29 September 2009

facebook, blogs, twitter

I had a thought the other day that I couldn’t fit into a facebook status update, so I thought, “Oh, right, that’s what a blog is for. Also, to be read by fewer people, that’s also what a blog is for.” I’m signing up for a twitter account at some point because it seems like a great way to consolidate breaking news into a single area. Google reader is sort of cumbersome for that, and I don’t want to clutter up my gmail with all these alerts (you should see the metro feed – 8 emails a day about some track maintenance at Fort Totten.) So, a twitter feed seems like a good way to go. But I really can’t imagine re-calibrating my communication needs down to the point where the decision tree begins with “will it fit into a tweet?”  The point is, I guess I can’t imagine myself using twitter as a two-way street. But maybe this is just some limitation on my part.

 

The funny thing is that at one point in my life, I was definitely an early adopter. Since cell phones became de rigueur, I’ve become a bit of a luddite for some reason. Late on cell phones, late on SMS, late on ipods, late on bittorrent, late on facebook, late on blogging, late on tivo, late on smartphone…and inevitably, I find that the new technology invariably confers upon me some degree of freedom withoutwhich life would be a lot less convenient or fun. (Valeu, Babo - good catch.) So, what is this curmudgeonly need to disparage, belatedly adopt, and then lavish with praise?

 

In other news, it’s been an active few weeks in immigration news. Not personal immigration news, but like, immigration matters in the news. Post to follow later this week.

 

 

28 September 2009

The microeconomics of "Me and Bobby McGee"

The other night in our micro class, the professor rendered the line “I’d trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday” in mathematical notation - that is, expressed as a consumer preference, where the sum total of all days numbered little t + 1 (today + 1) up until the death of the speaker (big T) would not be preferable to any element from the data set t – 1 (because the line doesn’t specify a yesterday, it suggests that any yesterday would fit the criteria.)

 

The professor averred that this line made sense in the context of Janis Joplin’s life, particularly considering that number of tomorrows would probably be severely limited by her extracurriculars. But as I kept whispering, under my breath, the line was written by Kris Kristofferson, who maybe didn’t necessarily expect to have a whole lot more tomorrows than Janis – but who nonetheless did.

 

This changes the value proposition significantly. The consumer is now trading a much greater number of tomorrows for one single yesterday. I believe this would put the consumer at one of the extreme ends of the indifference chart, where a large number of goods must be given up one axis in order to realize a very small gain on the other axis.

 

As with race dialogue, remember: when applying microeconomics to popular songs, the speaker matters.

25 September 2009

how long does it take to invent a civil right?

Around twenty years, apparently. The whole article is worth a read, as it gives a nice historical perspective of the relationship between both parties and the courts. But the next time you hear that canard about “judicial activism” being the provenance of the left, remember this quote:

For many decades, into the nineteen-eighties, it was widely agreed among judges and scholars that the right to bear arms belonged only to militias, and thus the Second Amendment imposed no limits on the ability of states and localities to enact gun-control laws. Warren E. Burger, the former Chief Justice (and no liberal), said that any other view of the law was a “fraud,” and Robert Bork (ed. note: !!!!!), the conservative hero, said much the same thing. But Meese and his allies in the National Rifle Association were indefatigable in pushing an opposing interpretation, and their position became widely adopted, first in the Republican Party and then among many Democrats. Finally, in 2008, the Supreme Court, in an opinion written by Antonin Scalia (who was appointed while Meese was attorney general), struck down a District of Columba gun-control law as a violation of the Second Amendment. A fringe position – a “fraud” – two decades earlier had become the law of the land.

24 September 2009

about the census worker found dead in Kentucky

Regarding this sad story - given the incoherence and idiocy that permeate the current strain of anti-guv’mint talk, is it any surprise that the heinous act was committed in a national park? You know, on federally protected land?

ugh, john phillips.

For a while now, I’ve really enjoyed John Philips’ album “The Wolf King Of L.A.” – I’d even taken to using the opening track, “April Ann,” to wrap up singer songwriter-y mixes. But what the hell am I supposed to do with the allegations (none of which I’m inclined to disbelieve) that he raped his own daughter and forced her into a decade-long sexual relationship, even impregnating her? Ugh. Gifted artists that are flawed humans are fine with me, but I tend to draw the line at truly evil.

 

 

 

22 September 2009

"Land of Many Uses"

From 20090921 colorado


The Abstract Citizen household feels really lucky about having been out to Colorado three times in the past three years. It’s one of those places that is simultaneously way overhyped and completely underrated. We’ve been to the northwest corner (Steamboat Springs), the southwest (Mancos), through the Kansas-like southern plains, and into the craggly center of the state. We saw that Focus on the Family (aka, worst organization known to man) gets a brown highway sign in Colorado Springs, indicating that it’s a place of interest or of cultural importance. We’ve thrown snowballs in June and sat in steamy hot springs surrounded by old creepy men too happy to embrace the “clothing optional” rules. We’ve had chimichangas in Gunnison – well, everyone should have chimichangas at the Blue Iguana in Gunnison – and we’ve had deep-fried soft-boiled eggs at Kim and Garren’s.

One of the stark reminders you get that the West is not like the East is the fact that you’re basically free to die in any number of ways out West. A simple scenic overlook on the east coast would have tall tamper-proof child-safe fences and reduced speed limits. Out west, if you want to drive off a cliff, that’s your call. “Addition by subtraction,” said Mike. There’s something refreshing about a bunch of policy-makers trusting basic human instincts rather than trying to create barriers that dull self-preservation.

From 20090921 colorado


And I’m very aware of the fact that this is all totally cliché. It’s a big state, it’s less developed. This has tremendous upside, sure, but what about all the chain restaurants? The sprawl?

From 20090921 colorado


I don’t really know what to make of the state. It seems perfectly rorschachian, as the signs proclaim. “Land of Many Uses.” Overdeveloped neighborhoods, mountains, statues of Saint Mary, children named after Grateful Dead songs, culs de sac in suburbs named after parts of the wilderness, brewers, meth, dogs, mountains that never look as impressive in pictures, and peril in spades. It was not so long ago, Colorado.

From 20090921 colorado

12 September 2009

Is it precocity or precociousness?

Either way, after many years of always being among the youngest to do ______, it's somewhat of a relief to be among the oldest people in my class now. I did find one person, so far, who is older than me. On hearing us discuss our ages, a much younger guy across the table from us rolled his eyes and said, "Christ. Why don't you guys go watch The Breakfast Club or something?"

And maybe it's just because I'm wearing a backpack now, but I keep getting carded! Ok, maybe it's because we were at (ugh) The Tombs, but still - I'll take it.