1/13/15 Today's inquiries

Why yes, Christmas blend is still the only good Starbucks coffee.


The Links:

Despite everything, Charlie Hebdo doesn't miss an issue.

I can only call this an excellent takedown of the Obama admin from a critic on the left. I agree with probably 90% of what's written here.

The notion that Democrats might have agency is shocking, I know, since it means they bear some responsibility for our unhappy situation. However, once you acknowledge that it might be true, it occurs to you that this simple and direct explanation might also be the key to all kinds of Democratic betrayals and failures over the years, from the embrace of NAFTA to the abandonment of the Employee Free Choice Act. Maybe these episodes weren’t failures at all. Maybe it’s time we confronted the possibility that these disasters unfolded the way they did because Democratic leaders wanted them to work out that way.

The percentage of government workers is at a 54 year low.

A small progressive victory as Warren et.al. stop Obama's treasury nominee. Because he's a complete banking industry mole.

The enforcement "slowdown" by the NYPD has cost the city $46 million in revenues. I'm glad to see that law enforcement is pretty much a profit driven enterprise. Also, makes the policies in Ferguson appear more widespread. What's interesting is that crime levels have remained low. Maybe that'll change if the slowdown lasts but I doubt it. I think the biggest impact on crime came from the gigantic ramp up in property prices making all the poor people leave the city.

Some Canadian guy gets Oxycodone from an urgent care clinic in the US. Decuded the entire US healthcare system is a scam. Per his Canadian doctor:

And just to be clear, you were deliberately underprescribed antibiotics to keep you from getting well so as to ensure that you’d keep going back for more visits and repeat oxy prescriptions. And your doctor was obviously in on some kind of racket with the pharmacist — all that coupon nonsense

Demographics, Unemployment, and Inflation.

It's a great time start subsidizing home buying. Well, it's always a "Great Time (tm)" to subsidize housing. Details here.

Larry Summers responds to Marc Andreessen's thoughts on secular stagnation.

Are we in for secular stagnation or stagflation? Quick, somebody call Volker.

Why aren't wages responding to a tightening job market?

Because it’s not as tight as that 5.6% unemployment rate would lead you to believe.

Everything is becoming like Uber. It reminds me of the article a few years back about standing in line at Whitewater water park and watching all the rich folks pay to jump to the front of the line. When surge pricing is the norm, only those who can afford to pay more will have access to services.

Silicon Valley turns its eye to education. Again? Wait, I thought we already disrupted things with MOOCs and iPads for every LAUSD kid? Also, I like the mental image I'm getting of Silicon Valley as Sauron.

2 promising things about US education.

First: Neerav Kingsland says that SAT scores of new teachers are rising and that most of them are staying in teaching for at least five years.

[Second] some charter schools appear to do very well, and on average charters do better at educating poor students and black students 

What can the Napoleonic Wars teach us about protecting infant industries? Apparently, the naval blockade of France acted as a protectionist measure allowing domestic French cotton and textiles to prosper.

Can the Black Death explain the industrial revolution?

Philosophy is for posh, white boys with trust funds. At what point do we acknowledge that every profession is great for rich white people? CompSci, STEM, Finance, Journalism, all are tons of fun if you're me.

Ghost in the Shell is Japanese. It's heroine, Major Motoko Kusanagi , is Japanese. Yet, the upcoming reboot is probably going to star a white lady like Scarlett Johansson.

The sad state of "lady tech."

You can't trust people who are nice all the time.

Those who are described as "agreeable, conscientious personalities" are more likely to follow orders and deliver electric shocks that they believe can harm innocent people, while "more contrarian, less agreeable personalities" are more likely to refuse to hurt others.

People are hacking their vehicles into self-driving cars. I'd love to find an old diesel Merc and put a self driving kit on it. Have it drive me to Atlanta and never have to stop because the range is about 700 miles.