Glenn Reynolds makes one of those smack-myself-in-the-forehead-because-it's-so-obvious-now-that-I've-read-it-that-I-can't-believe-I-didn't-figure-it-out-myself observations that keep me reading blogs when I should be working (or sleeping):

The more vulnerable he becomes, the easier it is for the Democratic leadership to keep him in line.

I knew the Dems place power far above principle, but I couldn't see why they'd want to keep someone around who makes them look so bad. Finally I understand.

To suppose that the same international customs, and the same rules of international morality, can obtain between one civilized nation and another, and between civilized nations and barbarians, is a grave error, and one which no statesman can fall into, however it may be with those who, from a safe and unresponsible position, criticise statesmen. . . . [T]he rules of ordinary international morality imply reciprocity. But barbarians will not reciprocate.

John Stuart Mill, "A Few Words on Non-Intervention," published in 1859 (via Ted R. Bromund)

StrategyPage:

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians remain stalled. The basic reason is that Israel will not accept a deal that destroys Israel, and the Palestinians will not accept a deal that doesn't destroy Israel.

James Piereson, in his review of Sam Tanenhaus's forthcoming book The Death of Conservatism, addressing Tanenhaus's "argument that contemporary conservatives are reactionaries or revanchists":

Nor does the intervention in Iraq, whatever its ultimate outcome, support Tanenhaus’s case. That intervention, after all, was endorsed not only by conservatives and neo-conservatives, but also by every Democratic candidate for president in last year’s election, save for Barack Obama (who was a member of the Illinois legislature when the war began). President Bush, in addition, justified the war on liberal or Wilsonian grounds, so that if the war discredited anything, it was the liberal ideal of achieving collective security through the promotion of democracy. One may argue that such an approach is misguided or impractical, or even that it is inconsistent with conservative principles, but it is not possible to say that it is revanchist.

(Via John J. Miller.)

ZDNet:

Security researchers are raising an alarm for a potent malware cocktail — backdoor Trojans and password stealers — being pushed to Windows users from about 55,000 hacked Web sites. . . .

It is not yet clear which vulnerabilities are being exploited in this attack but, judging from recent history, end users should ensure that operating system and desktop software programs are fully patched.

The most common programs under attack include Adobe Flash, Adobe PDF Reader, Apple’s QuickTime, WinZip and RealPlayer. In addition to Microsoft Windows patches, these desktop applications should be updated to the newest version immediately.

In one profanity-laced video. (You've been warned.)

Via David Henderson, who comments, "Notice his understanding of opportunity cost at 0:16 to about 0.20. I would love to teach him economics. He already understands some basics at a gut level. Every one of his f-word usages is justified. I especially like his last statement."

From an interview by Nick Gillespie of Michela Wrong, author of It's Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower:

GILLESPIE: [W]hat's the best thing that the West can do to help Africa become a richer, freer place?

WRONG: I think at the end of the day it's not going to be in Western hands, and that's something that we need to recognize, and something we haven't wanted to recognize with all this emphasis on upping aid. We can save lives in terms of malarial bed-nets [and] treatment for HIV; we can prevent people from starving. We cannot make an African administration do the right thing, and most of the key developments in Africa, the most encouraging ones, have come from the private sector in Africa. . . . [S]everal examples are routinely quoted: the spread of the Internet across Africa, the role of the mobile phone, in terms of linking people up, making them more aware; the spread of the private radio station, spreading the word about governance, democracy, anti-corruption—these are the really important factors, and actually these are things that have happened without that much donor involvement.

(By the way, here's a piece arguing, convincingly to me, against bed-nets and for pesticides such as DDT to combat malaria.)

A not-to-be missed exclusive from The Onion.

I just found this musical setting of some of the Declaration of Independence. It predates mine by about eight years. I won't try to influence you, the prospective downloader, in any way. I'll just note that while the Boyds' recording features one cute kid, mine features four. You, the prospective downloader, might wish to consider that sizable difference when attempting to determine which version is the better value.* I'll say no more. The country is free. The choice is yours.

*Both downloads are free too.

Dave Barry:

What we need is a law prohibiting brides from planning their weddings more than, say, a week in advance. A bride caught violating this law would be subject to severe punishment, such as being forced to walk down the aisle to the tune of "I Shot the Sheriff."

Maybe Glenn Reynolds is still on vacation, but even so:

a higher percentage of Tennessee Titans cheerleaders have formal science training than do members of Congress

Am I right or am I right?

(Via Jennifer Rubin.)

From Greg Scandlen of the Heartland Institute:

1. Give the money back to the people.
2. Get the hell out of the way.

Makes sense to me.

An amazing defense of Obama.

Jay Nordlinger on the Obama administration's attitude toward Cuba.

An Egyptian journalist in Saudi Arabia begs for help.

It isn't Israel practicing apartheid.

Later: Also worth noting: "Palestinians Blame Arab Leaders For The 'Nakba.'"

A stirring recollection from a former POW.

(Via Jay Nordlinger.)

I write slowly because I write badly. I have to rewrite everything many many times just to achieve mediocrity.

From Conversations with William H. Gass

One of them commits an act such as this, and prominent coreligionists, though they may criticize the act on various grounds, refrain from declaring it un-Islamic. We'll see what happens this time.

(Via Robert Spencer.)

Later: In a column about an American-born "Muslim jihad fighter," Robert Spencer specifies "the key question":

[W]hat are self-proclaimed Muslim moderates doing to teach against Qur’anic literalism, the jihad doctrine, and Islamic supremacism in their own communities? The answers should be forthcoming, and they should be specific and detailed.