Happy Holidays!

Here's hoping your holidays Gogh well!

My Favorite Christmas Song

Merry Christmas Everyone.  I give you Clarence Carter with Back Door Santa.

Negative Externalities

A good explanation of negative externalities and Pigouvian taxes from Prof. Michael Munger.  (thanks to Patrick at Popehat)

Rationality and Bad Beats

Deadspin reports on a freakish occurrence in Boston, with video.  Team A is up by 2 points with a player on the line for one shot.  There's one second on the clock.  What's the rational choice in this situation: 1) intentionally miss the free throw so that the opposing team has only one second to recover the rebound, turn, and fire off a hail mary, potentially winning the game? or 2) try to make the free throw, allowing the opposing team to set up a play, with a more manageable three-point attempt.  In this actual case, the player chose 1, the opposing team got the rebound and made the hail mary, winning the game.  Deadspin argues 2 was the better choice. 

It's difficult to be certain in the abstract.  Much of this depends on the likelihood of making a 75 foot shot, as opposed to a shot at half court or closer.  But most of us who have played basketball know this: the chances of making a 3 point attempt decrease exponentially the further out you are.  For many, the odds in making a half-court shot are nil, as the distance is too far for them to reach the goal.  But the average high school player can hit the rim from half court with a running start.  Move it back to full court and the odds must be incredibly small.  Ergo, I go for 1.  Bad beats don't prove that we've played the game incorrectly; bad beats occur just as do black swans.  All we can do is walk away bemoaning our bad luck. 

Saturn

Taken by Cassini.  For more pictures go here:  NASA

Dealing With Scarcity

This article from the Greenville News reminds me of a reason I don't like the political control of economic goods, the difficulty in dealing with scarcity. 

The facts: certain schools in Greenville County are preferred over others--a common occurrence.  Greenville opted to conduct an open enrollment for these schools.  Preference would be given to those who were first in line.  The consequences were predictable: there was a race to get in line to apply.  At one school, the resource officer purportedly counted off the seconds before parents were allowed on campus:

" A parent said the school’s resource officer counted down the final seconds, lowered his arm and shouted, “Go!”At that, the parents sprinted across the driveway toward the school. One mother was “accidentally bumped” in the stampede, fell and suffered minor injuries. She was taken away in an ambulance and treated for “cuts and scrapes,” a school district official said."

Perhaps Greenville County will come away from this with the idea that the only problem is coming up with the best way to distribute these seats.  Unfortunately, there is no good way to distribute these seats satisfactorily, as any process will favor some over others.  Perhaps a lottery is most fair, but it by its very nature ignores need and best fit as criteria for selection.

Say what you will about the free market, but it solves the problem of scarcity pretty effectively.  Each dollar is a vote, and each vote is blind.  And if one loses a scarce good to another with more votes, one has incentive to create a competitive response.  

Merry Christmas

You're a Rat Bastard, Charlie Brown (courtesy SNL)

New Zombie Movie

Take CERN, the Large Hadron Collider, mix with creative grad students, and get:  DECAY

FOTD (Fight of the Day)

Hall and Oates go at it in Ohio.  (h/t Best of the Web)

Fun Times in Academia

From Greg Mankiw, this video debuted at the Harvard Economics Department Christmas party.  Looks like a great place to work!

A Group is Not a Person!

The European Union wins the Nobel Peace Prize.   [blogging will be light this week as this is Finals Week at the U]

In Praise of DeMint

It was with regret that I heard that Jim DeMint is resigning from his Senate seat.  Some of my liberal friends were gleeful, but this strikes me as short-sighted.  DeMint was a principled conservative; he voted and acted as he believed.  He's a good contrast to South Carolina's other senator, Lindsey Graham. Lindsey knows his own mind.  Unfortunately, the rest of us don't.   DeMint will now be replaced by Nikki Haley; it's a crap shoot whether we'll get a good replacement. 

Dave Brubeck, RIP

Jazz great Dave Brubeck passed away yesterday.  There is nothing I can add to the accolades, other than USC Upstate was fortunate to have him visit once, play the piano and talk to the small audience.  I was impressed by his music, of course, but also by his kindness.  He will be missed. 

Craziness

As much as I love college athletics, I am saddened by the following: " According to a report by the National Football Foundation, 33 U.S. colleges have introduced football programs since the start of the 2008 recession; 17 more programs are set to debut by 2015, and more than 20 other schools have formed exploratory committees to consider the possibility."  Colleges, especially small private colleges, are using college athletics to boost enrollment.  In so doing, college athletics comes to dominate and takes over the educational mission.

This quote is from an article in SI on the murder of a college football player at Tabor College, Brandon Brown.  It's well worth the read.  (thanks to Carol for the tip)

Today's Fun Infographic

Courtesy of Deadspin, a graphic depicting the growth of public financing of stadiums across the country.

QOTD

Quote of the Day:  "I've suffered for my music, now it's your turn." Neil Innes

Costas and Gun Control

Bob Costas on Sunday Night Football argued tonight for gun control: "If Javan Belcher did not own a gun, he and his girlfriend would still be alive."   There are only two problems here,  One, it's a counter-factual claim one could never hope to support, unless one really knew Javan Belcher and of what he was capable. Two, gun policy, as with every other governmental policy, should not be made on the basis of one tragedy.  We can point to this case where had the gun been absent, the death might not have occurred.  But we can also point to cases where, if a victim had had a gun, he might be alive today.  In sum, Costas' comments are a cheap way of exploiting a tragedy.

 

The King of Sports

This is a sport I could play, one-handed beer football.

Jump Off the Cliff?

Megan McCardle on why we should jump!

IU v Kentucky, RIP

Much to my chagrin, I discovered this week that the traditional IU-Kentucky match up is no longer.  It hit the rocks because of $$$,  According to this account, John Calipari, coach of Kentucky, wanted to only play IU in big venues, e.g. Lucas Oil Stadium.  IU wanted contests on the two campuses.

Most people outside of the two states might not appreciate the kind of rivalry basketball generates between the two states.  Each year, for example, the two high school all-star teams play each other for bragging rights.  IU and Kentucky have played 56 times since 1924 and every year since 1969.  To let the series die because of a disagreement over the venue is a shame.

A Metaphor for Life?

Story here

Belly Up, Boys!

The USGA and the R&A have decided to prohibit the "belly" putter in the sense that no longer can one anchor a longish putter against one's body when one is performing the putting stroke. Most people don't care, except those who are committed golfers (and they should be committed...bump ching)  But I agree with most commentators who argue that the belly putter has only become an issue since the last 3 of 4 majors have been won by golfers using it.  It's been legal for 30+ years and hasn't really been a concern until now. 

Conclusion:  keep it safe, legal and rare, guys!

*by the way "R&A" stands for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews, the official ruling body in Great Britain. Good luck trying to discover that fact---go to the R and A website and try to find where they define the name! 

Jimmy V Week

In honor of this week, here's his moving speech at the ESPYs.

Larry Hagman, RIP

Megan McCardle linked to this touching story about Larry Hagman by Mark Evanier.   It's well worth the read. 

Walmart v. Costco

A good post by Megan McCardle on the differences between the two.  Surprising fact:

    "One final thing that's worth pointing out is that Costco doesn't even make money selling the groceries and  the six person hot-tubs.  Their annual membership fee revenue exceeds their net profit--which is to say that the actual business of selling stuff is operating at a loss.  They're charging you an annual fee to buy stuff at or near cost". 

Mankiw on the Fiscal Cliff

In today's NY Times, Greg Mankiw pictures the debate in a dialogue between the "two" Obamas.

My Security is Secure

And I thought there was an issue.  Robert Kuttner in The Huffington Post lays my fears to rest:  " In fact, if we get can get back to full employment, there is no Social Security crisis, because Social Security is financed by taxes on payrolls." 

Good News, Bad News

Good news: Indiana University is ranked #1 in college basketball.
Bad news:  Dick Vitale is doing color for college basketball on ESPN. 

A Little Math Humor from SMBC

Neither Rube Nor Demon

The pyrrhonist isn't certain of much of anything, but he does know this: pretenses to the moral and intellectual high ground are usually false.

Suppose you're presented with 2 menus:  Menu A consists of 2 appetizers (say Fried Calamari and Oysters on the Half Shell), 3 main entrees (Chicken Livers, Filet Mignon, and Fried Bologna), and 1 dessert (Fried Hostess Twinkies).  Menu B consists of 2 appetizers (Tuna Tataki and Anchovy-Wrapped Olives), 3 main entrees (Tuna Casserole, Lobster, and Fried Tofu with Green Onions) and 1 dessert (Jello Pudding Cups).  You are asked to pick one menu and live off of it for a year.  You would evaluate each menu, consider the options, and pick the menu that would be easiest to live with for 365 days.   An outside observer would be reluctant to criticize your choice, and in a sense, it would be silly to call you an idiot for choosing one over the other: they both have their benefits and detriments.

Choosing between political candidates and parties is much akin to the above exercise. Parties present voters with a list of choices: Party A might list climate change as a priority, Party B might elevate fiscal soundness. Each party has their defects: Party A might encourage state intrusion in personal choices, e.g. tobacco use, and Party B might be more bellicose.  The two lists are a mixed bag.  To recognize this is to recognize that attempts to demonize or dismiss the other side as intellectually backwards are wrong-headed and dare I say, morally bankrupt.

The disanalogy is this: one can present evidence why one policy choice might be better than another, whereas it's difficult to argue that Fried Bologna is less bad than Tuna Casserole.  But wouldn't it be better to discuss the reasons themselves, than the character of the person making the choice?

Wabash v Depauw, part deux

The NCAA just posted a nice article on the rivalry.   Go here!

Love the Internet

This wonderful tool enabled me to discover in two minutes that the Indian politician who just died, Bal Thackeray, was the son of Keshav Thackeray. Keshav's surname was "Thakre" and because he admired William Makepeace Thackeray, who was born in Calcutta, anglicized it to Thackeray. Hah! Now I'm not sure what to do with this; I'll get back to you. 

Gross Fact of the Day

Created by Oatmeal

Grossly Offensive Acts

This story hit the blogosphere the other day.  In sum, a man in Kent (England) was arrested for posting a picture of a burning poppy.   The poppy is used for in the Commonwealth for  Remembrance Day, our version of Veterans Day, and comes ultimately from  the poem, "In Flanders Fields:"

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
 The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

Suffice it to say that burning a poppy is offensive, akin to the activities of Westboro Baptist Church in the United States.  

Many who have commented on the arrest have used the occasion to deride the UK.   Before we get too comfortable in our judgment, we might want to remember that it wasn't too long ago that many in this country were trying to get flag-burning outlawed.  Also, the temptation to censor is ubiquitous; otherwise,  why would we need the existence of groups like F.I.R.E? So while we should condemn the Brits' enthusiasm for this arrest, we should also use the occasion to take heed that it could just as easily be us.

A New Blog from Jean Paul Sartre

Go here!

Philosophy to the Rescue

Deadspin links to an editorial in the Caspar Star-Tribune, a limited defense by two philosophers for Coach Dave Christensen.  Coach Christensen had been suspended for an outburst, caught on video and uploaded onto You Tube, in which he lambasts Coach Troy Calhoun of the Air Force Academy for allegedly having a player fake an injury to allow for more time in AFA's matchup with Wyoming, using quite colorful and incendiary language.  

It's a good thing when the academy gets involved in these disputes; after all, football teams represent their institutions, so any potential ethical problems should be addressed by the faculty or some representative of the faculty.  Philosophers are trained in arguing close ethical issues, so there's no reason why they shouldn't take the lead.

However, one has a responsibility to respond if one sees some problems in the argument.  To paraphrase, Ulatowski and Lockwood find Chistensen's behavior wrong and hence he earned the suspension.  But his actions are defensible insofar as he was seeking justice.  Calhoun, in encouraging the alleged fake injury, deserved greater punishment since he countenanced cheating, a greater offense than letting loose with an f-bomb.  The Mountain West Conference should take charge, and punish Calhoun for his behavior.  This would correct the injustice of one coach being punished while the other gets a free pass. 

In the ideal world, where everyone's intentions are clear, perhaps they have a case to make.  But in the hurly burly of a football game, it doesn't make sense to question injuries.  If a player claims to be hurt, the referees are not in the position to judge.  Nor can the conference be held accountable for adjudicating claims of fakery.  In our criminal justice system, the economics of judicial decisions imply that some outcomes will be unjust.  Likewise, as decisions by the referees are done on the fly; one can suspect that the outcome is unjust, but one shouldn't expect that all injustices can be rectified.  To attempt to do so would create more problems than it would solve. 

Wabash v. Depauw

23-0.  "Nuff said.  (for those of you unfamiliar with this rivalry, it's the oldest west of the Alleghenies; the two colleges have met 119 times--they play for the Monon Bell)

On My Bucket List

To drink a Sourtoe Cocktail

Steven Hayne

Longtime blogger and journalist, Radley Balko, has an interesting update on Steven Hayne, whose testimony as a pathologist had been used to convict a number of Mississippians.  It turns out he had perjured himself in some of these cases.  

Election Day Thought

“Our federal government is like a train on the track....There are people on the right and people on the left, they’re yelling at it. The train has no choice; it’s on its track"  Tom Wolfe

Enjoy!

Dogs are fun.   (h/t Radley Balko)

Post-election Dream

Dream: that the bile, snark, and sneer will disappear, that friends will not see their friends of opposite persuasion as seriously deluded, that the race for 2016 will hold off until late 2015, that the lion will lie down with the lamb. 

Finally....

I never thought this day would come: if Indiana University wins out, it goes to the Rose Bowl!!!!  (note of warning before you get too excited: it has to beat Iowa, Purdue, Wisconsin and the representative from the Legends division to do so)

Freedom of Speech v Freedom of Association

Greg Lukianoff, president of The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, has an interesting guest blogpost on The Volokh Conspiracy discussing FIRE's policy on private colleges.  In short, FIRE evaluates private colleges by their upfront commitment to freedom of speech.  Hence institutions who are openly committed to religious values over freedom of speech do not have their feet held to the fire when they suppress free speech.  Examples he gives are Brigham Young and Liberty University.   Freedom of association, in short, has some weight when it comes to other commitments.  This one could argue is as it should be, as it to is a constitutional right. 

Those of us in academia should be familiar with this; at least when I was a new Ph.D. it was commonplace for some colleges to be explicit about what sort of commitments you were to uphold.  I remember one institution that required as a condition of employment a testament that the Devil was an actual person.  Similarly, my beloved Wabash  is permitted to refuse admission to females based on freedom of association. Such freedom of association has limits, and rightfully so, but there's something aesthetically pleasing about a country that allows like-minded individuals to gather peacably together.   

The Problem With Government Omnipotence

The more the government knows about its citizens, the more dangerous that knowledge becomes.  Traditionally amongst those of a libertarian persuasion, the worry was that if or when the government turns "evil," this knowledge would be used against the citizenry.  While this is a nagging concern, the likelihood of this seems slim.

However, there is another issue.  As recent events in South Carolina demonstrate, the government doesn't care enough about its possession of personal information as it should.  Hence 3.6 million South Carolinians have had their tax records hacked.

While the Governor was quick to provide free credit protection to the victims, this lasts only for one year.  Oh and by the way:  State law limits the state's liability to $600,000 per hacking incident!  Hence, if you, I,  and 298 other SC residents lose $20, 000 each because of this hack, we would each get 50 Cents from the state!  Isn't the coercive power of government a wonderful thing to behold?!!

Is the Internet Self-Regulating?

To a certain extent.  I offer to you Marc Randazza at The Legal Satyricon as supporting evidence.  He is bringing to light an odious case where it is likely that one and the same person is posting nude pictures of women without their consent and then,through an alias and for a fee, offering legal services to take them down.  Ken at Popehat is contributing his efforts.  Kudos!

The Reason for the Season

As Halloween grows in popularity, does anyone remember its connection to All Saints Day?  Just asking....

Update: A reader reminds me of the connection to Samhain as well.  Apologies to my Celtic friends.  

Movie Quiz

What 1977 movie starred Chris Sarandon, Martin Balsam, Eli Wallach, Burgess Meredith, Ava Gardner, Beverly D'Angelo, Jerry Orbach, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Walken, Jose Ferrer, Arthur Kennedy, and John Carradine?


Highlight directly to the right to reveal the answer:  The Sentinel

Pitted Olives

Question for my readers:  I'm a big fan of Kalamata olives, especially those that have been pitted.  But the brand I've been buying, marked "pitted" clearly, contain the occasional olive with a pit.  From a legal point of view, is the brand liable for these olives, especially if one bites down and breaks a tooth?  This hasn't happened to me, but I'm just curious. 

More Unintended Consequences

The Law of Unintended Consequences can be stated thus: "The law of unintended consequences, often cited but rarely defined, is that actions of people—and especially of government—always have effects that are unanticipated or unintended." Rob Norton, The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics  There are plenty of examples in the world that illustrate this effect:  We don't like X; we make a law against X.  X goes up.  

Driving while texting fits this pattern.  Everyone agrees texting while driving is stupid and dangerous.  Many states have made laws outlawing texting while driving.  It turns out, accidents might have increased in some of these states. (hat tip: Radley Balko) As counter-intuitive as this might be, a potential reason is this: if I'm committed to texting while driving, I hide the phone on my lap or at my side.  This makes my driving more hazardous.

Moral: in the future, if there's an action you detest, and think "there oughta be a law," be careful what you wish for!  While the law is not ironclad, it should play a role in your deliberations. 

Quote of the Day

"Seriously, Italy. The Renaissance started in you, and now look at yourself." Kevin at Lowering the Bar in reference to the trial of the Italian seismologists.

Lil Wayne

There's a reason he's a rapper and not a singer:  for proof go here

The Afterlife

Dr. Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon, has an interesting essay in The Daily Beast in which he describes an experience he had while comatose.  His overall claim is this experience occurred at a time when there was no brain activity in the cortex and thus consciousness is something more than and independent of brain activity.  He also infers that the overall experience was veridical, which would indicate that there is a realm accessible in the afterlife. 

I find the description of his experience fascinating, but the pyrrhonist in me wants to balk at his larger claims.  First, there is the problem of timing: while he believed his experience occurred during a time in which his brain was inactive, it is possible that the experience occurred as his brain was beginning to shut down or that it occurred at the time of awakening.  This would render problematic his claim that the conscious events were somehow independent of neural activity.  Second, vividness of one's dreams does not necessarily imply the truth of the dream.  One is reminded of Descartes' dream argument in Meditation I.  His inner compulsion to believe in the truth of what happened should not obligate us in believing that what he experienced was the afterlife. 

To be fair, his final proposition is one I think merits consideration: near death experiences occur to many people, and there's no reason why they should not be the subject of an investigation of neuroscience. 

Eating Cheese More Dangerous Than Using Crystal Meth!

This article from The Independent in the UK amuses me, because of its poor reasoning.  The title should set off alarms, not those intended by the author though:

Super-strength lager 'causing more harm than crack or heroin'

The lager to which they refer is a high gravity beer.   High gravity beer tends to have a higher alcohol content than ordinary beer--the beer they refer to in the article has alcohol content of 9 per cent.  A craft brewery in Spartanburg produces a few, including one of its best-selling beers, Bell Ringer.   Samuel Adams brews specialty beers with ABV (alcohol by volume) in the 20 percent range.

The thesis of the article is that these high gravity beers are causing comparably worse harm than illegal drugs, and thus, presumably should be "made" scarce, through taxation or other means.   How does the article support the lead claim?  In the following way:

"Asked about the claim that high-strength beers and ciders caused more damage than illegal drugs, Sir Ian Gilmore, a spokesman on alcohol issues for the Royal College of Physicians, said: "Because the number of people using alcohol is so much higher, the harm is likely to be much more." "

Suppose that 300 million people partake in activity X, causing approximately 5 units of harm to each of them.  Suppose 30,000 people partake in activity Y, causing approximately 5000 units of harm to each of them.  Conclusion:  X causes more harm than Y!!!

One could be charitable and reinterpret the overall claim in a very weak sense.  That of course is not what the papers are intending.  The outrageous sells!

Herewith are some of the articles I'm working on:

Using toothpicks causes more harm than sniffing glue!
Golf causes more harm than civil war in a third world country!
Reading philosophy causes more harm than playing the clavier!

Feel free to suggest your own articles. 

Jagged Little Pill

Warning: Listening to Alanis Morissette for extended periods of time can lead to violence.

Speaking of Due Process

Check out this video posted on Radley Balko's site.  It presents an interesting view of NYC's stop and frisk policy. 

The Consequences of Rights

Ken at Popehat has a good discussion of the right to due process in the case of Fourtin v. Connecticut. Fourtin raped a mentally disabled woman but was released because the State of Connecticut charged and attempted to prosecute him for the wrong crime.   As we've seen with the right to free speech, having rights necessarily entails that there will be consequences that are "undesirable" in that we wished they would have been different.  Hence we wish "The Innocence of Muslims" had not been made, but defend its existence once made.  Likewise the right to due process lets some rapists free, but it protects the innocent from the state prosecuting us for crimes they did not commit.  

Fear Factor

Man dies after winning live roach-eating contest in Florida  

What surprises me:  eating a cockroach might be fatal AND that one would eat a live cockroach to win a python!  Why not just buy the python?  It seems easier. 

Last Lawyer Standing

Kevin at Lowering the Bar brought this to my attention: a law firm will hire new associates on a competitive basis, to whit: 

    " * All candidates are allowed to begin a paid contract legal assignment at $20.00/hour. If you apply you will be given an assignment.

      * Each day the candidate with the weakest work product will be cut until one candidate remains. This process will take one or two weeks until the final candidate is offered on-going employment. If you have seen reality television shows where contestants are cut from episode to episode such as Top Chef, Top Shot or Project Runway -- it will be like this. Do you have what it takes to be Top Associate?

     * If you want to participate you will come to the first day of hiring with your laptop ready to begin. You will be given a group orientation, and then an individual interview. You should be free to work 8 hours per day for the next two weeks to participate in the evaluation."

Now I'm a fan of Top Chef, but I also know this: the judges aren't in control of the process.  The producers of the program have input as well.   So why the process may seem meritocratic, it's not.  Likewise, I doubt if the competition put forward by the Mellen Law Firm will bring out the best candidate.  But it sure does sound fun if you're in charge and not a victim!  Unless of course one's a masochist.

Another Dilemma

I'm a die-hard Reds fan; I grew up near Cincinnati during the heyday of the Big Red Machine.  So naturally I want to see all the playoff games from start to finish.  But 9:37 PM starting time?  Are you kidding me?  The game took 3 hours and 27 minutes to complete, which means the last pitch as at 1:04 AM Sunday morning EST.

Note to MLB: I'm an old man.  I once in my prime was able to stay up until 1 AM and be bright and fresh in the morning.   Not only does this never happen, I'm physically unable to stay up until 1 AM, unless perhaps I use drugs!!!

So the dilemma:  Do I go to bed at my normal time, thinking the Reds are winning or losing, depending on their status in the 4th or 5th inning, or do I risk arrest by going out and buying some amphetamines from some guy on the street? 

Academic Integrity and Athletics

This article on the UNC situation shows how to lose one's academic integrity.  Notice it takes the complicity of a number of people outside of athletics to get this kind of situation going.  Hence it probably does not occur at most institutions.  But the pressure, especially for FBS schools, is there.  

To continue a trend: Cardale Jones, an OSU freshman QB, tweeted the following: "Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS."  

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias consists in believing claims not based on evidence, but on their tendency to confirm what we already believe.  The results can be tragic, but sometimes comical.  Take Iran's publication of The Onion's satirical poll comparing Obama to Ahmadinejad.  I'm sure it made sense to them that more Americans would want to hang out with their president rather than our own!

Retirement

Distinguished economists opining about my retirement plan.  It doesn't look good. (h/t Radley Balko)

Snatch

In this memorable movie, the character Brick Top delivers this discourse:

" And when you got your six pieces, you gotta get rid of them, because it's no good leaving it in the deep freeze for your mum to discover, now is it? Then I hear the best thing to do is feed them to pigs. You got to starve the pigs for a few days, then the sight of a chopped-up body will look like curry to a pisshead. You gotta shave the heads of your victims, and pull the teeth out for the sake of the piggies' digestion. You could do this afterwards, of course, but you don't want to go sievin' through pig shit, now do you? They will go through bone like butter. You need at least sixteen pigs to finish the job in one sitting, so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm. They will go through a body that weighs 200 pounds in about eight minutes. That means that a single pig can consume two pounds of uncooked flesh every minute. Hence the expression, "as greedy as a pig"."

I was never sure whether this was believable but apparently it was spot on, as they say. 

Changing of the Guard

Not to deride the effort of the Americans, but two thoughts: 1) the US had no edge yesterday, leading me to think they took their 4 point advantage as insurmountable.  They should have remembered Brookline, where they came back from 4 down.   2) the impressive play for the US side came from the younger players. Love's addition of Stricker was of no use.  Woods played not to lose.  While Mickelson and Bradley played well the first two days, kudos belonged to Bradley.  For the next Ryder cup, let's limit the team to those under 30. 

Here's Another Question

Who is the target group for Dr. Pepper 10?  It runs on local sports radio and prides itself on being a manly diet drink.  So it's aimed at men, not women.  But of the men in the world, who's going to switch from their preferred soda to Dr. Pepper 10?  I would assume it's those who drink Diet Dr. Pepper.  That can't be a big target audience!

Asymmetrical Information

One of my favorite bloggers, Megan McArdle, is back blogging.  She's now at The Daily Beast. Prior to that, she wrote for The Atlantic and before that, The Economist.  Check her out.  Here's a good example.   

What Has Me Thinking

At the end of  Plato's Apology, Socrates argues that he should not fear death because death is either a cessation of consciousness or a blessing: he'll get to spend his days post mortem speaking with his heroes. I've always used this as an example of a false dilemma in logic class.  My question: does it have any evidential value for the nonbeliever, i.e.  if we only look at evidence available through mere human effort, does the good man have reason to think nothing bad will happen after death?  Let me know your thoughts.   

Gambling Assumes a Fair Game

The fact that one online betting site is refunding money to those who bet on the Packers says more about the wisdom of the NFL to use replacement referees than anything else!

Update:  Oops!  The refund applies to non-Americans only!  Sorry about that!

The Rule of Law

Events in the NFL are a perfect illustration of what occurs when people lose faith in the ability of government to rule justly and fairly.  The major difference: the NFL owners could solve their problem swiftly.  Once a government has gone corrupt, the way out is treacherous.

Presidential Beer

I've blogged about the White House beer before.  Here's one attempt at using the recipe. I'd be very surprised if the President actually came up with the recipe, although pleasantly so. 

Watch "A Toy Train in Space" on YouTube

Carrie Nation Would Be Proud

Alabama raids a soon-to-open store for carrying.............................................[wait for it]............................................................................................brewing supplies!  Seems you can drink beer in Alabama, cook with beer in Alabama, do a keg stand, but you can't brew it yourself.  Hank Hill just gave an inaudible sigh.

Quandary

I want to see the new Resident Evil movie but I'm on a tight budget.  Tough call.  [btw, I know watching this series is akin to eating circus peanuts for nutrition, but I can't help it]

Justice

From the Washington Post's article on the Inspector General's report on the Fast and Furious Operation:

"While the report criticized officials in Washington, it said Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. had no advance knowledge of the tactics and risks involved in the operation."

Is it just me, or is this sentence intentionally unclear?  Did he know of the operation and not understand the risks?  Or did he not know of the operation?  Who's running DOJ?  

Update:  NBC and others state the IG found no evidence that Holder knew of the operation.  Hence, it was not him running DOJ, at least in this instance.  Why is it that Attorney Generals always seem to produce presidential heartburn?

Political Prisoners

The violence in Egypt and Libya can be contrasted with an event that occurred today in Washington D.C.: Aung San Suu Kyi received her Congressional Gold Medal, awarded to her in 2008.  Suu Kyi had spent roughly fifteen years under house arrest in Burma for her activities in support of democracy.  Her courage in the face of confinement and threats is an inspiration to us all.

It also should cause us to reflect on the fate of all political prisoners in the world, from the US to North Korea.  Organizations such as Amnesty International are to be commended for their work in keeping these prisoners in the public's eye. 

And, on a positive note, Suu Kyi's resistance shows us that sometimes even brutal political systems can be resisted and overcome through an act of individual will.

Physics for Phun

As a pyrrhonist, I enjoy thinking of the possible, as opposed to the actual.  Hence I get a big kick out of What If? , a website devoted to thinking of the probable physical consequences of improbable (maybe even physically impossible) events, sent in by readers.  Today's page, for example, is devoted to the question,"What if a rainstorm dropped all of its water in a single drop?"

It's done by Randall Munroe, a physics grad, who also does the XKCD comic strip.  Try either out if you're so inclined. 

Can School Districts Run a Deficit? Part II

Earlier, I had asked this question because my automobile tax showed a charge for "District 7 Prior Year Deficit."  The auditor's office informed me that this was under the purview of the School Board.  Looking through the old minutes, I found reference to Act 388.  This act got a lot of attention at the time, because it replaced some property tax funding for schools in favor of a one percent sales tax increase.  It also allows, on a 2/3 vote of a school board, an increase in millage to cover a deficit.  So here's the basis in law, but I still haven't found the minutes in whcih the Board approved this. 

One takeaway from this: make sure you're informed about what's going at your local school board!

A Nerdy, But Cool, Keg

Courtesy of Deadspin.:  

ESPN Theme

Deadspin has an interesting piece that includes an interview with John Colby, who came up with the ESPN musical theme. 

Politics and Pop Culture

Just thought I'd pass this on:  a YouTube video of future governor Jennifer Granholm on the Dating Game.  Sorry no cheesecake, e.g. naked pictures of princesses.

The US Apology

I couldn't have said it better.  Thanks Ken at Popehat!

Gone for 2 Days

Flying out for a committee meeting...back Friday!

The Future of Public Funding?

Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal's drama critic and composer, has an interesting article on the Detroit Institute of Arts.  I recommend it to you, in part because Teachout is a gifted writer but also because it illustrates some of the inventive ways public institutions are working with the new reality: lower government appropriations and subsidies.  The institute's solution was to ask for a local tax, but in return give everyone in the tax district free membership to the museum.  This type of specific quid pro quo might become popular.

Your Rosie Ruiz Moment

Although his was unintentional.

Irritating Radio Ads

I know that some ads can be effective even while off-putting--think Mr. Whipple and his Charmin---but I'm wondering if the same is true on the radio.  There's a certain ad on Yahoo radio regarding fantasy football that drives me insane.  Every time it comes on I immediately switch to ESPN radio and leave it there.  My questions: Is this phenomenon common and if so, is it something radio stations take into account?

Philosophy Cartoon of the Day

From Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

MMA

Not Mixed Martial Arts.  Mixied Media Attempts! Kevin at Lowering the Bar tells us about a lawyer who wished to submit an amicus brief to a case involving the Department of Justice.  The judge would only allow 5 pages, whereas his brief was 55 pages.  Solution? Write a comic strip!

Using visual media to communicate serious ideas can be productive.  One philosophy professor I know uses Xtranormal in his introductory classes, where the students present a philosophical issue in dialogue form.  To combine the written with the visual--and to do it well--requires serious cogitation. 

A Contrast Between Leaders

Vladimir Putin takes flight in a motorized delta plane to watch cranes.  Angela Merkel drinks a large mug of beer.     Quick: who would you rather lead your country?  Answer: I'll take the beer drinker any day.  Putin has guts, for sure, but his aeronautical adventure shows he's willing to risk his life, thereby throwing his country into momentary chaos.  Merkel takes time to enjoy the safe and the pleasant.   And we all know, 
BEER SAVED THE WORLD!

The Lovely Bones

My granddaughter convinced me to watch The Lovely Bones the other day.  While one could discuss the implicit theology in the movie, I'm more focused on two questions: 1) How did the serial killer dig a subterranean room in the middle of a barren cornfield at night with a hand shovel and get rid of all the dirt without anyone observing him?  2) How did the serial killer get a safe-a safe that was so heavy he needed help rolling it into a pit--quickly out of his basement into his car without any help?  Suffice it to say if you're thinking about watching this movie to pass the time, just keep on moving.  There's nothing to see here.

Ivory and the Drug War

The New York Times has a video on the increasing destructive trade in ivory.  While there are certainly unique circumstances in the area, there are many similarities between banning drugs and banning ivory.  Both bans increase the lucrativeness of the trade.  At the same time, those who engage in the banned trade have an added incentive to use violence.  And in both, the governmental response calls for increased militarization of the police.   Finally, there seems to be no endgame in sight. 

Cartoon of the Day

From Dan Piraro at Bizarro Blog!

A New Experience

A first yesterday: I was blessed to be able to hold my first great grandchild.  Pics to follow, I'm sure.

Philosophy Today

From Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal

The Great Big Apartment in the Sky

Kevin at Lowering the Bar always has interesting things to say.  Today he reports that Sherman Hemsley's body is still in cold storage.  It seems that Hemsley left everything to his partner of a number of years, but a man claiming to be Hemsley's brother has appeared, challenging the will and claiming rights to the body.  The story is here. 

Kevin's conclusion: get a will done asap if you want to be buried according to your wishes.  I think it also shows that nothing is certain in life except taxes.  Death, or at least its observance, can be postponed.  

Can School Districts Run A Deficit?

The answer is, "Of course they can!"

What brings this question to mind:  I just received my annual automobile tax notice from Spartanburg County and there were two charges that puzzled me: $.57 for "McCarthy Teszler Prior Year Deficit" and $5.10 for "District 7 Prior Year Deficit."  Does anyone know what these are about?  Prima facie, they look to be additional taxes to cover a shortfall for the two entities.  If so, how does this work?  Are the taxpayers always on the spot when the District overspends?    I'll do some research and get back to you!

For All My Golf Friends

Read this.(h/t Deadspin)

From the Land of the Absurd

A 3-year-old deaf child is asked to change his name, because the signing of it violates the school's weapons policy!

Joe Dean Haywood

The Herald Journal has a nice article on Joe Dean Haywood from Cowpens. He wrote Percy Sledge's Warm and Tender Love.    Story here.

And if you want a sample of his wonderful voice, try this:

Headline of the Day

"Tropical Storm Adds Intrigue to GOP Convention"   I'm glad something has!

Other than that, he's a good guy!

Kevin at Lowering the Bar brought this to my attention: the terrorist who wishes to be admitted to the Canadian bar.  One must admire his persistence, although his appeal so far has not worked. For my students in pre-law, a piece of advice: it's much easier to be admitted to the bar without felony convictions. 

Human Nature

Petronius in The Satyricon (ca. 50 AD?) begins by saying: "we don't educate our children at school; we stultify them and then send them out into the world half-baked.. And why? Because we keep them utterly ignorant of real life." This leads me to wonder, has there ever been an age where we weren't dissatisfied with the state of education?  If not, does this say more about students or about humans in general? Maybe we're dissatisfied because we have some sense of the ideal and no human institution will ever come close to producing it.  Thoughts? 

July 20, 1969

Do you remember where you were on this date?  I do so vividly: my family was taking a camping trip around Lake Superior, using one of those old pop-up campers.  We made up a crew of six:  3 sisters--ages 16, 8 and 6--and I-age 12.   Much of the trip was tedious for us; we were inexperienced campers.  But there were memorable highlights; I remember one remote campground where we set up on a beach--it struck my adolescent mind as the most beautiful place on earth.

But the most memorable invent occurred in Duluth MN.   We had just completed the northern trek around Superior; we were hot, tired, dusty, and grumpy. My father broke the norm and rented a hotel room at a Best Western.  I don't remember much about the room and our accommodations, but I do remember it had an old black and white TV.  After everyone had showered, we gathered around the tube and watched Neil Armstrong become the first human to walk on the moon. 

It was the best vacation of my life, if only for that moment.  Rest in Peace, Neil. 

Further Reflections on Godel

Zachary Ernst, writer of the blog Inklings, has a nice post on the major theorem of Kurt Godel, in which he shows that arithmetic is "incomplete."  A technical summary of Godel's Incompleteness Theorem runs along these lines, "For any system of arithmetic, there are true propositions that are necessarily unprovable."  Ernst explains what this means in layman's terms. 

There is another result of Godel's that I like to mention in my logic classes.  Say I have three rules:  1) "Whenever X is true,  squares have four sides."  2) "Whenever X is true, squares do not have four sides." and 3) "X is true."  From these three rules I can deduce "squares have four sides" and "squares don't have four sides."  I can deduce two propositions that contradict, thereby showing my rules are inconsistent: they can't all be true at the same time.  Both theoretically and practically, I would not want to use this system.   Instead, I'd want a system that was consistent, where the rules can all be true at the same time.

With arithmetic, we think that it's consistent, that the rules of arithmetic can all be true.  Godel showed that it is impossible to prove that arithmetic is consistent!  This doesn't mean it's inconsistent, but just that if it's consistent, we'll never be able to know it.  Quite an amazing theorem, I would say.  

A Wet Summer

Upstate SC has been blessed with good weather this summer, without experiencing the drought other states have suffered.  As usual, this benefit comes with a cost.  Wet weather brings mosquitoes, and mosquitoes bring disease, like the West Nile Virus.

National Conventions

Peggy Noonan wrote the following in the Wall Street Journal:

      "Finally, the big broadcast networks plan to give the Republicans (and the Democrats) only one hour a night of TV coverage.They used to give all night, long as it took, and treat the proceedings with respect. What they give now, to the people of a great democracy fighting for its economic life in an uncertain world, is . . . an hour a night? For a national political convention?

     This is a scandal. Mock them for it. This isn't Edward R. Murrow in charge of the news, it's Gordon Gekko in charge of programming."

 I grew up a political junkie, and loved to watch the conventions on TV.  But there was real drama back in the 50s and 60s at conventions.  First of all, there many times was unclarity as to who would be the ultimate nominee.  Many states would support "favorite sons"--state politicians--so that when they would get to the national convention they could use their bloc of votes to garner favors.

There would also be serious debates about the platform.  I can't recall in the last 20 years where this has happened. Ergo, we know the nominees and there are no serious policy debates.  So with all due respect to Noonan, the conventions have no political importance.  Why then should we watch?

I Blame Sheryl Crow

So all those hours I spent a decade ago watching a sport with weird concepts like "peleton" didn't happen.  I vacate my title as couch potato. 

Breach!

Light blogging as the semester begins.  I'm a little depressed too as my institution fumbles the ball, again. If this blog page gets hacked you'll know why!

Kudos to Obama

My friend Carol sent me this Atlantic article, discussing attempts to get Obama's home brew recipe.  While I'm not disposed to vote for him, more power to a president who likes to experiment with beer.  Honey ale wouldn't be my first choice, so maybe that reflects a deep difference in political philosophy. 

Update: ABC News reports that the White House might release the recipe, for those of you who are interested. 

Eugene Volokh has an interesting post on blackmail.  The quandary: 1) it is usually legal to publish something that is true even if embarassing, and 2) it is usually legal to ask someone to ask for money in exchange for a legal action. So why is blackmail (promising to publicize embarassing information unless money is paid) illegal?  The quandary, as Volokh notes, is ignored in practice, although there are interesting exceptions.  

Will Haley Ever Be Invited?

Darla Moore was invited to become a member of Augusta National, along with Condoleezza Rice.  As someone on sports talk said today, too bad she's not good enough to be on the USC Board of Trustees!

Why We Binge

ABC reports a poll which shows binge drinkers in college are "happier" than their opposites.  While the article discusses reasons why this might be, they tend to focus on the social circumstances in which binge drinking occurs. 

Two comments: 1) discussions of binge drinking tend to blur the obvious fact that for many people, drinking is enjoyable; perhaps if this were recognized, we might be more attuned to reasons why it's impossible for college students to drink responsibly; 2) given the social satisfaction of binge drinking,   I don't think colleges can solve the problem by trying to find less-than-satisfying substitutes. 

Confirmation Bias

I've written before of my criticism of operations like Rolling Thunder.  So I was predisposed to find this account accurate.  The sheriff released the video cam of the stop; the true account is much different than the "victim's" story.  My apologies to leaping to an unjustified conclusion. 

Washington Stymies Common Sense

NPR asked five economists with differing political sympathies for the recommendations they unanimously support.  The six:

1) Get rid of the mortgage interest deduction.
2) Get rid of the corporate income tax.
3) Get rid of the personal income tax.
4) Legalize pot.
5) Get rid of tax deduction for companies providing health care.
6) Institute a carbon tax. 

For their justifications, go here.

(h/t Greg Mankiw) 

Statements without Content

This morning, on a 5-hour Energy Drink ad, the spokesperson said (roughly), "73% of all doctors recommend 5-Hour Energy Drink as a low calorie energy drink for those healthy patients who already use a low calorie energy drink." (my emphasis)  One wonders why it wasn't higher!

Reason #15 Not To Argue in Public

You may be chaffeured to the police.

The Law of Unintended Consequences

Ben Szobody of the Greenville News has an interesting article on one man's attempt at opening a bar in Greenville, SC.  In it he discusses the argument by bloggers, including my long-time favorite Megan McArdle, that attempting to control the number of bars in a particular area leads to increased noise and criminal activity, the precise outcome the Board of Zoning Appeals is trying to avoid. 

The Necessity of Natural Law

One can try to escape the police, but it may prove difficult to avoid the Law of Gravity, as experienced by this thief. 

An Interesting Read

From Jason Kuznicki at The Agitator on two mistakes conservatives make. 

A Quiz for the Reader

Is it possible to drive on I-85 without following too closely other vehicles?  Readers' comments welcome!

Juggalos in the News

The FBI has classified Juggalos, fans of the Insane Clown Posse, as a "hybrid gang."  The Posse is fighting back, filing suit against the FBI.  Kevin at Lowering the Bar, has the full scoop plus an evaluation of the FBI's classification system.  Enjoy!

Either/Or

Either you're for law and order or you're for mothers who at a drop at a hat take off at 100 mph, risking both them and the other drivers on the road.  Either you're for pleasure-inducing drugs, like pot, or you're for jack-booted thugs who want to chase potential criminals to prove a point.

The Drug War has contributed to these kinds of polar opposites, ignoring the possible middle-ground where one can disapprove of the effects of drugs, from marijuana to meth, and at the same time, argue for the liberty to take them.  Instead, we engage in false dilemma, where there are only two options.  Because of this, we get the Sheriff defending the 100 mph chase, by bringing up the driver's past history. 

I would argue that the only way to justify the Drug War and all its manifestations and unintended consequences is to show that it's been a net gain for the U.S. and the world.  This justification is missing.

Update: it even effects activities which prima facie are not about the drug war

Arguing the World

I've the good fortune of finally being able to stream Netflix to my TV.  Here were my first three selections:

1) Once Upon a Time in the West:  worth seeing for close ups of Claudia Cardinale's eyes
2) The Decameron: more enjoyable if one has already read the book.
and 3) Arguing the World: a documentary on the four New York intellectuals who graduated from CCNY in the late 30s: Irving Howe, Irving Kristol, Daniel Bell, and Nathan Glazer.  I highly recommend this.  The chronology of their lives coincides with the major events of the 20th century: the Depression, World War II, anti-communism, the Sixties.  It's hard to characterize what they had in common, other than the belief in the power of ideas and the worthwhile pursuit of exposing and arguing these ideas in public. 

By the way, I had the good fortune of driving Irving Kristol from the Indianapolis airport to Wabash College in 1979, where he was to spend a day on campus.  He was interesting, but somewhat aloof and supercilious.  I remember how shocked he was at the size of the Wabash endowment, as if he assumed any college in Indiana had to be running on a shoe string.  Something in the documentary made sense of this: he remarked that growing up in Brooklyn was second rate.  He grew up wanting to migrate to "the City," i.e. Manhattan.  The rest of us couldn't even compete with Brooklyn!

Let's Hear it for the Old Guys!

Congrats to Meb as he finishes 4th at the Olympics in the marathon at the ripe old age of 37! (the top 3 were 23, 30 and 30)

Links

• Befriending the enemy: now I have to root against him. 
• Botswana gets its first Olympic medal. Congrats!
• The red pill or the blue pill? Oops, wrong decision. 
• A natural attraction: Starbucks and funerals.

The "War" on Drugs

I have a good friend who disagrees with me on just about every political issue.  In discussing the incident of the 7-year old who passed recently (see this previous post) we both agreed the War on Drugs has been lost.  It's time to either legalize or decriminalize drug possession.  There are casualties on both sides: victims such as this little girl whose mother presumably ran from the police because she had 8 oz. of marijuana or the deputies who must live with the consequence of this ill-advised chase. 

I

PGA Championship

Forget the Olympics.  The event to watch begins today.  And thanks to my good friend, Ray, I've been fortunate to have played this course, a first for this long time frustrated golfer.

Seven-Year-Old Dies in High Speed Chase

This breaks my heart.  Her aunt was driving down the interstate in an erratic manner; deputies tried to pull her over and she took off. The ensuing chase reached speeds of 100 mph. Neither the girl nor aunt were buckled up.

I'm curious to see the policy for the Sheriff's office on engaging in high speed chases.  I know the city of Spartanburg places severe restrictions on them.  As I find out more I'll update.

And I Hate the Dodgers

Has anyone noticed that the camera stays on Misty May-Treanor for a very long time after a beach volleyball win?  It gives her enough time to give an academy award speech, as well as throw in a shout out for her husband's baseball team.  Enough already!

Mother Goose and Grimm: Academic Theme

(h/t Greg Mankiw)

Wes Anderson's Quirky Vision

The queen and I went to see Moonrise Kingdom yesterday.  Fans of Wes Anderson will like it, although it is not as compelling as Rushmore or The Royal Tenenbaums.  As with those movies, Moonrise Kingdom compares the moral certitude of its juvenile characters with the moral confusion of its adults.  The characters played by Bill Murray and Gene Hackman in those former movies came to some sort of realization about the importance of family and moral order through the trials and errors created by their own actions.   In Moonrise Kingdom, one gets the sense that none of the adults ever will get it right.  On the positive side, Ed Norton's character, a scout master, keeps his life in proper perspective; he does this though by remaining a perpetual child at camp.

I give it a thumbs up: worth the see, better than Life Aquatic or Darjeeling Unlimited,  but not Anderson's best.  

Ralph Macchio in Sourth Carolina?

Don't think so. 

Scientism

It really is amazing what science can tell us about the world we inhabit.  The technology that flows from this is also remarkable; take Curiosity as a case in point.   However there is a dark side: a willingness to change beliefs and behavior in favor of anything that represents itself as science. 

If you follow Radley Balko's blog, The Agitator, you will have followed the startling career of Michael West, who portrayed himself as the foremost of expert in bite-mark analysis and whose testimony sent many to death row.  Bite mark analysis has been controversial for a long time.  There is little evidence to show that there is any reliability in matching bite marks on a body to a unique person.  Finally, even Michael West has given up on it.

One can only hope that the many convicts who were sent up on the basis of this fraud committed in the name of forensic science are at least given a chance for a retrial.  

QOTD

"Time is a child playing checkers.  The child is king."    Heraclitus

And They Call It Football

My friend Abe sent me this database of SC high school football coaches.  Not for the faint of heart or those of us who are ordinary state-employed educators. 

Paul Ryan, My Hero

It's hard to argue with this!  (h/t Beldar's blog)

Rosie's Sisters

Retrospace is a wonderful blog that posts memorabilia from the seventies .  Here's a Dutch album cover from many he posted.   I like the subtitle: "Just you and me..."  Sexy.  And who are they in the background? 

What's the Matter With Washington

Rep. Steve LaTourette is retiring as a congressman, pointing to this bill as one of the reasons he's leaving.  It turns out, according to James Taranto of Best of the Web, the congressman is one of the cosponsors of the same bill.  I propose a new disease to be added to the next DSM:  LaTourette's Syndrome: an uncontrollable tic that causes one to vote against bills one sponsors. 

Just Desserts

Did you know that "crocodile" means "pebble worm" in Greek?  Thanks to Kevin at Lowering the Bar for this fact, and for telling us about the man who lost his hand feeding a pebble worm!

Finally!

The Cincinnati Reds currently have the best record in baseball.  As Jerry Costanza might say, "I'm back, baby!"

Global Warming

Richard Muller writes a persuasive editorial in Sunday's NY Times, claiming that his studies show a powerful correlation between the increase in carbon dioxide and the rise in temperatures over the last 250 years, a crucial link in showing global warming is caused by man's activity.  By his account, he had controlled for other factors, e.g. sun-spot activity.  Two comments about this: 1) he's simply describing his conclusions.  But he's published his work, so others can find flaws in his reasoning if there are any.  And that's the way science should work;  2)  as a good scientist he doesn't confuse correlation with cause.  But  if his correlation is strong, then, as he rightly points out, any competing theory must account for this correlation. 

Apologies

Awhile back in a public conversation, I asserted that Milla Jovovich had not been in any good movies (besides The Fifth Element).   My judgment was mistaken.  If you get a chance, watch  Dummy with Adrien Brody.  It's an offbeat movie and Milla displays her theatrical chops. 

RIP

Neil Reed, former IU basketball player, dies at age 36 from heart complications.  I confess that at the time of his controversial run-in with Bobby Knight, I was in Knight's camp.  Looking back, I realize that it was Neil who did the right thing. 

You Didn't Build That

Lost in the kerfuffle over Pres. Obama's remark is I think recognition that the U.S. owes its freedom and success to two sources: a) the providence of our creator and b) the long history of respect for human rights--to life, liberty and property--that we've inherited from our cultural ancestors. 

I take the first only to be controversial for the nontheist.  I take the second to be an assumption for liberals of all stripes, from Romney to Obama.  If so, the question we should be asking is how to best preserve these rights. 

Quote of the Day

QOTD: "One man with courage makes a majority."  Anonymous!  (attributed to Andrew Jackson incorrectly)

Excitement!

I just received my copy of the 2012-13 NCAA Division I Manual!  It comes in at 315 pages, quite a reduction from the 426 pages of the 2011-12 Manual. I'm so excited I could cry.

Dengue Fever

It's possible that there will be a vaccine for Dengue Fever, a mosquito-borne disease that has a mortality rate of 1-5%.     Prior to 1981, there were no cases of Dengue Fever in the western hemisphere.  That has changed; incidents include an outbreak in Brownsville TX in 2005. 

The vaccine will be "live" attenuated, which will increase resistance to taking it. And even if many end up taking it, we'll end up with the free rider problem!  But still, anything is better than nothing.  

I Sing the Body Electoral

Obama currently runs an anti-Romney ad in which Romney weakly sings "American the Beautiful." At the same time, it shows purported amounts of money Romney has in foreign banks, and speaks of jobs outsourced by companies supported by Bain.

I don't find the ad effective.  The message is what?  Romney has a weak voice and he's rich.  He can apologize for the former and easily defend the latter.

As to outsourcing, everyone should reread Adam Smith on comparative advantage!

The Oxymoronic

The logician in me shuddered today, driving in to work.  Mike and Mike were noting a correlation between a city hosting a Super Bowl and that city's quarterback suffering an injury.  Here's what Greenie said, roughly: "it doesn't mean anything, but it's real!"

My hair loss is correlated with continental drift (the more the continents drift, the more hair I lose).  I know it doesn't mean anything, but it's real!  Stop the continents!   

Quote of the Day

"Knowledge is good.". Emil Faber

From the Ridiculous to the Absurd

The IRS charges an estate $40,000,000 on an item that can't legally be sold!  (H/t Radley Balko)

The Death Penalty De Facto, not De Jure

The NCAA just came down hard on Penn State:  60 million in fines, 4 year postseason ban, reduction of scholarships per year from 25 to 10, and the vacating of all wins from 1998-2011.  Harsh to say the least.  The justification was weak in my opinion: lack of institutional control, lack of ethical conduct, and lack of integrity. But the rules concerning those three aspects all refer to the rules set up to govern play, not life.  For example, here's the bylaw on institutional control (Bylaw 2.1):  "it is the responsibility of each member institution to control its intercollegiate athletics program in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Association."(my emphasis)  Penn State wasn't out of compliance; staff and administrators broke several criminal laws. 

I just received an email from the NCAA referring to the sanctions.  The bottom line: "We could not look to NCAA history to determine how to handle circumstances so disturbing, shocking and disappointing. As the individuals charged with governing college sports, we have a responsibility to act. As President Emmert will say in his remarks at the press conference, these events should serve as a call to every single school and athletics department to take an honest look at its campus environment and eradicate the ‘sports are king’ mindset that can so dramatically cloud the judgment of educators."