Links and Minifeatures 03 01 Thursday

One more reason why I think this year may surprise a lot of people: this site's visits skyrocketed in February, setting a new monthly record of 138,905 visits. In a 28 day month when real estate is usually dead. Given the nature of my traffic - a large percentage of my visits being search engine hits - this indicates an unusual level of interest in my most common topics.

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Michael Barone on China and India.



I'm of the opinion that India will be the next world superpower. China is likely headed for civil war. The increasing prosperity can only counterbalance repression so long, and when it reaches a certain point, it will become inevitable. Modern society is all about communication, and China's current regime cannot withstand that communication. China's current regime is riding the dragon - their choices are to put on the economic brakes and have the revolt now, or to keep the engine revving and feed the beast that will eventually devour them. Due to the regime's unpopular one child law, younger men outnumber younger women by something approximating 3 to 2. That's a lot of angry young men with no family life, and a very convenient target. They may come out of it stronger in the end, as the United States did from ours, but the civil war is going to set them back quite a ways.



(The only thing that could prevent a Chinese Revolution would be if the regime peaceably abdicated. Not likely)



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This is just too rich: Hans Blix says the West is humiliating Iran.



Methinks this betrays some deep-seated prejudices:

''This is in a way like telling a child, first you will behave and thereafter you will be given your rewards,'' Blix said. ''And this, I think, is humiliating. The Iranians have resisted all the time saying, no, we are willing to talk, we are willing to talk about the suspension of enrichment, but we are not for suspension before the talks.''

Iran is not a child. Not in any sense of the term. They are adults. Felonius adults, but adults, and thinking of them as children is a good way to let yourself in for a series of nuclear attacks. But hey, it's all in good clean fun, right?



The Corner just about sums up talking with Iran.



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VDH's Private Papers notes some history, and lack of foresight.



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I try to keep personalities out of my arguments. In this case, however, it needs to be aired: Patterico notes a truly stunning level of hypocrisy from the leftist master of sock puppets. It really is all about power, and never mind the facts. (via LGF.)



(And I'll leave the "hateful comments" from anonymous right wing-nuts in as useful contrast)



Same topic, different tune: Hot Air and Joy Behar.



While we're at it, Gateway Pundit on the incidence of profanity in left versus right.



And of course, Wizbang on Hillary's doublethink, "I want the credit for the good things my husband did. But don't even think about dinging me for all the screw-ups and scandals." Like, say, the White House Travel Office?



If you can't cite the apparently unending chain of disasters he created, even Jimmy Carter looks like a good President. Of course, examining George Bush by those same standards makes him look like he ranks right up there with George Washington, which is not the case, either. Mr. Bush has risen admirably and under great domestic political adversity to the great challenge of our time, but he's certainly had more than his share of mistakes. On the other hand, history tends to view presidents on how they handled their largest challenge, and I suspect history will be kinder to him than most of his current detractors think. For instance, President Lincoln's civil rights record was excrement, but not many people realize that when looking at the Lincoln Memorial.



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Iowahawk on becoming eco-friendly.



Captain's Quarters upon the sale of ecological indulgences.



Wizbang has more food for thought and comparison.



But it's Classical Values that delivers the thoughtful, logical, and most thoroughly devastating blow.



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Free Money Finance's March Madness continues



Contests 33-40

My choices

33: How Discounting the Value of Your Home Could Keep You Out of Financial Trouble

35: I have a post in the game. I can vote for myself.

37: Introducing the 401(kid)

38: It Is Amazing What Some People Will Insure While Ignoring Their Most Important Asset

39: Teaching Kids the Value of a Dollar (the other post took a lot more work and thought, but this one focuses on something more important)



Contests 41-48

my choices:

43:T-Bill Investment Rate: Is it APR or APY? And What Is Your Taxable Equivalent Yield?

45: Tax Planning

46: Dave Ramsey is Bad at Math



And he's starting Round 2 with the already decided contests from Tuesday.



Round 2, Contests 1-4

My Votes:

1: The Only Free Lunch in Finance - Diversification

2: Getting Rid Of Your Debt Without Worrying About The Latte Factor

4: Tips for Having a Successful Budget

Round 2 Contests 5-8

My votes:

5: Make Multiple Debt Payments Every Month

6: Understanding Your Financial Fortress

8: My post on Why There Is Money in Fixer Properties faces some tough competition. I like mine better, but have to state that I would vote for the competing post to beat anything else in the bracket.



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Armies of Liberation has the statement of a website blocked by Yemeni censors.



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neo-neocon: Strategies for children (Part II): killing them