Pun Salad

It's darn damp in the Granite State. You may have heard. But I'm safe at home, and the water is only barely over my ankles.

• Sometimes I get asked "Whereabouts in New Hampshire do you live?" The answer is: the part of the state colored orange in the map over there to the right. Aieee, we're all gonna die! (Via Carl.)

• Radley Balko takes a rare look behind the Times Select wall at David Brooks' Sunday op-ed cheering that "conservatism that emphasizes freedom [is giving] way to a conservatism that emphasizes authority." Radley finds Brooks to be fact-challenged, and the details are well worth reading for those (like me) who are occasionally squeamish and disturbed about social libertarianism.

• Looking for enlightened and fair policy on the immigration issue? Don't look at Pun Salad; we still got no clue whatsoever, other than idly wishing that people not be rewarded for breaking the law. There's a vast amount of opinion out there, and we find ourselves nodding docilely in agreement with just about everything we read, no matter if it contradicts what we docilely agreed with 23 seconds earlier.

  However, just because we have no informed opinion on an issue under debate doesn't mean that we can't have a meta-opinion on the debate itself. Prof Althouse observes that immigration is "suddenly making everyone crazy," and that may be the single most sensible thing said on the topic. Unfortunately, as the Prof observes, the craziness has led to the breakup of a group blog, since the publisher can brook no dissent on the issue.

• The British Broadcasting Corporation recently aired an interview with a London cab driver, in the mistaken belief that he was an expert on Internet music downloads. Thousands of pretty American newscasters are thinking: "There but for the grace of God go I." Or they would be thinking that, were they not airheads. (Via Dave.)

• With The Da Vinci Code movie coming out, you'll want to brush up on some of the fundamentals (heh) of Christianity. The Holy Office has an impressive "crib sheet" that will tell you everything you need to know about this obscure sect so you can impress your co-workers around the water cooler with arcane facts. For example, bet you didn't know:
  The first Baptist was John the Baptist, who was said to eat locusts and honey, although contemporary Baptists generally prefer barbecue.

  By the way, if you don't get the reference to "Touchdown Jesus," click here. (Via Jane.)