Double Dutch

Team Nederland sent the vaunted Dominican Republic team home early from the World Baseball Classic with its second upset of the Dominicanos in first-round play. The Dutch team, which is notably un-star-studded, got key efforts from former MLB player Gene Kingsale, who now plays for Neptunus in Rotterdam, and Alexander Smit from Geldorp, who's now in the Cincinatti organization, among others.

Hup, Holland, hup! Laat de leeuw niet in z'n kempje staan...

Warning: If You Roll Over, You Might Fall Out

CEO Meredith Whitney tells the world that she has calculated a likely 57% contraction in the amount of unsecured credit extended to consumers by the end of 2010. What does that mean? That credit card companies will tighten up your borrowing limit, or refuse to renew accounts.

For those of us who live and pay responsibly, this won't have much of an impact. After all, the credit card companies do make money off of people using their service, and they aren't panicking yet. But if you're living on borrowed money, and rolling over debt from month to month, or from card to card, you could find that your ability to do so suddenly disappears.

When card companies start refusing marginal card-users additional credit, the overdue bills will crash into them like a freeway pileup, each one adding to the carnage as it comes due. If you're in first situation (rolling over debt monthly) and you want to avoid being in the second one (your own personal credit crunch), you should focus on paying down that debt, and put off the extra purchase you've been planning on.

This Is The Man Joe Biden Warned You About

Remember Joe Biden's impolitic honesty back in October?

"It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy... Remember I said it standing here if you don't remember anything else I said. Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy."

Well, Joe, Global Review remembers. And here's a toast to Mr. President! All the best in dealing with Kim Jung Il's test of his missiles and your mettle. The world needs a strong America - and it's Mr. Obama's time to be the will behind that strength.

Introducing: Aid Watch

I've been a fan of Bill Easterly since reading his book White Man's Burden. I just discovered he has a blog, Aid Watch. Recent posts include "Can You Justify Buying Fine Wine Rather Than Saving the Life of an African Child?" and "The UN’s 66-Year-Old Virgin". Aid Watch will remain in the Blogs link section.

Enjoy - and work for accountability in the charities you support.

Evan Bayh Gets Off the Omnibus

Even Democratic senator Evan Bayh opposes the $410 billion porkapalooza known as the The Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009. He explains in this editorial why he's bucking his own party.

My New Favorite Saint

St. Crispin.

McCain Finds His Voice

Dana Milbank reports a tirade by John McCain on the Senate floor. Mac is justifiably angry - while Obama and Congress speak on the airwaves about the need for decisive stimulus spending and how important it is that the future taxpayers go $1,000,000,000,000 *more* in debt for it, the lawmakers are padding the bill with the usual gimmes.

Taxpayers don't want to go in debt for pig odor research, cultural centers in other states, or "sustainable Las Vegas". How about sustainable debt?!

I did not support McCain for president, but I am glad to see he's back in the Senate doing the good work.

"So much for the promise of change," McCain began. Buttoning his coat and straightening his tie, he reminded everybody again that both he and Obama vowed to end earmarks. "President Obama said during the debate in Oxford, Mississippi, quote, 'We need earmark reform. And when I'm president, I will go line by line to make sure we're not spending money unwisely.' " Instead, McCain said, several table thumps later, "the president will sign this appropriations bill into law -- it's the president's business."