The Anchoress

Apparently, Carnegie Mellon University did some sort of study which I don’t understand at all, and which measured something else I don’t get, and they compiled a list that we spouses of engineers can appreciate in the context of “efficient use of time.” So here, thanks to Soccerdad, who explains it better than I can is a list of the top 100 blogs that are efficient uses of your time…or something. Your humble hostess is (surprisingly) included, at #25. Don Surber (#2 after the unsurprisingly efficient Instapundit!) has generously posted links to all blogs included in the list, so if you’re looking to blog-read more efficiently, he’s yer man to see!

The list was comprised of 2006 blogs. I’m quite sure my reduced blogging-time in 2007 would throw me off the list, btw, and that would feel more natural.

Also, Kevin Aylward has extended the nominations process over at the 2007 Weblog Awards until the end of the day today. So, if in your newly efficient blog-reading mode you discover a blog you really like, you can head over there and nominate ‘em.

To the ’sphere: Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit nails it in once sentence when he writes:

“When the history of media reportage on this war is written, it will not be kind”.

Damn straight. If we are winning in Iraq don’t expect to hear about it in the mainstream media. Progress in Iraq is ignored completely by the press who may not want to see defeat but who clearly don’t want to see victory under this president. Or, wait…according to the press, it’s the president who’s hiding the good news!. That’s why the Democrats made fools over themselves regarding Gen. Petraeus, because the White House didn’t tell them things were markedly better over there. The press doesn’t mind really, really reaching for the bad news, though.

Thank God, though, for milbloggers, and the mythbusting bloggers who love them!

If you ask me, President Bush needs to go before both houses of Congress and the American people to tell them where we’re at in Iraq, tell them that the surge is working, but he won’t. Bush seems to have little-to-no interest in countering established narratives, but he should be talking up the better news in Iraq, for the sake of his soldiers, at least. We know he has the mettle. Why not use it, here?

On the campaign front, as the press tells it, an adoring American public is throwing so much money at the Clinton campaign that sometimes they just can’t keep track so good, you know? Hillary Clinton is mushmouthing initial queries into her astonishingly lucrative Chinatown fundraiser, in which many anonymous and untrace-able dishwashers and street stall owners averaged gifts of over $1,500.00 to her campaign. And wouldn’t you know it, since they can’t find a lot of them, the campaign can’t return the funds, either! And, wouldn’t you know it, not one of the three major network news programs has had the time or inclination to even look into the questions surrounding Hillary’s fundraising ever since the Norman Hsu story cracked. The press has zero curiosity about where Mrs. Clinton’s money comes from, or where Bill’s comes from, either. It’s all A-OK with them!

Her mushmouthing on this issue is better than her pottymouthing elsewhere. Hey, at least she doesn’t spy on people! A Jacksonian has decided he really doesn’t like or trust this lady.

To my way of thinking, Rudy Giuliani still has the best sound-bite on Hillary:

“Honestly, in most respects, I don’t know Hillary’s experience. She’s never run a city, she’s never run a state. She’s never run a business. She has never met a payroll. She has never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less even hundreds of people.

“So I’m trying to figure out where the experience is here. It would seem to me that in a time of difficult problems and war we don’t want on the job training for an executive. The reality is that these areas in which - maybe there are some areas in which she has experience but the areas of having the responsibility of the safety and security of millions of people on your shoulders is not something Hillary has ever had any experience with.”

J’s Caffenette encourages the candidates to stick to substance, please.

On Heath Issues: Sorry you must lose your bladder, but the excellent National Health Insurance plan in Canada, which so many Democrats in this country vaunt as a model for the US can only do a few of those minor surgeries that would have saved your bladder, each year.

Bill Gates is concerned about Malaria and praises the Bush administration’s actions on the issue. Amazing.

In Education: John Leo asks (as he has been asking since the late 1980’s by my memory) Who will stand up for free speech on campus? A good question. Evan Coyne Maloney is doing his best.

Betsy Newmark notes some idiotic college courses.

On Religion: Ed Morrissey is waxing enthusiastic on Dinesh D’Souza’s newest book, What’s So Great About Christianity?. Siggy is waxing enthusiastic about Ed’s interview with Dinesh and writing pretty insightfully on the book, D’Souza, Chris Hitchens and more here. Deacon Greg is intrigued, too. I plan to listen to the interview later and pick up the book soon.

Just a few asides:

Have you wondered if the California wildfires were in fact arson, and possibly terrorism? The FBI is wondering the same thing. Apparently the idea was talked about by Al Qaeda in 2003. But let’s face it, anyone with a grudge and a pack of matches could have started this, so…it’s anyone’s guess.

As a New Yorker, I knew Spitzer would be a disaster and he has been from day one. He essentially ran for office unopposed, too. We have a long haul before us.

Reading a lot about “rendition” are you? Here are five myths.

Great links, especially the Halloweeny ones at Happy Catholic.