After Starve the Beast
Conventional wisdom says that cutting taxes to restrain spending doesn’t work. Raising taxes has political problems of its own. Why not just cut spending? We’re probably going to have to do it sooner or...
Monthly Archive: April 2010
Plato’s Republic (2): Women & Men
Plato’s ideal state is not a patriarchy. In a number of ways, it actively promotes a radical sort of equality between the sexes, in spite of Socrates’s insistence that the accomplishments of women will...
The Magnetar Trade
I’ll have some additional thoughts on the Goldman Sachs/SEC summed up in a post early next week, but in the meantime, a similar situation with another hedge fund is required reading. A very indepth...
Plato: “The Republic” and its Censors (1)
The Republic is an exceedingly difficult text to write about. This is because it’s that rarest of books: one that everyone calls a must-read, and that they actually have read. Gallons of ink have...
Science Fiction Friday
io9 lists the best science fiction novels for fantasy fans. I’m not familiar with any of these selections, but I’ll go ahead and recommend Jack Vance’s Tales of the Dying Earth, Gene Wolfe’s Book...
Bigotry Comes Out of the Closet
In some ways, I was happy to read this little piece of anti-gay bigotry on the American Family Association’s website regarding a hypothetical appointment of an openly gay Supreme Court justice. At least it’s...
It’s All About the Derivatives (Wait…What?)
With talk of financial regulation and fraud charges for Goldman Sachs in the air, this piece by Graham Summers via Automatic Earth gave me the spooks (scroll down the page). The intro: As we...
Crowdsourcing My Gravatar
You all know me pretty well by now. What should my Gravatar be? My favorite so far might be misunderstood as too confrontational.
Protecting the music industry from those pesky consumers
If you like music, this is really important. The architecture of online music distribution has been amazing for the consumer. With iTunes or Pandora or eMusic, the savvy listener can get just about whatever...
And Francis Scott Key Wept
This one goes out to noted Creed apologist Joe Carter: Scott Stapp brings his inimitable musical stylings to our national anthem.
A Pertinent Question
“[W]hich has been more of a problem: anti-government violence, or government violence?” Via IOZ. [DISCLAIMER: This post not to be read as an endorsement of anti-government violence, just as a question about priorities.]
Strange Things Allegedly Believed by Others
“I see it’s ‘Dump on Libertarians Week’ again at Crooked Timber,” said the Stoic. “Indeed,” said the Cynic. “It appears to be a regular feature there.” “What is it this time?” asked the Stoic....
Hurting the musicians.
If you like music, this is really important. The architecture of online music distribution has been amazing for the consumer. With iTunes or Pandora or eMusic, the savvy listener can get just about whatever...
A few data points for Jonah Goldberg
Media criticism is often the last refuge of lazy bloggers, so I’ve tried manfully to avoid chiming in on the debate over “epistemic closure” and the conservative movement. But I can resist no longer;...
Through Thick and Thin
I’ve been working on a post on this subject all week, but for now I’d like to recommend John Holbo’s latest post identifying two particular strains of libertarianism and how that analysis relates to...
The economics of magic
I am perhaps four fifths of the way through the fourth of the Malazan books – House of Chains – and there is a moment in this book in which a character muses about...
How Do You Say Patriot Missile in Hebrew?
Andrew Tabler has an important (if possibly a little too alarmist) piece in Foreign Policy on the current machinations of Syria, Hezbollah, and Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak sent officials in Damascus and...
Is China’s leadership competent?
Here’s an interesting counterpoint to Thomas Friedman’s enthusiasm for one-party rule:
Bum’s Rush on the Bayou
Dominique Homberger, biology professor, is one of those “tough” profs we’ve all had. She holds her students to a high standard because she says, “I believe in these students. They are capable.” What-ever, dude!...
