We are developing the social individualist meta-context for the future. From the very serious to the extremely frivolous... lets see what is on the mind of the Samizdata people.

Samizdata, derived from Samizdat /n. - a system of clandestine publication of banned literature in the USSR [Russ.,= self-publishing house]

No argument from me!

congress

Brilliant satire

Peter Briffa is on great form.

iJam Apple style

Tomorrow evening we are doing a blogger bash and one of the Samizdatistas, Michael Jennings in a bout of generosity is bringing a whole leg of Serrano ham to share. Another blogging groupie is kindly bringing a ham stand and a knife. So the video below is particularly relevant and wonderfully silly:

via dropsafe

cross-posted from Media Influencer

Asking all the hard questions

The Daily Telegraph asks:

“Just what do chalet girls get up to?”

I have been skiing several times and judging by the partying I er, saw (honest, guv), quite a good deal. As for the chaps, well…

Name that demographic

Apparently, the reason Senator Hillary Clinton (New York) won the recent New Hampshire Democratic party US presidential primary was as follows:

No, it appears at this early stage of analysis that the pieces were in place for this win all along, and that the “secret weapon” of the Clinton campaign was their field program to significantly boost turnout with their strongest demographic, single women and women with less than a college degree.

I wonder what we should call “single women and women with less than a college degree”? Not “Soccer Moms” obviously. I have a horrible feeling I know what Chris Rock would call them…

BTW, I note there are no Samizdata category sections for “witchcraft” or “elections”. This might be a case for either or both.

Samizdata quote of the day

“The loss of a leg may generally be regarded as a more real calamity than the loss of a mistress.”

Adam Smith.

I think I agree, although I guess it depends on the mistress.

Shopping habits

I am feeling rather groggy after a wonderful party yesterday – I also watched the excellent Barbarians-South Africa match in a pub – but this item on a website called Sharp as a Marble is an instant hangover cure. Good heavens – the stuff you can find on the web.

A key breakthrough in science

Important data on the meaning of curves and wiggles.

Back up while you sleep

Not this kind of back up though.

via Make Marketing History

And you thought Al Qaeda was bad…

Samizdata quote of the day

Standing ovations have become far too commonplace. What we need are ovations where the audience members all punch and kick one another.

George Carlin, US comedian.

Hard cash

David Friedman has some thoughts on the whole business of human mating and money. I suppose I will be deemed incorrigibly flippant, but I could not help but immediately think of this crackerjack of a funny post on such matters by the one and only Harry Hutton.

Deplorable, obviously.