Links and Minifeatures 01 02 Monday

Another feminist legend bites the dust: Research Debunks 'Barbie Ideal'

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Had my first pr0n search hit. Somebody in Avondale Arizona (or close by) is a sick person. The string they typed in was "i want to see pictures of women urinating and using the toilet" They were sent to my post on the visit to the zoo Christmas Eve, where I happened to mention an orangutan performing this bodily function. MWA-HA-HA-HA!



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Carnivals



RINO Sightings. Recommended: Kesher Talk, aTypical Joe, Dean's World



Best of Me Symphony



Carnival of Personal Finance



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Remember the little girl I posted on December 22nd? She's in the states to get her spinal bifida corrected now.



Doctor Says Iraqi Baby Is Doing Well. For anyone who donated, thank you.



Michael Yon has more.



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The Last Amazon has an idea for the next country to need regime change in the War on Terror. It's a joke. I think.



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The Wrightwing discusses voting and wasted votes.



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Decision '08 makes a good point about wiretapping.



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Wizbang has a proposed solution to identity theft that bears consideration.



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Captain's Quarters has a good editorial about the Legacy Media fighting the notion of accountability. It is very tempting to want to return to the "good old days" when you could just print anything you liked or that fit in with your agenda while ignoring those that did not. Unfortunately, the world is a messy, chaotic place, and nobody has 100% of the truth on their side. Most humans, if allowed the choice, will choose "accountability for thee but not for me." However, accountability helps your product. Thirty years ago, American cars were awful. If anybody called them reliable, they didn't mean it in a good way. Imports penetrated the markets, and if UAW workers were discomfited, the cars we have now are significantly higher quality - and that includes the american ones, as well. Competition is a form of accountability. If people like what I write, they come back and read more. I'm about one three hundredth (by visit/subscription count) as influential as the local newspaper, so I'm not a serious threat - by myself. In aggregate, however, there are a lot of people with their own logs. Put our numbers together, and they're starting to compete. If people find what I (among others) choose to write about and the manner in which we write about it superior to the local rag, we "win" and it "loses". And that is causing them some discomfort, as they have to choose between printing the truth and offending some advertisers, or just losing audience share to people around the 'sphere. I have noticed that the Real Estate news (and related economics) has lost its pollyannish cast of late, and real estate is one of the paper's big advertisers. So it's painful for them, but they are starting to put out a better product because of it.



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Victor Davis Hanson has a clear eyed post on illegal immigration.



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Mark Steyn. NOW!



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Scrappleface has the scoop on the President's New Year's resolutions.