Links and Minifeatures 06 07 Wednesday

Carnival of The Vanities Recommended: Soccer Dad (saving the lives of children with defects)

**********



The Carnival of The Vanities Host said of my submission

I should warn you that Dan might tell you something you don't want to hear. While it's possible the person selling the property you want is being unreasonable by rejecting your offer, it may also be you who is offering less than the property is worth. And of course, the third possibility is that you're being yanked around by a buyer's agent who's just looking for lots of money and won't guide you toward making a reasonable offer on a property you can really afford.

Well, yes I say things some people don't want to hear. Perfect situations are rare, and they don't need expert help. Anybody can work in perfect conditions. But since most situations aren't perfect, indeed, are not anywhere close to perfect, and that's where an expert is worth his (in my case) hire. Somebody who is really looking to help - educate, advise, whatever, has to put their finger on where the problem area or areas are. It doesn't usually need to be offensive, but it does need to be on-target, and it does have to be in such terms as to leave no doubt where the problem areas are and how to fix them. "Experts" who won't do this, who do not consistently make it a habit to do this, are not worth the time of day.



Of course, when some experts solve a problem, it means they are unemployed. As long as people need real estate or real estate loans, there is a market for my services. Indeed, me plying my trade well is grounds for more business, more often, from the same clients. They make more money, I make more money. Everybody I'm concerned with is happy. And if my competition has a client who is unhappy, well, maybe next time they'll sign up with me.



**********



Looks like Bilbray beat Busey in the 50th district. From where I sit, this looks like a tactical victory and a strategic defeat for the Republicans, vice versa for the Democrats. Despite Cunningham's problems, that district is very solidly Republican. Busby shot herself in the foot with her comments on how "you don't need papers to vote," which all the radio stations were running NRCC commercials about yesterday. If Busby hadn't simultaneously won the Democratic primary for the new term (while losing the runoff for the current congressional term), I'd say that district was likely to go Democratic in November. Get someone who hasn't ticked off quite so many citizen voters, and the Democrats might have a shot.



It is also noteworthy that Bilbray ran a pretty hard line on immigration.



The Moderate Voice has a lot more, including a roundup.



Via RCP, Slate has some more worthwhile thoughts.



Michael Barone's thoughts are more detailed, but seem mostly in alignment with mine.



Instapundit notes that Kos crowd actually won one yesterday, in Montana where a Kos backed candidate beat a DNC machine candidate in the Democratic Primary.



Except that, as everyone except Michael Barone seems to forget, the dynamics of party primaries are very different from general elections, otherwise Richard Riordan would likely have been governor of California. Gray Davis spent millions skewing the Republican primary to the right, so that he'd face a farther right candidate he knew he could beat in the general election.



In this instance, Kos seems to have saved Conrad Burns (Montana's Senator who faces almost certain re-election because of this) some big bucks.



**********



lawyers ordered to play rock paper scissors to resolve dispute.



**********



Don Surber makes a point worth making about how the attitude of the reporter makes a difference to the story.



**********



Llama Butchers has a video for true econ geeks.



**********



Gateway Pundit has some good information on the situation in Ethiopia.



**********



Michael Yon has some good perspective on things that happen in war.



Real Clear Politics has a good essay on the media's lack of reasonable perspective.



Scrappleface has the "if only"



**********





via Argghhh!, a fellow dachshund owner's description of the bathing process.



Other than the fact that Mellon will baptize the carpet every time and the fact I substitute chocolate for wine, that's pretty much the scene here.



Oh, and I use the tub so I can do both of them at once.



**********



Those who think Lt. Watada is a patriot should read John's take over at Argghhh!



I don't want the military defying the legitimate orders of the civilian government any more than John does. The military is not allowed to pick and choose which orders it obeys, except when those orders are in fact, illegal, and they place their careers at a minimum, and often their lives, on the line to stand up and say no. If those orders are legal, and I haven't seen anybody making a legal case that they weren't that would pass muster anywhere outside a "Dedicated enemies of the american public" convention, expect the court martial to be brief and to the point.



Unlike Haditha, the facts are not in dispute, only the law. Except in the unlikely event these orders are found to be illegal (which, as Argghhh! points out, would require the en masse indictment of everyone who has served in Iraq), the needs of the service are such that the penalty is going to be at its maximum. This guy accepted a commission knowing he would likely be ordered to Iraq. There is absolutely no wiggle room in the circumstances, and the claim is going to turn upon points of law which do not appear to be in his favor.



In short, looks like the "let's quit before we win!" crowd is going to get the type of martyr they've been seeking for three years.