Unqualified Offerings

By Thoreau
On the Friday before classes are supposed to start, the copier has decided to break.  Now, you might think that this is actually compliance with Murphy’s Law, because it happened at the last minute.  I beg to differ.  Although I was not able to fix the problem, I was able to at least identify [...]

By Thoreau
Julian Sanchez says something that I’ve had rattling around and been meaning to blog about for a while. I basically agree that if somebody says or does something that’s offensive in a racial manner, it’s worth pointing out, and pointing this out doesn’t mean that you think the person in question is (necessarily) on [...]

By Thoreau
Justin Elliott notes that, as is so often the case with stupid media frenzies, the attention paid to the Ground Zero Mosque Burlington Coat Factory Recreation Center peaked in August, and then faded.  Yes, we still heard about it after August, but not as much.  This is actually something of a pattern, one that [...]

By Thoreau
Chad Orzel has a post up about whether the word “data” can be properly applied to the output of simulations, as well as the status of simulations in different areas of science.  I want to branch out from that and muse on the status of computer simulations on the theory vs. experiment axis of [...]

By Thoreau
It has been established that Alanis Morissette is God.  On December 25, Alanis Morissette had a son.  I assume that on January 6 they will be visited by 3 Zoroastrian clergy and a bunch of shepherds.

By Thoreau
One of the gifts I got for Christmas was the book Cocaine Nation by Thomas Feiling.  And even though I’ve already read a lot about the drug war, even though I read Radley Balko’s blog daily and even though I’m incredibly cynical, reading this book I realize that the drug war is even worse [...]

By Thoreau
Whether you are religious or not, and irrespective of the religious tradition (if any) that you come from, there’s no denying that religion is a powerful, powerful thing.  It motivates people to do great good but at least as often it motivates (or at least is used to excuse) great evil.  Oftentimes people describe [...]

By Thoreau
I was thinking about the parallels between internet libertarians who have taken one econ class and internet lefties who have taken one sociology class.  The econ 101 guys think that you can just say “Supply and Demand!” and that ends all debate.  The sociology 101 guys, girls women womyn, and people of non-binary genders [...]

By Thoreau
Pat Robertson has become a critic of marijuana prohibition.  Now, Pat Robertson is a hateful jerk, and our side could certainly do without his endorsement.  Moreover, the reference to faith-based rehab programs makes me wonder if the real motive here is to divert people from prison to rehab programs that he or his associates [...]

By Thoreau
First, let me say that I am genuinely pleased with Obama getting the nuclear treaty with Russia through the Senate.  Say what you will about whether it could be better, but the road to a world with few or no nukes is a long one, and this is at least a step along that [...]