When I read that some whacko high school football coach in Arkansas decided to stop punting for the year, I was a taken back a little.
As I read down the article, however, I came to find he's got a mind for probability and a Class 5A State Championship.
December 24, 2008
A new sin tax
To begin: "A study by the Centre for Science in the Public Interest showed that soft drinks were the single biggest contributor to calories in the American diet [...]"
That's right, soda beat out meat, starches, grains, fruits, and vegetables; it beat candy, cookies, and cakes. That quotation makes me feel uncomfortable drinking a soda, even if I am able to ignore the various environmental reasons for avoiding the drinks (e.g. creation of plastic bottles and draining of aquifers near bottling plants, particularly in impoverished areas in other countries (e.g. India)).
Now it seems as if Gov. Patterson is trying to change this frustrating/disgusting consumption pattern. Under Patterson's new budget plan for 2009, "[...] consumers will have to pay an 18% tax on non-diet sodas and sugary drinks." Obviously this faces resistance from drink companies and the American Beverage Association, but I am all for this policy. Sin taxes are (or at least should be) designed to discourage behavior that has a demonstrable negative effect on the person or a negative spillover effect on the community as a whole (e.g. soda leads to obesity which raises all health care costs). I think that taxing what largely amounts to a luxury good as a manner of both improving the overall level of health in the community and as a budget deficit filler is a fantastic idea. I would love to see the price of soda skyrocket to the point where it becomes as unappealing to consumers as its lasting effects are to those who actually study these effects.
Also, I have no qualms about the fact that this policy is regressive. Poverty is highly correlated with (and sometimes causally linked to) obesity, which is also causally related to soda consumption. At this point soda needs to be made a less appealing option so that money spent on calories is directed at the (slightly) healthier available alternatives as economic pressures force people to buy cheaper foods. I know that the healthy foods are the expensive foods, so it is all the more important that we push people toward the healthier end of their available consumption spectrum as their available spectrum shifts to a lower dollar level. We can take this recession and use it as a tool to shift preferences so that they take into account the true cost of the decision to drink soda. Basically, if we can get poor people to make healthy decisions we will be taking a lot of the burden off our health care system, which helps everyone and will hopefully create a positive-feedback loop that leads to lower levels of poverty (as, say, total time out of work due to poor medical treatment declines).
In the end I am actually also just happy to have another, better excuse to quit drinking soda. I hope that was coherent; I am very cold and it is pretty early.
That's right, soda beat out meat, starches, grains, fruits, and vegetables; it beat candy, cookies, and cakes. That quotation makes me feel uncomfortable drinking a soda, even if I am able to ignore the various environmental reasons for avoiding the drinks (e.g. creation of plastic bottles and draining of aquifers near bottling plants, particularly in impoverished areas in other countries (e.g. India)).
Now it seems as if Gov. Patterson is trying to change this frustrating/disgusting consumption pattern. Under Patterson's new budget plan for 2009, "[...] consumers will have to pay an 18% tax on non-diet sodas and sugary drinks." Obviously this faces resistance from drink companies and the American Beverage Association, but I am all for this policy. Sin taxes are (or at least should be) designed to discourage behavior that has a demonstrable negative effect on the person or a negative spillover effect on the community as a whole (e.g. soda leads to obesity which raises all health care costs). I think that taxing what largely amounts to a luxury good as a manner of both improving the overall level of health in the community and as a budget deficit filler is a fantastic idea. I would love to see the price of soda skyrocket to the point where it becomes as unappealing to consumers as its lasting effects are to those who actually study these effects.
Also, I have no qualms about the fact that this policy is regressive. Poverty is highly correlated with (and sometimes causally linked to) obesity, which is also causally related to soda consumption. At this point soda needs to be made a less appealing option so that money spent on calories is directed at the (slightly) healthier available alternatives as economic pressures force people to buy cheaper foods. I know that the healthy foods are the expensive foods, so it is all the more important that we push people toward the healthier end of their available consumption spectrum as their available spectrum shifts to a lower dollar level. We can take this recession and use it as a tool to shift preferences so that they take into account the true cost of the decision to drink soda. Basically, if we can get poor people to make healthy decisions we will be taking a lot of the burden off our health care system, which helps everyone and will hopefully create a positive-feedback loop that leads to lower levels of poverty (as, say, total time out of work due to poor medical treatment declines).
In the end I am actually also just happy to have another, better excuse to quit drinking soda. I hope that was coherent; I am very cold and it is pretty early.
December 23, 2008
Dangling Modifiers
I'll keep it short: I read this blurb in NYT about dangling modifiers ("As the Blues forward tried to deflect the puck past the goalie, he snatched it with his glove.").
Hardly any time at all later, I read this article at HuffPo, which began with this sentence:
"A friend of French money manager Thierry de la Villehuchet told a paper that he committed suicide in his New York office early Tuesday morning."
Wow. I've never heard anyone report their suicide to a newspaper before.
Hardly any time at all later, I read this article at HuffPo, which began with this sentence:
"A friend of French money manager Thierry de la Villehuchet told a paper that he committed suicide in his New York office early Tuesday morning."
Wow. I've never heard anyone report their suicide to a newspaper before.
Topless presidents
Huffington Post has a pretty funny slideshow of presidents without shirts on. Now, most of these pictures are fine, but I have to ask two questions: 1. Why is Nancy Reagan's top sooo low. No one wants to imagine, let alone see, what dwells under her clothing; 2. Is the former Chinese president being helped out of the water or kidnapped? In either case, what is the explanation?
Somehow Obama's and Clinton's pictures are the only ones that do not creep me out. Perhaps that is a product of my own familiarity (I can test this hypothesis by finding a topless Bush 43 picture and gauging my level of revulsion, though it would be hard to discern the basis of my disgust); perhaps they are not the physical monsters that many presidents have been (Taft, I am looking in your direction). Whatever the reason, I am glad that we do not have to see Reagan without a shirt ever again.
Somehow Obama's and Clinton's pictures are the only ones that do not creep me out. Perhaps that is a product of my own familiarity (I can test this hypothesis by finding a topless Bush 43 picture and gauging my level of revulsion, though it would be hard to discern the basis of my disgust); perhaps they are not the physical monsters that many presidents have been (Taft, I am looking in your direction). Whatever the reason, I am glad that we do not have to see Reagan without a shirt ever again.
Notes on Congress
CQ politics has a really cool tool that for each Congressman shows the proportion of the time they (1) voted with the president, (2) voted with their party, (3) voted at all.
No senator voted with the president less often than Ted Kennedy. Interestingly, no senator voted with the president more often than John McCain. The two senators from Maine, both Republicans, were the least loyal senators to their party.
Of those not campaigning (or cancerous), Senate artifacts Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye (71 combined years in the Senate) missed the most votes.
********************************
In other news, it's already been a big deal that Vietnamese Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao brought down uber-corrupt William Jefferson (try as you want, you can't add "Clinton", nor can you make a "movin' on down" joke) in Louisiana. Well, as if that wasn't enough, when a reporter asked, Cao (Anh?) said he would be interested in being a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (One Two Three). Just for reference, though others have tried, there has never been a non-black member of the CBC. There have been two black Republicans in congressional history, one was a member of the caucus (and generated frequent controversy) and the other declined to join.
And if that's still not enough for you, just enjoy what my current Congressman is bringing to race relations.
No senator voted with the president less often than Ted Kennedy. Interestingly, no senator voted with the president more often than John McCain. The two senators from Maine, both Republicans, were the least loyal senators to their party.
Of those not campaigning (or cancerous), Senate artifacts Robert Byrd and Daniel Inouye (71 combined years in the Senate) missed the most votes.
********************************
In other news, it's already been a big deal that Vietnamese Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao brought down uber-corrupt William Jefferson (try as you want, you can't add "Clinton", nor can you make a "movin' on down" joke) in Louisiana. Well, as if that wasn't enough, when a reporter asked, Cao (Anh?) said he would be interested in being a member of the Congressional Black Caucus (One Two Three). Just for reference, though others have tried, there has never been a non-black member of the CBC. There have been two black Republicans in congressional history, one was a member of the caucus (and generated frequent controversy) and the other declined to join.
And if that's still not enough for you, just enjoy what my current Congressman is bringing to race relations.
December 22, 2008
Wow, outsourcing is unpopular
A group of my coworkers just gathered around one of the cubes to give our AA a Christmas gift. When we found out that one of the people they all know (financial industries seem to be rather incestuous) had just gotten laid off, the conversation eventually ended up on outsourcing.
Now, I understand that, to a greater degree than anything I can think of, outsourcing typifies the NIMBY problem. So it's not surprising that economists love it and the people hate it.
(Let me say quickly that my underestimating the unpopularity of outsourcing in the first place is why I'm writing this. I'm writing it assuming the audience is pro-outsourcing, but as I've guessed incorrectly before, speak up if you are opposed.)
Boy, was I surprised to hear them talk about it. These are all people in a consulting industry, all of whom make more money than I'm going to for a long time, and yet they could not have felt much more strongly about it. They went so far as to say that the government should not be allowed to send a single government job overseas, nor should it be allowed to do business with companies that outsource.
(My company, Buck Consultants, is owned by ACS, which does many other things but is largely an outsourcing company. As a side note to this side note, it also administers student loans, so you may actually get mail from them for that. I do, and it really confused me the first time, since I'm also an employee.)
Again, I was just really surprised by this. I wish that whenever a job got outsourced we could magically bestow the unlucky American with all the skills he needed to get a new job. Still though, there are benefits to it, and its the inevitable wave of the near-to-medium future, and not one of them showed even the slightest hesitation about their opposition.
(I was interrupted a number of times while writing this. Also, today's been one of those extra-caffeine days. If either of those things is overly apparent/distracting in my writing I apologize.)
Now, I understand that, to a greater degree than anything I can think of, outsourcing typifies the NIMBY problem. So it's not surprising that economists love it and the people hate it.
(Let me say quickly that my underestimating the unpopularity of outsourcing in the first place is why I'm writing this. I'm writing it assuming the audience is pro-outsourcing, but as I've guessed incorrectly before, speak up if you are opposed.)
Boy, was I surprised to hear them talk about it. These are all people in a consulting industry, all of whom make more money than I'm going to for a long time, and yet they could not have felt much more strongly about it. They went so far as to say that the government should not be allowed to send a single government job overseas, nor should it be allowed to do business with companies that outsource.
(My company, Buck Consultants, is owned by ACS, which does many other things but is largely an outsourcing company. As a side note to this side note, it also administers student loans, so you may actually get mail from them for that. I do, and it really confused me the first time, since I'm also an employee.)
Again, I was just really surprised by this. I wish that whenever a job got outsourced we could magically bestow the unlucky American with all the skills he needed to get a new job. Still though, there are benefits to it, and its the inevitable wave of the near-to-medium future, and not one of them showed even the slightest hesitation about their opposition.
(I was interrupted a number of times while writing this. Also, today's been one of those extra-caffeine days. If either of those things is overly apparent/distracting in my writing I apologize.)
The more things change, the more they stay the same
As always, I really liked this Christopher Buckley article in The Daily Beast. My favorite line was "the fugitive." I stared at that French phrase at the beginning for a long time trying to translate it ... once I was quite satisfied with myself I read the line that follows, only to have one of those Homer "doh" moments.
December 21, 2008
Slavery
Here's an interesting article on modern slavery and its prevalence around the world. Apparently there are now more slaves on the planet than at any time in history (though I have no idea if that is adjusted for population size/growth).
Last week was a busy week for me, but I should be back to posting regularly this week.
Last week was a busy week for me, but I should be back to posting regularly this week.
December 19, 2008
So I Guess the Question Is: How Powerful *Are* the Kennedys?
Basically, unless I'm missing something, it seems apparent that while Caroline Kennedy might not be a terrible choice for Senator, she's certainly less than ideal in a state with a number of big names (with big qualifications) who also want the seat. I just don't see any way that the governor's best choice is to appoint her.
Unless, of course, being a Kennedy somehow gives her special leverage over the governor. While this is certainly possible, I'm not sure I really see it ... though it is difficult to imagine someone saying "no" to the Kennedys without there being any ramifications.
So I don't know. Thoughts?
Unless, of course, being a Kennedy somehow gives her special leverage over the governor. While this is certainly possible, I'm not sure I really see it ... though it is difficult to imagine someone saying "no" to the Kennedys without there being any ramifications.
So I don't know. Thoughts?
Seven Pounds
Curious about movies coming out and how good they are, I decided to check out some reviews this morning. One that stood out (I'm not even done) was Will Smith's Seven Pounds, which all-in-all got average reviews. One review that was not average, however, was A.O. Scott's review in The New York Times:
"Frankly, though, I don’t see how any review could really spoil what may be among the most transcendently, eye-poppingly, call-your-friend-ranting-in-the-middle-of-the-night-just-to-go-over-it-one-more-time crazily awful motion pictures ever made. I would tell you to go out and see it for yourself, but you might take that as a recommendation rather than a plea for corroboration."
UPDATE: On the other hand, The Wrestler got astoundingly good reviews. (Yahoo, RT)
"Frankly, though, I don’t see how any review could really spoil what may be among the most transcendently, eye-poppingly, call-your-friend-ranting-in-the-middle-of-the-night-just-to-go-over-it-one-more-time crazily awful motion pictures ever made. I would tell you to go out and see it for yourself, but you might take that as a recommendation rather than a plea for corroboration."
UPDATE: On the other hand, The Wrestler got astoundingly good reviews. (Yahoo, RT)
Bristol's in the news
Her future mother-in-law got nailed with six felony drug charges by an undercover operation. Also, apparently, Bristol is due tomorrow.
December 18, 2008
I Still Hate Sean Hannity
Yesterday on Radio Show (paraphrase):
And now we hear that Rahm Emanuel is on the tapes having 21 phone calls with Governor Blagojevich! And they won't tell us what's on the tapes. But we know Rahmbo is a bitter partisan Clinton-era official, and since they won't tell us what's on the tapes, it's seems pretty clear that he was willing to play with the governor's scheme.
Today on Radio Show (paraphrase):
And now we hear that there's hardly anything incriminating at all on the tapes, and that the usually-bitter Rahmbo was calm and straightforward! And this is just more Clinton-era politics, folks. First the scandal breaks and they make it seem as huge and incriminating as possible, and then when things aren't so bad, nobody pays attention. The Clintons did it to us before, and now their acolytes are at it again!
(almost without a pause to think)
And now there's one more question. We need to know what Obama knew and when he knew it. He has not gone on record about this whole thing and we the American people cannot stand for what he and liberal friends are trying to do to corrupt Washington.
*******************
All smartassery aside, I really don't know how you live with yourself, even if you take the angle that you're playing a character on the radio. This is obscene.
And now we hear that Rahm Emanuel is on the tapes having 21 phone calls with Governor Blagojevich! And they won't tell us what's on the tapes. But we know Rahmbo is a bitter partisan Clinton-era official, and since they won't tell us what's on the tapes, it's seems pretty clear that he was willing to play with the governor's scheme.
Today on Radio Show (paraphrase):
And now we hear that there's hardly anything incriminating at all on the tapes, and that the usually-bitter Rahmbo was calm and straightforward! And this is just more Clinton-era politics, folks. First the scandal breaks and they make it seem as huge and incriminating as possible, and then when things aren't so bad, nobody pays attention. The Clintons did it to us before, and now their acolytes are at it again!
(almost without a pause to think)
And now there's one more question. We need to know what Obama knew and when he knew it. He has not gone on record about this whole thing and we the American people cannot stand for what he and liberal friends are trying to do to corrupt Washington.
*******************
All smartassery aside, I really don't know how you live with yourself, even if you take the angle that you're playing a character on the radio. This is obscene.
December 17, 2008
Law and Adultery
A prominent South Korean actress has been found guilty of adultery and sentenced to a suspended six-month jail sentence, apparently meaning she won't have to actually serve the time.
This reminds me of an argument I don't often get to have. I have no problem with adultery being illegal.
Now let me say first that I don't think it should be treated as a criminal matter at all and the idea of serving jail time for adultery is ludicrous. Nonetheless, marriage is a binding legal contract and, like all contracts, the involved parties should be liable if the contract is broken.
Now, I have no idea how this plays out in court. It could very well be that cheating spouses get shafted in divorce proceedings. Either way, I take the typically-unpopular stance that I don't have a problem with laws on adultery.
PS - South Korea? Really? You guys can't be pulling that 18th century crap anymore if you want to be part of the real developed world.
This reminds me of an argument I don't often get to have. I have no problem with adultery being illegal.
Now let me say first that I don't think it should be treated as a criminal matter at all and the idea of serving jail time for adultery is ludicrous. Nonetheless, marriage is a binding legal contract and, like all contracts, the involved parties should be liable if the contract is broken.
Now, I have no idea how this plays out in court. It could very well be that cheating spouses get shafted in divorce proceedings. Either way, I take the typically-unpopular stance that I don't have a problem with laws on adultery.
PS - South Korea? Really? You guys can't be pulling that 18th century crap anymore if you want to be part of the real developed world.
Good Article on Economy
There's nothing particularly outstanding about the content of this article, but as I read it, I realized I wish all economic articles were written this way. It assumes the reader doesn't have a Ph.D. in economics but is smart enough to grasp an outline of the ideas. I really appreciate that, and apparently I'm not alone in wishing more articles struck the balance.
December 16, 2008
More cities I wouldn't have expected
King of Prussia, PA
In other news, I apparently am descended from Prussian royalty. Yeah, that worked out pretty well.
In other news, I apparently am descended from Prussian royalty. Yeah, that worked out pretty well.
News and Notes
I'm sure you've thought to yourself before how annoying (and similar) the "extreme" graphics employed by CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News are. Well, if you've ever thought the same thing about their sound effects, you're not alone.
In other news, the Arena Football League is cancelling its 2009 season. It was, however, quick to point out that it is cancelling only the 2009 season. Here's my favorite quotation: "This is the farthest thing from the league folding. This is, in my opinion, just showing us the league will not fold."
Finally, despite my knowledge that it is grammatically imperative to use the word "quotation" where I did above, I felt like losing part of my soul for not using the more conversational "quote."
In other news, the Arena Football League is cancelling its 2009 season. It was, however, quick to point out that it is cancelling only the 2009 season. Here's my favorite quotation: "This is the farthest thing from the league folding. This is, in my opinion, just showing us the league will not fold."
Finally, despite my knowledge that it is grammatically imperative to use the word "quotation" where I did above, I felt like losing part of my soul for not using the more conversational "quote."
December 15, 2008
NY budget
So I know very, very little about NY State politics, so I could be way off-base here, but Governor Paterson's plan to balance the budget sounds like bullshit to me. Higher sales taxes, higher fees in state parks, higher tuition to CUNY and SUNY, cuts in government aid to education, Medicaid, and public employees' benefits...and no income tax increase on the highest income bracket.
I have no idea whether there was a better way or or his hands are tied, but it doesn't feel good...
I have no idea whether there was a better way or or his hands are tied, but it doesn't feel good...
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