Make That C-SPAN2 -- and If You Don't Get It, Just See Me at the Bar Tonight

Aside from tonight at Lolita Bar (8pm), where I'll take on any and all critics in the audience, the only time I've actually been a debater at that bar in the past five and a half years (that is, during my stint as organizer of the debates, as opposed to the preceding three years attending and arguing), believe it or not, was the time in 2005 that I argued that America is a meritocracy -- and lost. 

And as it happens, the co-panelist I spar with most on that book panel that's airing this weekend (NOTE: ON FRICKING C-SPAN2, I NOW REALIZE, NOT EVEN C-SPAN PROPER, with previous entries corrected accordingly), Sat. 8pm, Sun. 9:30am and 10pm, is very much opposed to the idea of meritocracy, the sort of complaint that can separate the traditionalist conservatives from the libertarians as easily as the egalitarian liberals from the libertarians, apparently.  And the rebellion against meritocracy may be growing, according to the this column (which is at least insightful enough to admit that the likely populist alternatives would be disastrous).  Odd that Obama becomes the poster child for merit in this account, but that's a side issue. 

On an unrelated note, here is an account of a crime involving a flag and a fake hippo.