July 5 Follow-up — Comparing Economies: Two Respected Measures Put Bush 43’s at or Near the Top

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The Institute for Supply Management’s latest Manufacturing Report on Business came in at 56.0 for June, up from 55 last month, and beating forecasts expecting no change. Any reading over 50 indicates expansion.

Every category within the June index is in “growing” or “faster” mode except Inventories, which have been contracting for a remarkable 11 straight months, and Customers’ Inventories, described as “too low.”

After a late-2006 and early-2007 hiccup, that’s five months in a row of expansion, and 47 out of the past 49. Only two other periods in the 60 years of the ISM Manufacturing Index have a track record beating the current 47-of-49 — August 1975 through July 1979 (48 straight months) and April 1961 through December 1966 (68 of 69 months, including a streak of 51). The Reagan-Bush years had a run of 42 expansions out of 43 months from October 1985 through April 1989, which included a streak of 33. A full history of the index is here.

After a mediocre first-quarter average of 50.8, the second quarter’s Manufacturing Index averaged 55.2. If the Non-Manufacturing Index continues in its more robust expansion mode (even with the housing sector, most of which is included in the Non-Manufacturing Index, trying to drag it down), there’s a good chance we will find there was pretty decent GDP growth in the second quarter. I’m guessing 3.0%, with potential for an upside surprise.

Decapigate (HT Instapundit).

Update: Actually, it’s Decapigate III (at least; noted by Greyhawk via Instapundit).

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Libertad! (HT Instapundit; also an AP Story in The Sporting News).

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A lesson about out-of-control movements: At the beginning of the antismoking movement, of which I was an early member in the 1970s (long since not), activists said this would never happen. It doesn’t matter if they were lying from the start, or if they just got more intrusive as time went on. It’s happened. Comments come from the newly- and nicely-redesigned RAB, Columbuser, Glass City Jungle, Keeler Report, and Lincoln Logs.

Meanwhile, the same employer loses an employee (HT Writes Like She Talks; 2nd item at link) because it has rehired the person who administered an onsite beating to her. Comment 1 at the Cleveland Metro Blog says it all: “She would not have to worry about him if he was a smoker, the Clinic won’t stand for that type of behavior!!!”
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Porkopolis notes and comments on a breathtaking detachment from reality in the UK. Unfortunately, some of the leftosphere’s leading lights dim bulbs have similar detachment (HT LGF, who also noted Daily Kos doing the “la la, can’t hear you” thing).

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Hillary Clinton, push-poller, and on top of that, very rude — How many people, if informed that a telephone survey will take 30 minutes(!), would want to proceed? What are the chances that Hillary’s push-pollers warned participants about what they were going to have to go through (slim and none, and Slim just left)? Update: Oh, and given that the calls were made to Democratic activist types — I wonder if each individual’s answers were captured to see if they will be on her “good” list or her “bad” one?

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John Hawkins is right about the US Chamber of Commerce’s short-sighted illegal immigration opportunism.

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A tax revolt brews in Cuyahoga County.

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15 years for the courts to finally decide, once and for all, a drop-dead obvious matter. The paint companies have gotten the lead out, but the courts clearly haven’t.

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All the premature e-celebration over the liberalism of the young is ironic, given this.

Daryn Kagan’s site debuted back in November (”My mission and the motto of the website is to ‘Show the World What Is Possible!’ one story at a time.”). She added a blog in January. She has a book coming out in May 2008 (scroll down to June 6 at the blog).

She also dishes back nicely (of course) to a critic (June 15 entry at the blog):

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June 15, 2007: Apparently, Not Everyone’s A Fan. Well, Not Yet Anyway

I thought I would let you peek in my email bag. I received this today from Brian Jones of Brooklyn, NY:

just what americans need: an(other) outlet to avoid responsibility and ignore the pain and suffering our way of life and our government inflict on so many in the world- hooray! just put a smile on your face and ignore the atrocities we support with our tax dollars; god forbid americans should actually be subjugated to feel bad about something.

why don’t you ask Iraqi civilians who’s wives, sons, and daughters have been needlessly slaughtered thanks to the U.S. invasion how “good” things are in their world? i believe your resources would be better spent actually speaking out against injustice and suffering and trying to make change, rather than looking for ways to comfort yourself; is being a middle-class, u.s. citizen not a blessing enough? is our power and voice as u.s. citizens so impotent that we need to hear about 2 legged dogs and cookie sale proceeds to help cancer victims, to feel good about ourselves?

and to claim to be apolitical is dishonest…disregard, avoidance, and maintaining the status quo (especially when it works to your own advantage) is immensely political. rationalizing and reinforcing apathy is not admirable. denial of complicity, rejection of policy, and inaction in protesting the economic, environmental and social horrors of the (let’s face it: third) world is not the road to happiness if you’re a citizen with any sense of morality, spirituality, ethics, or justice.

brian jones
brooklyn, ny

And here is my response:

Brian–

Thanks for taking the time out to check out DarynKagan.com and then, taking the time to write in.

It’s clear you are very passionate in caring about the world.

Who would’ve thought, you and I actually have something in common?

If I may–here’s my take. I’m not about sugar-coating anything. I firmly believe that it is vital to be informed. I just also think it’s important to be inspired.

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Go here for the rest of Daryn’s response (June 15 entry at her blog).