“Do you come from a land down under?

Where women glow and men plunder?

Can’t you hear, can’t you hear the thunder?

You better run, you better watch bloggers.”

Kevin Holtsberry: Two good responses to Jonah Goldberg’s get-Saddam column. Via Unqualified Offerings, who hammers home one of Holtsberry’s points.

Diana Hsieh vs. Will Wilkinson on sociobiological explanations for religious belief. You can read my thoughts on some of these explanations here and (obliquely!) here; I’ll just add two things. One: The “religion is for the lazy” argument always seems to take into account only people for whom religious belief has devolved from worship into morality, and from morality into manners. It doesn’t take into account these guys, or these, or these, etc. There have been millions throughout history for whom religion made life more difficult (if also more joyful). Two: Why on earth would anyone assume that there’s a general explanation for “religion” rather than widely varying explanations for different religions? Obviously there are some elements common to (most) religions, and offensive to Objectivism, but there are also huge differences. Would you expect people to worship Zeus for the same reasons they worship Jesus?

Charles Murtaugh: Where have all the disgusting vast locusts gone, long time passing…?

Protein Wisdom: Translations of signs from the weekend’s rallies…

William Sulik: Big ol’ post on cloning and federalism. Via Ben Domenech.

Dave Tepper: Good post on Social Security and Medicare.