Tuesday with Bowie:

So I went to see David Bowie perform at the Fleet Center last night. Got to say, he was pretty impressive. 57 years old and he can still rock. I was really impressed with his voice, still very strong, a bit operatic, if that's a word. Pretty cool lighting effects and decent use of the screens behind him.
He and his band played about a 12 song set, then an encore of about 6 songs, then a second encore. Most of what they played was his older hits, such as "Fame" and "Rebel Rebel." They also mixed in a couple of covers and some of his new material. One of the new songs was a pretentious piece of crap, but the rest of them were pretty good. After one of the new songs he said he was going to play a "song [we] knew" next, but I actually didn't recognize it, so I guess I need to listen to more of his old albums. I'd say the best song of the night was "I'm Afraid of Americans." I'm not really sure what the message of the song is, whether it's anti-American or making fun of people who are or something else, but it definitely sounds good.
A nice little touch at the end of the night: Bowie and his band all joined hands and bowed to the audience like actors in a play do. I thought it was a good way of putting the whole band on equal footing with him, if only for a moment.

My first reaction to Israel's assassination of Yassin was 'so what'? After reading these two pieces on the incident, I'm starting to have some doubts as to the morality and wisdom of killing Yassin.
Here are a couple of good reactions to Richard Clarke's "Against all Enemies". While it's certainly possible the man has an axe to grind, I tend to believe him, and I think suggestions that this is the wrong time to bring the topic up due to the war are way off base. We're told that the war on terrorism is going to take decades, that Iraq represents a generational commitment. If that's the truth, should Clarke wait 30 years to being his insights to the public?
Feeling overlawyered?

Balko on a couple of fourth amendment outrages. I, mean for fuck's sake, is this really happening?
Also via his site, a couple of examples of modern science at its finest.

Just one more reason to impeach Bush. Although that would put Cheney in charge....Not sure if that's an overall improvement. Whatever, it's the principle of the thing that matters.
A basic business math lesson for Bill O'Reilly.
The Vodka Pundit links to Ralph Peters on the need for unity in the 'war on terror'. Ever noticed how whenever people demand unity, they always want you to agree with them? They never say that they're changing their position on an issue to be unified with what you're saying, nor call on others to agree with you even though you're presumably wrong. Implicit is the idea that everybody knows that the demander is the one who is right. (There is at least one exception: this doesn't apply to me and the designated hitter. I want the AL and NL to agree on one set of rules, but it's not terribly important to me whether they use the DH or not. I'd probably vote against it if I had a vote, but this is one case where unity wins. Anyway...)
On a lighter note, your Seinfeld quote of the day:

FRANK: Many Christmases ago, I went to buy a doll for my son. I reached for the last one they had - but so did another man. As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way!
KRAMER: What happened to the doll?
FRANK: It was destroyed. But out of that, a new holiday was born. "A Festivus for the rest of us!"
KRAMER: That musta been some kind of doll.
FRANK: She was.

Ouch.
The Idea Shop asks if we are running out of oil.
Dave Barry tackles the federal deficit. Key quote: Congress is as trustworthy with money as a crack addict who is experimenting with heroin.
A point-by-point analysis of anonymous internet discourse. Rodya thinks it applies to all internet talk.

Why I love economics.

Thomas Sowell on subsidies.
The relationship between child labor and trade.
BU is hosting its 1st Annual Liberty Conference, should be good.
A little writing advice.
Khaaaaaaaaan!!!!!

Here are related pieces on fly fishing and South African economic policy. Really, it's good stuff.
Pretty sure I don't want to work for this guy. Arguably, she did answer the question, but in any case, what a dick.
Always be honest when emailing your hooker, she (or he I suppose) notices these things.

Here are some cool optical illusion pages.
This guy is getting crucified by the press. (via Vodka Pundit)
Balko with thoughts on Spain's elections, the War on Terror and other contrivances. I think most of it can be summed up in the phrase "declaring war is the last refuge of the scoundrel." (btw did I just invent a phrase, or did it already exist? Obviously it refers to another saying, but is it a new formulation?)

Here's why we can't credit the invasion of Iraq with Libya's disarmament.

The Ukranian Holocaust.
Why we should be thanking China.
Um, this is tomorrow.

Jonah Goldberg on the relative importance of deficits. Not 100% with him, but close.
Via Instapundit, some amazing photos from Spain after the attacks. I try to sympathize with the non-nutty part of the Islamic world for how we've treated them, but events like what happened yesterday make it hard. I want to believe they just want us to stop interfering, but...

Here's a good piece on astrology from The Best Page in the Universe. Key quote: it was like Rambo sent them all Christmas cards, but instead of cards it was murder.
Test your Libertarian purity. I got a 107! Signifying almost nothing!
So walking from work to the bus stop today I saw something pretty interesting. First I heard someone on a megaphone say something that sounded like it ended in the word hell, then make weird, annoying noises. This is when I spotted him leaning out the back window of a van. Then he said that we now knew "what hell was like." Then he repeated the noise. As I got closer I saw a sign in one of the van's window that said "homo sex = hell". Then he told us we had been warned and then said something unintelligible about repenting and Christianity as they drove off. I don't know about everyone else that witnessed this, but I definitely feel that I have a much better understanding of what hell is like and that I am much closer to god than I was before. Thank you, freak, you may have saved my soul (hint: this is sarcasm if you can't figure it out).

Radley Balko on the fact that we have too many laws.
An interesting take on steroids.
An interesting innovation in telemarketing.

Free Martha! Key quote: So, am I correct in assuming she has been found guilty of covering up crimes the government couldn't prove she committed?
Some tools that economics geeks like myself might enjoy.
Here's a nice look at history, economics and the phrase "let them eat cake".
Why the Cayman Islands are good for us.

How different degrees of globalization relate to life expectancy at birth, and to the well-being of women. Thanks to MR.

Tough standards they have there for the UGA basketball team.