Steve Verdon takes an indepth look at Jeffrey Sachs proposal to end world poverty and is skeptical of the theory behind it. Me too, but Steve actually has equations to back it up.

Wizbang compares protests in Lebanon to those in America and finds a case where a third world country is much better than us. Oddly enough, it’s the one Wizbang post today without a hot babe in it.

Back to economics – Tom Maguire has a lengthy excerpt of Niall Ferguson’s outlook for the US dollar and the Asian central banks and finds things are gloomier for them than us, which is something I keep telling my mother when she brings it up as her latest doom and gloom prophecy. 

Jenne defends the importance of special education for gifted kids with her own personal story. I can give the other side – the fruit of my loins have stayed engaged because of gifted education.

You scream, I scream, we all scream for links, so here’s a Monday tradition: Linkagery. I’ve added a twist, see if you can figure it out.

Eamonn Fitzgerald leads us off with a fine post about the Copenhagen Consensus: “The inspiring thing about the Copenhagen Consensus is that it set priorities. Climate change was not ignored by the experts, but it was not regarded as critical to saving lives. Instead of reacting to the latest, trendy media-driven fads, the economists had to face the fact that no dollar can be spent twice. Our willingness to help may be unlimited, but our resources are not, in other words.”

Not content with that, Eamonn follows up by explaining the Irish term GUBU, with a less than delightfull example.

Tom McMahon just took himself out of the running for President; I guess I’ll just have to vote for Condi. A word of advice Tom — notice how I never include myself in the pictures I post here unless they are really old and thus show me as a young man? Wink wink.

Tom also gives us the skinny on that eHarmony guy who’s buying a lot of commercial time on TV (not that I watch TV!). OK, really it’s National Review, but I’m trying to throw the lefties off the scent, or they’ll figure out we do nothing but read and blog NRO.

Jenne has some questions and observations (did Jon Henke TM that?) that are worth a look. She also has some thoughts on Geeklog, so if you’re thinking about new weblog software here’s your chance to find out about Geeklog.

The Ombudsgod! has little trouble figuring out what Michael Getler, ombudsperson at the WAPO can’t. Of course, TO never has trouble figuring out the conumdrums that stump Mr. Getler. And then he congratulates the press on the stringent safeguards on their stories, especially those that involve some guy called Gannon. 

Dissecting Leftism notes that contra Chait, leftism is both dogmatic and has their pantheon of Saints. And he regularly has his own festival of links called Elsewhere.

My alter ego, the Interociter, has pretty much the same take on the Bush tapes I do:  the big revelation is that if public George meets private George, they both can exist because they are pretty much the same. And he has a good question (and observation!) about China.

OK, I better let McQ at Questions and Obersavtions have a turn: an observation on British ingenuity as displayed by the response to the ban on fox hunting. But that’s just warming up — he has a very interesting look at research on al Qaeda members and discovers that it isn’t poverty or religious fanaticism that is original motivation, but to find out what it is you’ll have to follow the link.

Take Sir Charles’ challange and name your 10 artistic or scientific achievements from 1950 to 2000 that will still matter two hundred years. He also notes the disconnect between the headline and the picture.

Jane Galt has the last word on the Larry Summers brouhaha (so I don’t have to). And with that, I’m breaking the mold on this post.

You may have noticed, but I haven’t been blogging too much recently. All kinds of stuff has been going on while I’ve been otherwise occupied.

Charles Austen is handing out Christmas wishes and once again I’ve been overlooked. That’s OK, I’m used to it. And really, the list of fine bloggers is present enough, because, as I explained below, really I don’t need anything I don’t already have.

John Conyers, one of my favorite politicians, looks to have got caught sending turkeys meant for the poor to pals. Yeah, I know, isn’t that really what politics is about?

I caught Don Luskin on the radio the other morning on my way to work. He was talking about ways to improve Social Security and I have to say he gives great radio. I was a little surprised because he was very calm, matter of fact, stuck with the facts, wouldn’t let himself get diverted and politely stayed on topic when Smash (one of the hosts) tried to pull him off. I say surprised because he comes off more as an in your face kind of guy on his website.

Shelley (whose Burningbird I adore) reports on the firing of a St. Louis Post-Dispatch writer for what he wrote on his blog. I have to say, since I post under my own name I have no illusions that what I write here won’t be used against me, so I write accordingly. Number one, nothing about work, and very little about the field I work in. I don’t think my writing suffers because I don’t dis my coworkers or employer here; it’s not something I do (much) anyway and it would only be of interest to people I work with.

Kevin “Mr. Wizbang to You” responds to Corey Pein, the author of a piece in the CJR about Dan Rather and the blogosphere. Speaking of which, still no release of the big investigation report.  Powerline has their own response. Me? Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.

I’m told that Tom Brokaw retired. I have no idea if this is true as I haven’t seen a network news broadcast in years. They say he’s been replaced with Brian Williams, who always seemed a pleasant fellow on CNBC or MSNBC or whatever cable outfit I saw him on. Something odd about his eyes though.

The guys at Powerline are engaged in a pissing contest with a man who buys civit cat juice by the barrel. Good luck guys. Interestingly enough, McQ at QandO has a bone to pick with Powerline as well (thankfully he doesn’t bring genitalia into his critique.

In an attempt to be Seinfeldesq, I’ll note that Jon Henke of QandO has pointed out a wee bit of dead horse beating on the part of Dan Rather.

I know I’m late to the party on this one, but John Hawkins has the 40 Most Obnoxious Quotes of 2004

Da Goddess and son have a funny encounter with a Bush-hater. Although I agree with the lady that God doesn’t vote Republican – God doesn’t vote period (I’m a Deus Vult kind of guy), and IMHO takes far more interest in individuals than political parties.

Winds of Change has a remarkable story about a young Kurdish woman and her fight for a free Iraq.

Q and O is all over the al-Qaqaa story. My own two cents is that it is much ado about nothing. There is nothing all that special about the explosives, or the amount, or the non-involvement of the Bush administration.

Consternations advises how Bush should respond to Kerry’s handling of al-Qaqaa. Of course, Bush could have responded this way over several other issues. 

In the wake of the latest caca, I’ve been thinking to myself that in any other line of work, Dan Rather would be off the air hoping his name would be cleared in the Ra^thergate fiasco, instead of on the air waiting for the fury to die down. So I’m with Rich and Dodd on boycotting CBS affiliates, and I can still watch my Survivor.

Sir Charles takes a look at the Heartland of America and thinks it can be trusted and invites your comments as to why.

Deroy Murdock takes a look at Saddam Hussein and terrorism. It isn’t pretty. (via INDC Journal).

I hope you can stand one more al-Qaqaa link, because it’s time for some humor to ease the pain. Blame Bush! gives the big picture response to the hype with verve and enthusiasm. I know it’s no laughing matter, but it keeps the crying at bay.

Robert Musil looks at polls so you don’t have to – and concludes with the wisdom of James Carville: “You know what they call a candidate who’s counting on a lot of new voters? A loser.”

JOHO the blog reports on a study that shows that people on the internet do come into contact with more points of view than people who aren’t internet users (who is that anymore, I wonder). 

Into the Sunset has already voted (I’d do that too if it meant I didn’t see any more political ads) in Arizona, and tells us who and why. I’m with Brad on Bush — on those issues where I’m disapointed (yes Virginia, Bush isn’t perfect), Kerry has promised to be worse, and has the record to back it up.

Da Goddess has already voted too, only in California, and she too lays it all out for us.

The Interocitor, who I think is a wonderful guy, looks at what the lunar eclipse portends — he thinks good news (except for that Red Sox thing). Years ago when America Online was my ISP, another Kevin Murphy IM me about how neat our name was. I replied I was happy for us both, and he replied with some profanity about how he thought it was a great name. He seemed a little young to me at the time. Hope that wasn’t you, Interocitor.

The Belmont Club (can you really be a club with just one person?) looks at Arafat and his legacy. It, too, isn’t pretty.

Dust in the Light responds to a letter to the editor about the separation of Church and State brought on by the Catholic Church’s recent attempts to explain how their faith intersects with politics. I wonder if anybody responds to my letters to the editor?

OK, that’s enough politics. Time for some beauty, so go check out Shelley Power’s Tinfoil project for some gorgeous photos, mainly of scenery in and around St. Louis. Trust me, her pictures look better than the reality.

Happy Birthday to Busymom! The Big 40 is nothing to trifle with, youngster. I’d go out and buy a pair of those magnifying glasses for far-sightedness right now, because very soon you’ll need them. And remember, you’re only as old as you feel, so if you’re feeling old, go out and feel something young. Works every time.

Fran Mason urges you to visit the Ozarks, and I have to second that sentiment. And by all means follow her link to the MSNBC story that extolls their virtue. 

The Obvious? reports that Tom Peters, yes, THE Tom Peters who is the top management guru around, has a blog. A real blog.

Some simple advice for herself that works for me, and probably you too from Da Goddess.

I can’t help myself, Tom McMahon tells an oldie but a goodie, and he discovers that a team of top flight doctors have concluded that The Red Baron was shot down because he was suffering impaired judgement as the result of a nasty head wound.

Justin Katz asserts that Truth must be conveyed honestly by looking at some attempts to convert Catholics by less than honest means.

Science Blog reports that volunteering is good not just for the soul but the health as well (no word on desert and floorwax effects). They also report that some smart person has figured out why some paintings have eyes that follow you around the room: “All it takes for the effect to work is to have the person in the painting, or photograph, look straight ahead. If a person in a painting is looking straight out, it will always appear that way, regardless of the angle at which it is viewed.” And rounding out the trifecta, the FTC is considering offering bounties for spammers. I think $50 a head is about right.

Shelley Powers went to the balloon race here in Forest Park and has the pictures to print it. Poke around to discover more, lots more.

I must be watching the wrong TV shows, but I can’t recall seeing one of the Miller High Life ads Brad Rolfe likes so much. Perhaps it’s because I watch girly man shows (hey, Oprah is very informative), or perhaps I can’t think of anything I like to watch less on TV than poker, except perhaps for golf. I do remember the cat fight ad, although for the life of me I couldn’t tell you which Miller product they were pushing.

Eamonn Fitzgerald reports that Mel Gibson and John Boorman (the latest version of the odd couple?) are going to make best-seller The Professor and the Madman into a movie. The crazy thing is (no, not that I read and enjoyed the book) that the book was about the making of the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. Would that there were more people in Hollywood who can make movies that interest them.

I’m going to let Brian Tiemann handle that whole pirate thing, which I neither understand nor care about.

Are you ready for some football? Ben Domenech is.

I’ve heard of White Punks on Dope, but David at Cronaca warns about pigeons on dope.

Oh yeah, they handed out Emmy’s last night but frankly I couldn’t care less about stupid award shows anymore. OK, I’m sure I’ll watch the Oscars with my wife, but I don’t enjoy it.

Josea “Ze” Frank has a wild and varied collection of videos, documents, and some interactive toys on his site. Two that I liked best are Draw Toy and Build Your Own (separately or together):

• Draw Toy 2003
• Build Your Own (Kaleidascope)
• Draw Toy vs. Build Your Own (Kaleidascope)