Afternoon Links

Some links to some good stuff on this hot June day.

- Jay Nordlinger has a new Impromptus up. Always a good read.

- Louisiana tax dollars at work. The Saints aren't worth this. It's not like anyone goes to New Orleans just for the Saints. To top it all off - in the future LA hopes to cover these payments via money raked off their gambling take on slots. (My suggestion is to tax beads - they could call it the "show us your tits" tax)

- Peter Gammons has a new column up (went up yesterday actually).

[Billy]Beane has told everyone who calls that he will not trade Barry Zito during the season, as he believes that with Rich Harden, Dan Haren, Joe Blanton and Kirk Saarloos and Huston Street at the end, the A's could have a big second half.

Hey didn't I just say that same thing a couple days ago?

Whomever designed that park in Philadelphia was an idiot. The home-road run numbers are the same as Coors Field.

Don't sugarcoat things Peter - tell us how you really feel about the new park in Philly.

- I meant to link to this brilliant and touching piece from The Anchoress yesterday.

- The Iraqi Panic Excellent piece

The polls show the American people are growing pessimistic about Iraq, and no wonder. They are being rallied against the cause by such statesmen as the two above. Six months after they repudiated the insurgency in a historic election, free Iraqis are continuing to make slow but steady political and military gains. Where the terrorists are gaining ground is in Washington, D.C.