Friday 1/10

UK artist Luke Jerram sculpture, Helios, photo by Ben Birchall/PA, posted at theguardian.com:

How is conservative free-market firebrand Javier Milei doing? Culled from an article by David Harsanyi at nypost.com, edited by yours truly: Before he took office, Argentina, once one of the wealthiest nations in the world, had a poverty rate of more than 40% and the third-highest inflation rate in the world. Interest rates hit 118%. He shut down 13 government agencies, firing more than 30,000 public workers — approximately 10% of the federal workforce. That is an unrivaled political revolution. Argentina’s federal budget was reduced by 30%. By May 2024, the country recorded its first quarterly budget surplus since 2008. Inflation dropped from 25% at the end of 2023 to 2.4% by the end of 2024. Although the economy shrank by 3.5% in 2024, JP Morgan and the World Bank have predicted the nation’s GDP will grow approximately 5% next year. Let’s hope DT and company can do that here. According to the article, Musk and Ramaswamy’s moves will cut only 3% of government bloat.

Headline from foxnews.com: “Zuckerberg tells Rogan Biden admin would ‘scream’ and ‘curse’ at his employees, demanding censorship.” Anyone surprised? Dems are highly selective in protecting free speech.

It’s a start. From FN: “Amazon trims back DEI initiatives, latest company to make cuts.” Kudos.

RIP Anita Bryant, 84. Born in Oklahoma, she was singing in church at two. At six she was performing at fairgrounds and on local radio and TV. By twelve she had her own eponymous TV show. In ’58 she was Miss Oklahoma, and was second runner up in the ’59 Miss America contest. She recorded more than 25 albums. Only her Christmas disc sold well, reaching #25. She released 14 singles. Paper Roses hit #5 and My Little Corner of the World #10 in ’59. Wonderland by Night climbed to #18 in ’60. Wiki lists eight books in her name, four co-written with her first husband, Miami DJ Bob Green. She was spokesperson for Florida orange juice. In 1977 she became an anti-gay activist, for which she would pay severely. The backlash, in effect, ended her career, and she became the target of artists who lampooned her mercilessly. She was on the wrong side of history. She would declare bankruptcy twice. She was labeled a hypocrite when she filed for divorce. Married twice, she was a mom of four, all with her first husband. Photo from amazon.com:

The wind finally diminished and the Anti-Inflation Book Shop got in a full session for the first time in a week. It was great to be out there, despite the cold. My thanks to the gentleman who pulled his SUV to the curb and bought five hardcovers in Russian, and to the woman who purchased another; and to the one who took home two from R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps series; and to the one who chose All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr; and to the one who couldn’t pass up the lone pocketbook on display; and to local porter Robert, who delivered a handful of books.

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