1. Pick a random nonfiction book off your shelf (fiction could an easier version of the game; I'm not sure).
2. Flip to a random page.
3. Choose a word/term from the page that is (a) a proper noun (b) a period-specific term or (c) a disicipline-specific term.
4. Look up said word/phrase/term on Wikipedia.
Five points if you get a stub.
Ten points if the article doesn't exist.
Fifteen points if the article doesn't exist and you create it.
You get ten things to look up.
I have no idea how hard this game is but some test entries suggest it'll be pretty difficult.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
General Theory of Discovery
There are lots of things people acknowledge government shouldn't fund. Successful companies. Hitler monuments. Gigli II. Uh....
Ok so that's about where it stops.
But of all things one group or another demands we drop, pure research is something that's hard to defend cutting because it's benefits are so uncertain. Thus the NPR report I heard today that criticized Mr. Bush's recent budget cuts on NASA and the National Science Foundation.
The report opened with how pure theory of Einstein's general theory of relativity is used to make GPS work. The theory tells us that as stuff goes faster, time for that thing goes slower. Since GPS satellites orbit so quickly, they are equipped with special clocks that literaly use a different unit of time to keep in accordance with its terrestial customers. We never know how science will help us, the report concluded (and that is true), thus government has to fund science (here I have a problem).
Let us set aside the fact that Einstein didn't develop his theory at NASA or the NSF. Hell, he didn't even create it in America. The lecture was given in 1915, after he worked at the University of Zurich and the University of Prague. He didn't move to the US until the 1930s. (Even if we assume these are goverment-funded institutions (Zurich is; I'm not sure about Prague), many other universities of equal or greater prestige are not. Indeed, since private schools offer greater freedom, most universities prefer to go private, assuming they could get the funds.)
Government funded science simply isn't neccessary for a well functioning economy. Private firm innovation, X-Prize style contests and academic research easily fill the gap. And even if some great idea for some ungodly reason isn't realized because of a lack of government funding, that doesn't mean we won't benefit from it eventually.
Suppose Einstein really needed public money to develop the theory (maybe money becomes enchanted with some brain-enhancing invisible wave if it's taken as tax dollars). Decades later, the first GPS satellites go in orbit and the firms realize something is very strange. The times between here and space aren't in sink. After intense research and theorizing, they come upon Einstein's conclusion anyway. No public money spent. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Would it have taken longer? Sure would, but we wouldn't have had to fund all those projects that concluded really intersting stuff though wouldn't have a practical value for decades to come. And we could have used that money to make our world better today.
It's like when people say the $118 billion (2000 dollars) that NASA spent on the Apollo program was worth it until I point out that money probably could have been used to make huge leaps in fighting cancer.
Ok so that's about where it stops.
But of all things one group or another demands we drop, pure research is something that's hard to defend cutting because it's benefits are so uncertain. Thus the NPR report I heard today that criticized Mr. Bush's recent budget cuts on NASA and the National Science Foundation.
The report opened with how pure theory of Einstein's general theory of relativity is used to make GPS work. The theory tells us that as stuff goes faster, time for that thing goes slower. Since GPS satellites orbit so quickly, they are equipped with special clocks that literaly use a different unit of time to keep in accordance with its terrestial customers. We never know how science will help us, the report concluded (and that is true), thus government has to fund science (here I have a problem).
Let us set aside the fact that Einstein didn't develop his theory at NASA or the NSF. Hell, he didn't even create it in America. The lecture was given in 1915, after he worked at the University of Zurich and the University of Prague. He didn't move to the US until the 1930s. (Even if we assume these are goverment-funded institutions (Zurich is; I'm not sure about Prague), many other universities of equal or greater prestige are not. Indeed, since private schools offer greater freedom, most universities prefer to go private, assuming they could get the funds.)
Government funded science simply isn't neccessary for a well functioning economy. Private firm innovation, X-Prize style contests and academic research easily fill the gap. And even if some great idea for some ungodly reason isn't realized because of a lack of government funding, that doesn't mean we won't benefit from it eventually.
Suppose Einstein really needed public money to develop the theory (maybe money becomes enchanted with some brain-enhancing invisible wave if it's taken as tax dollars). Decades later, the first GPS satellites go in orbit and the firms realize something is very strange. The times between here and space aren't in sink. After intense research and theorizing, they come upon Einstein's conclusion anyway. No public money spent. Necessity is the mother of invention.
Would it have taken longer? Sure would, but we wouldn't have had to fund all those projects that concluded really intersting stuff though wouldn't have a practical value for decades to come. And we could have used that money to make our world better today.
It's like when people say the $118 billion (2000 dollars) that NASA spent on the Apollo program was worth it until I point out that money probably could have been used to make huge leaps in fighting cancer.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Meals Without Design?
I just saw a very disturbing commercial.
It opens with a voice over telling a story about Ronald Regan and his take on evolution. It said that when he was president, he wanted to invite the leader of a communist government to the mansion for a great state dinner. At the end of the meal, after the sovereign praised the quality of the food, Regan would ask if the leader believed if there was a chef. The commercial shamelessly ends with "Evolution is a lie. Read the Bible."
Assuming the story is true, Regan would committing the fallacy of False Analogy. Ingredients are not autonomous agents seeking to make the perfect meal. They are merely matter (usually dead), uninterested in (and often incapable of) sacrificing themselves to feed others.
Prospering, however, is something all organisms are interested in doing. This common goal extends from the most basic of bacteria to human societies. Thus if Regan thought something as simple as a cook making a layer cake demonstrated nature cannot exist without God, then by logical extension the world economy needs a central planner to function properly. But Regan recognized that people pursuing their own self-interest can create a complex system without design. If only he recognized that ecology and eggs benedict were not the same thing.
It opens with a voice over telling a story about Ronald Regan and his take on evolution. It said that when he was president, he wanted to invite the leader of a communist government to the mansion for a great state dinner. At the end of the meal, after the sovereign praised the quality of the food, Regan would ask if the leader believed if there was a chef. The commercial shamelessly ends with "Evolution is a lie. Read the Bible."
Assuming the story is true, Regan would committing the fallacy of False Analogy. Ingredients are not autonomous agents seeking to make the perfect meal. They are merely matter (usually dead), uninterested in (and often incapable of) sacrificing themselves to feed others.
Prospering, however, is something all organisms are interested in doing. This common goal extends from the most basic of bacteria to human societies. Thus if Regan thought something as simple as a cook making a layer cake demonstrated nature cannot exist without God, then by logical extension the world economy needs a central planner to function properly. But Regan recognized that people pursuing their own self-interest can create a complex system without design. If only he recognized that ecology and eggs benedict were not the same thing.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Oil Five-O
On September 1, 2005 Hawaii will be the first state to impose gasoline price ceilings in an attempt to lower the state's higher than average gas prices.
When I first heard this story on NPR today, the economic commentator correctly pointed out that this will lead to shortages as people will want to buy more and sell less. But there are two interesting facets of the law that the commentator left out.
The first is that it's wholesale--not market--price that's capped. Thus it will be the gas stations that will bear the shortage and since they are free to set their prices, they will increase them to compensate for the lower supply. The law bent on making gas at the pump cheaper will make it more expensive.
The second little bit of info is that the government will adjust the cap weekly. Since they are trying to make it closer to the continental US, as the local market price goes up, the goverment will lower the wholesale cap, encouraging the market price to go yet higher.
I'm very interested in how this will play out over the next couple of months.
When I first heard this story on NPR today, the economic commentator correctly pointed out that this will lead to shortages as people will want to buy more and sell less. But there are two interesting facets of the law that the commentator left out.
The first is that it's wholesale--not market--price that's capped. Thus it will be the gas stations that will bear the shortage and since they are free to set their prices, they will increase them to compensate for the lower supply. The law bent on making gas at the pump cheaper will make it more expensive.
The second little bit of info is that the government will adjust the cap weekly. Since they are trying to make it closer to the continental US, as the local market price goes up, the goverment will lower the wholesale cap, encouraging the market price to go yet higher.
I'm very interested in how this will play out over the next couple of months.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Represent!
Greetings from our nation's capital (or rather just outside it). I realized in my moving it's been a week since I last posted and I thought I'd take a few moments to use my cousin's housemate's computer to pass on something interesting I've noticed.
Every DC license plate has the words, "Taxation Without Representation." Note it doesn't say No Taxation Without Representation, as per the 200 year old slogan, but "Taxation Without Representation," as in homage to the old words and indicating such abuse is going on now.
Now I've known for a while that DC gets no Senators and no Representatives but I never knew that this was so much of an issue they would put it on their plates. But it is a big deal, and for good reason. The lack of representation for the very city that hosts the very congressmen from all over the country stinks of tyranny. DC wasn't even able to vote for president until 1963. The city's plates are one of the few things they can change without Congressional approval. (Again, the same Congress DC doesn't get any representation in.)
For the record, DC proper has a population of 553,523 (Wyoming has only 493,782) and an area of 177 km2 (Vatican City has only .44 km2). So what's with the hypocracy?
Every DC license plate has the words, "Taxation Without Representation." Note it doesn't say No Taxation Without Representation, as per the 200 year old slogan, but "Taxation Without Representation," as in homage to the old words and indicating such abuse is going on now.
Now I've known for a while that DC gets no Senators and no Representatives but I never knew that this was so much of an issue they would put it on their plates. But it is a big deal, and for good reason. The lack of representation for the very city that hosts the very congressmen from all over the country stinks of tyranny. DC wasn't even able to vote for president until 1963. The city's plates are one of the few things they can change without Congressional approval. (Again, the same Congress DC doesn't get any representation in.)
For the record, DC proper has a population of 553,523 (Wyoming has only 493,782) and an area of 177 km2 (Vatican City has only .44 km2). So what's with the hypocracy?
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Iowan In DC
Tomorrow begins my long journey to the nation's capital for grad school. I have no idea when I'll be online again, just so you know. Think thoughts of liberty while you wait and enjoy Tim's overdue return.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Farming Nature
So I’m watching the History Channel’s Modern Marvels, this one about the logging industry. Naturally an important part of the show is the environmental impact of cutting trees down and how those concerns changed the industry. This led into one of the first responses the industry offered way back in the 1940s: tree farms.
Tree farms are still used today; some one-third of our lumber comes from them and that number continues to grow. But some people have a problem with them. The program included footage of a university professor noting that these farms are horrible things because they are comprised of only a few species of trees, thus support only a few species of animal life. In that way, they cannot replace forests, whose diversity in foliage allows greater protection against calamity and supports more wildlife.
No one, by the way, is seriously considering that we tear down all forests and replace them with farms (especially since most tree farms are in the Southwest, a region not known for it’s sprawling vegetation). The idea is we get our lumber from farms, allowing us to leave our forests intact and get the lumber society demands. By cultivating trees, we indirectly cultivate nature. Thus farms compliment the natural world by segregating its uses into preservation and harvesting.
Forests are freed to be used for other profitable, but eco-friendly activity, including hiking, camping, limited fishing and limited hunting. And because a great deal of money can be made in these endeavors, the government is not the only way to protect wildlife (even though that’s what the program claimed).
Environmentalists who demonize these farms because they aren’t “natural enough” miss the forest for the trees in the most literal sense.
Tree farms are still used today; some one-third of our lumber comes from them and that number continues to grow. But some people have a problem with them. The program included footage of a university professor noting that these farms are horrible things because they are comprised of only a few species of trees, thus support only a few species of animal life. In that way, they cannot replace forests, whose diversity in foliage allows greater protection against calamity and supports more wildlife.
No one, by the way, is seriously considering that we tear down all forests and replace them with farms (especially since most tree farms are in the Southwest, a region not known for it’s sprawling vegetation). The idea is we get our lumber from farms, allowing us to leave our forests intact and get the lumber society demands. By cultivating trees, we indirectly cultivate nature. Thus farms compliment the natural world by segregating its uses into preservation and harvesting.
Forests are freed to be used for other profitable, but eco-friendly activity, including hiking, camping, limited fishing and limited hunting. And because a great deal of money can be made in these endeavors, the government is not the only way to protect wildlife (even though that’s what the program claimed).
Environmentalists who demonize these farms because they aren’t “natural enough” miss the forest for the trees in the most literal sense.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Ding, Dong, our Rights are Dead
The Supreme Court recently decided that a town could seize property under the doctrine of eminent domain - so far, nothing unusual, but here's the twist - and give it to another private party. Previously, the power had been limited to seizing private property for important public projects.
But as if the status quo weren't bad enough, the less-sane half of our darling Supreme Court has upheld the power of government to redistribute property as benefits the government. The rationale in the particular case was that tax revenues would be greater with the properties in question under one particular owner rather than another.
Oh... I just can't express how vexed I am. But badly enough to say "vexed", which should be a pretty good indication.
At this point, all pretense of Constitutionality is gone, as I see it. Out government is an outlaw from itself, refusing to recognize its own laws - and I'm not the first to recognize this. Judge Andrew Napolitano, with whom I hardly agree about anything, has written a lovely book, "Constitutional Chaos", in which this nasty proclivity is hashed out in some detail.
What to do? For now, close your eyes, tap your heels three times, and say... well, you know.
But as if the status quo weren't bad enough, the less-sane half of our darling Supreme Court has upheld the power of government to redistribute property as benefits the government. The rationale in the particular case was that tax revenues would be greater with the properties in question under one particular owner rather than another.
Oh... I just can't express how vexed I am. But badly enough to say "vexed", which should be a pretty good indication.
At this point, all pretense of Constitutionality is gone, as I see it. Out government is an outlaw from itself, refusing to recognize its own laws - and I'm not the first to recognize this. Judge Andrew Napolitano, with whom I hardly agree about anything, has written a lovely book, "Constitutional Chaos", in which this nasty proclivity is hashed out in some detail.
What to do? For now, close your eyes, tap your heels three times, and say... well, you know.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Get Meth. It Pays.
Sometime ago, Iowa passed a law that made it harder for people to acquire pseudoephedrine in an attempt to prevent people from distracting themselves from their boring Iowa lives with meth.
The other day, the QC Times ran this article that proudly declared Iowa meth labs are down by 75%. Let us side aside that this does not mean Iowans are using less meth. Nor does it mean that this is a permanent change. But I’m more interested in how they concluded this astonishing figure.
It’s not like you can find meth labs in the yellow pages. They are illegal and like all illegal activity, significant time and energy is taken to keep the operations hidden. Surprisingly, police merely compared the 286 labs they knew about in May-July of last year and the 70 that they are sure about today. They can only find 70, thus only 70 exist. How dumb is that?
It seems far more likely that the reason there are fewer known labs is because existing labs went deeper underground until they can perfect a way to get around the law. When they do, don’t be surprised if they charge a higher rate for their goods to compensate for lost business; it’s not like they’ll have a lot of competition.
The other day, the QC Times ran this article that proudly declared Iowa meth labs are down by 75%. Let us side aside that this does not mean Iowans are using less meth. Nor does it mean that this is a permanent change. But I’m more interested in how they concluded this astonishing figure.
It’s not like you can find meth labs in the yellow pages. They are illegal and like all illegal activity, significant time and energy is taken to keep the operations hidden. Surprisingly, police merely compared the 286 labs they knew about in May-July of last year and the 70 that they are sure about today. They can only find 70, thus only 70 exist. How dumb is that?
It seems far more likely that the reason there are fewer known labs is because existing labs went deeper underground until they can perfect a way to get around the law. When they do, don’t be surprised if they charge a higher rate for their goods to compensate for lost business; it’s not like they’ll have a lot of competition.
Friday, August 05, 2005
Let's Hear It for Chemicals
Connecticut might get a new law that requires employers to notify if they use trichloroethylene—a chemical for cleaning metal—the logic being that it might cause cancer.
This new rule spawns from a court battle involving Neil Clifford, who claims he got cancer from working a site where someone dumped a lot of TCE. Even though the site’s adjacent to a group of condos, he’s the only case.
In the testimony, Dr. John Meyer said that TCE might cause cancer in humans. The International Agency for Research on Cancer notes the evidence for this is claim is limited. But governments are paranoid and love spending money so the DEP spent $750,000 cleaning up the site anyway.
Laws, by their very nature, are bitches to get rid of once passed. This is doubly true for theoretically preventing things that might threaten human or animal health. TCE might cause deadly cancer, but it might not. Why demonize a useful tool without knowing if it really is harmful or not? Are we going to do the same thing to TCE as we did to DDT? This is how it starts.
This new rule spawns from a court battle involving Neil Clifford, who claims he got cancer from working a site where someone dumped a lot of TCE. Even though the site’s adjacent to a group of condos, he’s the only case.
In the testimony, Dr. John Meyer said that TCE might cause cancer in humans. The International Agency for Research on Cancer notes the evidence for this is claim is limited. But governments are paranoid and love spending money so the DEP spent $750,000 cleaning up the site anyway.
Laws, by their very nature, are bitches to get rid of once passed. This is doubly true for theoretically preventing things that might threaten human or animal health. TCE might cause deadly cancer, but it might not. Why demonize a useful tool without knowing if it really is harmful or not? Are we going to do the same thing to TCE as we did to DDT? This is how it starts.
This Is Where Your Money Goes
I just read the headline and started laughing. Good to know something's being done about the trash collector shortage.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
The Wealth of Virtual Nations
My brother sent me this link about the economics in MMORPGs. The article brought up several cool ideas we can use to interpret these online games under an economic or sociological lens, my favorite being exchange rates.
People pay real money for game money all the time and I wondered what the exchange rate was for World of Warcraft. According to Ebay, one dollar gets you about ten gold. That same dollar could be exchanged for 111.28 yen, 0.819 Euros and .564 Pounds. I’m not yet sure what that means because we don’t know what the PPP is for gold; and coming up with a virtual basket of goods would be problematic as WoW characters don’t need to eat, pay for shelter or do other activities real people need to. If only Ironforge had a McDonald’s.
But because you need to pay for so little as a Warcraft character, and because you can get so much money for just a dollar, I’m betting it’s far cheaper to vacation in Azeroth than in Europe.
No wonder it’s so popular.
People pay real money for game money all the time and I wondered what the exchange rate was for World of Warcraft. According to Ebay, one dollar gets you about ten gold. That same dollar could be exchanged for 111.28 yen, 0.819 Euros and .564 Pounds. I’m not yet sure what that means because we don’t know what the PPP is for gold; and coming up with a virtual basket of goods would be problematic as WoW characters don’t need to eat, pay for shelter or do other activities real people need to. If only Ironforge had a McDonald’s.
But because you need to pay for so little as a Warcraft character, and because you can get so much money for just a dollar, I’m betting it’s far cheaper to vacation in Azeroth than in Europe.
No wonder it’s so popular.
Friday, July 29, 2005
Grad Update
I realized I haven't posted in a while so I thought I'd explain why.
I finally got a job. In addition to grad school, I now have a way to pay rent because I'll be working for the University's new postgraduate fellowships and grants department. Yay for me!
So now I need to find a place, and think I'm narrowing down on one (thanks to craigslist). But I've also noticed people can be pretty...oblivious. Consider this e-mail exchange.
Me: Well, Im not really in a position to come down and visit as its so
far.
Potential place: You are in Luck! In my haste I actually put the correct date and wrong day. So the showing is SUNDAY July 31st at 1:30. If you have any questions feel free to call or email me. See you on Sunday!
I'm hoping it was a blanket e-mail or he just forgot I live in Iowa.
And things might get a little more interesting. As I checked my e-mail to get that exchange, I noticed my latest message to my number one spot bounced back. Maybe I won't be living there...
I have a feeling this is going to be one of those things where I don't know where I'll be living until the 11th hour.
I finally got a job. In addition to grad school, I now have a way to pay rent because I'll be working for the University's new postgraduate fellowships and grants department. Yay for me!
So now I need to find a place, and think I'm narrowing down on one (thanks to craigslist). But I've also noticed people can be pretty...oblivious. Consider this e-mail exchange.
Me: Well, Im not really in a position to come down and visit as its so
far.
Potential place: You are in Luck! In my haste I actually put the correct date and wrong day. So the showing is SUNDAY July 31st at 1:30. If you have any questions feel free to call or email me. See you on Sunday!
I'm hoping it was a blanket e-mail or he just forgot I live in Iowa.
And things might get a little more interesting. As I checked my e-mail to get that exchange, I noticed my latest message to my number one spot bounced back. Maybe I won't be living there...
I have a feeling this is going to be one of those things where I don't know where I'll be living until the 11th hour.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Guns and Government
Penn & Teller’s Bullshit recently tackled the issue of gun control. As really hard-core libertarians (betting they’re virtual anarcho-capitalists), the episode’s staunchly against infringing on the right at all.
As a minarchist, I’m on the fence. Gun control is horrible in some cases but in the case of SMGs and other heavy firearms, I gotta side with the law. While small arms and light weapons are great for defending yourself, large ones are really only useful for offense.
P&T end the program by advocating the right to overthrow the government, a very important and valuable right. I’d venture that they’d want the public to own, say, a rocket launcher because what’s a pistol going to do against a tank or a helicopter? It would be like arming our citizens with sharp sticks just in case the guy with nukes gets too bossy.
There are two things wrong with this. First, we don’t want to make it likely that a relatively small number of people can overthrow our government lest we get something even worse. Limiting the arms to small ones ensure the army is large and thus the threat of freedom is well established.
Second, in the early stages of the rebellion, the army would probably be underground to start. Since large weapons are, well, large, they aren’t very portable, concealable, autonomous and any of the other things that make a good insurgency firearm. They’re necessary in the long run, of course, but by that time the revolution would gain control of some base or factory at which that law becomes a non-issue.
One last thing. Halfway through the show we take a close look at what the Second Amendment actually says.
Here’s what I think they mean: “A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state; thus the right of the people to keep and bear arms, should not be infringed.” In other words, we’re going to have guns, so you should have some, too. Of course, that was before SMGs.
As a minarchist, I’m on the fence. Gun control is horrible in some cases but in the case of SMGs and other heavy firearms, I gotta side with the law. While small arms and light weapons are great for defending yourself, large ones are really only useful for offense.
P&T end the program by advocating the right to overthrow the government, a very important and valuable right. I’d venture that they’d want the public to own, say, a rocket launcher because what’s a pistol going to do against a tank or a helicopter? It would be like arming our citizens with sharp sticks just in case the guy with nukes gets too bossy.
There are two things wrong with this. First, we don’t want to make it likely that a relatively small number of people can overthrow our government lest we get something even worse. Limiting the arms to small ones ensure the army is large and thus the threat of freedom is well established.
Second, in the early stages of the rebellion, the army would probably be underground to start. Since large weapons are, well, large, they aren’t very portable, concealable, autonomous and any of the other things that make a good insurgency firearm. They’re necessary in the long run, of course, but by that time the revolution would gain control of some base or factory at which that law becomes a non-issue.
One last thing. Halfway through the show we take a close look at what the Second Amendment actually says.
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, should not be infringed.I read that about fifty times before I finally figured out what it was trying to say; it’s no wonder there’s been so much debate about this topic (which is probably why the awkward wording is as such; so we would talk about it).
Here’s what I think they mean: “A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state; thus the right of the people to keep and bear arms, should not be infringed.” In other words, we’re going to have guns, so you should have some, too. Of course, that was before SMGs.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
McDiet
Remember that Super Size Me movie, where the guy ate McDonald's for a few months and never exercised? Then, surprise surprise, he nearly died? The message of the movie is basically McDonald's is bad for you and they are evil for selling you all this bad food.
The movie's a waste of film, of course. You can consume 5,000 calories at Subway and end up the same way. It's about what you eat, not where.
A North Calorina woman knew this and just to prove the movie wrong she start the McDonald's diet. After doing some basic research on the web site, she developed a diverse (and low cost) diet of salads, parfaits, apple dippers, McGridles, mayo-free chicken sandwiches and even the occasional hamburger. After two months she lost 30 pounds.
I wonder if we have the next Jared on our hands?
The movie's a waste of film, of course. You can consume 5,000 calories at Subway and end up the same way. It's about what you eat, not where.
A North Calorina woman knew this and just to prove the movie wrong she start the McDonald's diet. After doing some basic research on the web site, she developed a diverse (and low cost) diet of salads, parfaits, apple dippers, McGridles, mayo-free chicken sandwiches and even the occasional hamburger. After two months she lost 30 pounds.
I wonder if we have the next Jared on our hands?
Monday, July 18, 2005
Look How Important I Am
I just got off IM with a friend of mine in China and he told me the government's decided LL&L shouldn't be allowed for public consumption. It's kind of funny; most libertarians see the Internet as a sort of Mecca. It's where government regulation is difficult or, for some things, impossible. It's where ideas and energy meld into a dynamic world culture. It's a virtual version of what we'd like to see in the real world. But in the place that needs the tough questions the most is the place where it's hardest to get them.
I told Tony I'm honored to be blocked by the Chinese government and I thought it was strange that was my first response. If this happened in the States I'd be angry and outraged, but we've come to expect this from China. Hell, I almost want to thank them; it's a sort of mark of pride to be blocked by an oppressive regime. I wonder if we're blocked in Cuba?
I told Tony I'm honored to be blocked by the Chinese government and I thought it was strange that was my first response. If this happened in the States I'd be angry and outraged, but we've come to expect this from China. Hell, I almost want to thank them; it's a sort of mark of pride to be blocked by an oppressive regime. I wonder if we're blocked in Cuba?
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Damn Lies and Secrets
Enemies are everywhere, we’re told. Deep dark monsters loom in the shadows, some sanctioned by governments and others nothing more than angry men with bombs.
But it’s never as bad as we’re told it is. Experts exaggerate to keep us in line or to scare us so we buy their counsel. Sometimes they go over the top so no one can blame them for not crying wolf when the shit finally does hit the fan and sometimes scare tactics crop up because it’s expected. Paranoia is rarely justified.
Fear knows no boundaries, no matter how absurd. Today on Kudlow & Company, Jerry Taylor from the Cato Institute and Frank Caffney from the Center for Security Policy exchanged opinions about CNOOC’s buying of Unocal. CNOOC is a Chinese oil and gas company; American Unocal also focuses on those energy commodities.
Caffney accuses CNOOC of being a puppet of the Chinese government (they are heavily subsidized) and this acquisition is but a step in an economic attack of epic proportions. I wish I kept track the number of time he said “strategic,” but it was a great deal.
Taylor made the very good point that you can’t control a market as wide and deep and vague as energy, but he didn’t push it hard enough. If, in the unlikely event, that this is just part of the much larger puzzle and “they” are trying to take our energy, then we have nothing to worry about it. There are endless alternatives to oil and gas; even if I were to make the paranoid assumption that everyone was out to get us, they cannot plunge us into darkness.
It’s fitting that Rep. Richard Pombo suggested that this deal could be the Sputnik of our time. Sputnik I orbited the earth for less than six months. It did little more than gather information about electron density in the ionosphere. It wasn’t a spy satellite, nor could it fire lasers from space. It had absolutely no military application at all. Like this deal, all the danger is in the fear-monger’s heads.
But it’s never as bad as we’re told it is. Experts exaggerate to keep us in line or to scare us so we buy their counsel. Sometimes they go over the top so no one can blame them for not crying wolf when the shit finally does hit the fan and sometimes scare tactics crop up because it’s expected. Paranoia is rarely justified.
Fear knows no boundaries, no matter how absurd. Today on Kudlow & Company, Jerry Taylor from the Cato Institute and Frank Caffney from the Center for Security Policy exchanged opinions about CNOOC’s buying of Unocal. CNOOC is a Chinese oil and gas company; American Unocal also focuses on those energy commodities.
Caffney accuses CNOOC of being a puppet of the Chinese government (they are heavily subsidized) and this acquisition is but a step in an economic attack of epic proportions. I wish I kept track the number of time he said “strategic,” but it was a great deal.
Taylor made the very good point that you can’t control a market as wide and deep and vague as energy, but he didn’t push it hard enough. If, in the unlikely event, that this is just part of the much larger puzzle and “they” are trying to take our energy, then we have nothing to worry about it. There are endless alternatives to oil and gas; even if I were to make the paranoid assumption that everyone was out to get us, they cannot plunge us into darkness.
It’s fitting that Rep. Richard Pombo suggested that this deal could be the Sputnik of our time. Sputnik I orbited the earth for less than six months. It did little more than gather information about electron density in the ionosphere. It wasn’t a spy satellite, nor could it fire lasers from space. It had absolutely no military application at all. Like this deal, all the danger is in the fear-monger’s heads.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Saving 51 Billion Dollars a Year: Priceless
Tell me if this sounds familiar:
Disposable gloves: $30
Teddy bear: $60
Toothbrush: $1,000
Remember when we heard about the military charging erroneous prices for the most mundane items? But these aren’t for the latest soldier’s personal kit. They’re items from a medical bill.
Yesterday morning on Dolan Unscripted, the Dolans talked about rip-offs, ending with these grievous errors on hospital bills. According to the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association, some $51 billion was lost to fraud and overcharging.
These are hardly honest mistakes and point to why some libertarians would like to see health care completely pulled out of the public sector. Not only would more competition lower prices and improve quality, these kinds of errors would be far less likely. I’m not going to worry about a $1,000 toothbrush if it’s not my money, but I’ll be damned if I spend that much at Wal-Mart.
Disposable gloves: $30
Teddy bear: $60
Toothbrush: $1,000
Remember when we heard about the military charging erroneous prices for the most mundane items? But these aren’t for the latest soldier’s personal kit. They’re items from a medical bill.
Yesterday morning on Dolan Unscripted, the Dolans talked about rip-offs, ending with these grievous errors on hospital bills. According to the National Healthcare Anti-Fraud Association, some $51 billion was lost to fraud and overcharging.
These are hardly honest mistakes and point to why some libertarians would like to see health care completely pulled out of the public sector. Not only would more competition lower prices and improve quality, these kinds of errors would be far less likely. I’m not going to worry about a $1,000 toothbrush if it’s not my money, but I’ll be damned if I spend that much at Wal-Mart.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Guilty Until Proven Innocent
I heard on the radio that the Illinois man who grabbed a girl’s arm was deemed a sex offender by the state court last week. It happened because the kid ran out in the street without checking for cars and the guy got out of his car to give her a lecture on traffic safety. He never committed actual sex acts against the girl.
So how is he an offender? The court claimed that this act of parenting often leads to rape. Thus he is guilty without even committing a crime.
If the incident happened in one of the several Florida cities with segregation laws, the man would be forced to move to one of the few neighborhoods without a school. This leaves very few choices. That’s a stiff punishment for someone who was just trying to save a kid’s life.
No one thinks sexual offenders are good things for the world to have. But we shouldn’t throw away our core values in a hapless pursuit of a child-proof society.
Check out this editorial for more information.
So how is he an offender? The court claimed that this act of parenting often leads to rape. Thus he is guilty without even committing a crime.
If the incident happened in one of the several Florida cities with segregation laws, the man would be forced to move to one of the few neighborhoods without a school. This leaves very few choices. That’s a stiff punishment for someone who was just trying to save a kid’s life.
No one thinks sexual offenders are good things for the world to have. But we shouldn’t throw away our core values in a hapless pursuit of a child-proof society.
Check out this editorial for more information.
Monday, July 04, 2005
15 Minutes
I'm writing this 15 minutes before the 4th just to make sure I'll post it in time. However you celebrate tomorrow (if at all) we should all respect how others choose to, even if we disagree with it or find it insult (as long as others aren't being harmed and so forth). There is perhaps no holiday where that attitude is more appropriate.
But if you want something more than watching things explode, I suggest you do what I do every 4th: read the Declaration of Indepedence. I find that document to be more fulfilling and celebratory than all the fireworks in the world.
But if you want something more than watching things explode, I suggest you do what I do every 4th: read the Declaration of Indepedence. I find that document to be more fulfilling and celebratory than all the fireworks in the world.
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