Blogoland

On WNYC's "The Brian Lehrer Show" today[27:10 timestamp], Glenn Reynolds seemed quite pleased with himself about his "Afghanistan Correspondent" for the site (he failed to mention that said "correspondent" was a member of the military). Judge for yourself how much this reporting adds to our understanding of the country.

I asked a vendor about sales tax and he said is what that? Then I explained the concept of paying taxes and he said only in America.

Afghanistan doesn't have taxes -- what a Utopia! Here's perhaps a better explanation: they don't have taxes because it is a failed state that has no ability to create wealth or provide even the most basic services and security to its people. Other than that, they're in pretty good shape.

And, to his credit, Lehrer took issue with the dogged "good news reporting" from Afghanistan and Iraq that has become a hallmark of Prof. Reynolds's website, noting "that has a ring of spin to me." Reynolds responds with this dodge: "Though they do a bad job of reporting the bad things, too." Listen and be terrified.