Thursday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via dornob)
Orchard East House by Wheeler Kearns Architects
Subway Cars I Desire: Tube Carriages into Rooftop Offices
12 Cool and Stylish Modern Beds
Extreme Home Addition: Period House Modern Makeover
RB Murray / Hufft Projects - ArchDaily

Healthcare.
About Those “Death Panels” - The Freeman

Cars.
Behold the Vespa stretch scooter
2011 Ford Mustang GT Officially Unveiled with New 412-HP
Sidecar Made From WWII German Fighter Plane and Yamaha Motorbike
1970 Dodge Challenger R/T from “Vanishing Point”
Aston Martin Cygnet Will Only be Available to Current Owners at £20,000

Gadgets.
Strap a bike to your feet with Chariot Skates
E&K's bags from recycled firehoses
Pocket Radar - Gear Patrol

Economics.
Freakonomics meets Pirates of the Caribbean
Rich Cling to Life to Beat Tax Man - WSJ.com
Markets fail - That’s why we need markets

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Inkyjournal: My discoveries for 2009
Pocket Blonde: Muji Hexagonal Gel Ink Pen
Sheaffer’s WASP Addipoint Fountain Pen
Top 10 Most Popular Office Supply Reviews for 2009

Education.
Arne Duncan’s Chicago Schools - Cato @ Liberty

Animals.
2009 in Review: Baby Animals, Debuts, and Other News
1x.com - Photo: Majestic by Phil Morgan

Style.
Woolpower - Staying warm the Swedish way
Fantastic Mr. Fox windows at Bergdorf GoodMAN
Tie Association, a Fashion Victim, Calls It Quits as Trends Change

Shoes / Boots.
The One Percent -A Continuous Lean
RRL Bowery Boot - A Continuous Lean
Alden x Blackbird: Black Sheep Squadron Airman Shoe

Computers.
Autonet Mobile Router - Gear Patrol

Marketing.
Yahoo's Brilliant Holiday Marketing Stunt
How Online Retailers Read Your Mind - NYTimes.com

Photography.
Five years since the Tsunami - The Big Picture

Misc.
Thomas Sowell : Unhealthy Arrogance
Dave Barry's year in review: 2009
The Case Against New Year's Eve Madness - WSJ.com

Wristwatch Updates: CX Swiss Military, Dufour Simplicity, PloProf. & More

The Dufour Simplicity is a dream watch. Many thanks to TZ's schen for permission to use his pics. His post is not to be missed. ;-)

Independent Horology: The wait is over – the landing of Simplicity! (Warning: long post): "A little more than four years ago, in early 2005, I took the plunge and ordered my Simplicity. This is one of a few watches that I purchased without seeing an example in metal. The usual wisdom is that one should see a watch in real to tell whether it speaks to him. However I am sure few exceptions do occur. The Simplicity, being an exceptional watch, makes such an exception for me."

CX Swiss Military 20,000 Feet Diver Watch Review | aBlogtoRead.com: "Deepest diving watch ever. That is one way to sum up the Swiss Military Watch 20,000 Feet Diver. Built by CX (Montres Charmex) in Switzerland, this has to be one of the greatest 'man' watches of the year. I first wrote about the 20,000 Feet Diver watch here. What is stunning about the watch is that it is an incredibly well made and refined, in addition to it being an extremely successful execution of the concept. What does this mean?"

CX Swiss Military 20,000ft Dive Watch: What Were They Thinking?: "The CX “Swiss Military” 20,000ft diver is rated to an astonishing and astonishingly unnecessary 6,000m of water resistance. And much like the Rolex “Deep Sea Special” experimental design of the’50s- ’60s (namesake of the current Rolex Sea-Dweller Deep Sea), it’s about the size of a golf ball."

TimeZone: The Finale----Unveiling The Christmas Present. Photo Essay: "The first 'great watch' that I acquired was a Blancpain complete calendar moon phase. This was the classic 34 mm version that rejuvinated the brand in the 1980s. Mine was yellow gold with a yellow gold bracelet. Sadly, I neither have that watch any longer nor do I have photos of it (I owned it long before I purchased my first digital camera). Since then, however, I have had a lot on Blancpain calendar/moon phase watches. Even though they all shared the same basic layout for the indications (day of week and month in windows; date arrayed outside the chapter ring and indicated by a supplemental hand; moon in a window) every one had a decidedly different feel in its aesthetics. Here is a link to my post showing the progression and variety of looks which Blancpain has given this complication over the past 20 years. Lots of images in this photo essay."

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 15202ST: "Just before year-end, on the 24th of December to be exact, I traded my Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ref.15300 for a 15202ST (or 15202ST.OO.0944ST.02 in full). Although I was very happy with my white dialed Royal Oak 15300, the 15202 ‘Jumbo’ remains to be the original Royal Oak in my opinion. The original Gérald Genta creation of 1972 still lives in the current Royal Oak collection, bearing reference number 15202ST."

Sartorially Inclined: Lusting After: Seiko Military Watches: "Vintage or fresh out of the box, Seiko's military watches are some of the best looking timepieces around. These badboys are the real deal with all the oldschool sex appeal you can shake a stick at. Just looking at my own Timex now I feel like I might as well be wearing something I snagged out of a Cracker Jack box."

PloProf.com - The Definitive PloProf Book by Jon Wallis: "The Omega PloProf Book details the history, development and ownership experience of one of the most iconic dive watches of all time. The book takes the PloProf knowledge that originally appeared on this website and casts it into another dimension, with a vast amount of new information all illustrated with an impressive set of full colour photographs (close on 300 images and over 158 pages)."

Additional links:
a time to get: HIT LIST: 1970s Seiko
The book that every Independents Freak, needs to have!
SOTC 2009. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, The what was I thinking ...
Active again in 2009; Theme now mostly is high quality-reasonable price ...
Tiret Gotham Watches - aBlogtoRead.com
Classic Heuers
Select Mondaine Watches From JCK That I Liked
Since it's the 30th of Dec,I can say with confidence that this is my SOTC 2009

Liberty & Govt. at Work: Mucinex, UEDs, & More

Wonder where the TARP money is going? Take a look here.

Division of Labor Gone Awry: "Two celebrated advocates of active and expansive government – President Obama and yourself – admit, quite accurately, that the security breach on Northwest Flight 253 represents a momentous failure of government (”The System Failed,” Dec. 30). Ponder this fact carefully. Government’s core function is to protect citizens from violence. If Uncle Sam fails at this central, all-important task, what reason have we to trust that it will succeed at delivering less-costly and higher-quality health-care? Or at productively restructuring financial markets?"

The Cost of War by Philip Giraldi -- Antiwar.com: "What would Napoleon and Kipling have thought about America’s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? Napoleon would have been astute enough to understand immediately that the American efforts lack any clear political objective beyond supporting the status quo, but he would undoubtedly also note the vast and wasteful expense of the enterprise."

Always a good excuse for the total state - Jeffrey Tucker: "I keep having these run ins with the law over my desire to unclog my nose. Earlier today I tried to buy Mucinex but was declined because my driver's license is technically expired, only a few days ago. Now, just last week I was in the drivers license bureau doing some stupid tag thing and I asked about this expiration date. They said not to worry about it now; I have sixty days to get it renewed. But apparently the pharmacy doesn't go along with that idea. They ripped the stuff right out of my bag and told me to go home with a stuffy head."

Some Things We Learned in 2009 by Eric Margolis: "America is beset by airport chaos after a 23-year-old Nigerian tried to bring down a Northwest-Delta flight to Detroit with an underwear explosive device (UED). To update the good Doctor Johnson’s bon mot about 18th-century maritime voyages, air travel will now offer all the joys of Supermax prisons, plus a chance to crash, or be marooned in Buffalo."

Additional links:
Federal Entitlement Spending Multiplies
A Lump of Coal From Treasury - Cato @ Liberty
Memo to the House: Adopt the Filibuster by John Stossel

Will ObamaCare Enshrine Discrimination?

This is despicable. Those supporting this move can no longer logically claim to be against racial (and several other forms of) discrimination.

Legal Discrimination - John Stossel: "News about the details of the Democrats' health care bills gets worse. Today’s Washington Times calls the bills 'Obamacare's Racial Bigotry.' The Heritage Foundation's Hans A. von Spakovsky points out that the bills promote racial discrimination. The Senate bill would award billions of dollars to schools that train medical-service providers. ...

“(P)riority” for federal dollars is to be given only to those institutions offering “preferential” admissions to underrepresented minorities (according to race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and religion, depending on which section of the bill you look at). Thus, schools will be unable to compete for essential federal funding unless they adopt admission policies that intentionally and deliberately discriminate... The Senate bill even creates a federally funded and administered medical school called the United States Public Health Services Track to “grant appropriate advanced degrees.” Priority in admissions is to be given to “students from rural communities and underrepresented minorities.” (“Underrepresented minorities” is liberal code for “Asians need not apply.”)"

Wednesday Grab Bag

Architecture / Design. (pic via clicarq)
fotografia de arquitectura :: - Hotel en Ibiza
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel In Barcelona
Vila Hermína / Sepka Architekti
Tahoe's Osprey Estate For $34 Million
Photos: The 10 Most Popular Houses of the Year
Casa Barone / Widjedal Racki Bergerhoff

Photography.
TheBobBlog: 1920s Kodak 9A Century Studio Camera
Prague TV Tower - World's Largest Spherical Panorama
26-Gigapixel photo sets new world record
The Frame: Protest in Iran

Cars.
Brabus GLK - World's Fastest Street Legal SUV for $570,000
The 30 Most Expensive Car Crashes Of 2009
Obsession - Land Rover Defender - A Continuous Lean
Most Realistic Back To The Future DeLorean Ever Hits eBay

Gadgets.
Etienne Louis Espresso Machine - Selectism
The 50 Worst Gadgets of the Decade - Gizmodo
Backcountry Access Arsenal Shovel System (Saw, Probe)

Style.
An Affordable Wardrobe: Treasure Trove
Men's Style: The Double breasted overcoat
Sartorially Inclined: Hands On: Taylor Stitch
Tie By Tie 9 (Showing Off) - From The Waist Up

Shoes / Boots.
A Visit to the Allen Edmonds Factory (WOW!)
A Look Inside Alden - A Continuous Lean
John Lobb – City II in Dark Brown Museum Calf
30's~40's Work Boots - The Fedora Lounge
Lone Wolf Boots from Sugarcane - Selectism.com
What’s Inside Kiwi Shoe Polish? Smells Like Gas, Tastes Like Gum

Watches.
1970s Heuer Solunagraph for Orvis
The Watch That Went to War - Vacheron Constantin
Chopard: A Spark of Warmth in the Harsh New York Winter
Armin Strom Announces New In-House ARM09 Calibre
Jaeger LeCoultre Master Tourbillon at bargain price

Fountain Pens / Writing.
J Herbin Larmes De Cassis Ink Review - Without Ink
Inkyjournal: Sailor Jentle Ink Shigure purple (winter 2009)
J. Herbin Diabolo Menthe Review on Clairfontaine Paper
It’s a pen! It’s a bullet! It writes upside down and underwater!
Pen, Paper and Ink Finds for 2009 - An Inkophile’s Blog

Travel.
Staying Afloat: Armani Yacht Charter
Vanilla Bicycles - Stilsucht
From New York to New York - The flight of the Graf Zeppelin 1929

Food.
Seeking Coffee's Benefits to Health - WSJ.com
How to Drink Vodka - Best Way to Drink Vodka - Esquire

Animals.
Collar Tech Tracks Wolf’s North Pole Treks

ClimateGate / Environment.
Build-a-bear: the sinister green plot to turn our kids into eco-fascist Manchurian candidates
The New Climate Litigation - WSJ.com

Misc.
Howard Hughes - Odd Behavior - Selvedge Yard
Top 20 - Man Movies - A Continuous Lean
Three Engines, 1500 HP, and One Tragic Result

Every National Geographic Since 1888, On A 160GB Hard Drive

Progress is an absolutely wonderful thing. This is almost mind-boggling. Imagine if just 30 years ago someone had told you that a resource such as this would be so affordable and easily acquired. And note that it's not only accessible to royalty and the very wealthy, nearly anyone can afford it.

Get every National Geographic since 1888 on a 160GB hard drive: "From the massively-nerdy-but-really-quite-cool news department, I bring you the coolest thing I've seen since unwrapping my presents on Christmas Day. 120 years of amazing discoveries, eye-opening editorial and mind-expanding stories form The Complete National Geographic. Maps, stories and every single damn photo, all lovingly reproduced in 'stunning high resolution'... and distributed on a hard drive!"

Liberty & Govt. At Work: Robotic Bees, Tennis Courts, & Horse Dentistry

Horse dentistry?! Honestly? And don't miss what our overlords are doing w/ stimulus money.

Robotic Bees - John Stossel: "As worries mount over record deficits, more details come to light about how the $787 billion stimulus plan wastes your tax dollars. Big Government points us to the 'Top 10 Most Ridiculous Uses of Stimulus Funds.' Some examples of 'Putting Americans to work doing the work that America needs done' ... or something:"

The Senate’s 40 Percent Middle-Class Tax - Anything Peaceful: "The New York Times‘ Bob Herbert has a thought-provoking column for a change. He shows that the Senate health-insurance bill’s 40 percent tax on “Cadillac” coverage, which has been sold as a tax on the rich, will easily become a tax on the middle class — if it works as the authors expect."

Texas Horse Dentists Feel the Bite Of State Regulatory Oversight - WSJ.com: "Veterinary oversight boards in Texas and several other states have moved aggressively in recent years to rein in unlicensed floaters, ordering them to stop practicing or to work only under supervision of a licensed vet."

Additional links:
China Executes British Drug Smuggler - The Freeman
City spending stimulus money on new tennis courts
It’s How They Succeed
A New Deal Constitution - Tenth Amendment Center
Merry Christmas Fannie & Freddie - John Stossel

Tuesday Grab Bag

Architecture / Design. (pic via Contemporist)
Verdura Resort by Olga Polizzi and Flavio Albanese
16 Seattle Houseboat & Floating Home Photos
Tim Cahill's Log Cabin
Flickr Find - Dieter Rams - A Continuous Lean

Style.
Hamilton 1883: Very 2009: The GQ Eye
HOUNDSTOOTH, PIGSKIN & TRADITION - ALABAMA’S PAUL “BEAR” BRYANT
Components of Enthusiasm x L.L. Bean Oxford Shirt
The NAVY-ism - Pea Coats - A Continuous Lean.

Shoes.
Trip to Allen Edmonds - Ask Andy Forums
What You Can Learn From: A Well-Polished Shoe Expert
Raf Simons for Doc Martens at Oki-Ni: The GQ Eye
Alden Shoes – 6 Eyelet Chukka in Shell Cordovan
ACL Exclusive - RRL Bowery Boot - A Continuous Lean

Fountain Pens / Writing.
You Never Write!: The GQ Eye
PicoCool - App Sketchbook
The Pen Addict: Top 10 Pen Reviews of 2009
Lisa Ridgely - The Pen & Ink Journal

Computers.
Backup Your Data From Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail For Free With Backupify
You Don't Need to Regularly Reinstall Windows; Here's Why
Google ChomeOS Tablet specs leaked, implications abound

Watches.
The First Concord C1 QuantumGravity Is Delivered
Eterna KonTiki Date 2009 Watch - aBlogtoRead.com
2009: Heuer and TAG Heuer Year in Review - Calibre 11
Omega Legendary Co-Axial Escapement - Watches Channel
The TAG Heuer Monaco Range - Calibre 11
FP Journe: Chronomètre Bleu ... a quick pictorial introduction

ClimateGate / Global Warming.
Sue You for Breathing - John Stossel
Monckton on Scientific American’s Defense of Climate Alarmism
2,780 Climate Lobbyists and Counting - Hit & Run

Gadgets.
Gas-Powered Motorized Snowboard
AT&T Website Stops Selling iPhone in New York City
Encryption Code for 80% of the World's Mobile Calls Cracked

Cars.
Preservation Piece: 10k-Mile 1967 Sunbeam Tiger

Liberty / Govt.
Our Selfless Leaders - John Stossel
Fairport Schools overcharged taxpayers, audit says
“Waving While Latino” - John Stossel

Advertising.
AdFreak: The 30 Freakiest Commercials of 2009

Animals.
ZooBorns: Baby Crab-eating Raccoons

Misc.
What are the odds that the best chess player in the world has never played chess?
Aviation Milestones - Military Plane Tech and Aviation Timeline
Beyond Tiger: Watches, Celebs, and Scandal - WatchTime.com

Joining The Fountain Pen Network ...

GREAT find, via Inkophile!

Joining the fountain pen network - The Boston Globe: "WHEN A colleague retired some years ago, I vetoed the idea of presenting her with a fountain pen, recalling those leaky instruments in grammar school where nuns commanded us to write in “pen and ink.’’ The same pen and ink that gave rise to the plastic pocket protectors that appeared on every shirt to catch the blue rivulets that streaked our hands and clothes and made our mothers groan. As I write this, I’m staring at a Pilot Prera, a Platinum 3776 with a zoom nib, and a Namiki Vanishing Point, all fountain pens. It started when I visited an artist’s studio last spring and admired his drawings. He showed me his pen, a Lamy Safari with an extra fine nib. I’ve always liked fine points for writing on student essays. I found a Safari online for $25, and discovered you did not have to settle for the usual blue or black cartridges; it came with a “converter’’ which fills from a bottle of ink."

Does The U.S. Manufacture ANYTHING Anymore?!

I hear that question all of the time. People continually fret over our the alleged loss of our "manufacturing base." I'm not convinced it is being lost or that it would necessarily be a problem if it was.

The fact is, the U.S. continues to produce a massive amount of goods and services, and with increased efficiency.

More stuff being made by fewer people. That is a sign of increasing prosperity, not something to fret about.

The Power of Productivity, Arnold Kling - EconLog: "According to the Federal Reserve, the dollar value of U.S. manufacturing output in November was $2.72 trillion (in 2000 dollars), which translates to $234,220 of manufacturing output for each of that sector's 11.6 million workers, setting an all-time record high for U.S. manufacturing output per worker..."

Today's Quotes

Sounds like Lincoln believes in the right of secession?

Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to
rise up and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits
them better. This is a most valuable, a most sacred right -- a right which
we hope and believe is to liberate the world. Nor is this right confined to
cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to
exercise it. Any portion of such people, that can, may revolutionize, and
make their own of so much of the territory as they inhabit.
-- Abraham Lincoln, January 12, 1848 speech in Congress
(ht: LM)

[W]hen the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man, - who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia.
-- George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788

An election is an advanced auction of stolen goods.
-- H. L. Mecken

[T]he people are not to be disarmed of their weapons. They are left in full possession of them.
--Zacharia Johnson, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788

Monday Grab Bag

Watches. (pic via Watch Lounge)
Vulcain Cricket X-Treme Diver Automatic
Pics of the Alain Silberstein iKrono
TAG Heuer Vanquish - Calibre 11
More Vintage Wristwatch Cinema
Quick review of Citizen "Blue Angels"...
More Recent Offerings from Harry Winston

Architecture.
Dreaming Private Residence By Bittoni Design Studio
Ranch Style Cabin with an Oceanfront View!
Brazilian Modernism: C16H14O3 House by Marcio Kogan
Luxurious Khayangan Estate in Bali

Style.
What You Can Learn From: America's Greatest Living Tailor
Men's style: Tell a story with your dress
Fine And Dandy Shop: Dandy Details

Shoes / Boots.
Blundstone USA Home Page (more)
You Have Broken the Internet x Red Wing 1907
‘Dixon Class’ By Clarks - The Shoe Buff

Computers.
Set Up and Get to Know Your New Windows, Mac, or Linux Computer
20 Essential Gmail Tips You Probably Don't Use (but Should!)

Finance.
The rush to convert: Why 2010 will be the year of the Roth IRA

Healthcare.
Ron Paul - Healthcare Reform is a Lump of Coal

Gadgets.
Escargot: A Stylish Vacuum Cleaner for Your Filthy Home

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Yves Writing Desk By Pinch
The Pen Addict: Ink Links
Inkyjournal: Sailor Jentle Ink Tokiwa Green (winter 2009)
Stipula Prototypes – never seen before in the market

Cars.
Sunbeam S7 - Bike EXIF

Signs of The Times.
The World's Largest Mall is a Ghosttown - Jeffrey Tucker

Gadgets.
The Famed French Douk Douk Knife

Misc.
Clueless New York Times III - John Stossel
Gallery - Reflecting on a new generation of mirrors

UAW: What We Did for Cars, We’ll Do for Your Kids

Scary. Not only are we on the road to serfdom, we seem to be rolling downhill and picking up speed. (pic via Stossel)

UAW: What We Did for Cars, We’ll Do for Your Kids - John Stossel: "The United Auto Workers has demonstrated how a bloated unionized workforce can help undermine an industry's survival. As auto jobs have disappeared, the union got creative in using government to keep the dues rolling in. That's apparent in Flint, Michigan, the birthplace of General Motors. (Remember them?) Michelle Berry runs a day-care service from her home in Flint. Although she owns the business, Berry's been told she is now a government employee and union member. It's not voluntary. Berry and 40,000 other Michigan private day-care providers have union dues taken out from the child-care subsidies the state sends them on behalf of their low-income clients. The 'union' is a creation of the United Auto Workers."

Original story:
Michigan Forces Business Owners Into Public Sector Unions - WSJ.com

Estates From Luxist ...

Some of these are indescribable, absolutely amazing. I particularly like the ones with private libraries or dens, and home theaters. (pic via Luxist)

One could easily spend all day browsing through these. :-)

Chota Falls, Estate of the Day: "We don't see too many estates with their own chapel but Chota Falls, in Clayton, Georgia has been a popular wedding destination for years. The 62-acre estate includes four villas, the chapel and event facilities as well as a 15-suite lodge. The estate takes its name from a 100 foot waterfall."

Benchmark Drive, Estate of the Day: "Log cabin extreme, chalet deluxe? What exactly would you call this huge home in Mountain Village, Colorado? The ultimate ski-home is located on nearly six park-like acres. It has seven bedrooms in over 10,000 square feet of space."

Eagle's Perch, Estate of the Day: "This home is named Eagle's Perch, a reference to its woodsy perch on a hilltop in Victoria, British Columbia. The home is on 3.2 acres and has 6320 square feet of custom furnished living space with heated decks, a custom spa/hot tub for 16 and a professional gym. Many rooms boast ocean views. The home's warm look comes from a variety of woods including bird's eye maple and fir. Natural stone, granite, marble and etched glass throughout add a luxurious touch. The home includes koi ponds, a security system, fire pit and barbecue terrace and a three-car garage with a separate bedroom suite."

Sierra Lodge, Estate of the Day: "The home's trophy room has a two-story fireplace, poker tables and a mahogany wet bar. There is a home theater with a separate lobby and a retro soda-fountain style bar. The master suite has a bedroom and sitting room which share a dual-sided fireplace. The master bathroom is floored in travertine tile punctuated with river rock mosaic. The additional bedrooms each have private balconies. Outside there are 8,000 sq. ft. of stone patios ..."

Lairmont Place, Estate of the Day: "In the hills above Las Vegas, luxury homes abound. In the gated community of Dragon Ridge is where you'll find this home on Lairmont Place. And what a lair it is. This six-bedroom palace features one incredible feature in the main space, a three-story waterfall."

Additional links:
Sugar Land, Estate of the Day
Thompson Manor, Estate of the Day
Michael Jackson's Wonderland In Las Vegas
Georgica Manor, Estate of the Day
Dark Creek Road, Estate of the Day
Main Line Mansion, Estate of the Day
"Just Don't Call it Wolf's Lair," Estate of the Day
Cielo de Bonaire, Estate of the Day
Crystal Bay, Estate of the Day
Revisiting Chateau Du Lac, Estate of the Day

Charity vs. Slavery ...

Napolitano gets it. Truer words were never spoken. (ht: Libertarian Mike)

It is impossible to be charitable with someone else's money. Charity comes
from your own heart, not from the government spending your money. When we pay
our taxes to the government and it gives that money away, that's not charity,
that's welfare. When the government takes more from us than it needs to
secure our freedoms, so it can have money to give away, that's not charity,
that's theft. And when the government forces hospitals to provide free health
care to those who can't or won't care for themselves, that's not charity,
that's slavery. That's why we now have constitutional chaos, because the
government steals and enslaves, and we outlawed that a long time ago.
-- Andrew P. Napolitano, 12/9/09

Sunday Grab Bag

Architecture / Design. (pic via Deluxearch)
Modern Minimalist Green House Design
Creative and Unusual Bookshelves
Seaside Secret: Simple Shack See-Through Beach House
Hilltop Residence, California by Bruce Bolander

Cars.
Forget the Towncar: 3-Seat 1970 Lamborghini Espada
2010 Hyundai Tucson Test Drive — Solid Crossover, But Good Enough To Topple Competition?

Liberty / Govt.
THAT Explanation Fails
Yet More Aid To Dependent Dictators
Tocqueville’s Predicted “Soft Despotism”

Style.
Sleevehead: In defense of ready to wear
Free & Easy, The Garment Tweed
For Designer Jeans, Preshrunk Prices - NYTimes.com

Shoes.
My New Alfred Sargent Shoes - Ask Andy FORUMS
Alden Shoes – Plaza Cap Toe Boot Restock
This Just In: Wolverine at Scoop: The GQ Eye
colette x Timberland 6″ Boots

Animals.
Think Koalas Are Cute? Thank Eucalyptus and Evolution
6 Animals That Show Mother Nature’s Sense of Humor
Finley the Golden Retriever - Daily Puppy
Holly the Bernese Mountain Dog - Daily Puppy

Photography.
The Frame: Holiday lights
Snowy scenes - The Big Picture

Computers.
10 Youtube URL Tricks You Should Know About

Travel.
The View from the Seven Highest Mountain Passes on Earth
Boeing’s 787 Is As Innovative Inside As Outside

Misc.
The 10 Most Innovative Viral Video Ads of 2009
The Top Internet Memes of 2009
Behind The Wheel: 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata
Restoring James Bond

Venezuela's Chavez Sets His Sights On Cars

Scary.

How to Ruin an Economy 101: "The populist leader has threatened to expropriate Toyota Motor Corp.’s local assembly plant if the Japanese car maker doesn’t produce more vehicles designed for rural areas and transfer new technologies and manufacturing methods to its local unit. He said other car companies were also guilty of not transferring enough technology, mentioning Fiat SpA of Italy, which controls Chrysler Group LLC, and General Motors Co."

Wristwatch Updates: Dufour, PloProf, SEALs, & More!

I still love that PloProf, and the Dufour is a dream watch. (pic via Gear Patrol)

TimeZone: Independent Horology: The wait is over – the landing of Simplicity! (Warning: long post): "More than four years in waiting! So far in my life I don’t remember I have waited for anything else longer than that, even my ... Well, it is over now, and I think you understand how excited I am. My apology for the long post. To skip my helpless ranting, just go to the last part for pictures of the watch."

Omega Ploprof 1200 - Gear Patrol: "The official name of this strange watch was the Seamaster 600. The working name, given by Omega’s design team, was “Ploprof,” short for Plongeurs Professionnels (French for “professional diver”). The watch didn’t have a long run – the design was overkill for recreational divers and the cost, even back then, was prohibitive."

Navy SEALs Test Jaeger-LeCoultre in the Field - WatchTime.com: "Among the SEALs performing the capabilities demonstration, including fastroping, a sniper demonstration, and a hostage rescue, were two individuals who are currently testing and evaluating the newest addition to the Jaeger-LeCoultre diving line: the Master Compressor Diving Alarm Navy SEALs. As part of this program, these U.S. Navy SEALs will be wearing the watch during their deployments and operations around the world, gathering performance information about the watch in an operational environment."

TimeZone: Public Forum: New addition '' The originals".....: "Zenith new vintage 1969; a tribute to the el primero caliber launched in 1969. This one is the SS version limited to 500.Wish every body Merry Christmass and happy holidays."

Additional links:
Hourtime Podcast: The Lair of the White Watch
Restoring a Heuer Monaco PVD - Calibre 11
Spring Drive - Seiko Watches
SeiyaJapan: Seiko Military watch for RAF
SHIZUKUISHI WATCH STUDIO
Richard Mille RM 022 Tourbillon "Aerodyne" Dual Time Zone
Decoration of watches and movements - Engraving: an endangered art?
Gronefeld GMT06 Tourbillon Minute Repeater Exposed!
Speedmaster Professional 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Reviewed
TimeZone: My Watch Book choices of 2009

Fountain Pens & Writing Updates ...

Lots of great stuff.

PenGallery Blog - Parker Duofold Limited Edition Tiger Makie Fountain Pen: "From India to Siberia, the Tiger is a universally an Asian symbol of strength, beauty and mystique. It is the King of the animal kingdom. A creature so revered it has attained a deity-like status. Captured in the exquisite lacquer art form of Makie, this limited edition Parker Duofold is a truly fitting tribute to this magnificent creature. This special limited edition is issued in conjunction with 2010 which is happen to be the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac calendar and it is limited to 88 pieces only."

Waterman Havana Ink Review - Without Ink: "Waterman Havana – This is a beautiful brown with a hint of purple. I recently inked this up in my Parker 21 Super that just returned from Ernesto Soler. He replaced the nib for me, as it was needing some love and attention when I received it."

pilot bamboo – a verdict - lady dandelion: "It is just something about the simple and original design, the frosted nib and the curve of barrel and cap. It is very different – just compare them size wise – from the über simple M90, but still share some fundamental similarities with it."

Inkyjournal: Sailor Jentle Ink Tokiwa Green (winter 2009): "Sailor brought some great colors in a limited edition for winter 2009. I never owned Sailor inks, so I was very curious. I put some Sailor Jentle Ink Tokiwa Green in my Lamy Safari (fine) and wrote this review. The pictures are made in the wonderful Dutch snow."

Additional links:
The Answer is Carbonite
Whatever: Featured Pen - Levenger True Writer
Pocket Blonde: Namiki Custom 823 Clear Demonstrator
frozen pilot m90 - lady dandelion

Saturday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via Deluxearch)
Architectural Design Of Peninsula Residence
Pier House / Gabriel Grinspum Mariana Simas
Interior of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona
Colorado Mountain Home Design is Modern Mountain-Chic!
Cher to Sell Hawaiian Home

Cars.
Winding Road - Driven: 2011 Toyota Sienna
1937 Ford Housecar
New Toyota Prius Owners Lodging Brake Failure Complaints
Behind The Wheel: 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata

Liberty / Govt.
Big Government - New Spitzer Hypocrisy In AIG Case

Climate.
Eco-Hypocrites II - John Stossel
Build-A-Bear uses Santa Claus to frighten children about climate change (more)
History of climate gets 'erased' online

Fountain Pens / Watches.
Pen Addict: Review: Pentel Hybrid Gel 0.7mm
Parker Duofold China 60th Anniversary Limited Edition Fountain Pen
frozen pilot m90 - lady dandelion
Green Mystery Ink Review - Without Ink
J Herbin Eclat De Saphir Ink Review - Without Ink

Gadgets.
Yamaha YHT-S400 Home Theater System - Gear Patrol
For Sale: 'Lost In Space' Robot Replicas : NPR
Apple Orders 40 Million Five Megapixel iPhone Cameras

Misc.
Scoring in Cherry Creek: The Art of Shaving
The saintly spirit of Father Christmas - Telegraph
Stack your immune system
oobject - Vintage Lunch Boxes
Schneier on Security: Intercepting Predator Video

The Hubris of Healthcare Legislation

An excellent, perhaps classic, column from Dr. Boudreaux. Well-worth the time to read.

A bridge too far - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Our world is full of complexities that defy human engineering. Can Congress engineer winter snow so that it never again falls on Minnesota? Can it engineer human romance so that none of us ever again suffers a broken heart? Of course not. Any attempts that Congress might make to do so would be correctly read as arrogance of the highest and most hazardous sort. Attempts to consciously redesign the health care industry are equally hubristic and hazardous. That industry is one of billions of unique, often personal, relationships, each of which is part of countless long chains of efforts to transform raw materials and human effort into life-improving and life-saving drugs and treatments."

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, and God Bless!!

It's been an interesting year, thanks to all my readers and commenters!

ObamaCare Updates: Singapore, Constitution, and More

If they can argue that ObamaCare is Constitutional, is there literally anything that isn't? 1984, we are here. (pic via CNS News)

Rep. Stupak: White House Pressuring Me to Keep Quiet on Abortion Language in Senate Health Bill: "(CNSNews.com) - Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said the White House and the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives have been pressuring him not to speak out on the 'compromise' abortion language in the Senate version of the health care bill."

The Singapore Alternative - John Stossel: "I pointed out on my show last week that health “reform” that gives people more health insurance will only raise health care costs. Insurance itself is the problem. When people don't spend their own money, they don't care what health care costs. One solution is health saving accounts, or HSAs, in which people spend their own money for routine treatment (HSAs provide insurance for catastrophic health problems). Since Whole Foods adopted that policy in 2003, costs haven't risen -- and employees say they are happy with their coverage. The country of Singapore is another success story. Singaporeans have universal healthcare, but their system is unique in that it runs on, essentially, the HSA model."

There Ain’t No Such Thing As a Free Lumpectomy - Reason Magazine: "This week Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid declared that his chamber’s health care bill “demands for the first time in American history that good health will not depend on great wealth.” Reid said the legislation “acknowledges, finally, that health care is a fundamental right—a human right—and not just a privilege for the most fortunate.”"

Obama’s Truthiness - John Stossel: "Today's Washington Post has an interview with President Obama that doesn't question any of his answers. Take what he says about the health care bill bulldozing towards its Christmas Eve vote:"

A Surprise in the Health Care Bill - John Stossel: "Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) pointed out some rather astounding language in the Senate health care bill ... the Reid bill declares on page 1020 that the Independent Medicare Advisory Board cannot be repealed by future Congresses: ... 'It shall not be in order in the senate or the house of representatives to consider any bill, resolution, amendment, or conference report that would repeal or otherwise change this subsection.'"

Obamacare and the Legacy of Progressivism - The Freeman - Ideas On Liberty: "The suspense is over and it is inevitable that the monstrous medical care bill will become law. There is no way to sanitize this thing, period. It is the ultimate “Progressivist” legacy. Paul Krugman, perhaps the most visible “Progressive” today, supports this bill because it vastly expands the scope of the state in our lives. Like most “Progressives,” Krugman believes many things about a state controlled by people he supports. Among the “Progressive” beliefs are ..."

Dropping the Bomb on Health Care by Peter Schiff: "While ramming their new legislation through Congress, the Democrats have taken great pains to point out that they do not intend to "socialize medicine." But make no mistake, that's where we're headed. Even if some naïve centrists believe that their efforts have denied the Left a total victory, the practical implications of the current legislation sow the seeds for complete capitulation."

Additional links:
Health care bill’s hidden tax on pain relievers, Pedialyte, and prenatal vitamins
Several prosecutors probing health care deal - msnbc.com

Liberty & Govt. at Work: Boudreaux, Stossel, & More

Stay vigilant.

America Under Barack Obama by John W. Whitehead: "John W. Whitehead: When Barack Obama was a U.S. Senator in 2005, he introduced a bill to limit the Patriot Act. Now that he is president, he has endorsed the Patriot Act as is. What do you think happened with Obama? Nat Hentoff: I try to avoid hyperbole, but I think Obama is possibly the most dangerous and destructive president we have ever had."

Yet More Aid To Dependent Dictators by Bill Walker: "On December 16 President Obama signed the omnibus appropriations bill. It included H.R. 3081, a doubling of foreign aid from pre-Obama times, to 48.764 billion dollars. By comparison official US foreign aid in 2006 totaled less than 23 billion dollars. This is all money which the US has to borrow from foreign taxpayers, as the US is 12.1 trillion in debt (not counting Social Security, Medicare, or prescription drug benefit obligations. Those are estimated by the head of the Dallas tentacle of the Federal Reserve to put the real total debt over 100 trillion. )"

A bridge too far - By Donald J. Boudreaux: "Modern standards for decent and sensible behavior by politicians are pathetically low. The same actions that would get any executive in the private sector fired (and perhaps sued) are routinely overlooked, even excused, when committed by politicians. Case in point: When interviewed about health care legislation a few weeks ago on a local Washington, D.C., radio station, revered CBS newsman Bob Schieffer observed that 'none of the senators really knows what's in the health-care bill they're debating.' Mr. Schieffer then immediately excused the senators' ignorance by pointing out that 'the problem they're tackling is very complicated.'"

Misc.
Poppycock – Maybe I Should Start a Company Selling the “Ba-Rock”
Now They’ll Tax Your Tan - John Stossel
Twas the Night Before Stimulus - The Unbroken Window

Thursday Grab Bag

Architecture.
The Apartment House by Formwerkz Architects
Contemporary Wood Block Residence

Science.
Dec. 23, 1947: Transistor Opens Door to Digital Future

Fountain Pens / Writing.
PenGallery Blog - Cartier Pens – New Arrivals
J Herbin Eclat De Saphir Ink Review - Without Ink
Lamy Safari Review - Fountain Pen Network
Lamy 2000 Review (myu701)

Watches.
TAG HEUER - How a twist can bend a story out of shape
Re: Controversy About the New TAG-Heuer Mvmnt: Cal 1887
Building Toward My Christmas Present--modem burner
Parmigiani Will Use Bubbles To Prevent Watch Replicas
5 Signs of a Quality Watch - The Art of Manliness
Weird Watch Wednesday: BR 01-92 Radar

Food.
Brace Yourself for Williamsburg Moonshine

Finance.
5 Things to Know About Repaying Student Loans

Economics.
President plans another (misguided) stimulus rush

Computers.
5 Google Chrome Extensions That Could Finally Make Me Switch From Firefox

Liberty / Govt.
Another reason not to buy a GM car
Spending earmark sends $100,000 grant to wrong coast

Style.
Best cuff links, slideshow - GQ.com
Marc Guyot: Progressive historicism from head to toe
A Look Inside Kiton and Turbull & Asser
Steve McQueen - What’ll it be today… Jaguar XKSS or AC Cobra
Express Comment :: Monocles are back in fashion gentlemen

Shoes / Boots.
Alden Shoes – Unlined Flex PTB in Shell Cordovan
Leffot Blog - Asquith & Ecton
Alden Shoes – 6 Eyelet Chukka in Shell Cordovan
John Lobb Limited Edition 2009 at Sybarites

Photography.
Inside the Secret Service - Photo Gallery, 17 Pictures - LIFE

Misc.
Howard Hughes - Wings of Desire - Black Watch
18 Super Shipping Container School and Hotel Designs
Women worse at parking than men, study shows - Telegraph
Does cold weather REALLY make arthritis worse?
Christmas lights powered by lightning

Poor Education Is Due To Being Underfunded, Right?

I have lost track of the number of times on the least 10 plus years I've been told or read that the ills of American (primarily urban) primary and secondary education are due to:

• public schools being allegedly underfunded
• lack of black faculty/management (teachers, principals, school board members, etc.)
• poor teacher pay
• large class sizes
  

Walter Williams smashes these "truths" with some inconvenient facts. A brief and VERY good read.

Walter E. Williams - Black Education: "Detroit's (predominantly black) public schools are the worst in the nation and it takes some doing to be worse than Washington, D.C. Only 3 percent of Detroit's fourth-graders scored proficient on the most recent National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) test, sometimes called 'The Nation's Report Card.' Twenty-eight percent scored basic and 69 percent below basic. 'Below basic' is the NAEP category when students are unable to demonstrate even partial mastery of knowledge and skills fundamental for proficient work at their grade level. It's the same story for Detroit's eighth-graders. Four percent scored proficient, 18 percent basic and 77 percent below basic."

Liberty & Govt. at Work: Reid's Gambit, Non-Persons, & More

The Supreme Court story from Dr. Higgs is truly unsettling. Only slightly less unsettling, is the Reid move to prevent ObamaCare from ever being repealed.

The Supreme Court Has Spoken: You Have No Rights - The Beacon: "Do you believe that the government of the United States considers itself obliged by law to respect anyone’s rights? You are wrong. Read Chris Floyd’s article on a recent Supreme Court decision to let a lower court’s ruling stand, and weep your bitterest tears. If you count yourself among those who believe that this country stands for something better than the historical norm of tyranny and savagery, consider yourself as having made a grievous mistake. In truth, any “constitutionally protected rights” you are now exercising exist solely at the pleasure and convenience of the rulers."

Provision Could Prevent Repeal of Healthcare Regulations - The Freeman: "Reid has slipped in a provision into the health care legislation prohibiting future Congresses from changing any regulations imposed on Americans by the Independent Medicare [note: originally referred to as 'medical'] Advisory Boards, which are commonly called the ‘Death Panels.’"

Dodd Gets $100 Million Earmark in Senate Bill - The Freeman: "A $100 million item for construction of a university hospital was inserted in the Senate health care bill at the request of Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., who faces a difficult re-election campaign, his office said Sunday night."

Congressman Ron Paul - Iran Sanctions are Precursor to War: "Last week the House overwhelmingly approved a measure to put a new round of sanctions on Iran. If this measure passes the Senate, the United States could no longer do business with anyone who sold refined petroleum products to Iran or helped them develop their ability to refine their own petroleum. The sad thing is that many of my colleagues voted for this measure because they felt it would deflect a military engagement with Iran. I would put the question to them, how would Congress react if another government threatened our critical trading partners in this way? Would we not view it as asking for war?"

TARP Funding Followed Lobbyists, Report Says - The Freeman: "U.S. banks that spent more money on lobbying were more likely to get government bailout money, according to a study released on Monday. Banks whose executives served on Federal Reserve boards were more likely to receive government bailout funds from the Troubled Asset Relief Program"

Additional links:
New U.S. L-3 Spy Plane Due in Afghanistan by Christmas
Fed Up With Karzai? Try Zardari by Eric Margolis

Wednesday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via Coolboom)
Sumaré House - CoolBoom
Blair Residence by Bruce Bolander Architect
Frank Lloyd Wright, Beth Sholom and Rabbi Mortimer J. Cohen
Dezeen - Haus Elise by Synn Architekten

Cars.
The Green Cars Named Desire
List: The Ten Most Beautiful Cars Of The Decade
Audi S3 Black Performance Edition with 337HP
Chrysler Prepping Rebadged Lancia For Detroit Unveil
Aston Martin One-77 closes in on being fastest car in marque's history, breaks 220 mph

Style.
10engines: hoggs of fife -2
Tie By Tie 5 (The Pin Dot Staples)
It's Time to Ditch the Black Tuxedo: Details
Cold Weather Style Advice for Men - Esquire
The Man Who Makes the Perfect Tie: GQ

Shoes.
Blackbird x Alden Black Sheep Squadron Shoe
Frye Dakota Mid Lace Boot - Gear Patrol
Dr. Martens Red Pack - Highsnobiety.com

Sports.
Michael Schumacher Would Give Formula 1 a Boost - WSJ.com

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Review: Diamine Turquoise Fountain Pen Ink
Montblanc Royal Blue Ink Review - Without Ink
Montblanc Meisterstuck 82 Review (myu701)
Guest post #2: My obsession with the Parker Vacumatic

Computers.
LogMeIn Express: Quick and Painless Screen Sharing
Apple Not Liable For Plagued iMac Screens, Updates Firmware Anyway

Travel.
The Santa Fe Super Chief - A Continuous Lean
Best Train Trips for Beginners in the U.S. and Canada

Watches.
Big Book: Masters of Contemporary Watchmaking
FORTIS Swiss Watches
Grönefeld Boutique Grand Opening Declared A Success!
Custom free-Sprung balance on RGM Calibre 801
Richard Mille RM011 Ti Americas White Limited Edition
TAG Heuer Calibre 1887- Update - Calibre 11

Gadgets.
The Roddler - Uncrate
A Robot Buddy for Your Bicycle-Built-For-Two
13 Extreme Kids' Playhouses [pics]
Dog Collar Bottle Opener - Bark4Beer.com
Winter 2009 Gift Guide: Under $15 - Dismembered Gingerbread

Economics.
Collusion Against Our Youth by Dr. Walter Williams

Misc.
The World's Best Places to Live 2009 - BusinessWeek
Starbucks readies new rewards program
Annoying Facebook Friends and Profiles: GQ
BBC News - 'Bumper year' for botanical finds
Things a Man Should Not Know... - Esquire