MIA? Or just missing?

UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S HAPPENED with Japan's nuclear plants.

Here's another good link.

THERE'S A RIGHT KIND OF DIVERSITY - and then there's a wrong kind. Liberal diversity - good; any other - bad.

IRAN ANNOUNCES launch of its unmanned flying saucer.


IEEE Spectrum is also skeptical.

NUCLEAR PLATITUDES

Reader Brad Westbrook in the March 21 edition of the Austin American-Statesman, which can't seem to get its act together well enough to have the letters online the day the print edition appears on the news stands.

Here's what I keep hoping to hear from a U.S. offical about nuclear power plants here: "We are completely terrified by the events unfolding in Japan. The worst case scenario, becoming more and more likely, is the catastrophe that sends everyone in the nuclear energy industry to their knees in fear and dread..."

Well, the reason you're not hearing it is that it's simply not true. The events in Japan are a disaster, certainly, but not a nuclear disaster.

Continuing with Westbrook's letter:

"We have convened emergency meetings of all those with administrative control over nuclear power plants, along with boots-on-the-ground workers, to determine what we can do to prevent such a scenario here. Nothing is fool-proof. But we intend to implement immediately any lessons learned that we posssibly can."

Umm, usually lessons-learned follow a post-mortem, which is usually well after the event. What Westbrook is suggesting is more in line with implementing lessons unlearned.

Instead, we get platitudes about how things aren't so bad, that the radioactive vapor can't possibly get to the U.S., that our nuclear reactors are perfectly safe.

Again, not true. There haven been multitudinous news reports, citing government officials, that (a) it's bad; (b) radioactive emissions did occur and were in fact measured (though with very sensitive instruments) in the continental United States, and (c) whether Westbrook likes it or not, our nuclear reactors are quite safe.

Insert expletive-laced snort of disbelief here.

I would advise against snorting in the future; Mr. Westbrook can ill-afford to lose any more brain tissue.

COMMUNITARIANISM IS GREAT - until it's my turn to pay.

In the ongoing hue and cry over school funding in Texas, one thing is noticeably absent: the voice of the tea partyers.

Where are all of the letters accurately portraying our public schools as socialist? Where are the justifiable demands for property owners without children to be relieved of their school tax obligations? Where is the heartfelt insistence that families pay more for each child they have in the school system?

Let the voice of these patriots be heard.

Letter from reader Brad Smith in the March 21 edition of the Austin (TX) American-Statesman (who, bless its incompetent little heart, can't put anything online until at least one day after the print publication hits the street).

Well. I presume Mr. Smith is single, or childless, so let me ask him if he is willing to forego his Social Security, since it will be paid for by my children. Just in case Mr. Smith is unaware (which certainly he is) his - and some of my - FICA taxes are going to pay for his parents, of which I presume he has two.

And since he is obviously willing (being childless) to forego his Social Security benefits, does he think it is appropriate for me to receive a larger Social Security benefit since I have two children?

And yes, I am both receiving a Social Security benefit check and a tea party "patriot." And additionally for those of you about to go "Aha!" I am also willing to sacrifice some of my benefits for the common good.

FACTS MIGHT BE STUPID THINGS, but they are still facts. And as you read through Leonard Pitts' commentary, you soon realize that the facts are not 'real facts' until they're seen through the proper liberal dogma. Otherwise, "La, la, ... I can't hear you."

HEY, INSTAPUNDIT JUST PUBLISHED one of my sarcastic comments. But never mind that, read the Instapundit post - lots of attitude and links.

UPDATE: to get the "uber-partisan" reference, you'll have to link through Instapundit to the Andrew Sullivan post. I generally avoid linking Sullivan because immediately afterward I have a strong urge to wash my brain.