10/20   The Magic Mouse is cool. Apple, you rule.

10/20   The original Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G VR is going down in price
        thanks to the new version II that's coming out. It's pretty good
        on DX (since it cuts off softness on edges that exist on FX
        format). Should I pull the trigger?
        \_ Is it made in Thailand?  Just curious.
           \_ No. All of the gold-rim (Nikon Pro) lenses are made in Japan.
              The rest of the consusmer cameras and lenses are made in
              Thailand. Ditto with red-rim (Canon Pro) lenses that are
              made in Japan. Actually, Canon XSi is made in Japan and
              it's a pretty plastic-feeling consumer grade camera.
              Go figure.
              \_ My car was made in Japan and it seems "Made in Japan"
                 doesn't mean much these days.
                 \_ The only thing that matters to me is that it is
                    not made in U.S.A. I don't enjoy going to repair
                    shops all the time like my patriotic dad.
                 \_ Is it a Nissan or Isuzu?
                    \_ Lexus

10/21   WSJ on the current right-wing paranoia.  emarkp, this one's for you.
        http://csua.org/u/pcc           --center-right R.
        \_ meh. Was the author asleep from 2001-2008?
                                        -moderate extremist
        \- Richard Hofstadter is really good. Significantly related and also
           worth reading, "Anti-Intellectualism in American Life".
        \_ It is bizarre tha a writer in a Murdoch paper would decry the
           influence of Fox News on the public discorse.
        \_ IS OBAMA'S NEW ENEMIES LIST GOOD FOR AMERICA?