 90% of readers don't comment, some other libertarian might consider stating in as grown-up a way as possible what exactly is wrong with my idea. I'm open to constructive criticism, so let's hear it.

[Do you really..]

..want to trade barbs on who has the more 'grown-up' commenters?

[J sub D]

Do you really.. | April 27, 2008, 5:44pm | #

..want to trade barbs on who has the more 'grown-up' commenters?

I refuse to visit that site ever again.
From time to time Cesar will post some of Loneretards commenters here for our amusement. It's yeoman's work and I respect him for it.

[John-David]

Agreed, J sub. It's like when SugarFree posts stuff from Feministing, although I usually end up following those links.

[Rhywun]

Actually, the idea at the link LW posted is quite reasonable.

[childish libertarian]

Did the fool who wrote this just whine about childish comments?

Overall, I give this site a "D". The girls aren't that good looking, the guys are creepy looking

To set the record straight, your Reason membership pledge includes access to:

DumbHairyLibertarians.com
CosmosWithRothbards.br
AsianSexyCatooeys.th
AbbysCosmos.au
BoundButFree.so

I'm sure it is a further sign of his superior maturity, intellect and rhetorical skill when he calls a reason writer a "true lightweight" or "ignorant" or any of the other insults he routinely spews.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised he thinks he's qualified to give a lecture on childish comments considering the beautiful pot/kettle irony of this gem:

Ron Paul fans have got to be some of the dumbest (and most narcissistic) people around.

[??]

As a reader who doesn't usually comment, I want to say that even if you have the best ideas, you present them in a profoundly awful way. It makes it hard to give your ideas even a quick look.

Just because a post has the word debate in it doesn't mean this is the perfect time to plug your debate idea (yet, again). And, when it comes to it - put some content in your post, not just another link, give people a reason to follow the link.

Remember, presentation counts! 🙂

[Happy Jack]

I'm open to constructive criticism, so let's hear it.

I noticed that there's been no post-script on your cornbread experiment. Are you hiding some inconvenient data, or is this an oversight?

[Orange Line Special]

So far, no one has presented any downsides of my plan (see above), and one person has said it was a reasonable plan. So, I'm going to assume that's a wrap on that part of things.

As for cornbread, I subsequently visited a BM in DE, and IIRC it was acceptably warm. I didn't right it up because the manager had responded to my request for butter by telling someone I wanted "lube for the tubes" and that was too traumatic and thus also explains why I haven't visited one of their stores since then.

[Guy Montag]

childish libertarian,

Remember, the highest form of comment here is juvenile name-calling, because only the brilliant debaters call people they disagree with a "douche".

[Marshall]

Just saw a rerun of the Susan Jacoby thing. Mr. Nick was rad. Ms. Jacoby, not so much. Pretty loud and annoying, imho. All I could think was, "GET OFF MY LAWN!"

[The Wine Commonsewer]

Why is this shitty advertisement on my screen?

I blame the cosmotarians.

[The Wine Commonsewer]

All I could think was, "GET OFF MY LAWN!"

I am in hopes that Shrike's shout out.....

Susan Jacoby is da bomb did not have anything to do with her looks.

[Minerva Mcgonall]

Oh, and Hillary has to wear a mini skirt.

I have a funny feeling that would make everyone appreciate the pantsuit.

Mister Potter! I will see you after class.

[BakedPenguin]

Golly, Guy, I figured you thought the only brilliant commentators here tried to threadjack and discuss muscle cars. Srsly, though, my brother's over @ corvetteForum.com. You'd probably get a lot more interest in "Edelbrock headers" as a topic over there.

Lonewacko's request was reasonable? Great! When he stops getting hysterical over LaRaza and Atzlan, when he stops coddling blatantly racist posters at his site, when he finally figures out that the North American Union is a fantasy, let me know. It is because of the above points, and the fact that he treats people who do not embrace his fantasies with condescension and derision that I take his "requests" with more than a little salt.

In the past, I have defended some posters with anti-immigration views against blanket charges of racism. I believe there are some good arguments to be made against open immigration policies. For the same reason I object to those who claim those with anti-open borders views are modern Know-Nothings, I also deride those who gleefully and cynically use racism and fear to seek to rid this country of recent immigrants.

[Warren]

Great interview Nick. Loved they way she rebutted all your counter examples with "No, those people are stupid too." Like when she said that since her television viewing distracts from her reading, or what she reads on the internet is not substantive, everything on television and the internet makes us stupid.

[Matthew]

I also like the idea of a true debate between the candidates, but I doubt they would.