- Michael C. Moynihan on Kim Jong-Un, Castro, and the cliche of “rumors of reform” in dictatorships
- Dave Weigel on the year’s movies being down on government (yay!).
- Bonus, my old Reason piece on The Hunger Games and other libertarian-leaning pop culture items. Having read all three books, and seen both movies (including Catching Fire‘s “It’s happening” dialogue”), I would say they’re even more libertarian than I initially thought.
- Over at the Perpetual Three-Dot Column, Jesse Walker is bringing out his traditional best movies of ten, 20, etc. years ago. Read and note how he is wrong about Jurassic Park and somewhat wrong about Schindler’s List.
- Via Jesse Walker, cryptidslashfic is a think that exists, according to Business Insider
- Gene Healy is right, the lie of the year is indeed President Obama “welcom[ing] the debate” over NSA powers. Edward Snowden spoke to The Washington Post and was his usual articulate self. Maybe “mission accomplished” can be saved as a term.
- And Commentary Magazine’s response to the interview was its usual, authoritarian self.
- On Thursday, a Texas Sheriff’s Deputy was killed during a no-knock raid over marijuana and stolen guns. Marijuana was found, the guns were legal, and someone is dead, and someone else is charged with murder. Do you think anyone will suggest changing police tactics after this one? I’ll keep an eye on it for this upcoming week.
- Speaking of bad decisions by police, here is my own worst cops of the year round-up over at VICE. It is incomplete, of course. I only regret neglecting to include the New Mexico cavity search cops.
- Oh, and Radley Balko’s “Dire Civil Liberties Predictions For 2014”
- I’ve been obsessively reading deadhomersociety.com the last few days, because it reminds me of how amazing The Simpsons once was (hello my entire childhood) and grimy describes the horrors that has befallen what the blogger calls Zombie Simpsons. Alas.
- Christmas Truces past 1914
- David R. Henderson in 2008 noted the explicit trading stuff, not killing people, aspect of the Truce.
- Peace on earth and all, but don’t make the Truce too banal, dude.
- Basically, I need to learn about soccer (or “football”) in time for next Christmas. WHO WANTS TO COME TO YPRES WITH ME?! Open invitation.
Finally, the song of the day can only be the best Christmas song ever, which can thankfully also be enjoyed every other day of the year:
Merry Christmas, all.