Who Were the Sea Peoples?

Can a lawyer represent both sides in a divorce case? Can a coach manage each time in a ballgame? But, in some cases...

Even the humanitarian relief efforts serve an almost tragicomic illustration of the reality of the Iraqi Civil War: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/18293.html Tragicomic, were it not so horrifically real.

"Tell me one last thing," said Harry. "Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?" "Of course it's happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" -- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (By the way, I read it Monday -- highly recommended.)

Sunday afternoon and then at midnight. See here for details.

I'm reading a fascinating book that my wife discovered, Daniel Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness. At some point I'll probably review it for Mises.org so no need for a big to-do right now. However, in the beginning he discusses why it's very odd that we try to imagine and provide for the desires of these other people, who are often very ungrateful. Those people are our future selves. This wasn't Gilbert's point, but it reminded me of one of my (countless) deep insights from my grad school years: If you are altruistic then it will redound to your happiness. There is much psychological truth behind the Golden Rule, but it's not (simply) that God will reward you in heaven or that people might reciprocate. Rather, if you orient yourself to catering to others' needs, then you will do the same for your future self. And hence you will be happier than if you selfishly look out for Numero Uno, and then wonder why you haven't lived up to your potential (an...

I saw a show on BBC before I left the UK last week on "tiger protection" efforts by the Indian government. At one "tiger preserve," state officials were reporting the presence of almost 30 tigers, but when independent researchers checked the park, they found that every single tiger had been poached from the preserve, from under the noses of 300 government employees. Another state-run preserve banned a researcher who questioned their population figures, but the researcher's figures were later proven accurate. Meanwhile, AM New York reports that the New York City government dumps about 27 billion gallons of raw sewage into New York waterways each year. Fixing the problem would be "too expensive."

No, I'm not voting for Giuliani--I don't vote, on principle. (And a Clinton victory might even be better in the long run, since people need to remember that a "liberal" can bomb foreigners too.) But this is unsolicited advice for Limbaugh fans.