Sunday Grab Bag

Architecture.
Lexus says the modern house is natural
Shoal Bay House by Parsonson Architects
Ultramodern Home has 100 Windows with an Ocean View

Chile Earthquake.
Tsunami Quiz - Nat. Geo.
Earthquake in Chile - The Big Picture - Boston.com
Chile Earthquake: Twitter Pictures Tell the Story [PHOTOS]

Computers.
Raft Wars – A Fun Pirate Turn-Based Shooter Time-Waster
Review: Alienware Aurora ALX

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Skyliners, Art Deco For Your Hand
La Plume Etoile - Diplomat Excellence B

Watches.
TimeZone: Public Forum: The "itch scratcher"...
Solebox x Sinn U2 Diver Watch - Highsnobiety.com
I asked about which one to pick between the Deapsea and GMT-IIc

Style.
nixwilliams: VICTORY IS MINE

Gadgets.
Exclusive: First Windows Phone 7 Series partner device unveiled (with video!)

Misc.
Tool Obsession - Hilti of Liechtenstein
Massive head of pharaoh unearthed in Egypt
8 Online Guides To The Best And Worst Movies Of All Time

Today's Quotes: C.S. Lewis, Stalin, Ron Paul, & More

Left-wing politicians take away your liberty in the name of children and of
fighting poverty, while right-wing politicians do it in the name of family
values and fighting drugs. Either way, government gets bigger and you become
less free.
-- Harry Browne

Whoever prefers life to death, happiness to suffering, well-being to misery
must defend without compromise private ownership in the means of production.
-- Ludwig von Mises

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the
most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent
moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity
may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will
torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-- C.S. Lewis

Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns;
why should we let them have ideas?
-- Joseph Stalin

Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA – ordinary
citizens don’t need guns, as their having guns doesn’t serve the State.
-- Heinrich Himmler

The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washingto
are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars,
while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people.
-- Ron Paul

Fundamentally, there are only two ways of coordinating the economic activities
of millions. One is central direction involving the use of coercion – the
technique of the army and of the modern totalitarian state. The other is voluntary
cooperation of individuals – the technique of the marketplace.
-- Milton Friedman

Saturday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via Contemporist)
The Cooper Residence by Randy Weinstein
Houseboat? Hah! Buy a Full Floating Cabin!
The Ross Street House by Richard Wittschiebe Hand
Hollywood's Historic Buildings - Smithsonian
Timberline Lodge Winter House in Oregon
VitraHaus Interior - CoolBoom
Great Man Cave Designs - Styleture.com

Cars.
Triumph Daytona 675 2010 Special Edition
GM’s Volt to Fire Up Engine Automatically to Keep Fuel Fresh
Silent EVs Cause Industry to Ponder NVH Issues
Renault Wind - SwipeLife
Review: Lexus GS450h uses electrons for fun
630 hp, movie-bound “Firebreather” Camaro unveiled!

Style.
Off the Cuff: Jack's New Bag, Courtesy of Ralph Lauren

Shoes / Boots.
Now Accessorizing - Give Him the Boot

Food.
Searching for Hanoi's Ultimate Pho - Smithsonian
New Spring Beverage: The Cherries Are In Bloom!

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Greg Minuskin
Track Your Health in Moleskine Style
Newhaven has Competition for Parker Pen Archives
Review: J. Herbin Bleu Myosotis Fountain Pen Ink
Rhodia pad bloc No.12 review notepad - Force de Frappe
Pages from Jim Woodring's Moleskine sketchbook

Computers.
The Personal Computer Museum
Haleron's 7-inch iLet Mini HAL costs $199, ships March 1
Top 5 Windows 7 Themes You Might Want To Try

Animals.
Birth of a Ninja Turtle [PIC]
Good Thing They Have Their Looks… (more, more, & more)

Healthcare.
At summit, Obama mostly hears Obama
Countdown to Health Insurance Nationalization

Economics.
Trade Barriers: The Next Step to Entrench Recession

Photography.
Peeking behind the Iron Curtain, 1953…
The Frame: Thrills and spills
Pentax Optio W90 Ruggedized Compact Camera

Global Warming.
Inhofe Wants Criminal Investigation of Al Gore and Other Global Warmists

Misc.
Petra sets record, sells diamond for $35 million
Missile Base Properties for Sale
A bit of evil goes a long way: Black Sheep & Prodigal Sons
Dangerous Toys - 5 Banned Games - Popular Mechanics
How American Idol Stars Suck On TV Fame For $1 Million Payoff
Vampires, Werewolves, Zombies: Compendium Monstrum

Warby Parker - Like Netflix For Eyeglasses

At least that's how I saw them (Warby Parker) recently described. They'll apparently mail you frames to try on before ordering ones you like. Then just send them your Rx and you're good to go. The best part? You can even buy a monocle!! ;-)

Warby Parker - Our Story: "Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: to create boutique-quality, classically crafted eyewear at a revolutionary price point. A collaboration between four close friends, Warby Parker was conceived as an alternative to the overpriced and bland eyewear available today. Prescription eyewear simply should not cost $300 . The industry is controlled by a few large companies that have kept prices artificially high, reaping huge profits from consumers who have no other options. By circumventing traditional channels and engaging with our customers directly through our website, Warby Parker is able to provide higher-quality, better looking prescription eyewear for under $100. We meticulously crafted our first collection of 27 limited run styles, plus one monocle, using only the finest custom acetates and materials. The Warby Parker aesthetic is vintage-inspired, with a fashion forward twist - and every pair is custom fit with anti-reflective, polycarbonate prescription lenses. Available exclusively through the Warby Parker website, our glasses retail for $95."

Illegal Drug Stamps; You Need 'Em?!

This is almost too much to believe.

Atlas, Shrugging - The Beacon: "Then I ran across this article about government-required stamps that must be placed on illegal drugs. About 20 states have such laws. They don’t expect sellers of illegal drugs to buy the stamps; it just means that when they are caught that’s one more law they violated. These are just three examples of the way that laws are written so that everybody violates laws every day. They reminded me of a passage in Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged where Dr. Ferris from the State Science Institute is talking to Hank Reardon about his illegal sales of his metal. Ferris says,

“Did you really think we wanted those laws to be observed? We want them broken. … We’re after power and we mean it. … There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.”"

Today's Quotes: Bastiat, Friedman, and von Mises

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the
world. But how is... legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the
law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other
persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at
the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without
committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay ... If such a law
is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a
system.
-- Frederic Bastiat

The great virtue of a free market system is that it does not care what color
people are; it does not care what their religion is; it only cares whether
they can produce something you want to buy. It is the most effective system
we have discovered to enable people who hate one another to deal with one
another and help one another.
-- Milton Friedman

When one gets in bed with government, one must expect the diseases it spreads.
-- Congressman Ron Paul

The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad
governments. The state can be and has often been in the course of history
the main source of mischief and disaster.
-- Ludwig von Mises

Friday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via WD)
Cool Bridges - 16 Famous Bridges
The Glenwood Residence by Wernerfield
Stacked Houses in Germany
MO HOUSE
Edge House in Norway by Jarmund/Vigsnæs

Style.
Here's what a year on AskAndy has done to me...
Gentlemen ... introduce me ... to the monk strap!
In Italy's Mills, a New Spin - WSJ.com
TRENCH COAT MAFIA - ICONIC OUTERWEAR THAT’S ALWAYS IN STYLE
Introducing the Indochino Tailor’s Kit

Shoes / Boots.
Best Oxford shoes - By GQ
Best Brogues - By GQ
Pike's Peaker: 1900
Leffot Blog - Church’s, Inside The Walls

Cars.
War On Two Wheels: The Motorcycles of WWII
Iconic 1953 Maserati A6 GCS Spyder For Sale

Animals.
Hero Dog (Blue Heeler) Keeps Lost Girl Alive (more here & here)
Ancient Horned Crocodile Found—Ate Early Humans?
Jaguar Cub: Jordan Zoo's Newest Joy - ZooBorns
Baby Girl Otter Slideshow - Cute Otters

Fountain Pens / Writing.
The impossible takes a little longer
BBC News - India court snub for luxury Gandhi pen
Inkyjournal: Montblanc White Forest (ink review)

Watches.
TimeZone: Public Forum: Vanilla 'Strela' ...
12 Stylish and Creative Wall Clocks
Seiko Ananta Spring Drive GMT SNR019 Grail Unveiling!
Panerai Luminor 1950 10 Days GMT Ceramica – 44 mm
UTS Adventure Power Reserve Watch With Breguet-Like Inspiration
Baselworld 2010: Oris Col Moschin Special Forces Watch
Ulysse Nardin El Toro. Technically Advanced? Yes.
Seiko: I've had my eye on the Citizen JY0000-53E
Pre-BASEL 2010 – Raymond Weil Nabucco Va Pensiero
Original Luminor Chronograph: Only 500 Made, No Date, And A Zenith El Primero Movement
YouTube - [SIHH2010] Montblanc's metamorphosis

Travel.
CityCenter in Sin City - The Strip! (many photos)
French Reviera: Old World Charm - Luxury Insider
Benetti Silver Angel Yacht - Luxury Insider
How to Buy Yourself More Elbow Room in Coach - WSJ.com

Photography.
The Frame: Daily life in Pakistan and Afghanistan

Healthcare.
Hands off my Meds - John Stossel
Beware Excessive and Unreasonable Power

Food.
The Glenrothes Whisky - Cool Material
The Stew: Top 10 at 10: Mispronounced foodie words
The Descending Wine Course: Wine Cocktails: GQ

Computers.
How Can I Ditch Cable and Watch My TV Shows and Movies Online?
Use LogMeIn and VNC Software for Remote Computing Power

Education.
College Education, Good Jobs: Why Degrees Are Overrated - TIME

Gadgets.
Wenger Knife – Alinghi SUI1
Big Screw Bottle Opener
Gloves with LEDs in them. You know whether you need these or not
Opera Camper - Uncrate

Finance.
The 12 Biggest Ripoffs in America
The Future of Money: It’s Flexible, Frictionless and (Almost) Free

Union Shenanigans.
Impossible-to-fire Teachers - John Stossel

Misc.
Character Actors
Vibram Five Fingers KSO (Keep Stuff Out) - the Definitive Guide

Liberty & Govt. At Work: Libertarian Celebs, Congress, Pelosi, & More

Obama is starting to look and act more like Castro and Chavez every week (see FBI/Toyota). Very scary business. This loan foreclosure review story would I think have to be completely unconstitutional, in addition to just being a bad idea from a practical perspective. And I had no idea there were so many libertarian public figures, good to know. (ht: Dr. Newmark)

Libertarian Celebrities & VIPs: "Those appearing on this list are outstanding leaders in their fields who have identified themselves as libertarians. (Some supporters or sympathizers of libertarian ideas who haven't made this libertarian self-identification are listed in our 'Friends of Libertarianism' section.)"

Obama May Prohibit Home-Loan Foreclosures Without HAMP Review - Bloomberg.com: "(Bloomberg) -- The Obama administration may expand efforts to ease the housing crisis by banning all foreclosures on home loans unless they have been screened and rejected by the government’s Home Affordable Modification Program."

A Contemptible Congress and a Derelict Court by Walter Williams: "What can Congress do that the Supreme Court would find unconstitutional? Or, what can Congress do that a president would veto as unconstitutional? It is not much exaggeration to say that Congress can do whatever it can muster a majority vote for, whether it is constitutional or not. The members only have to worry about political fallout."

Additional links:
Pelosi’s Openly Fraudulent Statement
Let’s Hope that Joe Biden’s Prayers are Answered…. Ooops, Too Late
More On My Public Sector Fat Cat Obsession
Guards suspended over posting about prisoner abuse on Facebook
Fired Brockton cop accused of stealing from motorists he pulled over

Thursday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via Contemporist)
La Finca 4 House in Somosaguas by A-cero
Modern House Inspired by Medieval Castles
Rolex Learning Center Opens in Lausanne
Jasmine's Cove, Estate of the Day
Vista al Mar, Estate of the Day

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Pilot Precise V5 RT - PenReview.com (more)
Review : Parker Premier Silver ST Fountain Pen
Review: Pentel Hybrid Gel Grip DX Craft Pen 1.0mm Metallic Red
Notebook Review: Daycraft Signature Notebook
Swedish Feather Letter

Gadgets.
The Unused Cellphone App: 'Calling' - WSJ.com

Travel.
Official Jessica Watson Blog
Finding Great Food Options For Business Travelers

Union Shenanigans.
Less Than 15% Is A Majority? - The Unbroken Window

Style.
Wurkin Stiffs Knotz Cufflinks
Tiger's Other Problem: The GQ Eye

Shoes / Boots.
Leffot Blog - Leffot’s “Exclusive J.C. Indy Boots”
Shoes That Make A Man: Essential Footwear For The Working Stiff
From firefighters to the style-inclined: White’s Boots, handmade for all aspects of life
The Official Blog of Allen Edmond's CEO, Paul Grangaard

Global Warming.
Global Warming Update - Walter E. Williams
The Natural Aristocrat: Climate Change: Simple Science

Peak Oil.
For oil, tap ingenuity - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Aviation.
Photos of U.S. Military Presence in Haiti - Haiti Gallery
The 'Boneyard,' World's Biggest Plane Cemetery, Revealed By Google Earth (PHOTOS)
The Luftwaffe’s Flying Wing - Air & Space Magazine
Head Skunk - Air & Space Magazine
The Telescope-Toting 747 That Sees More than Hubble

Watches.
Resco Instruments Patriot Watch
Omega Speedmaster Professional – Cult Classics on Wednesday Watch

Lost.
'Lost': 10 Who Could Be 'Jacob'
'Lost' recap: Mirror Image - Totally 'Lost' Recap

Cars.
List: Our Ten Favorite Outrageous Limousines
Winding Road - List: 2010 Formula 1 Preview
BMW S1000RR Superbike 14,000 RPM Engine Video
BaT Exclusive: 1958 Willys Jeep FC150 Project
10 Aston Martin One-77 Supercars Sold to Single Buyer for $23 Million

Computers.
Sony VAIO VPC-Z116GXS - At A Glance
BioShock 2, the rare video-game sequel that builds on the original
5 Awesome Tips To Improve Your Google Buzz Experience

Science.
New lithium-ion battery could last 20 years

Economics.
Daniel Hannan Is No ‘Dumbo’ When It Comes to Economics…
Here's Why Government Stimulus Does Not Work - The Atlantic
Must We Live in Long-Term Recession? - The Freeman
The Poverty of Stimulus - Project Syndicate

Education.
UConn Needs To Show Some Financial Restraint

Animals.
Rock the German Shepherd - Daily Puppy
Beauty the Labrador Retriever - Daily Puppy
Mattel taps into social media craze with Puppy Tweets
Heroic labrador awarded animals' Victoria Cross
Endangered Tree Kangaroo Emerges from Her Pouch
Throwing a Cocktail Party Around Her is Risky Business
Wrong Order, But do They Come with Fries?
SeaWorld Trainer Killed By Whale ID'd

Photography.
Recent scenes from Indonesia - The Big Picture
The Most Accurate, Highest Resolution Earth View to Date - NASA
The Crusade For Color Photography - The Picture Show Blog : NPR
Lomo goes instant with LC-A Instant Back
Pentax finally makes its W90 rugged and waterproof camera official
Photography by Katarina Stefanovic

Misc.
‘American Idol’ Winners Collect Big Bucks as Well as Fame
22 Trees Growing Around Objects ~ Now That's Nifty
Photos of U.S. Military Presence in Haiti - Haiti Gallery
ThinkGeek :: The Time Travelers' Handbook
10 Things Your Spa Won't Tell You at SmartMoney.com
Gemfields discovers 6,225-carat 'elephant' emerald in Zambia

Wristwatch Updates: Orient, Audemars Piguet, & More

TZ has a new Dive Watch forum. And see the links about Orient Watches, a division of Seiko and manufacture of true in-house movements. I love this and this. (pic via Orient)

Orient Watches.
Orient – mechanical magnitude
Orient Star Classic Rose Gold WZ0031DE. Pictoral Review
Review: Orient Star 200m Air Diver ( WZ0371FD)
Review of Orient Star Classic WZ0121FD

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Grand Prix Watches - aBlogtoRead: "It all starts with Audemars Piguet's proprietary forged carbon technology. I must admit that I was very skeptical about this material when it was first announced a couple of years ago. Not carbon fiber, forged fiber was a special way of compressing carbon into defined shapes and using them as case materials. It took a while for Audemars Piguet to get it right, but the current result is something that sold me"

Weird Watch Wednesday: The Rebellion Predator - The Watch Lounge: "Like all good race cars, however, the Predator is more than just a pretty face. Animated by an automatic RE-1 calibre with a 50-hour power reserve this new piece makes the formidable technical mastery of the double sectorial seconds hand at 9 o’clock seem easy. If you take a closer look at the dial you will see that the shorter hand indicates 0 to 30 seconds, with the longer one taking over for 30 to 60 seconds."

Baselworld 2010: Ladoire RGT Punk Rock - Perpetuelle: "The watch you see here is the “RGT Punk Rock” by Ladoire Genève. It was first shown at the 2010 Geneva Time Exhibition and will be on display at Baselworld 2010. Many of you will not “get” this watch. And I don’t mean “get” as in purchase (although you won’t do this either), but as in understand or appreciate the watch. This because it is unconventional in almost every way ..."

12 Faces of Time Book Review: "This is not only a book about watches. This is a book about the faces behind the watches made by horological master minds Philippe Dufour, Paul Gerber, Dr. Ludwig Oechslin, FP Journe, Kenji Shiohara, Kari Voutilainen, Vianney Halter, Beat Haldimann, Volker Vyskocil, Thomas Prescher, Roger Smith and Felix Baumgartner."

Additional links:
Seiko 6138-8039 - Seiko Champion
Watchmaker threatens its rivals’ claims to be Swiss
Pics of my Latest; a Tourby pilot watch
The Xetum Tyndall: A High-Powered And High-Design Timepiece For People Who Care
Pre-BASEL 2010 – Faberge Agathon M1131
Swatch move could force watchmakers to turn to Asia

Liberty & Govt. At Work: Toyota, London Moats, Dogs, & More

Can we afford and do we really need a new USD $1Bn London embassy, and surrounded by a moat?! The Toyota story takes an even more unsettling turn, this sounds like something we could expect from Hugo Chavez.

BREAKING: FBI Raids Three Toyota Suppliers In Detroit - Toyota Recall - Jalopnik: "While Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda sits answering questions on Capitol Hill, the FBI confirmed with us they raided the offices of three Toyota suppliers in Metro Detroit for documents related to antitrust violations."

US diplomats add a moat to their expenses at $1bn London embassy - Times Online: "The United States has unveiled plans for its new $1 billion high-security embassy in London — the most expensive it has ever built. The proposals were met with relief from both the present embassy’s Mayfair neighbours and the residents and developers of the Battersea wasteland where the vast crystalline cube, surrounded by a moat, will be built."

The Man Bites Dog-Owners - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine: "Here is what Los Angeles, the city with the highest-paid City Council in the country, is doing to close its perennial budget gap: A license for a sterilized dog costs $15. An owner with an unaltered dog has to pay $100 -- plus possibly $120 more for the breeder's license technically required for unaltered dogs. [...]"

ACORN Official: Gangster Group Will Be Bankrupt Soon But Fake Spinoff Groups Will Carry On The Corruption - Big Government: "The ACORN crime syndicate is not going away anytime soon, but it’s going to look different. ACORN will probably run out of money and fold by year’s end but a dozen ACORN state chapters reincorporated to seem like new, independent organizations will spring up in the next week to carry on ACORN’s business, a leaked email from ACORN’s online director suggests."

Obama's New Investment Tax - WSJ.com: "The White House's new health-care proposal promises the 'largest middle class tax cut for health care in history,' which is a creative way of describing a vast taxpayer-subsidized insurance entitlement. Naturally, the fine print goes on to describe one of the largest tax increases for health care in history, too."

Additional links:
Report from Snowmageddon
The Parasite Circuit - John Stossel
Wind energy job growth isn't blowing anyone away - LA Times
Obama & Dems in ‘05: 51 Vote ‘Nuclear Option’ Is ‘Arrogant’ Power Grab Against the Founders’ Intent

FDA & DEA: Who Owns You? Are You Free?

Are you really free if you don't have the freedom to put what you want in your own body? I think it's a very fair question.

Whose Body Is It? by John Stossel: "People suffer and die because the government 'protects' us. It should protect us less and respect our liberty more. The most basic questions are: Who owns you, and who should control what you put into your body? In what sense are you free if you can't decide what medicines you will take?We'll hear from people like Bruce Tower. Tower has prostate cancer. He wanted to take a drug that showed promise against his cancer, but the Food and Drug Administration would not allow it. One bureaucrat told him the government was protecting him from dangerous side effects. Tower's outraged response was: 'Side effects — who cares? Every treatment I've had I've suffered from side effects. If I'm terminal, it should be my option to endure any side effects.' Of course it should be his option. Why, in our 'free' country, do Americans meekly stand aside and let the state limit our choices, even when we are dying?"

Wednesday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via Contemporist)
Modern with a Side of Ranch by Hufft Projects
Luxury Garden Shed Designs – compact sheds

Buy Local, Right? (ht: Dr. Newmark)
The Elitism and Racism of “Local Food” and the Edible Schoolyard
Cultivating Failure - The Atlantic (January/February 2010)

Healthcare.
Canadian Press: 'My heart, my choice,' Williams says, U.S. heart surgery

Economics.
There’s No Such Thing As A Free Office Chair
Crowding Out: A Cartoon That's Making the Rounds
Your "Up-Charge" Is My Option - Jeffrey Tucker
Deathbed of Keynesian Economics Will Be in U.K. - Bloomberg.com

Food.
Why Do People Always Order Ginger Ale When They Fly?

Liberty / Govt.
Texas Secretly Gave The Blood of 800 Newborns to DNA Database
Theft as Economic Policy
Postcards from a Looter - The Unbroken Window


Education.
A Real Role Model - John Stossel

Cars.
2010 Star Stratoliner Deluxe Cruiser Test Ride Review
Man Trades In $1.6 Million Bugatti Veyron For Corvette ZR1, Doesn't Look Back

Travel.
World's Scariest Taxi Rides - Articles - Travel Leisure

Global Warming.
New Climate Agency Head Tried to Suppress Data, Critics Charge

Computers.
Exclusive: How Google’s Algorithm Rules the Web
How To Download Google Books As A PDF File [Mac]
YouTube - Net Neutrality for Dummies: Will the FCC control the Internet?

Fountain Pens / Writing.
Leuchtturm1917 Ruled Notebook Review
eleven inks - lady dandelion
scribbling with the yard-o-led - lady dandelion
Pocket Blonde: Muji Gel Ink Pen 0.5mm in Plum
Review: J. Herbin Cacao du Bresil Fountain Pen Ink
Conway Stewart Coronet Series
What is your favorite size Bloc Rhodia Pad?
Quo Vadis Blog - The Diary That Inspired William Faulkner
LvMI Pen: Black Carbon Fiber and Metal
Visconti: Palladium nib - PenAndCo blog

Style.
Welcome to the Denim Debate
What to Wear - How to wear a blazer

Shoes / Boots.
Leffot Blog - Edward Green Celebrates 120
Florsheim LWB Identification - Vintage Longwing Find!

Watches.
Pilot’s Watch: The B-UHREN - Calibre Magazine
Dive Watches: The history of the Military Dive Watch
Virtual Preview: Watches from Antiquorum NY's March Sale (modem destroyer)

Animals.
TimeZone: Hawaii snorkeling pics
Rua the Cocker Spaniel - Daily Puppy

Photography.
Sony Alpha DSLR - Uncrate
Samsung TL500 - Uncrate
Casio's EX-10HG Camera Is Bringing Its Special Indoor Geotagging

Misc.
The Ten Best Guy Films You've Never Seen: GQ
Meet the World's Strongest & Fastest Tug Boats - Popular Mechanics
Compare Amazon and eBay pricing at Q-Compare
The Present and Future of Unmanned Drone Aircraft

It's Time To Scale Back The Empire ...

It's Time To Scale Back The Empire, Waaay Back ... I don't agree w/ Buchanan on everything, but he nails this.

"U.S. has 716 U.S. bases in 38 countries ... troops are now stationed in 148 countries and 11 territories."

Liquidating the Empire by Patrick J. Buchanan: "We spend more on defense than the next 10 nations combined. Our Navy exceeds in firepower the next 13 navies combined. We have 100,000 troops in Iraq, 100,000 in Afghanistan or headed there, 28,000 in Korea, over 35,000 in Japan and 50,000 in Germany. By the Department of Defense's 'Base Structure Report,' there are 716 U.S. bases in 38 countries. Chalmers Johnson, who has written books on this subject, claims DOD is minimizing the empire. He discovered some 1,000 U.S. facilities, many of them secret and sensitive. And according to DOD's 'Active Duty Military Personnel Strengths by Regional Area and by Country,' U.S. troops are now stationed in 148 countries and 11 territories. Estimated combined budgets for the Pentagon, two wars, foreign aid to allies, 16 intelligence agencies, scores of thousands of contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our new castle-embassies: $1 trillion a year. ... It is preposterous to argue that all these bases are essential to our security."

Wristwatch Updates: Dalai Lama, Jules Verne, PVD Seikos, & More

That JLC Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication is mind-blowing. The Louis Moinet Vernoscope isn't bad either. And I love the PVD Seiko Auto Diver mod. (pic via ABlogToRead)

SIHH 2010: The Master Grande Tradition Grande Complication: An Ode to Poetry: "As said above, this dial is gives you an exact location of the stars above your head, but also the sidereal time, and the solar time, represented by the flying tourbillon ( sidereal time ) and the small sun (solar time ). As the tourbillon gives you the sidereal time ( a sidereal day being 23 h 56 minutes and 4 seconds ), it makes one turn of the dial faster than the sun."

Louis Moinet Vernoscope With Jules Verne Instrument Watches - aBlogtoRead: "Steampunk fans rejoice. This artistic item of display is the new Louis Moinet Vernoscope. Meant to celebrate the popularity of the Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument watch collection. I think the watches were a bit of a surprise hit, but they are really cool. And by the way, I have an in-depth review of a Louis Moinet Jules Verne Instrument watch coming up soon. The Vernoscope was recently unveiled at the Maison d'Ailleurs (House of Elsewhere), a Swiss sci-fi museum. They have some interesting Jules Verne items there, and Louis Moinet has donated the first prototype Vernoscope to the museum."

SKX007 "Pro Hunter" (lots of pics!) - Watchuseek: "Hello all, new member here. I joined because I just recieved my first custom watch, an SKX007 I had modded with a black case, crown and bezel, and a custom bezel insert. Here's a couple of pics on the Nato strap that I'm usually wearing it on ..." (more)

New Book: Twelve Faces Of Time – Horological Virtuosos - The Watch Lounge: "If you’re a regular visitor to The Watch Lounge you hopefully would have realized that we are big admirers and supporters of independent luxury watchmakers. Not only are we in awe of their exceptional craftsmanship and commitment to their trade and but also of the courage and discipline required as a result of the “independent” moniker. As such, it is with great pleasure that we share with you a new book that celebrates twelve independent masters of contemporary watch-making aptly titled “Twelve Faces of Time – Horological Virtuosos”."

Which Rolex Watch Does The Dalai Lama Wear? - Rolex Watch Blog by Melrose Jewelers: "Yes, it is true. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, wears a Rolex watch, and he has worn a Rolex ever since he was a boy. The challenging question to answer is what kind of Rolex watch the Dalai Lama has worn and maintained for so many years. In the pictures of the Dalai Lama wearing the Rolex watch, only the back of the bracelet is evident."

R-L-X reviewed three 7000,00 Euro Rolex watches: "The German based R-L-X forum has a number of excellent authors aboard. One of them is Percy, also known by his initials PCS. Percy wrote a great review on three (later on four) Rolex watches that are priced just over 7000 euro in the current Rolex catalogue."

The MontBlanc Metamorphosis: Is It Cool? Kinda. Do We Want It? Not Really. Should You See It? Absolutely. - Hodinkee: "This new creation from Mont Blanc, released just last month at the SIHH, is cool, but only for cool's sake. The TimeWalker Metamorphosis is the latest in a stream of haute horology pieces from houses that were previously only producing fashion watches; this includes Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Dior."

Bargain Found! An IWC Ingenieur 3227 for 3200 Euro: "With an original list price of 5900 Euro, this 3200 Euro is a steal for such a great timepiece (I wrote a review here). A very accurate timepiece, solid construction, incredible nice finish on case and bracelet because of the combination of polished and brushed parts and in this deal, it comes with both the stainless steel bracelet and original IWC soft strap."

Some of the stuff from Orient is also impressive. Great prices, RDM, and true in-house movement!
CFH01001B Orient Watch
ORIENT’s In-House Watch Movement
Horology.edu Says ORIENT WATCH Movement Better Than Swiss ETA Movement

Additional links:
TimeZone: A post for Sam (IWC Repeater)
Tourby Watches From Germany
KronosBlog: Extreme Lab 2
The World's Best Watches - Forbes.com
TimeZone: Anyone else drawn to military dials?

If Subsidies Don't Work, Then What?

If subsidies and sweetheart deals for politically connected chemical/fertilizer companies have ended in disaster, well, the answer must be ... more subsidies and sweetheart deals for politically connected chemical/fertilizer companies? ;-(

India's Green Revolution Is Stunted as Fertilizer Subsidy Backfires - WSJ.com: "SOHIAN, India—India's Green Revolution is withering. In the 1970s, India dramatically increased food production, finally allowing this giant country to feed itself. But government efforts to continue that miracle by encouraging farmers to use fertilizers have backfired, forcing the country to expand its reliance on imported food. India has been providing farmers with heavily subsidized fertilizer for more than three decades. The overuse of one type—urea—is so degrading the soil that yields on some crops are falling and import levels are rising. So are food prices, which jumped 19% last year. The country now produces less rice per hectare than its far poorer neighbors: Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. ... On Thursday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet announced that India would adopt a new subsidy program in April, hoping to replenish the soil by giving farmers incentives to use a better mix of nutrients. But in a major compromise, the government left in place the old subsidy on urea—meaning farmers will still have a big incentive to use too much of it."

Markets In Everything: Travelling Stuffed Animals?

Great story, it's as though Flat Stanley met a business plan. ;-)

New travel agency offers the bear necessities - Yahoo! News: "PRAGUE (Reuters) – A newly formed Czech travel agency is offering escorted trips for pampered toys. Send them your favorite animal and they will whisk it around the sights of Prague, taking photographs of it against backgrounds like Prague Castle or the Charles Bridge. The Toy Traveling agency was pitched to a panel of local businessmen for a TV reality show 'Den D' by 22-year old decorator Marek Hlavka last week. The concept was inspired by the 2001 film 'Amelie from Montmartre' in which the heroine has pictures of her father's garden gnome posed in front of various world landmarks sent to him to convince him to fulfill his dream of touring the world."

Tuesday Grab Bag

Architecture. (pic via Contemporist)
House in Madrid - CoolBoom
The Cortland Residence by Nicholas Clark Architects
Victorian Tiny Texas House
High Desert Pavilion / PIQUE
The Swollen Wall by Paul Coudamy

Photography.
Retro Thing: 'New' Polaroid Image 1200si Cameras
The Frame: Space shuttle Endeavour's mission to the space station
Casio Exilim EX-S7, EX-Z35 Point-and-Shoots Descend On Entry-Level Market
Backstage during Fashion Week - The Big Picture
compact camera with DSLR lenses

Union Shenanigans.
Newmark's Door: "If they can do that to me, in my home, where does it end?"

Education.
Unions vs. Teaching - John Stossel (more)
No (Tenured) Teacher Left Behind - WSJ.com

Fountain Pens / Writing.
The Carnet Challenge
Scriblets: Being of an Earlier Time
a handsome pair – the viceroy and the retro
New for Spring 2010: Rhodia Dot Pad!
Inkyjournal: Moleskine Passions - Film Journal
Moleskine Cover
Unique Writing Instruments Bring New World Auction Records

Cars.
Driven: 2010 Honda Element EX With Dog Friendly Package
We Peek Inside Pandora’s Box With Our DIY EV
The Electronic Systems That Make Modern Cars Go (and Stop)
Buy a 'new' 80s-style DeLorean DMC-12 online at the DeLorean Motor Company

Advertising.
The 10 Most Addictive Sounds in the World
The Top Viral Video Ad Campaigns of the Week

Shoes / Boots.
Unabashedly Prep - Going Brogue, Not Broke
Sartorially Inclined: His and Hers

Animals.
Largest Pet Rodent in the World Is Caplin Rous
Royal the Siberian Husky - Daily Puppy
A camera disguised as a rock captures a lioness killing a zebra
Crocodile in Australian golf course lake is world's most dangerous water hazard
New Giant Prehistoric Fish Species Found Gathering Dust in Museums

Food.
The Advanced Wine Buying Guide: Food Drinks: Details
Daily Pampering: Visit Vinopolis, London's wine Mecca
10 of The Worst and Most Fat-Filled Starbucks Beverages

Computers.
6 Reasons Why Firefox Dude May Want to Switch to Chrome
NASA's First iPhone Game: Lunar Electric Rover Simulator

Global Warming.
Climate scientists withdraw journal claims of rising sea levels

Healthcare.
Sure Enough - Cafe Hayek
Why We Gain Weight As We Age : NPR
Obama puts forward $1 trillion health care plan

Watches.
Tag Heuer - Another Round of V4 (for) Victory
Promoting the art of watch making
Swiss Precision Timepieces - Debaufre.com
Some photos of the pressure testing process
Time of Flow: ENICAR
The Seiko Diver's 7S26 Automatic Movement
New Richard Lange Zero Restart "Referenzuhr"

Gadgets.
Quark MiNi - 4Sevens.Com
Iphone 101 -- TUAW
Brunton Flip N’ Drip Coffee Maker | Gear Patrol
Lummi: Maker & Designer of the Worlds Smallest Brightest LED Torches

Economics.
Opportunity Cost Explained

Misc.
Remarkable Collection of Steampunk Sculptures
Glow To Sleep: 10 Weird & Wacky Night Lights
Charles Schwab Interview - Quotes - Esquire
Top 10 Smallest Colleges - Top 10 Lists

Wristwatch Updates: Steve McQueen Rolex, Orient, Hublot, & More

I'm starting to appreciate lower-priced mechanicals more and more. (pic courtesy of Fratello watches)

Orient CFH01001B Review: A Lot Of Bang For The Buck?: "The Orient mechanical watches are in the 120 – 825 USD price range, which makes them very attractive for collectors with a budget. However, since there are more mechanical watches available in this price range (like Swatch, Seiko 5 etc) I wondered how Orient would hold up. The CFH01001B I received belongs to their line of Power Reserve watches, a cool complication that – besides chronographs, extra timezones and moonphases – I really like in a mechanical timepiece. One of my first remarks was that Orient should give their watches names or at least easy to remember reference numbers."

The REAL Steve McQueen Rolex Explained: Boxes & Papers Included, Orange Hand Not - Hodinkee: "For years and years collectors called the original Rolex Explorer II (ref 1655) the 'Steve McQueen Explorer', after someone had been told that this was the timepiece Steve wore on a day to day basis. The supposed McQueen connection coupled with that bright orange 24-hour hand caused this model to absolutely sky-rocket in price. The funny thing is, McQueen never wore this watch, and was certainly never photographed wearing it."

Archimede Pilot XL Manually Wound Watch With ETA 6498 TOP Movement - aBlogtoRead: "I recently discussed the standard Archimede Pilot XL Automatik watch here, for which there is a manually would analog, that has a subsidiary dial. A lot of you mentioned liking the good looks, fine iteration of the pilot watch look, and of course the reasonable price of $650. For those of you who are looking for a bit more, well here is something a bit more special with everything you liked about the original watch with a super nice movement. This is a version of the manually would model of the Pilot XL and has a subsidiary seconds dial. In all its German goodness it has a Swiss movement."

Les Ateliers Louis Moinet introduce their new Jules Verne watches: "Louis Moinet (1768-1853) was a leading clock and watchmaker in Paris, President of the Chronometric Society of Paris and also worked closely with Abraham-Louis Breguet. His clocks were owned by many famous people of the epoch including European monarchs, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe who purchased one for the White House in Washington DC where it still stands today. Today's Louis Moinet watches are made in small series of 60 pieces or less. Special attention is given to the case design."

Xetum Tyndall Watch Review- aBlogtoRead: "eff Kuo, founder of Xetum, followed the path of many before him. Finding that his own passion for watches was so great, he wanted to make a living out of it. His path was to make his own brand. I can relate as my career took a similar course. Though rather than start a brand myself, I chose to be a conduit for sharing brands and watch information with all of you. Xetum is a San Francisco company. Based here in the Bay Area, Xetum's designs are influenced by the people and places in the area. A good example of this is the names of their first two models; the Stinson and the Tyndall. Named for Stinson Beach and Tyndall Park."

Grieb & Benzinger Platinum – Taking Exclusivity To A New Level: "So, you’re a sophisticated consumer with high disposable income and elegantly refined taste. You’re looking for something truly exquisite and unique, a one-off piece showcasing exceptional attention to detail and breathtaking craftsmanship. Well, perhaps it’s time your search got serious. We present to you the absolutely superb Minute Repeater 2 from super exclusive master watchmakers Grieb & Benzinger Platinum."

Additional links:
Hublot Ambassador Bode Miller Wins Olympic Gold
Making of an Orient Watch - Automatic Wrist Watches
ANALYSIS-Swatch move could force watchmakers to turn to Asia
Baselworld 2010: OMEGA Speedmaster Ladies 38mm

Liberty & Govt. At Work: Afghan Civilians, Stimulus, Credit Cards, & More

How many more young people need to be sent into the Afghan meat-grinder? Obama inherited a poor plan and responded by pushing the accelerator to the floor.

NATO Strike Mistakenly Kills Afghan Civilians, Complicating Mission - The Two-Way - Breaking News, Analysis Blog : NPR: "At least 27 civilians were killed Sunday by a NATO airstrike in central Afghanistan, that country's government says. American Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, has apologized to Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The incident is sure to complicate the U.S.-led effort to win gain trust among the civilian population."

Obama tops Bush at ducking reporters - Washington Times: "President Obama, who pledged to establish the most open and transparent administration in history, on Monday surpasses his predecessor's record for avoiding a full-fledged question-and-answer session with White House reporters in a formal press conference. President George W. Bush's longest stretch between prime-time, nationally televised press conferences was 214 days, from April 4 to Nov. 4, 2004. Mr. Obama tops that record on Monday, going 215 days"

Congressman Ron Paul - Government Stimulus, One Year Later -Ron Paul: "Last week marked the one year anniversary of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, or the stimulus bill, passing into law. While the debate over its success has been focused on whether or not it is stimulating the economy and on various questionable uses of funds, in my estimation this legislation is accomplishing exactly what it was intended to accomplish – grow the government."

Additional links:
The Liberty Amendment
Today is The First Day of The Rest of Your Life Under The Credit CARD Act
Is Texas About To Execute Another Innocent Man?

Did Toyota "Put Profits Before Safety" As Accused?

Did Toyota put profits ahead of safety as has been accused? What does that even mean? Should we care?

"Safety" is not an absolute, it exists on a continuum ... As with most everything, it's a trade-off. Some people have ignorantly claimed that the space shuttles that exploded should never have taken off until they were proven "perfectly safe." The same has been said about FDA testing of pharmaceuticals, or levels of chemicals or lead in drinking water It's an absurd notion.

The criticism and article below ignore those points, and also make the (imho, laughable) assumption that the govt. has both the knowledge and ability to strike the proper and most-effective balance. And there's always that little nit that the U.S. federal government is hardly a disinterested party in all of this.

Update, from Wintercow (UoR economist): "... our police officers put traffic revenues ahead of safety, our families put fun ahead of safety, ... by the way, economic research has found that the FDA kills over 50,000 Americans per year ... all in the name of safety."

"Damning" Documents Suggest Toyota Put Profits Before Safety - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports: "Tokyo (AP) – Claims by Toyota in internal documents that it saved money by obtaining a limited recall from regulators in 2007 create an even bigger challenge for the automaker's president when he testifies before U.S. lawmakers this week over quality and safety lapses. Toyota officials said they saved $100 million by successfully negotiating with the U.S. government on a limited recall of floor mats in some Toyota and Lexus vehicles, according to new documents shared with congressional investigators. Toyota, in an internal presentation in July 2009 at its Washington office, said it saved $100 million or more by negotiating an 'equipment recall' of floor mats involving 55,000 Toyota Camry and Lexus ES350 vehicles in September 2007. The savings are listed under the title, 'Wins for Toyota — Safety Group.' The document cites millions of dollars in other savings by delaying safety regulations, avoiding defect investigations and slowing down other industry requirements. The documents could set off alarms in Congress over whether Toyota put profits ahead of customer safety and pushed regulators to narrow the scope of recalls."

Additional links:
Washington's Toyota U-Turn - WSJ.com
Toyota Recall Information - 2009-2010 Toyota Recall List
Toyota: Democrats 'not industry friendly' - Jake Sherman - POLITICO.com
Internal Toyota Document Could Become Smoking Gun - Law Blog - WSJ

Monday Grab Bag

Style. (pic via Esquire)
I love this Tommy Hilfiger jacket.
Denim Again, Maybe Not
Never too early for madras. Or is it?
Great Sartorial Debate: Hand Made Buttonholes

Shoes / Boots.
Rockport Almartin Dress Oxford Mens
Leffot Blog - “The” Oxford

Architecture.
Small Island Cabin Plan Conceals Wide-Open Interior Design
Breathtaking Views Of the Pacific : Y Residence
Gravitt 48 / Debbas Architecture
Modern Retrofit: Tiny New Home in Ten-Foot Tokyo Alley
Serendib, Estate of the Day

Cars.
Some pics of my Jag after a Sat. morning detailing
BMW R100/7 scrambler - Bike EXIF
CB750 Cafe Type Motorimoda - Bike EXIF
BMW R100/7 - Bike EXIF
The Electronic Systems That Make Modern Cars Go (and Stop)

Fountain Pens / Writing.
stipula trio - lady dandelion
The Pen Addict: Ink Links
Moleskine Passions Journals
Pelikan M400 Tortoise - Review

Photography.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5 - Gear Patrol
Canon EOS 7D - Wired.com Product Reviews
Samsung announces WB2000 with full HD video recording
Samsung unveils TL500/EX1 with fast f/1.8 lens
50 Brilliant Bird’s-Eye Photos - Noupe

Gadgets.
Sony DN1010 3D AV Receiver - Uncrate
Fake security camera moves, pretends to keep you safe
6 (Worthy) Alternatives to the iPhone

Liberty / Govt.
Governor Paterson at the Ritz
In Tiny Courts of N.Y., Abuses of Law and Power
More NY State workers make $100,000-plus a year (details)
Ungovernable - Cafe Hayek

Animals.
More Maned Wolf Cubs at Denver Zoo! - ZooBorns
Orphan Otter Finds a Home at Monterey - ZooBorns
Family dog kept missing 3-year-old girl safe
10 animals with the longest life spans

Computers.
Everything About Twitter

Watches.
swissmiss - MIH Watch
U-BOAT Official Web Site
Switched up the shoes on my Debaufre Nav-B. Better?
OT: Anyone up for a DeBaufre/Steinhart roll call?
10 Watches More Expensive Than A Ferrari
Show me your favorite manual wind watch currently in your collection

Misc.
NG Explorer - Vampire Forensics
10 extraordinary visions of the future…
Underwater Archeology: Diving Below an Ancient Cathedral
Vintage Porsche Design
oobject - Unique Takes On Monopoly
What the Hail? Unusual Taxis Around the World
10 Helpful Websites You Have Never Heard Of