Entries Tagged 'Uncategorized' ↓

On econtalk the person who headed the gmail team reveals that it was developed by all of a dozen people.

Again, no one of importance won the “Literature” Nobel. Good.

I am always surprised by the excitement that the Nobel Prize for “Literature” generates in some people considering how unrelated to literature it is (and has always been).

The List of winners reads not as a Who’s who of 20th century literature, but rather as a Who’s He?. As far as I know, this is not true of any of the other Nobel Prizes (even the by-nature highly political Peace Prize is awarded to people who an informed audience has at least heard of). Also, as far as I know, no other Nobel Prize has ever been awarded to the members of the Jury who was deciding the Nobel Prize.

Apropos this discussion, I have long noticed that, in Europe, in general, the conservative opinions of Jane Jacobs won against the urban planners like Moses.

In spite of Le Corbusier raving about tearing down central Paris to builld “more rational” buildings, he never did. The only European capital touched by the spirit of urban planning to the same degree was East Berlin, which tore down all the ancient buildings and churches (partially just to show off—some of the German planners were aware of the historical value of the buildings, but there were political orders to demolish churches).

The traditional politician’s fallacy runs as:

1. Something must be done.
2. This is something.
3. Therefore, this must be done.

Amazing how many health-care discussions follow exactly this pattern:

1. The health care system in the US has problems and there are many ways in which it could be changed for the better.
2. Congress and Obama are proposing to change the health care system.
3. Therefore, we need to be ready to support whatever change will come out of Congress.

*

This is embedded into the question “Do you support health care reform?” which is, properly speaking, a trick question. It seems to be asking whether you agree with proposition 1, but it really asks for support of proposition 3.

Just a week ago, I decided I should try shopping at Wal-mart every once because of what it represents, but wasn’t really looking forward to going to a new super-market (I’m a creature of habits).

Turns out I can still shop at Whole Foods with a clear conscience (I had forgotten that the CEO of WF is a contributor to the reason foundation).

After two years, Bill Clinton was a failed President. In the end, he turned out to be “the best Republican President of the 20th century.”

When it comes to the environment, cost-benefit analysis is just a right-wing ploy to take government regulation out of the market place and, besides, who can meaningfully put a dollar value on clean water or a human life? It’s just immoral.

When it comes to health care, cost-benefit analysis is just a left-wing ploy to put government regulation into the market and, besides, who can meaningfully put a dollar value on good health or a human life? It’s just immoral.

When I started reading blogs, Sunday was the busiest day in terms of blog posts. Now, the blogs I respect the most generally do not post on Sundays.

A bookshop, with cardboard boxes of books. I look through one cardboard box, but it’s full of second rate novels.

As I’m about to leave, an older man looks at me and informs me that the bookshop is closing down and that those books will be put out for free later, but there are others (like him) already waiting to get first picks when the books are put out. I comment that Yes, books shouldn’t go to waste.