Noted around the 'sphere

Higher CAFE standards will increase energy consumption, not reduce it, says Jay Reding.

Efficiency tends to lower costs - and lower costs tends to make people use more of something. Indeed, the numbers bear out this theory - over the past 30 years energy usage has increased at the same time energy efficiency has increased. Modern cars get significantly better gas milage than the gas-guzzling monstrosities of the 1970s - but the usage of gas continues to increase. Huber and Mills’ book is a fascinating look into the economics of energy, and why conventional energy policy tends to make things much, much worse.

Career FSOs like Condi Rice.

I think what has happened at State is that a cautious initial welcome has turned into a relationship of mutual respect, between the new Secretariat and officers in the field. Certainly, raising up immensely well-respected career officers like Nick Burns to the 7th floor has helped, as did kicking Mr. Bolton to New York. More importantly, however, this is a Secretary engaged in the essence of diplomacy. Dr. Rice is out there, in the field, working a travel schedule not seen since (and probably eclipsing) James Baker. Moreover, Dr. Rice is making practical decisions that don't detract from her overall value system; in doing so, she is effectively involving more of State's inherent expertise overseas.

The ladies of The View are even more shameless than Cindy Sheehan, says Debbie Schlussel.

This morning, the "ladies" of "The View" pretended to play employment agency with a soldier who served in Iraq and helped catch Saddam Hussein. But what they really meant to do was demoralize the rest of the troops and the rest of the us. And use this poor soldier to promote themselves.