Ol' Straight Talk

Senator McCain says it was inappropriate to use a photo of General Petraeus in his fundraising literature. So why did he do it?

Yep, the straight talk continues. (Click to enlarge)

When Bloggers Strike

Chelan Brown, running against Ben Swan for a state rep seat in Springifeld has a blogger problem. Seems that participants in the Republican's forum discovered that her web site (now down) was essentially a compilation of positions and policy statements taken from other candidates running for office in places like Washington state and Connecticut. Urban Compass has the story. Ms. Brown now claims that the site was hacked, which raises other questions, not the least of which is why would someone take the time and effort on such an elaborate hack? Who in her campaign was monitoring the site and didn't notice the difference? Is campaign rhetoric now so generic that you can cut and paste together policy statements and no one notices until you happen to attach a unrelated graphic?

She also has an address problem that rivals the Awad/Hubley flap here in Amherst. Just where she lives is being challenged by another candidate in the Democratic primary.

Ms. Brown is not stranger to Springfield politics, having run for mayor at age 19 and now operates an advocacy organization. Rep. Swan appears to be above the fray. With the opposition self destructing you can sit back and enjoy the show. I don't think either challenger can topple Swan and see this more of a "getting your name out" operation for when he retires and the seat is open.

Ripped from Headlines

In my (very) old college student radio days we used to do “rip and read” news, tear stories literally from the AP teletype and assemble a newscast, sort of.

Maybe the Revolution will be postponed: “RIM gains U.S. market share, Apple/Motorola lose.” (Reuters)

Watch that 401(k): “Oil bubble could prove threat to pension funds.” (Reuters)

Here comes the sun: “How Abu Dhabi Differs From Exxon” (WaPo)

Fox gets to me too: "Fox News worker sues over bedbugs" (Reuters)

From the Arts and Culture Desk: “Women wrestling sweeps Bolivia” (BBC)

Brimfield and the Presidential Election.

For the last several years I've been visiting the Brimfield flea market, or more properly the Brimfield Antique Show. While I occasionally buy something my purpose is usually photographic -- having been tipped off awhile ago by Stan Kaufman about the prospects for interesting images among the displays. What struck me this year was the extent of political discussion I heard as I wandered around this Saturday (5/17) looking for images to make.

The vendors pretty much know each other and if they don't at first they do get acquainted over the week they spend together on the ground. These are your basic entrepreneurs – engaged in a market and trying to turn a profit from a part or full time business. Trying to match supply and demand with varying degrees of formality. The bottom line is they're there to make a sale. This is market economics at its most basic and one would think that these folks would vote repub.

Suffice it to say they're not happy with Commandate El Busho and more given to wondering how the next prez, whoever that is, will get us out of the mess we're in. The suck up to the Saudis routine didn't go over real well either. No one overheard in a political discussion seemed happy.

While Ebay's cut into the business, Brimfield remains a northeast regional, if not a national, event. So if the entrepreneurial folks assembled here are any indication, McCain will have a difficult time shrugging off Bush and while Obama's not a given, people are willing to listen.

Two more markets are scheduled for this year and it will be interesting to hear what follks are talking about as the summer progresses.

Speaking of photographs

Sic transit gloria Flip Schulke.

Heron returns

Same bird as last year?

Rail Trail Egret

This egret was hanging out in the ponds along the rail trail last year but didn't seem to attract the notice that the blue heron did. A heron is back this year, no sign of an egret so far.

Getting the lead out

Thanks to Brad DeLong for posting the following:

Felix Salmon

How Unleaded Gasoline Slashed the Violent Crime Rate

The paper, from the NBER, is 70 pages long, but the conclusion, from Jessica Wolpaw Reyes, is simple, and stunning:

The main result of the paper is that changes in childhood lead exposure are responsible for a 56% drop in violent crime in the 1990s.

What are those "changes in childhood lead exposure"? Primarily the move to unleaded gasoline, which happened in the US between 1975 and 1985.

Suit suit

In the why should we care department the New York Times reports that TYR Sport has filed suit against Warnaco Swimwear the maker of Speedo and LZR Racer swim suits for competitive swimmer types.

Whats at issue here? Why should we care? Perhaps those who are devotes of Mr. Market can explain why taxpayers dollars should be spent resolving who gets to put clothes on the very few people who swim competitively.

Sheep shot

These critters were on Moody Bridge Road in Hadley one misty morning. The image appears in 2008 Massachusetts Agricultural Calendar and will be used on the cover of a report from the American Farmland Trust.

He's a Rebel

Oh, that Johnny McCain...always a maverick. Now he's gone and recognized global warming. I wonder what the majority of the Belchertown Selectboard's gonna do now.

Oil

Oil today was reported "steady" at above $126.00 a barrel. Driving north on the Merritt Parkway this evening we noticed that gas prices on that stretch of road ranged from $3.89 to $4.05.

Meanwhile, in the face of the McCain/Clinton gas tax non-starter, Repub Rep Jeff Perry believes that one economically unsound idea deserves another -- so he's proposing dropping the state gas tax for the summer. I suppose it was only a matter of time.