Ancient Roman Factory Town is unearthed. Modena was a center for the mass production of oil lamps in the Roman period and they even had branded goods!

Myth of Violence, a very interesting talk by Steven Pinker on how violence has continually declined up to (and including) the present day and possible reasons thereof.

And speaking of violence, ( Read more... )

Actually a day late, yesterday was the 75th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition! A good time to reflect on the lessons of Prohibition and if we should end drug prohibition.

Neil Gaiman writes on the importance of defending free speech even of things you dislike.

From Alexander Cockburn over at CounterPunch (a newsletter I did not know of before but will now have to follow).

If you do not feel like reading it all, ( Here is the snippet that lead me to read it: )

With a Republican viewpoint, but interesting 'Do Facts Matter?' and Orson Scott Card's comments on the current media.

Nod to elusivetiger for the head's up.

I voted today, all other Georgians (as in people who live in the US State of Georgia) can vote early too (details hereI advise everyone out there in the US to vote and to vote for the candidate or party that most appeals to you, especially if it is a third party. The Democrat-Republican Duopoly has not been doing much good for the US, remind them ( Read more... )

Now that we have had some time to look back and figure out what happened with this situation.

Doubts emerge on President Saakashvili's account of events. This article says that Saakashvili claims that his forces moved into South Ossetia to preempt a Russian invasion, I had not read that claim before and do not find it credible in the least.

A ( Read more... )

It strikes me as politics at its most disingenuous to have the Democratic leadership blame the Republicans for failing to pass the bailout when they only managed to get 60% of their own representatives to vote for it! (Vote rollcall here.) Note that I am extremely pleased that it did not pass.

Reason's analysis here.

Remember to write your Senators and your Representative to oppose the bailout! (Or support it, if that is how you swing. But it is a terrible, terrible idea and I would urge you to reconsider.)

This article from Reason sums up my problems with both major US parties. Read it and weep for liberty.