Affluence and Its Discontents (Robert Samuelson, Washington Post)

You hear the refrain all the time: The economy looks good statistically (4.7 percent unemployment), but it doesn't feel good. Although the United States is the wealthiest nation in history, our quarrels and quibbles with our prosperity are unending. Why doesn't ever-greater wealth promote ever-greater happiness? It is a question that dates at least to the appearance in 1958 of "The Affluent Society" by John Kenneth Galbraith, the former Harvard University economist who died recently at 97.

"The Affluent Society" is a modern classic because it helped define a new moment in the human condition. For most of history, "hunger, sickness, and cold" threatened nearly everyone, Galbraith wrote. "Poverty was the all-pervasive fact of that world. Obviously it is not of ours." No, indeed. After World War II, the dread of another Great Depression gave way to an economic boom. In the 1930s unemployment had averaged 18.2 percent; in the 1950s it was 4.5 percent. In 1946 only 8,000 households had TVs; by 1960 about 90 percent did. [...]

It's often said that only the rich are getting ahead; everyone else is standing still or falling behind. Well, there are many undeserving rich -- overpaid chief executives, for instance. But over any meaningful period, most people's incomes are increasing. From 1995 to 2004, inflation-adjusted median family income -- for families precisely in the middle -- rose 14.3 percent, to $43,200, the Federal Reserve says. People feel "squeezed" because their rising incomes often don't satisfy their rising wants -- for bigger homes, more health care, more education, faster Internet connections.

One of the rules of budget rhetoric is that cutting into the growth of a government program is actually "cutting the program." It's the same sort of thing here: our condition is not improving as fast as we would like, so things are getting worse.

Worshipping at the church of Tim Hortons (Mark Steyn, Macleans)

"Americans aspire to independence," he told the Star's man. "Their model is to drive out of town, Gary Cooper with Grace Kelly, and get on their ranch and she's in the kitchen and having babies and he's standing at the ranch gate with a gun, saying, 'no trespassing.' "

I don't know if, in the course of their research, Messrs. Kidd and Adams ever visited any "communities" -- in, say, New England, or old England, or Belgium, or Slovenia, or even Canada. But, if they did, they might have noticed that you drive through the outskirts of the "community," past the various "dwelling units," and arrive at the centre of the "community" -- often called a "village green" or a "town square" -- and smack dab at the centre of the centre you'll see a big building with a cross on it, and perhaps a sign saying "St. George's Parish Church. Consecrated 1352." Nonetheless, undaunted, two grown men are willing to argue in the Toronto Star that Americans have to make do with going to church because they've lost all sense of community.

Liberals and conservatives alike bemoan the death of community, but liberals stake out the peculiar position of expressing concern that individuality often trumps community while generally setting themselves up as opponents or religion, community standards, and the very things that have historically made community bonds.

Study Finds English Are Healthier than Americans (Joanne Silberner, NPR)

A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association comes to a conclusion that has surprised even the researchers who conducted it. Middle-aged whites in England are significantly healthier than middle-aged whites in the United States. That's despite the fact that the United States spends twice as much per person on health care. [...]

Michael Marmot of University College in London said the results astonished him and the other researchers.

"Americans have more diabetes. Americans have more heart disease. Americans have more respiratory disease and other diseases, as well," Marmot says.

That's twice as much diabetes in the United States. And nearly twice as many people in the United States reported cancer.

"It was a bit of a big shock," Marmot says. "I just didn't imagine we'd find it consistently across the board, with worse health in the United States compared with England." [...]

It's not the different health systems. With its higher health-care expenditures and greater availability of technology, the United States should score better, not worse.

It's also not the distribution of healthcare towards the wealthy: the richest third of Americans score comparably to the poorest third of Britons. Stress seems a sufficiently pervasive suspect. Funny that as harried and insecure as we are, we remain some of the happier people on the planet -- happier than the British, even.

Tami at Reflectivity writes about how you can't escape where you came from.:

So I’m sitting in the stall of a bathroom of a bar, discussing the merits of just one more Jagerbomb with a friend in the next stall over, and these immortal words escaped my lips, “Jest one more shawt ain’t gonna keeeel ya!”

It was an epiphany.

At that moment, in a dank bathroom in a yuppie bar at 1:30 on a sunday morning, I realized that a person can never escape their blood. Sure, we can move to the city and dress like the people in magazines, toasting each other and laughing at jokes that aren’t quite funny, discussing jobs and lives and superficiality like that, but in the end, we can only be what our mommas made us.

Nathan at Brain Fertilizer writes a personal account that relates to the current debate over bankruptcy reform:

But I remember being bitterly disappointed, not that I didn't declare bankruptcy, but that all my sacrifice to do the right thing earned me pretty much nothing. One loan that I had had gone into default while I was at basic training, but I made arrangements and paid back every dime and all the penalties...but due to the wording of the student loan company, for the next 5 years, every time I tried to get credit I had to answer questions about why I had applied for bankruptcy, even though it was obvious I had never declared.
Now, they *did* always extend credit, and after 7 years, I was able to buy a new car and a house...

But I still feel very keenly that it just seemed irritating and frustrating that all my sacrifice earned me nothing...He could buy new computers, computer games, a fairly-new car, CDs, new clothes, everything...and I had to be careful and plan ahead getting to eat out at McDonald's, and drove a car that the passenger side floor had rusted through so you could see the road through it.

A while back Kevin Rant wrote a great post on pressure.

How do I relate? She's a lovely petite blonde, and smart as a whip. Yet, she breezed through undergraduate school on a full athletic scholarship. It's been a straight sail for her; an upward-and-onward, unbroken progression from high school, to undergraduate school and now to law school. To her, this is real pressure; probably the most she's yet faced in her young life.

She's a young 22. I was only a year older, chronologically, at the same point in my life. But I took over a year's detour after undergraduate school, thanks to Uncle Samuel, the Draft, and the Flying Circus sometimes fondly referred to as the "Intelligence Community."

I was still healing, still rehabilitating, from being shot down in a helicopter on my second "mission" during my short stint making the Free World safe from evil "Commie Bastards" and their zipper-head running dogs.

Montana Craig humorously writes what life in his household is like and inducting a new kitty-cat into the fold:

It started to get dark, so I summoned the children into the house while I cooked dinner. My son, upon being detained from one of his favorite activities, launched into a tantrum of mythic proportions, as he is wont to do.

When he slips into this mode, the best (read: only) thing you can do is ignore him and let him work it out. Which we did. Until he started pushing big sister, then he got sent to Time Out. After getting out of Time Out, I had supper ready, and he got himself calmed down. After just a few bites, he left the table, crawled up on the couch and fell asleep. (Aha! That’s why he was so cranky!)

He slept peacefully for approximately 2.1 minutes, right up to the moment that I scooted my chair out from the table. The resulting sound waves generated by a wooden chair leg grating on a hardwood floor startled him awake and triggered yet another crying jag. Possibly the 56th of the evening. I don’t know. I lost count after two.

A little while ago, Opie of OPIEblue wrote an interesting account of being the gay guy at a babyshower, peeking into a life that he can't really have:

It was a nice evening, but kind of sad for me at points - I realized tonight, more so than ever before, that Ellen and Shannon were growing up in a way that I don't know I'll ever get to experience. I don't lament the fact that I'm gay and can't marry and start a family too often, but tonight - seeing Shannon all pregers and seeing Ellen's ring and the knowing that in a few years all we'll have in common is a history of memories - well, its a little sad. I accept that being a gay man means I'll be different - and I know I could live a life close to the heterosexual norm, but I honestly don't see it happening - and, truth be told - I'd don't even know if I'd want that.

And, though I've posted on this before, I feel the need to point it out again. A really interesting (and absolutely adorable) day in the life of my friend (and frequent commenter) Papa Zito:

Angel: Whatever. Here's your list of things to do for today.
God: Blast. All right, thanks Sam.
Sam hands God the list, then exits
God: Let's see here...
God pauses the game, scans the list, then switches back to Windows
God: Okay. Start... Settings.. Control Panel. Mmm-hmm. Stellar Settings. Comet tab. There. Comet will hit Earth in 75 years. Next... ah, right. Let me change the Environment Settings here. There we go. Universal Constant is now 42. Hahah! Try to figure out why THAT happened, scientists. Now, last thing... go to Users and Groups. Okay, scroll down...scroll... there we are. Double-click on that, and check the Pregnancy box. Hahahah! They weren't even trying this time!

I'm changing the format of RAW Links up somewhat, focusing more on passing on links to other bloggers' posts that I think may be worth your time.

• Rick at Blandella reflects on honesty's limits and religious uncertainty.
• Sammler writes a good one about transparency in the corporate and governmental world.
• Mr. Cross takes on the idiotic Roper ruling here and here, both worth your time if you're at all interested. See also Dylan, Raffi Melkonian, and Will Baude.
• Montana Jones writes on the Montana Ethos.
• Kevin Whited writes on office email abuse annoyance.
• Eager Jimmy humorously reviews Fellowship of the Ring (DVD-1).
• Nathan the Brain puts forth the case for censoring cable. More: 1,2,3,4)

BMJ: Rethinking childhood depression [via MedPundit]
The British Medical Journal presents an interesting look at childhood depression. It simultaneously ponders that changing family and societal structures might be to blame and also that there may not even be a real problem as we have understood it to be. Instinctively I agree with a lot of what it has to say (even the seemingly contradictory parts), though it's seems somewhat speculative.

Times and Seasons: Chastity and Terrorism
Times and Seasons is an LDS blog I ran across during my never-ending search for local blogs. Despite not being of that faith and despite not being inclined to comment on the topic, I found their discussion of whether or not chastity leads to terrorism to be interesting and quite thoughtful.

The Royal Family [via AmScene]
When I was a kid I really liked the Babar books. Who knew they were so controversial?!

Writers in Paradise
An interesting look at the receptive and impatient French novel market.

good dad / bad dad
An Incredibly Sad Epilogue
Karma
Ulysses Zweibel has a holiday tale involving his daughter and a video game.

Ace of Spades: How Jay Mohr Pretty Much Saved My Life
Ace of Spades relates his experiences with Basic Panic Disorder and how modern science is helping him overcome up.

Mother Tongue
The Case Against Family. I don't agree with it, but it's the strongest case against family ties that I've ever read.

A Doctor and a Pimp
When Dr. Charles was just starting out, he was approached to become a doctor in the seedy underworld.

Brain Fertilizer: Random Thoughts [via BF]
Anyone who's ever had to deal with a random person IMing them and trying to make inane conversation with a stranger ought to really, really appreciate this one!

SusanW: Adventures in Missing The Point
Ostensibly a book review, but more interestingly read as a woman reviewing her faith, looking at who she was and who she is.

"U racist fuck"
Gosh, I haven't been called a racist since I was a columnist for the Daily Cougar. I don't think I've ever been called a racist expletive...

"Trap 00000006 Exception" Error Message When You Start Windows 2000
This message has all but ruined my last two weeks and looks like it will cost me the better part of $125.

Building a Better Army: Leaders
Andrew Olmsted (a member of our armed services) explains how promotions would work in the army if he were in charge. I don't know enough to really have an opinion on any of the specifics, but it makes for some interesting reading.

Fate or accident?
Karen takes a look at the maxim that love comes when you are not looking for it and looks for explanations as to why that seems to be the case.

Venting in Houston -Greg
Death of a Friendship: Post-Mourning Period -Heidi
Both Greg and Heidi have lost friends in the last few weeks. I'm really tempted to write on both (particularly Greg's amazingly honest and heartbreaking tract), but I'd better not.

Batman Meets the Beatles (or a reasonable facsimile thereof)
Accordian Guy unearths an old Batman comic and explains some of the history behind it.

Environmentalists, get your guns
Huntin' and environmentalin'...

The Specials [via Brain Fertilizer]
There is an independent film (sorta) about superheroes that I'm unfamiliar with? How did that happen?!

All Media, All Malleable
Ed Driscoll writes in Blogcritics about audience participation entertainment. What four goofballs with a computer and a video capture card is amazing, as the No-Lyfe group demonstrated. Thankfully for the potential audience that we would have inflicted our works upon, we never learned Flash.

Shrub in a "Scrum"
An interesting theory on the brawl that occured between Secret Service and Chilean officials last week.

Things you might see driving around texas
A pretty cool array of pictures from the Lone Star State.

Jet Crashes Before Picking Up Elder Bush
The title makes it sound like a closer call than it was (it was pilot error, not equipment malfunction), but it's interesting none-the-less.

Fox News coming to Canada [via LGF]
Sweet! We'll win them over yet...

America's Vast Pestilential Wasteland
Though a couple years old, since the ANWR subject is up for debate again, it's a handful of good links on the subject (coming from a pro-drilling perspective).

The Godless Party [via Ed Driscoll]
Written a while back by Rod Dreher, it's a good confirm-your-biases piece, whether your bias is that Democrats have abandoned religion or that Republicans faithlessly use religion as a baseball bad in the public sphere.

Clear Lake Falcons Football
Not that anyone cares, but my high school whallopped Houston Lamar to make it into the regional finals. Cool!

The Lovely Wife
A blog written by the wife of a newly placed Episcopalian minister.

A Bombardier's Reflection [via SlingsAndArrows]
James Earl Jones celebrates the 40th anniversary of Dr. Strangelove by reminiscing and recounting the making of the movie.

Humans Were Born to Run, Scientists Say
An interesting evolutionary argument that the ability to run is not a product of our current shape, but rather the reason for it.

Fight Club, Part 2
I suppose there are less fair ways to take out your anger...

Please make me apologize… The FCC as Marketing Partner
Dallas Maverick's owner Mark Cuban on using would-be censors and the FCC to your organization's advantage. Not being a big basketball fan I've never really read his blog, but if this is indicative of the stuff that's on there I might start poking my head there more often.

The triumph of the religious right
Right wing and pro-gay? Right on
Some looks at homosexuality, the 2000 elections, and the factors and consequences.

Behind Scenes, Informer's Path Led U.S. to 20 Terror Cases
The Muslim that set himself on fire in front of the White House was aparently an informant. This article takes a look at one of the ways the front line of the War on Terror is being faught.

The Real Gilligan's Island [via IP]

Blame Bush
A parody blog that has a lot of fun with the "Everything is Bush's fault" sector of the left. It reminds me a bit of a blog idea that I'd love to do if I had the time: a point-counterpoint right/left blog poking fun at the dumbest arguments made by both sides of the aisle via hysterical, paranoid, and inept "spokesmen."

Clinton Library Unveils Displays
Well I take back what I said earlier about Clinton's library. I suppose presidential libraries in general are cheerleading stations (I've actually not been to one in my adult life). As I've said before and elsewhere, If I ever become famous I want the words of my harshest critics included in any such things. But then again, I don't have the ego for politics.

A Tale of Two Maps
Nothing here most of us didn't already know. Rural America votes Republican and urban America votes Democratic. The author, however, does a good job of looking at all of the issues involved and repercussions. It's a worthwhile read.

First Looks at 2006 - Racing for the Senate
It had to start some time: a good primer for the 2006 senatorial elections.

Ain't Seen You Round the Burger World in a While
That is one good lookin' burger, but I doubt it measure's up to Rudrucker's 1lb burger. It's not a meal, it's a mission.

How 'Dungeons' changed the world [via Kevin]
A great look at how RPGs reinvigorated young imagination.

Forging, Casting and CNC Machining
A good, solid look at the differences between forging, casting, and using a CNC machine for lathing. For those interested, anyway.

Meet the Author: Wilson Rawls
I link to this because the Idaho Post-Register article I wanted to link to is for subscribers only. In any case, it turns out that Rawls lived a good part of his life in Falls (where I work and am right now) and was here when he wrote, "Where the Red Fern Grows," which was my favorite junior high school reading assignment.

What It's All About - Hollywood now handles abortion with breezy self-righteousness. It didn't use to, Meghan Cox Gurdon
Hollywood & Abortion, Kathryn Jean Lopez
TV & Abortion, Jonah Goldberg
Life and Death - The pro-life themes of HBO’s Six Feet Under, Radney Balko
Conservative writers tackle the subject of abortion in entertainment and its idiosynchreses. It's certainly a tough subject to tackle. I do tangentially in one of my novels. Should the book ever get published, I suspect that it would have to be altered into a miscarriage.

The Unpardonable Sin [via Kevin]
An interesting account of disgraced Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss's search for forgiveness. He's apparently taken real strides to righting his wrongs, but I have a difficult time relating to a coach who went to Baylor because of it's strict religious nature and then tried to convince his coaches to lie and say that a recently slain player's money was coming from drug sales instead of Bliss himself all to cover up NCAA infractions.

Coyotes in River Oaks
Wolfen 2
Kuff and Pete respond to reports that there have been coyote sightings in Houston.

On the trail of Kerry's failed dream
I've barely read the Newsweek account of Bush's and Kerry's campaign that I linked to last week, so I haven't gotten a chance to look at this one yet, but here it is for anyone interested. I hope to write on the Newsweek account later. My reaction to it may be a surprise to some of you -- or not.

Clinton Library Features Impeachment Area
I was wondering how they would broach this subject. They did so head on, so kudos for that.

11-Year-Old Girl Suspended For 'Dangerous' Cartwheels At School
Egg on their face
The top is an account of a young girl suspended from school for doing cartwheels during recess. I was going to post it, but it was old news before the next RAW Links was ready. The bottom is Chris's post on the matter. Chris doesn't say much, but his comments section becomes a point-counterpoint between an area person and the father of the girl that was suspended.

Playboy, responsibility, and prolonged adolescence
Hugo Schwyzer has a good post on a lecture and discussion on the World War II generation, Playboy magazine, and the baby boomers. Prolonged adolescence is a particular fascination with me and something I could post on to the ground.

"Let's Roll, Kato!"
DavidMSC has a host of links about the old Green Hornet TV show. I saw several of the reruns on FX way back when and it was a nidge better than the Batman series it was knocked off of. There were some awfully goofy moments, though. What surprises me about the Green Hornet and, to a lesser extent The Shadow, is how the properties never gained a strong hold in the comics market. Both knocked around from company to company, but never really found a home and so now both are somewhat dated to their respective eras.