I’ll admit I was among the skeptics of the stimulus plan, but after seeing the data presented this way it makes you wonder. Maybe it is working.

Interesting data from the last election…

Found this today, very thought provoking:

When some Americans believe the current president is a communist cult leader trying to brainwash the nation’s schoolchildren, and other Americans want the last president to be dragged off his ranch in handcuffs, it is time to reassess the state of our union. So may I make a modest proposal. There is a way to end the bitter bickering over health care, affirmative action, abortion, religion in the public square, taxation, torture, and the proper role of government. It is called secession. Yes, I know: Splitting the U.S. into two nations is a bit extreme. But extremism in the defense of America is no vice. And since we’re already segregating ourselves by what we watch, listen, and read, why not go all the way?

Think of the possibilities. In a new nation fashioned out of the current red states-call it, for the sake of argument, Limbaughland-the federal tax rate would be cut to 10%, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security would be abolished, abortion would be illegal, gays would be closeted again, and Christianity would be the official state religion. Anyone could buy any kind of gun, no questions asked. In the current blue states, which we will call ObamaNation, the federal tax rate would top out at 90%; all employers would institute quota systems for minorities, women and less-abled persons; and you’d get your health care form a single-payer system like Canada’s. Fast food and guns would be banned, while gay marriage and marijuana would be legal. Voila! No more rancor, leaving only one remaining problem: What would we all feel so aggrieved about?”

-William Falk, editor of The Week

If you have at least seen the preview for Brüno, you might have noticed that Ron Paul appears in one of the scenes.

The rest of this post contains some spoilers regarding his cameo and his response.

Really interesting breakdown via Visual Economics.

Awesome speech by John Hodgman at the Radio and TV Personalities Dinner.

The news has been full of stories about the Great Firewall of China cracking down and closing off access that encourage mass communication. Facebook and Twitter are among those being shut down. The reason? Twenty years ago today the Tiananmen Square Protests ended after seven weeks of demonstrations. Take a moment to educate yourself a little more about the event by reading the Wikipedia entry.

Jesse Ventura has apparently moved to Mexico to enjoy the weather and surf now that he is no longer Governor. Really interesting interview.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Admittedly this affects 0% of my readers, but I saw the in The Economist and found it interesting.

In Obama’s book Dreams From My Father he writes about his friend Ray who likes to use dirty language. This in itself really isn’t that big of a deal. However, there is an audio version of the book read by Barack Obama himself. Thus we get the clips below. Funny stuff. Hopefully this doesn’t destroy my bandwidth. It is probably only a matter of time before we have an Obama soundboard or some sort of Christian Bale mashup.

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This shit’s getting way too complicated for me

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Ignorant Motherfuckers

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That guy ain’t shit. Sorry ass motherfucker

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Sure, you can have my number baby!

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You ain’t my bitch, nigga.

Update: I didn’t make these, I got them in an e-mail. I am sure I am not even close to the first person to post them.