David Frum's Blog, page 119

Yes, We Can Blame Nancy Lanza

A high-school teacher who survived a school shooting says, yes, we can blame Nancy Lanza for keeping dangerous weapons in her home, apparently unsecured.

Alec Baldwin Was Right

In character as "Captain Steve Rogers," Alec Baldwin asked whether any of us would board an aircraft flying 30,000 feet above the ground if we believed it could be brought down by a Kindle switch.

Log Cabin Republicans Respond to Andrew Sullivan

This morning, Andrew Sullivan posted an item criticizing the Log Cabin Republicans for their opposition to a possible nomination of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Andrew suggested that LCR was acting at the behest of shadowy pro-Israel types with their own agenda. Clarke Cooper of LCR has replied with a direct letter to Andrew Sullivan, which is posted in full below.

Democrats Have Their Own Fiscal Delusions, Part 2

Here's the second crucial ridiculous thing Democrats believe:

Will Obama Yield on Taxes?

Jonathan Chait fears Obama has abandoned his hardline demand to restore Clinton era tax rates for those making over $250,000 a year.

Hagel: The Wrong Man for the Job

Steve Clemons of the Atlantic has been collecting opinions for and against the bruited nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense.

Where Your Tuition Dollars Go

Over the past decade, ranks of college administrators grew 50% faster than number of college instructors, reports the Wall Street Journal.

Euphemisms on Parade

China uses forced labor. No shocker there. Many Americans were, however, stunned to hear that some of their goods they enjoy were made under such conditions. As the friend of the blog who submitted this link noted, the use of euphemisms by a supposed human rights organization was most troubling.

Apple's Statistically Significant Impact on Crime Numbers

New York City delivered a generally very positive crime report for 2012 (homicide levels fallen to the lowest level since the early 1960s, most variants of non-lethal crime down), with only one stand-out exception: a surge in thefts of Apple products.

Gleaning Wisdom from Cab Drivers

I've been in Jerusalem a little over 12 hours now. Thus far, however, I have taken no taxi rides, so I can as yet offer no insight into the mood of the peoples of the Middle East.