Minor Thoughts from me to you

In no particular order:

• Tibetan monks, who overstayed their immigration visas, were arrested by a SWAT team. A SWAT team? For Tibetan monks? It's not enough that they get visited by paramilitary Chinese troops? They have to get raided by paramilitary Americans as well?

• Frank Miller is writing "Holy Terror, Batman!", a story that chronicles Batman's fight against al-Qaeda. Says Miller:

I'm doing this mainly as an explosion from my own gut in reaction to what's happening now, but also as a reminder to people who've seem to have forgotten that we're up against an utterly ruthless existential foe who is as vile as any we've ever faced. I'm appalled at the equivocations, and I wish that the entertainers of our time had the spine and the focus that the ones who faced down Hitler did. Superman punched out Hitler. So did Captain America. That's one of the things they're there for. These are symbols of our people, of our country. These are our folk heroes. It just seemed to be kind of silly to be chasing around the Riddler when you've got al-Qaeda out there.

• Kevin Robke is selling DoubleUps, sheets designed to end the problem of sheet-stealing, forever.

• Rule changes for figure skating have had some unintended consequences: skaters are skating uglier, less artistic programs because falling is more valuable than skating clean.

• Ever wondered about the origins of ethnic slurs? I have. Callimachus has the answers.

• Who is more objective about reporting: the "real" reporters or the bloggers? Take a look at reactions to the Gillette Fusion Razor and see for yourself.

• The New York Times reports favorably on the many ways that capitalists are solving societal needs like poverty, literacy, and the environment.

• David Friedman thinks that police officers should execute search warrants in the nude. He has good reasons too.

• Did you know that your parking spot is worth more than your car?

• Most people talking about the trade deficit are criminally clueless. (I'm looking at you, Lou Dobbs.)