What Is Flig?

I'd like to see Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball merge with the Player's Ball.

As David Letterman might say, "Oprah, Don Magic Juan. Don Magic Juan, Oprah."

Y'know, it's really disappointing how commercialized Kwanza's gotten lately.

It's just not the same as when I was a kid.

And don't even talk to me about Festivus. Have you seen the aluminum poles they're selling now?

I considered liveblogging the season premiere of TAR 7, but I decided to fold laundry instead.

Just thought you'd like to know.

So I've been wondering- at what point does all of this aid flowing to southern Asia hit the point of diminshing returns? Are we providing the equivalent of subsidized Hurricane insurance that's going to cause these countries to build up the same coastlines that just got pulverized and kill another generation in 20 years? At what point is there just too much money flowing in? If we wind up donating say, a year's income per survivor reciving aid, we're going to distort these economies and create a cargo cult.

In addition, clearly the more money flowing in, the more that's going to stick to the fingers of corrupt officials and worthless NGOs (like, for example, the UN .)

I don't think that these are the kinds of questions that can be answered in advance, but I hope that the money flows will be closely monitored. Donald Sensing has advice on actual goods you can send, instead of money, as well as links to a Fed Ex offer to pick up and deliver goods to Tsunami victims free of charge.

Welcome to 2005

Had dinner tonight at Peking Gourmet, possibly the best traditional Chinese Restaurant in the U.S.(and a favorite of Bush 41.) Get the Peking Duck and Sechzuan Beef Proper. (I'm also fond of the Sechzuan Lamb Chops, but they don't seem to be a favorite of anyone else.)

With Mitchell and Miriam going to bed before 8:00, a party clearly wasn't an option. Julie and I caught up on some early episodes of Lost we hadn't seen, and she went to bed around 11:00. TCM was showing The Last Waltz, so I wound up staying up to watch the Ball Drop. Now I'm ready for bed, and hoping Miriam sleeps through the night tonight.

Trackbacked to Outside The Beltway.

Roxy imitates a doorsnake:

Thanks for keeping out the draft.

Creepy Kitty (Toonces)