David Frum's Blog, page 173

Hydraulic Fracking's Putting the Screws to Vladimir and Friends

Ignore Matt Damon's silly, petrodollar-fueled movie and focus on something that matters.

Iranian Media Trolled by The Onion

Words won't do it justice:

First Time Passenger Mistakes Emergency Exit for Restroom

Whoops. Amazingly, it appears this has happened before. Several times, in fact.

Romney's Acute Grasp of Irony

Brian Jencunas thinks people should look at Mitt's governing record, not his clearly ironic speeches before different audiences.

Bored with the Middle East?

A letter from a friend.

Signs of the Times

These are hard times most places, but not everywhere. I live in a fancy zip code and accordingly receive some unusual junk mail. Yesterday we got a mailing from a fractional private-jet ownership company. One page in the expensively printed brochure especially caught my attention.

Consider the Washing Machine

British blogger Tom Doran wants his nation's left to embrace free markets:

Why So Cheap, American Beer?

Does this chart tell us more about the strength of American wages or the awfulness of American beer?

Bar Nights Return

I'll be traveling in Canada again next week, and would be glad to meet Canadian friends for talk, questions, and book signings.

Maryland's Marriage Moment?

Maryland will settle same-sex marriage the right way: at the ballot box. In November, Marylanders will vote on Question 6, an initiative to amend the state constitution to allow same-sex marriage. At present, polls show the "yes" forces 8 points ahead. This lead is fragile, because the "yes" force is very thinly financed -and TV airtime in the crucial Washington DC market is being bid up, up, and up by the national presidential campaigns trying to sway voters in northern V...