Posts
WORLD | Lessons from the past | Marvin Olasky | Jan. 17, 2009: "abortion on the eve of the Civil War was more frequent, in proportion to the U.S. population, than it is now"
"Roughly 160,000 abortions occurred in 1860 in a population of 30 million. Probably about 1.2 million abortions (13 percent of them through RU-486) occurred last year in a population estimated at around 307 million. The horrific current number is obviously no cause for self-congratulation, but reputable forecasters at the time of Roe v. Wade were predicting a butcher's bill of more than 4 million abortions annually by now."
"But pro-life leaders rejected the premise that an "unwelcome existence" was the only alternative to abortion. They looked at three groups of women at risk for abortions and offered programs of education, refuge, and adoption that would help women to avoid unwanted pregnancy or to recover from it, without killing a child."
"Other organizations established shelters for the pregnant and unmarried: By 1895 Chicago had a dozen, including the Life and Hope Mission, the Rescue Mission, Beulah House, the Jewish Home for Girls, and Boynton Refuge Home. One refuge, the Home for the Friendless, cared for 1,291 women in 1893."
"Evangelists such as Dwight Moody made sure they had the names and addresses of families willing to provide a spare room in their homes to young prostitutes who found themselves pregnant and chose to leave the trade."
"Realizing that this is a fallen world, they appreciated the educational impact of anti-abortion laws but did not expect much in the way of enforcement: Instead, they concentrated on ways to provide women with compassionate alternatives to abortion. They were not laid low by a sense of failure when, despite their efforts, many unborn children died. They rejoiced that so many were saved."
"Laws against abortion assisted the pro-life movement but were not its primary focus of attention. Beginning with Connecticut in 1821, state after state passed laws against abortion, with exceptions to save the life of the mother; by the 1870s, every state had such laws, but they were largely ignored"
"Many states gave immunity to women from all criminal liability, partly because women pregnant after seduction were considered desperate victims rather than perpetrators, and partly to attain any kind of edge in prosecution. Other states, such as New Jersey and New York, gave women immunity from prosecution in exchange for testimony."
"Today, it's still worthwhile to pass laws restricting abortion, but time and money spent on providing and promoting compassionate alternatives saves more lives."
Friday, June 28, 2013
Gitmo & National Security Courts: Poor Law, Poor PR | Cato Institute
Gitmo & National Security Courts: Poor Law, Poor PR | Cato Institute: "Federal courts are fully able to handle such cases. They have successfully prosecuted over a hundred terrorism cases since 9/11, attaining over a 90 percent conviction rate. Using the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA), federal courts can exclude classified information or offer it in a redacted or unclassified version to protect government interests. Federal courts have proven flexible and successful with CIPA, special detention rules, jury security measures, and exceptions to domestic law that mean we won’t have to read Miranda rights to future detainees."
A Future of Private Roads and Highways - Walter Block - Mises Daily
A Future of Private Roads and Highways - Walter Block - Mises Daily: "If the highways were now commercial ventures, as once in our history they were, and upward of 40,000 people were killed on them annually, you can bet your bottom dollar that Ted Kennedy and his ilk would be holding Senate hearings on the matter. Blamed would be "capitalism," "markets," "greed," i.e., the usual suspects."
The Dangers Of The Drinking Age | Cato Institute
The Dangers Of The Drinking Age | Cato Institute: " A policy imposed from on high, especially one that is readily evaded and opposed by a large fraction of the citizenry, is virtually guaranteed to fail."
Teen Strip-Search Case Heads to U.S. Supreme Court | Fox News
Teen Strip-Search Case Heads to U.S. Supreme Court | Fox News: "Savana Redding was 13 years old when she was told to remove her clothes for a strip search by school officials looking for two ibuprofen pills."
"Strip searches of children produce trauma similar in kind and degree to sexual abuse,"
How can anything think it is ok to strip search someone for something so insignificant as 2 ibuprofen pills?!?!
"Strip searches of children produce trauma similar in kind and degree to sexual abuse,"
How can anything think it is ok to strip search someone for something so insignificant as 2 ibuprofen pills?!?!
Main Street Should Embrace Globalization | Cato Institute
Main Street Should Embrace Globalization | Cato Institute: "Free trade means we can buy fresh-cut flowers from Colombia in the middle of winter, along with fresh fruit from Chile and fresh vegetables from Mexico."
"A 2008 study found that trade with China has helped to offset nearly a third of the official rise in income inequality from 1994 to 2005. Lower prices on goods imported from China have more than compensated for any downward pressure on low-skilled wages because of U.S.-China trade."
"A 2008 study found that trade with China has helped to offset nearly a third of the official rise in income inequality from 1994 to 2005. Lower prices on goods imported from China have more than compensated for any downward pressure on low-skilled wages because of U.S.-China trade."
Regulation and Its Unintended Consequences | Cato Institute
Regulation and Its Unintended Consequences | Cato Institute: "There are 39,000 individuals working full time to regulate the financial markets in the U.S. alone. What did they do when the bubble was inflated? Well, they helped inflate it."
"One former SEC commissioner admitted that his agency failed to develop open marketplaces for mortgage-backed securities because it was “distracted.” The object of its time and resources: grabbing power from other government agencies by starting to regulate hedge funds and introduce new types of supervision of mutual funds."
"One former SEC commissioner admitted that his agency failed to develop open marketplaces for mortgage-backed securities because it was “distracted.” The object of its time and resources: grabbing power from other government agencies by starting to regulate hedge funds and introduce new types of supervision of mutual funds."
Is Emergency Care a Failed Market? - Eric M. Staib - Mises Daily
Is Emergency Care a Failed Market? - Eric M. Staib - Mises Daily: "The free-rider problem in ER care is not a market failure, but a government failure. The Hippocratic Oath notwithstanding, hospitals only accept all patients irrespective of their ability to pay because they are required to by government regulations. These laws, which are in place in countries around the planet, result in a simple welfare scheme whereby the costs of the uninsured are transferred to insured patients."
"Without government regulations on their payment collection methods, hospitals would be free to offer more flexible prices and payment options, and to negotiate contracts with individual consumers. Those patients with little financial leverage would be able to form creative payment plans, and those without any savings or insurance could even contract to pay for their services with labor."
"checking out without arranging payment would constitute a violation of contract, and therefore these malicious free riders would be held accountable"
"In every market, firms of all sizes expend resources to maintain a positive public image. There are few actions better received by a community than healing and treating their vulnerable and disabled at a discounted or zero price. As such, it is absolutely foolish to believe that hospitals would not take in such customers for treatment."
"Without government regulations on their payment collection methods, hospitals would be free to offer more flexible prices and payment options, and to negotiate contracts with individual consumers. Those patients with little financial leverage would be able to form creative payment plans, and those without any savings or insurance could even contract to pay for their services with labor."
"checking out without arranging payment would constitute a violation of contract, and therefore these malicious free riders would be held accountable"
"In every market, firms of all sizes expend resources to maintain a positive public image. There are few actions better received by a community than healing and treating their vulnerable and disabled at a discounted or zero price. As such, it is absolutely foolish to believe that hospitals would not take in such customers for treatment."
Thursday, June 27, 2013
FTC to Regulate Blogging | Fox News
FTC to Regulate Blogging | Fox News: "requiring writers on the Web to clearly disclose any freebies or payments they get from companies for reviewing their products"
"fines up to $11,000 per violation"
That seems really steep!
"The commission stopped short of specifying how bloggers must disclose conflicts of interest."
You better hope you meet there unknown guidelines!
"the FTC will more likely go after an advertiser instead of a blogger for violations"
That could easily change in the future plus it encourages breaking the rules. They should instead only put the fine on the advertiser.
"fines up to $11,000 per violation"
That seems really steep!
"The commission stopped short of specifying how bloggers must disclose conflicts of interest."
You better hope you meet there unknown guidelines!
"the FTC will more likely go after an advertiser instead of a blogger for violations"
That could easily change in the future plus it encourages breaking the rules. They should instead only put the fine on the advertiser.
'Reform' Is Just a Word at the U.N., Its Own Investigation Shows | Fox News
'Reform' Is Just a Word at the U.N., Its Own Investigation Shows | Fox News: "After four months spent studying a much-touted “Integrated Global Management Initiative,” intended to improve the performance of the sprawling U.N. conference bureaucracy, the OIOS inspectors declared that they had discovered “no progress or change” in how the organization was able to allocate money and staff around the world.
Nor could the investigators discover any cost savings as a result of the global reform effort. In fact, the report says, “no attempt has been made to track any savings or efficiency gains.” "
"The investigators added that in some cases, records that could be used to compare the delivery of conference services had been “compromised” through “retrospective adjustment.” "
“an inordinate amount of time has been spent on discussions about the relative merits of off-the-shelf hardware versus customization and in-house versus external information technology expertise, resulting in a diversion of efforts to deal with the underlying substance of workflow practices.”
"Neither the U.N. Secretary General nor his top managers, the report notes, have removed some fundamental obstacles to change"
Nor could the investigators discover any cost savings as a result of the global reform effort. In fact, the report says, “no attempt has been made to track any savings or efficiency gains.” "
"The investigators added that in some cases, records that could be used to compare the delivery of conference services had been “compromised” through “retrospective adjustment.” "
“an inordinate amount of time has been spent on discussions about the relative merits of off-the-shelf hardware versus customization and in-house versus external information technology expertise, resulting in a diversion of efforts to deal with the underlying substance of workflow practices.”
"Neither the U.N. Secretary General nor his top managers, the report notes, have removed some fundamental obstacles to change"
The broadband adoption dilemma | Signal Strength - CNET News
The broadband adoption dilemma | Signal Strength - CNET News: "Roughly 96 percent of American households have access to broadband service from at least one service provider"
"But of those people, about 33 percent do not subscribe to broadband."
"after AT&T merged with BellSouth, the company introduced a $10-a-month broadband service to entice people to subscribe to broadband. While many customers signed up for this offer, there was still a significant number of people who didn't. In fact, some consumers continued to subscribe to dial-up service, even though that service was much slower and twice as expensive as broadband."
"But of those people, about 33 percent do not subscribe to broadband."
"after AT&T merged with BellSouth, the company introduced a $10-a-month broadband service to entice people to subscribe to broadband. While many customers signed up for this offer, there was still a significant number of people who didn't. In fact, some consumers continued to subscribe to dial-up service, even though that service was much slower and twice as expensive as broadband."
Labor Standards or Liberty? - Art Carden - Mises Daily
Labor Standards or Liberty? - Art Carden - Mises Daily: "Sweatshop opponents criticize the use of child labor in developing countries and argue that these children should be in school rather than the labor market. At current income levels, this simply is not feasible for many people. In subsistence economies, many people do not have the luxury of diverting their attention away from manual agricultural labor and toward education. The best way to fix this is not to mandate more stringent labor standards but to encourage economic growth."
"Western working conditions are not the relevant benchmark when we are talking about the quality of working conditions in the developed world. The relevant comparison is the worker's next best opportunity, which is always worse. As economist David Henderson has argued, we do a worker no favors when we remove the best of a lot of very bad possible choices."
"the increase in earnings associated with a lifetime of access to microfinance programs is roughly equal to the increase in income associated with working in the United States for eight weeks. This suggests that the appropriate policy is not to strengthen labor standards but to open borders and allow people to cross them freely."
"Western working conditions are not the relevant benchmark when we are talking about the quality of working conditions in the developed world. The relevant comparison is the worker's next best opportunity, which is always worse. As economist David Henderson has argued, we do a worker no favors when we remove the best of a lot of very bad possible choices."
"the increase in earnings associated with a lifetime of access to microfinance programs is roughly equal to the increase in income associated with working in the United States for eight weeks. This suggests that the appropriate policy is not to strengthen labor standards but to open borders and allow people to cross them freely."
The Health-Insurance Market Is Not Free - Anton Batey - Mises Daily
The Health-Insurance Market Is Not Free - Anton Batey - Mises Daily: "With community ratings in effect, an 18-year-old's premium is the same as 60-year-old's. Often, when a young and healthy person sees their premiums rise, he or she drops out of the insurance pool, which then leaves it more full of sick people, again increasing premiums for the remaining members. These community ratings contribute a great deal to the large number of uninsured, and are among the reasons why healthcare in New York and New Jersey is the most expensive in the country."
"Due to government policy, inflation grew both before and during WWII. As a "remedy," caps on wage increases were imposed by the government. In response, employers began to offer their employees health insurance to soften the blow and attract quality workers.
The federal government did not consider an increase in health benefits a violation of these wage controls, and in 1943 the IRS ruled that health benefits were tax exempt for workers. After the wage caps were abolished, health insurance benefits became seen as the norm and were not eliminated. For instance, by the early 1960s, General Motors was paying 100% of the healthcare bills for their employees (retirees included)."
"So, anyone who claims that the high costs of health insurance originated in the "free market" is either severely mistaken or lying."
"Due to government policy, inflation grew both before and during WWII. As a "remedy," caps on wage increases were imposed by the government. In response, employers began to offer their employees health insurance to soften the blow and attract quality workers.
The federal government did not consider an increase in health benefits a violation of these wage controls, and in 1943 the IRS ruled that health benefits were tax exempt for workers. After the wage caps were abolished, health insurance benefits became seen as the norm and were not eliminated. For instance, by the early 1960s, General Motors was paying 100% of the healthcare bills for their employees (retirees included)."
"So, anyone who claims that the high costs of health insurance originated in the "free market" is either severely mistaken or lying."
Pennsylvania Firefighter Suspended for U.S. Flag on Locker | Fox News
Pennsylvania Firefighter Suspended for U.S. Flag on Locker | Fox News: "James Krapf of Chester, Pa., violated a department policy that states personal items can only be posted inside employee lockers when he stuck the flag on the outside. According to Myfoxphilly.com, the firefighters' union warned 11 others to remove personal items or face similar suspensions, all without pay.
The initial ban came after an incident in which some firefighters complained about a cartoon posted in the firehouse that they found racially offensive."
When people misuse a freedom, you shouldn't ban the freedom completely.
The initial ban came after an incident in which some firefighters complained about a cartoon posted in the firehouse that they found racially offensive."
When people misuse a freedom, you shouldn't ban the freedom completely.
Misunderstanding Modern War | Cato Institute
Misunderstanding Modern War | Cato Institute: "Napoleon thought the message of French democracy would be welcomed. When France began to send its armies abroad following the revolution, its leaders thought they would be greeted as liberators. “It will be a crusade for liberty,” confidently proclaimed one of its leaders, Jacques-Pierre Brissot.
Not everyone was convinced. “No one loves armed missionaries,” responded Robespierre."
"Can it be that Americans convinced themselves that we could sanitise war, confine it to the “evil-doers” and thereby win almost effortlessly?
“It is well that war is so terrible – otherwise we would grow too fond of it,” Robert E Lee is reputed to have said at the Battle of Fredericksburg, during the American civil war.
Did Americans, intoxicated by successes, grow too fond of war?"
Not everyone was convinced. “No one loves armed missionaries,” responded Robespierre."
"Can it be that Americans convinced themselves that we could sanitise war, confine it to the “evil-doers” and thereby win almost effortlessly?
“It is well that war is so terrible – otherwise we would grow too fond of it,” Robert E Lee is reputed to have said at the Battle of Fredericksburg, during the American civil war.
Did Americans, intoxicated by successes, grow too fond of war?"
Twenty Years Later: Why the Berlin Wall Fell | Cato Institute
Twenty Years Later: Why the Berlin Wall Fell | Cato Institute: "equality is not possible between those imposing the rules and those imposed upon. Eastern Europeans found that the supposed paradise was actually a cage in which they were fed and watered, but denied basic freedoms to speak, act or move. Masses of youngsters began emigrating from the Communist paradises to the supposed hell-holes of the West."
"Communists and socialists everywhere, including in India, were dismayed. They could not understand why East Germans blessed with income equality, free social welfare and full employment should flee to the highly unequal West, which bristled with unemployment and social perils."
"Communists and socialists everywhere, including in India, were dismayed. They could not understand why East Germans blessed with income equality, free social welfare and full employment should flee to the highly unequal West, which bristled with unemployment and social perils."
Washington's Plans May Result in Even Higher Executive Pay | Cato Institute
Washington's Plans May Result in Even Higher Executive Pay | Cato Institute: "In 1993, Congress decided it would use the tax code to “improve” (i.e., reduce) executive compensation in publicly traded companies." "Salary was bad. Stock options were tax favored."
"In 1992, the government thought that managers were too risk averse. Stock options were seen as the magic bullet for making managers act more aggressively in the shareholders’ interests. Today, many in Congress are blaming U.S. executives for causing the financial crisis precisely by engaging in “excessive” risk-taking. What they fail to mention is that it was Congress’s own tinkering with the tax code that led to the very compensation packages that incentivized the risk-taking."
"A provision in the 1992 tax law required that executives meet certain “objective” performance measures in order to qualify for incentive-based (tax deductible) pay. In the scramble to come up with objective metrics on which to base executive pay, cottage industry “executive compensation consultants” emerged as the most important architects of executive compensation plans."
“the use of these compensation consultants, gives both boards and CEOs the appearance of legitimacy for their decisions to award massive pay packages to lackluster CEOs, making it appear that these decisions are objective and scientific, which they absolutely are not.”
The government also has tried to regulate executive compensation by requiring greater disclosure of the details of compensation plans. Perversely, this too has contributed to an increase in executive pay.
How so? No self-respecting board of directors is willing to admit that their company’s CEO is below average. So anytime the new disclosures indicate that an executive’s pay is below average in any way, a pay increase is ordered.
"In 1992, the government thought that managers were too risk averse. Stock options were seen as the magic bullet for making managers act more aggressively in the shareholders’ interests. Today, many in Congress are blaming U.S. executives for causing the financial crisis precisely by engaging in “excessive” risk-taking. What they fail to mention is that it was Congress’s own tinkering with the tax code that led to the very compensation packages that incentivized the risk-taking."
"A provision in the 1992 tax law required that executives meet certain “objective” performance measures in order to qualify for incentive-based (tax deductible) pay. In the scramble to come up with objective metrics on which to base executive pay, cottage industry “executive compensation consultants” emerged as the most important architects of executive compensation plans."
“the use of these compensation consultants, gives both boards and CEOs the appearance of legitimacy for their decisions to award massive pay packages to lackluster CEOs, making it appear that these decisions are objective and scientific, which they absolutely are not.”
The government also has tried to regulate executive compensation by requiring greater disclosure of the details of compensation plans. Perversely, this too has contributed to an increase in executive pay.
How so? No self-respecting board of directors is willing to admit that their company’s CEO is below average. So anytime the new disclosures indicate that an executive’s pay is below average in any way, a pay increase is ordered.
The Real Pay Scandal | Cato Institute
The Real Pay Scandal | Cato Institute: "Given that Congress and top administration officials are requiring pay cuts for those in the private sector whose companies have performed poorly, should not the same standard apply to those in government who have had a major responsibility for running the economy into the ground? (Note: Presidents and members of Congress always claim credit when the economy is performing well, so isn’t it fair to blame them when the economy is in a mess?)
Could it be that one reason Congress has performed so poorly is because, for 100 years, its members’ compensation has been totally unrelated to their performance?"
"If members of Congress had maintained the relative value of their 1907 salary (the year they increased their salary to $7,500) to the growth in wages in the private sector, they would be paying themselves approximately $510,000 per year."
"So let us offer them this deal: They will automatically receive a pay raise equal to the after-tax percentage increase in personal income that the average American receives each year, provided the debt burden as a percentage of gross domestic product has not increased, in which case there would be no pay raises. We could call it “The Federal Pay Economic Growth and Fiscal Responsibility Incentive Act.”
If such a pay policy had been in place for the past 100 years, members of Congress would be paid several times more than they earn now, but chances are everyone also would be earning much more, and the country would have far fewer poor citizens and much less debt."
Could it be that one reason Congress has performed so poorly is because, for 100 years, its members’ compensation has been totally unrelated to their performance?"
"If members of Congress had maintained the relative value of their 1907 salary (the year they increased their salary to $7,500) to the growth in wages in the private sector, they would be paying themselves approximately $510,000 per year."
"So let us offer them this deal: They will automatically receive a pay raise equal to the after-tax percentage increase in personal income that the average American receives each year, provided the debt burden as a percentage of gross domestic product has not increased, in which case there would be no pay raises. We could call it “The Federal Pay Economic Growth and Fiscal Responsibility Incentive Act.”
If such a pay policy had been in place for the past 100 years, members of Congress would be paid several times more than they earn now, but chances are everyone also would be earning much more, and the country would have far fewer poor citizens and much less debt."
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Halloween and Its Candy Economy - Jeffrey A. Tucker - Mises Daily
Halloween and Its Candy Economy - Jeffrey A. Tucker - Mises Daily: "Because there is no taboo in place about trading one's proceeds, the kids also have a chance to participate in genuine market experiences.
For starters, they work hard on their costumes, under the very real expectation that those who hand out candy tend to be more generous to those with better costumes. Nor is the labor done there, for it clearly continues with the long walk around the neighborhood, with the prospect that each house visited will yield a gain of only one or two candies, at most."
"No child can fully control what he or she is given, so it is up to that child to make exchanges with others in order to obtain what he or she really wants, and to do so in a strategic manner so that overall wealth is enhanced."
"During the 30 minutes of active haggling, nine kids sat around the dining room table and participated in a hectic, yet orderly — if complex — interchange, bearing a good deal of resemblance to a Wall Street trading floor.
Some traders shot up and shouted prices, deals, proposals, results, changes in preferences, new resource discoveries. Other traders remained quiet and moved with great subtlety and surprise. The more strategic the plan, the more impressed the other kids were by it."
"It wasn't long before barter relationships, even those involving 3 or 4 simultaneous transactions, did not suffice.
What those around the table needed was some means to achieve indirect exchange. They needed to hit upon a good which everyone would desire to posses because of its more certain, onward marketability among all the other kids.
This entity did not need to be highly valued from the outset by everyone present. What the kids only needed to notice was that there was something which a sufficient number of their group tended to want more than any other competing candy on offer.
It was a short step from there to the dawning of a realization would occur to one or two kids. These would then try to acquire that particular candy, not to consume it themselves, but to use it to trade it for whatever other candy they really wanted to enjoy.
As more and more of the participants copied them, this one candy would come to play a role in more and more indirect exchanges. Child A would accept it from Child B for a less desired kind of candy and would instantly swap it again with Child C who happened to have the goodie he or she really preferred, but who hadn't wanted any of A's originally proffered treats.
This way, this one candy would come to posses a quality none of the others had. It would come to be money."
"Though this problem might seem an intractable one, as it happened, it only took a few minutes for everyone to discover what would become money for the evening: a micro-size Three Musketeers bar."
"all children left the table with smiles and happiness, each feeling as if he or she had gotten a great deal."
For starters, they work hard on their costumes, under the very real expectation that those who hand out candy tend to be more generous to those with better costumes. Nor is the labor done there, for it clearly continues with the long walk around the neighborhood, with the prospect that each house visited will yield a gain of only one or two candies, at most."
"No child can fully control what he or she is given, so it is up to that child to make exchanges with others in order to obtain what he or she really wants, and to do so in a strategic manner so that overall wealth is enhanced."
"During the 30 minutes of active haggling, nine kids sat around the dining room table and participated in a hectic, yet orderly — if complex — interchange, bearing a good deal of resemblance to a Wall Street trading floor.
Some traders shot up and shouted prices, deals, proposals, results, changes in preferences, new resource discoveries. Other traders remained quiet and moved with great subtlety and surprise. The more strategic the plan, the more impressed the other kids were by it."
"It wasn't long before barter relationships, even those involving 3 or 4 simultaneous transactions, did not suffice.
What those around the table needed was some means to achieve indirect exchange. They needed to hit upon a good which everyone would desire to posses because of its more certain, onward marketability among all the other kids.
This entity did not need to be highly valued from the outset by everyone present. What the kids only needed to notice was that there was something which a sufficient number of their group tended to want more than any other competing candy on offer.
It was a short step from there to the dawning of a realization would occur to one or two kids. These would then try to acquire that particular candy, not to consume it themselves, but to use it to trade it for whatever other candy they really wanted to enjoy.
As more and more of the participants copied them, this one candy would come to play a role in more and more indirect exchanges. Child A would accept it from Child B for a less desired kind of candy and would instantly swap it again with Child C who happened to have the goodie he or she really preferred, but who hadn't wanted any of A's originally proffered treats.
This way, this one candy would come to posses a quality none of the others had. It would come to be money."
"Though this problem might seem an intractable one, as it happened, it only took a few minutes for everyone to discover what would become money for the evening: a micro-size Three Musketeers bar."
"all children left the table with smiles and happiness, each feeling as if he or she had gotten a great deal."
Mobile Shopping's Data Goldmine - Margarita Constantinides, Brian Gregg, and Brian Salsberg - Harvard Business Review
Mobile Shopping's Data Goldmine - Margarita Constantinides, Brian Gregg, and Brian Salsberg - Harvard Business Review: "Smartphone WiFi signals can be tracked to determine how long and where in the store customers shop. Wal-Mart, for example, has an app that senses when customers enter a store and suggests switching their phone to "store mode." In this mode, shoppers can interact with special QR signage located throughout stores to access useful product information. Wal-Mart, in turn, is able to track their in-store behavior. If sales of a certain item are slow, tracking can show whether customers are skipping the aisle entirely or looking at the product but not buying it so that store owners can make product placement or other adjustments."
"customers who use the Wal-Mart app make two additional visits to the store each month and spend 40% more than their app-free counterparts."
"customers who use the Wal-Mart app make two additional visits to the store each month and spend 40% more than their app-free counterparts."
Common Objections to Capitalism - Art Carden - Mises Daily
Common Objections to Capitalism - Art Carden - Mises Daily: "infant mortality and maternal mortality are miniscule fractions of what they used to be, and life expectancy has increased radically. It was 24 at the height of the Roman Empire, 30 in Britain at the end of the 15th century, 45 in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century, and it is pushing 80 today."
"capitalist progress does not consist of more silk stockings for the queen of England but of reasonable substitutes for them for poor workers in exchange for progressively less labor. Further, he argued that the key beneficiaries of changes in material standards of living would be the poor at the expense of the rich. Cheap electric lighting was an absolute boon for the very poor, while the very rich could have paid flunkies (or forced slaves, in some cases) to stand around holding torches."
"capitalist progress does not consist of more silk stockings for the queen of England but of reasonable substitutes for them for poor workers in exchange for progressively less labor. Further, he argued that the key beneficiaries of changes in material standards of living would be the poor at the expense of the rich. Cheap electric lighting was an absolute boon for the very poor, while the very rich could have paid flunkies (or forced slaves, in some cases) to stand around holding torches."
A Penchant for Controlling Others - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Daily
A Penchant for Controlling Others - Llewellyn H. Rockwell Jr. - Mises Daily: "We all want freedom for ourselves, but many people have doubts about the way others might use their own freedom."
"Think of this the next time you are in a big city zooming around curves and between lanes along with thousands of others, doing top speeds. Here we have 4,000-pound hunks of steel barreling down the road without aids other than a dotted yellow line on the road. These are real-life death machines in which one wrong move could cause a 100-car pileup and mass death. We do it anyway.
What's remarkable is not that there are so many wrecks. The miracle is that it works at all and that, for the most part, people get to where they are going."
"It is in everyone's interest to get to where one is going in one piece and to do it efficiently."
"We generally trust our capacity to manage ourselves but we do not trust the capacity of others to manage themselves. And we surely don't believe that society can generally function well under conditions of freedom"
"Think of this the next time you are in a big city zooming around curves and between lanes along with thousands of others, doing top speeds. Here we have 4,000-pound hunks of steel barreling down the road without aids other than a dotted yellow line on the road. These are real-life death machines in which one wrong move could cause a 100-car pileup and mass death. We do it anyway.
What's remarkable is not that there are so many wrecks. The miracle is that it works at all and that, for the most part, people get to where they are going."
"It is in everyone's interest to get to where one is going in one piece and to do it efficiently."
"We generally trust our capacity to manage ourselves but we do not trust the capacity of others to manage themselves. And we surely don't believe that society can generally function well under conditions of freedom"
Terrorism Isn't an 'Existential Threat' | Cato Institute
Terrorism Isn't an 'Existential Threat' | Cato Institute: "the Human Security Report Project explain, “the overwhelming majority of terrorist campaigns fail to achieve their strategic objectives.” And, despite media sensationalism, fatalities from terrorism have actually declined by some 40 percent in recent years.
Terrorists bank on overreaction. As Osama bin Laden put it in 2004, “All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al Qaeda, in order to make the generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic, and political losses.”"
“no state has ever given another state — even a close ally, much less a terrorist group — a nuclear weapon (or chemical, biological, or radiological one either).”
"The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo had roughly a billion dollars devoted to developing chemical and biological weapons, the most sophisticated such program in the history of terrorism. But when it released sarin gas on the Tokyo subway in 1995, it only managed to kill 12 people."
Terrorists bank on overreaction. As Osama bin Laden put it in 2004, “All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al Qaeda, in order to make the generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic, and political losses.”"
“no state has ever given another state — even a close ally, much less a terrorist group — a nuclear weapon (or chemical, biological, or radiological one either).”
"The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo had roughly a billion dollars devoted to developing chemical and biological weapons, the most sophisticated such program in the history of terrorism. But when it released sarin gas on the Tokyo subway in 1995, it only managed to kill 12 people."
The Poor - Kel Kelly - Mises Daily
The Poor - Kel Kelly - Mises Daily: "If you were to compare these American poor to the poor in Bolivia, Honduras, Cambodia, or India (or even to many of the poor in Mexico, Romania, Thailand, and Russia), you would see a stark difference. The poor in these countries often literally live in open-air huts with large leaves for roofs and stacked bricks that serve as a shared stove for multiple families. For the poor of the third-world countries, there is, for the most part, no money, no exchange of goods — just basic survival by subsistence farming or by hunting or fishing for food. To these people, American street sweepers and factory workers live a life of luxury."
How hypocritical do we look to the real poor of the world when we complain about the condition of the U.S. poor and ignore them?!?
"In noncapitalist countries today (and in the days before capitalism first appeared) poverty really means that no work is available; there is no means by which to improve one's state of being, or even to maintain it."
"Though the poor in this country have continuously seen their standard of living rise by capitalism, anticapitalists continually point to the poor as evidence of a need for wealth redistribution (i.e., less capitalism), just because the poor earn less than do the rich. But there will always be a bottom 10 percent or 20 percent of the population in income in any society no matter how wealthy we all become."
"few people remain at subsistence level. There are ways out of poverty for most."
"the ratio of "incomes" — the primary measurement used by government — of the top fifth to the bottom fifth of income earners is 15 to 1, but the ratio of their consumption is 4 to 1"
"ACORN sued the state of California in 1995 for exemption from state labor laws, in order to avoid having to pay the minimum wage to its own employees. The organization argued before the court that "the more that ACORN must pay each individual outreach worker — either because of minimum wage or overtime requirements — the fewer outreach workers it will be able to hire." "
"The average poor family with children is supported by only 800 hours of work each year. This is equivalent to 16 hours of work per week. If the average poor family was able to increase the hours worked to 2,000 hours each year (i.e., one adult family member working a full 40 hour week), nearly 75 percent of poor children would be lifted out of poverty."
How hypocritical do we look to the real poor of the world when we complain about the condition of the U.S. poor and ignore them?!?
"In noncapitalist countries today (and in the days before capitalism first appeared) poverty really means that no work is available; there is no means by which to improve one's state of being, or even to maintain it."
"Though the poor in this country have continuously seen their standard of living rise by capitalism, anticapitalists continually point to the poor as evidence of a need for wealth redistribution (i.e., less capitalism), just because the poor earn less than do the rich. But there will always be a bottom 10 percent or 20 percent of the population in income in any society no matter how wealthy we all become."
"few people remain at subsistence level. There are ways out of poverty for most."
"the ratio of "incomes" — the primary measurement used by government — of the top fifth to the bottom fifth of income earners is 15 to 1, but the ratio of their consumption is 4 to 1"
"ACORN sued the state of California in 1995 for exemption from state labor laws, in order to avoid having to pay the minimum wage to its own employees. The organization argued before the court that "the more that ACORN must pay each individual outreach worker — either because of minimum wage or overtime requirements — the fewer outreach workers it will be able to hire." "
"The average poor family with children is supported by only 800 hours of work each year. This is equivalent to 16 hours of work per week. If the average poor family was able to increase the hours worked to 2,000 hours each year (i.e., one adult family member working a full 40 hour week), nearly 75 percent of poor children would be lifted out of poverty."
Imprisonment is not the answer | Wide White
Imprisonment is not the answer | Wide White: "the law can only do so much to prevent tragedy, and this is not a case where changing the law, especially with new prison sentences, will help."
"While crime prevention is certainly a role of the justice system, we can’t expect the justice system to prevent all crimes from occurring."
"When considering imprisonment as a punishment for a crime, we have to ask ourselves three questions. First, will imprisonment teach this person a lesson that they could not otherwise learn outside of prison? Second, do the crimes committed by this person warrant separating them from the rest of society for a period of time? Third, is imprisonment necessary to keep this person from causing anymore problems for society than they already have? I’m not convinced that negligence warrants a prison sentence under these guidelines."
"While crime prevention is certainly a role of the justice system, we can’t expect the justice system to prevent all crimes from occurring."
"When considering imprisonment as a punishment for a crime, we have to ask ourselves three questions. First, will imprisonment teach this person a lesson that they could not otherwise learn outside of prison? Second, do the crimes committed by this person warrant separating them from the rest of society for a period of time? Third, is imprisonment necessary to keep this person from causing anymore problems for society than they already have? I’m not convinced that negligence warrants a prison sentence under these guidelines."
Group of tourists stranded on slab of ice in Canadian Arctic | Fox News
Group of tourists stranded on slab of ice in Canadian Arctic | Fox News: "a 30-mile long slab of ice broke away from Baffin Island "
Wow!
Wow!
Houston program run by former prostitute treats women as victims instead of criminals | Fox News
Houston program run by former prostitute treats women as victims instead of criminals | Fox News: "Houston, Dallas and several other Texas cities began changing how they treated prostitutes after the state Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that girls 14 and under could not be prosecuted for prostitution. The ruling has been a game changer, for juveniles and adults.
Dallas and Houston are among the cities nationwide that have set up special courts to deal with child prostitutes by putting them in recovery programs. Many, they found, had been victims of sexual or physical abuse. Some were born to mothers who were drug addicts and prostitutes themselves. Others were sold to a pimp, sometimes in exchange for a box of cigarettes.
In Houston, the court, called GIRLS or Growing Independence and Restoring Lives, was loosely modeled after other specialty courts, such as the drug court that has successfully reformed 80 percent of the nearly 400 people who have graduated since it started in 2003, including Griffin."
Dallas and Houston are among the cities nationwide that have set up special courts to deal with child prostitutes by putting them in recovery programs. Many, they found, had been victims of sexual or physical abuse. Some were born to mothers who were drug addicts and prostitutes themselves. Others were sold to a pimp, sometimes in exchange for a box of cigarettes.
In Houston, the court, called GIRLS or Growing Independence and Restoring Lives, was loosely modeled after other specialty courts, such as the drug court that has successfully reformed 80 percent of the nearly 400 people who have graduated since it started in 2003, including Griffin."
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
From Stagnation to Prosperity to Stagnation | Cato Institute
From Stagnation to Prosperity to Stagnation | Cato Institute: "By the late 1970s, many viewed Britain and the United States as in terminal decline. The United Kingdom had been rotting for decades. The empire had been lost, and Britain began to look more and more like a Third World country as incomes stagnated and inflation soared."
"On this side of the Atlantic, the United States was also in despair. Real incomes had stagnated, inflation seemed to be out of control, and the establishment political class had little idea of what to do."
"In fact, Reagan is the only U.S. president to have had a degree in economics."
"the combination of living within your means and working hard most often leads to individual and national success"
"The bigger government versus smaller government experiment has been run perhaps a hundred times around the world over the past couple of centuries, and the outcome is always the same."
"On this side of the Atlantic, the United States was also in despair. Real incomes had stagnated, inflation seemed to be out of control, and the establishment political class had little idea of what to do."
"In fact, Reagan is the only U.S. president to have had a degree in economics."
"the combination of living within your means and working hard most often leads to individual and national success"
"The bigger government versus smaller government experiment has been run perhaps a hundred times around the world over the past couple of centuries, and the outcome is always the same."
Putin: Snowden, still in Moscow airport, is a 'free man' - CSMonitor.com
Putin: Snowden, still in Moscow airport, is a 'free man' - CSMonitor.com: "Yesterday Snowden was booked on an Aeroflot flight to Cuba, but he failed to show up, leaving about 30 journalists stranded aboard a 12-hour flight to Havana."
LOL!
LOL!
Obama's Damaging Admission | Cato Institute
Obama's Damaging Admission | Cato Institute: ""When the PPACA begins reducing the number of uninsured, hospitals won’t need those subsidies. In his budget, however, President Obama proposes to increase Medicaid DSH payments by $360 million in 2014, effectively rescinding next year’s cut. This deceptively small item has far-reaching significance. With this proposal, President Obama has admitted that:
1. The PPACA is not likely to reduce uncompensated care in 2014."
"Hospitals, which lobbied forthe PPACA, have been threatening that unless states implement the Medicaid expansion, the Medicaid DSH cuts will lead to layoffs and closures in their districts.
President Obama has rescued the hospital lobby from that self-inflicted wound."
1. The PPACA is not likely to reduce uncompensated care in 2014."
"Hospitals, which lobbied forthe PPACA, have been threatening that unless states implement the Medicaid expansion, the Medicaid DSH cuts will lead to layoffs and closures in their districts.
President Obama has rescued the hospital lobby from that self-inflicted wound."
Federal Climatologists Pen Fantasy Novel | Cato Institute
Federal Climatologists Pen Fantasy Novel | Cato Institute: "it fantasizes that diseases tamed in the early 20th century, like the various water-borne trots, will reappear in big numbers because of warming, neglecting the fact that working sanitation systems and refrigeration largely have eliminated them"
" “Climate change… will also alter the stability of food supplies and create new food security challenges.” But it neglected to mention that we currently burn up — in the form of ethanol — four times more food than is possibly lost to climate change."
"we are in our sixteenth consecutive year without a warming trend"
" “Climate change… will also alter the stability of food supplies and create new food security challenges.” But it neglected to mention that we currently burn up — in the form of ethanol — four times more food than is possibly lost to climate change."
"we are in our sixteenth consecutive year without a warming trend"
Attorney General Holder says 4 American citizens have been killed in drone strikes since 2009 | Fox News
Attorney General Holder says 4 American citizens have been killed in drone strikes since 2009 | Fox News: "Attorney General Eric Holder says four American citizens have been killed in drone strikes since 2009."
Spying's the Story, Not Edward Snowden | Cato Institute
Spying's the Story, Not Edward Snowden | Cato Institute: "Judging by the vicious — and irrelevant — attacks on Snowden’s character, all too many leading pundits and journalists love nothing more than a ritual ragegasm against an alleged enemy of the state.
The Washington Post’s Richard Cohen calls Snowden a “cross-dressing Little Red Riding Hood”; he’s a “total slacker” with “all the qualifications to become a grocery bagger” jeers Politico’s Roger Simon. Snowden’s “a grandiose narcissist who deserves to be in prison” offers the New Yorker’s Jeffrey Toobin; Fox News’s Ralph Peters raises the stakes: a “narcissistic traitor” who belongs on death row."
The Washington Post’s Richard Cohen calls Snowden a “cross-dressing Little Red Riding Hood”; he’s a “total slacker” with “all the qualifications to become a grocery bagger” jeers Politico’s Roger Simon. Snowden’s “a grandiose narcissist who deserves to be in prison” offers the New Yorker’s Jeffrey Toobin; Fox News’s Ralph Peters raises the stakes: a “narcissistic traitor” who belongs on death row."
NSA spying flap extends to contents of U.S. phone calls | Politics and Law - CNET News
NSA spying flap extends to contents of U.S. phone calls | Politics and Law - CNET News: "If the NSA wants "to listen to the phone," an analyst's decision is sufficient, without any other legal authorization required"
"the NSA records the phone calls of 500,000 to 1 million people who are on its so-called target list, and perhaps even more"
"the agency may vacuum up everything it can domestically -- on the theory that indiscriminate data acquisition was not intended to "target" a specific American citizen."
"the NSA records the phone calls of 500,000 to 1 million people who are on its so-called target list, and perhaps even more"
"the agency may vacuum up everything it can domestically -- on the theory that indiscriminate data acquisition was not intended to "target" a specific American citizen."
Monday, June 24, 2013
A Miracle Happened Last Week in Washington: Congress Failed to Mulct the Citizenry | Cato Institute
A Miracle Happened Last Week in Washington: Congress Failed to Mulct the Citizenry | Cato Institute: "because the Congressional Budget Office said existing law would cost $973 billion over the next ten years, House Republicans claimed to be “saving” $33 billion even while spending $300 billion more."
"Consumers pay two to four times the world price for sugar, for instance. In contrast, most direct subsidies encourage increased production, which places downward pressure on prices—triggering even more subsidies. Conservation payments paradoxically encourage farmers to bring marginal land into production."
"Consumers pay two to four times the world price for sugar, for instance. In contrast, most direct subsidies encourage increased production, which places downward pressure on prices—triggering even more subsidies. Conservation payments paradoxically encourage farmers to bring marginal land into production."
10 Reasons the Farm Bill Makes No Sense | Cato Institute
10 Reasons the Farm Bill Makes No Sense | Cato Institute: "In 2011, the average income of farm households was $87,289, or 25 percent more than the $69,677 average of all U.S. households. Farm subsidies even go to millionaire farmland owners such as Mark Rockefeller and Ted Turner."
"In recent years, the biggest 10 percent of farm businesses have received three-quarters of farm subsidies,"
"Farm programs draw marginal farmland into production and encourage the overuse of fertilizers. Lands that might otherwise be used for forests or wetlands get drawn into farm use. Florida sugar cane cultivation, for example, causes substantial damage to the Everglades, yet it thrives because of import protections."
"In recent years, the biggest 10 percent of farm businesses have received three-quarters of farm subsidies,"
"Farm programs draw marginal farmland into production and encourage the overuse of fertilizers. Lands that might otherwise be used for forests or wetlands get drawn into farm use. Florida sugar cane cultivation, for example, causes substantial damage to the Everglades, yet it thrives because of import protections."
Tyranny of the Taxers | Cato Institute
Tyranny of the Taxers | Cato Institute: " all of the so-called tax havens have substantial taxes and significant government sectors. They also tend to have lower marginal tax rates on capital and labor income, which has enabled them to make their citizens rich and healthy. Many studies show that when government spending exceeds approximately 25 percent of gross domestic product, economic growth tends to slow, fewer jobs are created and the general welfare ultimately declines. If the G-8 had responsible leaders, the group’s summit would have as an agenda item “ways to downsize government.” Instead, their agenda includes how to increase tax revenue by going after jurisdictions with low tax rates."
NSA Snooping Matters, Even if You Have 'Nothing to Hide' | Cato Institute
NSA Snooping Matters, Even if You Have 'Nothing to Hide' | Cato Institute: "Almost everyone has “something to hide” — if by that we mean some intimate corners of our lives we don’t want exposed to strangers, even if we’re not doing anything wrong.
That’s why the same polls show people aren’t nearly as comfortable with the government reading their emails and online chats. What they really mean, then, is that they don’t think a list of phone numbers and IP addresses will expose any of those intimate areas.
Yet folks in the intelligence community who actually work with all that metadata will tell you it’s often just as revealing as the contents of a call — even more so, once any kind of moderately sophisticated analytic techniques are applied to the data set as a whole."
"Who has called a substance abuse counselor, a suicide hotline, a divorce lawyeror an abortion provider? What websites do you read daily? What porn turns you on? What religious and political groups are you a member of?"
"Because your cellphone’s “routing information” typically includes information about the nearest cell tower, those records are also a kind of virtual map showing where you spend your time — and, when aggregated with others, who you like to spend it with."
"The information often sticks around indefinitely, while the rules only stick around until someone decides to change them."
"You may not be interested in protesting, criticizing the government or debating fringe political views — but as a citizen of a democracy, subject to the laws the democratic process produces, you’re better off in a system where those things are allowed to happen."
"It’s slow and subtle, but surveillance societies inexorably train us for helplessness, anxiety and compliance. Maybe they’ll never look at your call logs, read your emails or listen in on your intimate conversations. You’ll just live with the knowledge that they always could — and if you ever had anything worth hiding, there would be nowhere left to hide it."
That’s why the same polls show people aren’t nearly as comfortable with the government reading their emails and online chats. What they really mean, then, is that they don’t think a list of phone numbers and IP addresses will expose any of those intimate areas.
Yet folks in the intelligence community who actually work with all that metadata will tell you it’s often just as revealing as the contents of a call — even more so, once any kind of moderately sophisticated analytic techniques are applied to the data set as a whole."
"Who has called a substance abuse counselor, a suicide hotline, a divorce lawyeror an abortion provider? What websites do you read daily? What porn turns you on? What religious and political groups are you a member of?"
"Because your cellphone’s “routing information” typically includes information about the nearest cell tower, those records are also a kind of virtual map showing where you spend your time — and, when aggregated with others, who you like to spend it with."
"The information often sticks around indefinitely, while the rules only stick around until someone decides to change them."
"You may not be interested in protesting, criticizing the government or debating fringe political views — but as a citizen of a democracy, subject to the laws the democratic process produces, you’re better off in a system where those things are allowed to happen."
"It’s slow and subtle, but surveillance societies inexorably train us for helplessness, anxiety and compliance. Maybe they’ll never look at your call logs, read your emails or listen in on your intimate conversations. You’ll just live with the knowledge that they always could — and if you ever had anything worth hiding, there would be nowhere left to hide it."
Friday, June 21, 2013
Three Questions about NSA Surveillance | Cato Institute
Three Questions about NSA Surveillance | Cato Institute: "It is difficult to see how earlier exposure of the programs’ existence would have aided terrorists, who have known at least since the 1990s that U.S. intelligence was searching communications worldwide to track them down."
"When asked on Wednesday if the NSA’s data-gathering programs had been “critical” or “crucial” to disrupting terrorist threats, the agency’s head testified that in “dozens” of instances the database “helped” or was “contributing”—though he did seem to agree with the word “critical” at one point."
"When asked on Wednesday if the NSA’s data-gathering programs had been “critical” or “crucial” to disrupting terrorist threats, the agency’s head testified that in “dozens” of instances the database “helped” or was “contributing”—though he did seem to agree with the word “critical” at one point."
Do the NSA's Phone and Internet Monitoring Programs Make Sense? | Cato Institute
Do the NSA's Phone and Internet Monitoring Programs Make Sense? | Cato Institute: "If the NSA could provide multiple, convincing examples of terror attacks unambiguously prevented by its phone and internet surveillance programs, many Americans would regard the implied privacy and civil liberty infringements as an acceptable price of fighting terror."
"The absence of convincing evidence for these NSA programs is all the more striking because the NSA faces strong incentives to publicize its successes, if they exist."
"The absence of convincing evidence for these NSA programs is all the more striking because the NSA faces strong incentives to publicize its successes, if they exist."
NSA spying flap extends to contents of U.S. phone calls | Politics and Law - CNET News
NSA spying flap extends to contents of U.S. phone calls | Politics and Law - CNET News: "The National Security Agency has acknowledged in a new classified briefing that it does not need court authorization to listen to domestic phone calls, a participant in the briefing said.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, disclosed on Thursday that during a secret briefing to members of Congress, he was told that the contents of a phone call could be accessed "simply based on an analyst deciding that."
If the NSA wants "to listen to the phone," an analyst's decision is sufficient, without any other legal authorization required, Nadler said he learned. "I was rather startled," said Nadler, an attorney and congressman who serves on the House Judiciary committee."
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, a New York Democrat, disclosed on Thursday that during a secret briefing to members of Congress, he was told that the contents of a phone call could be accessed "simply based on an analyst deciding that."
If the NSA wants "to listen to the phone," an analyst's decision is sufficient, without any other legal authorization required, Nadler said he learned. "I was rather startled," said Nadler, an attorney and congressman who serves on the House Judiciary committee."
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Supreme Court to Rule on Race in College Admissions - Campaign for Liberty
Supreme Court to Rule on Race in College Admissions - Campaign for Liberty: "it is appalling that race is still considered when applying for higher education. It seems that affirmative action’s advocates have completely lost sight of the core principles behind the civil rights movement of half a century ago. Martin Luther King’s dream wasn’t to see the roles of previous racial injustice reversed; it was to see a day when people weren’t defined by race whatsoever, being judged “not… by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” "
Google: GPAs are worthless | Technically Incorrect - CNET News
Google: GPAs are worthless | Technically Incorrect - CNET News: "Google famously used to ask everyone for a transcript and GPAs and test scores, but we don't anymore, unless you're just a few years out of school. We found that they don't predict anything."
"Bock said the percentage of Googlies who've never been to college is increasing. Sometimes, as much as 14 percent of team members are entirely unsullied by phis, betas, kappas, and Saturday football rah-rahs."
"We found that brainteasers are a complete waste of time." "They don't predict anything. They serve primarily to make the interviewer feel smart."
"when you ask somebody to speak to their own experience, and you drill into that, you get two kinds of information. One is you get to see how they actually interacted in a real-world situation, and the valuable 'meta' information you get about the candidate is a sense of what they consider to be difficult"
"You want people who like figuring out stuff where there is no obvious answer."
"Bock said the percentage of Googlies who've never been to college is increasing. Sometimes, as much as 14 percent of team members are entirely unsullied by phis, betas, kappas, and Saturday football rah-rahs."
"We found that brainteasers are a complete waste of time." "They don't predict anything. They serve primarily to make the interviewer feel smart."
"when you ask somebody to speak to their own experience, and you drill into that, you get two kinds of information. One is you get to see how they actually interacted in a real-world situation, and the valuable 'meta' information you get about the candidate is a sense of what they consider to be difficult"
"You want people who like figuring out stuff where there is no obvious answer."
Korean D�j�Vu | Cato Institute
Korean D�j�Vu | Cato Institute: "North [Korea] cannot trade away its nuclear arsenal, pull back its advanced conventional forces, or implement fundamental economic reform. All Kim & Co. can do is attempt to extort money out of the North’s neighbors and anyone else foolish enough to pass the hat."
"What possible argument is there for keeping the subsidies going after Kim Jong-un’s recent fire-and-brimstone tirade? South Koreans are putting money into the hands of the North’s barbaric elite which is threatening to destroy the ROK. Every won sent north can be used to add more nuclear weapons, miniaturize nuclear bombs, and extend the range of nuclear-capable missiles."
"continuing to subsidize the North likely will extend the life of the Kim regime"
"[The U.S. should give] no defense subsidies for a government which underwrites its enemy"
"What possible argument is there for keeping the subsidies going after Kim Jong-un’s recent fire-and-brimstone tirade? South Koreans are putting money into the hands of the North’s barbaric elite which is threatening to destroy the ROK. Every won sent north can be used to add more nuclear weapons, miniaturize nuclear bombs, and extend the range of nuclear-capable missiles."
"continuing to subsidize the North likely will extend the life of the Kim regime"
"[The U.S. should give] no defense subsidies for a government which underwrites its enemy"
Economy Miraculously Adds Jobs despite Increase in Unemployment - Campaign for Liberty
Economy Miraculously Adds Jobs despite Increase in Unemployment - Campaign for Liberty: "the economy added 175,000 jobs this month despite unemployment climbing from 7.5% to 7.6%"
The Marketplace Fairness Act: a headache for small business owners | The Daily Caller
The Marketplace Fairness Act: a headache for small business owners | The Daily Caller: "Each of this country’s 10,000 different taxing jurisdictions has its own laws for applying sales tax to all sorts of goods"
"within the same zip code, even on the same street, different tax rates can apply"
"the [free] software will only provide me with rates, not product categories, and it will do nothing to help lift the time-and-money burden of submitting up to 600 tax returns per year."
"I’d have to upgrade to the Sage 100 platform in order to automate my sales tax calculations"
"my shopping cart isn’t compatible with their program and would have to be modified"
"I’d have to change my entire sales software and strategy because no multi-channel cart solutions are currently supported by their software."
"I’d also have to categorize all of my products to be readable by the software."
"clothing might be exempt, depending on the price" "sports bras are tax exempt, but sports shorts aren’t. A sewing button is exempt but a scrapbooking button isn’t. That same sewing button isn’t exempt if it’s included in a sewing kit. Yarn is exempt unless it could be used to make a rug. Thread is exempt, unless it’s sold with a needle."
"within the same zip code, even on the same street, different tax rates can apply"
"the [free] software will only provide me with rates, not product categories, and it will do nothing to help lift the time-and-money burden of submitting up to 600 tax returns per year."
"I’d have to upgrade to the Sage 100 platform in order to automate my sales tax calculations"
"my shopping cart isn’t compatible with their program and would have to be modified"
"I’d have to change my entire sales software and strategy because no multi-channel cart solutions are currently supported by their software."
"I’d also have to categorize all of my products to be readable by the software."
"clothing might be exempt, depending on the price" "sports bras are tax exempt, but sports shorts aren’t. A sewing button is exempt but a scrapbooking button isn’t. That same sewing button isn’t exempt if it’s included in a sewing kit. Yarn is exempt unless it could be used to make a rug. Thread is exempt, unless it’s sold with a needle."
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Does the Absence of Rules Mean Chaos? | Cato Institute
Does the Absence of Rules Mean Chaos? | Cato Institute: "In traffic, following rules relieves you of some of the burden of having to monitor other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. It enables one to adopt what Paul Seabright, an economist at the University of Toulouse, coined “tunnel vision,” limiting the knowledge and attention needed to successfully operate in complex environments.
However, “tunnel vision” creates risks in situations that are not foreseen by the rules one is following."
"By creating a “shared space,” the potential for collisions grows, paradoxically incentivizing everyone to exercise more care."
However, “tunnel vision” creates risks in situations that are not foreseen by the rules one is following."
"By creating a “shared space,” the potential for collisions grows, paradoxically incentivizing everyone to exercise more care."
The Paradox of Imperialism - Hans-Hermann Hoppe - Mises Daily
The Paradox of Imperialism - Hans-Hermann Hoppe - Mises Daily: "Other things being equal, the lower the tax and regulation burden imposed on the domestic economy, the larger the population will tend to grow and the larger the amount of domestically produced wealth on which the state can draw in its conflicts with neighboring competitors. That is, states which tax and regulate their economies comparatively little — liberal states — tend to defeat and expand their territories or their range of hegemonic control at the expense of less-liberal ones."
"In blurring the distinction between the rulers and the ruled ("we all rule ourselves"), democracy strengthened the identification of the public with a particular state. Rather than dynastic property disputes which could be resolved through conquest and occupation, democratic wars became ideological battles"
"It became increasingly difficult for members of the public to extricate themselves from personal involvement in war."
"In blurring the distinction between the rulers and the ruled ("we all rule ourselves"), democracy strengthened the identification of the public with a particular state. Rather than dynastic property disputes which could be resolved through conquest and occupation, democratic wars became ideological battles"
"It became increasingly difficult for members of the public to extricate themselves from personal involvement in war."
7 Ways to Dramatically Advance Your Career | LinkedIn
7 Ways to Dramatically Advance Your Career | LinkedIn: "What practices exist in your industry that drive customers crazy? How do all companies in your industry behave stupidly? Identify these types of practices, and wipe them out."
"The more complex the processes and practices in your industry, the greater your opportunity to gain competitive advantage by simplifying them. Yes, doing so will be very hard. But that’s the whole point; the first to do so gains tremendous advantages."
"Incremental change doesn’t disrupt an industry; radical change does. Radical price reductions require radical new processes and business models."
"The toughest part of this challenge is not technical; it is knocking down the walls inside companies. It’s deciding whose product gets cross-sold, who gets “credit” for sales, and who “owns” the customer.
No one "owns" the customer, and you either do what’s best for the customer or you will lose him."
"The truth is coming, and there’s nothing you can do about it. But most firms won’t recognize this until it happens. Better to get far out in front while confusion reigns."
"Once you start delivering personalization, you create immense opportunities to make loyalty more convenient than disloyalty"
"The more complex the processes and practices in your industry, the greater your opportunity to gain competitive advantage by simplifying them. Yes, doing so will be very hard. But that’s the whole point; the first to do so gains tremendous advantages."
"Incremental change doesn’t disrupt an industry; radical change does. Radical price reductions require radical new processes and business models."
"The toughest part of this challenge is not technical; it is knocking down the walls inside companies. It’s deciding whose product gets cross-sold, who gets “credit” for sales, and who “owns” the customer.
No one "owns" the customer, and you either do what’s best for the customer or you will lose him."
"The truth is coming, and there’s nothing you can do about it. But most firms won’t recognize this until it happens. Better to get far out in front while confusion reigns."
"Once you start delivering personalization, you create immense opportunities to make loyalty more convenient than disloyalty"
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
For International Travelers, Reviving the Fourth Amendment | Cato Institute
For International Travelers, Reviving the Fourth Amendment | Cato Institute: "the law-abiding majority enjoy many constitutional liberties only because the law-breaking minority fights for those protections to avoid jail. The result often isn’t pretty—and raises complaints about the guilty going free because of constitutional “technicalities”—but nevertheless benefits the rest of us."
"DHS stated: “We conclude that CPB’s and ICE’s current border search policies comply with the Fourth Amendment. We also conclude that imposing a requirement that officers have reasonable suspicions in order to conduct a border search of an electronic device would be operationally harmful without concomitant civil rights/civil liberties benefits.”
If the agency cannot discern the civil liberties benefits of keeping government agents out of my computer, then DHS desperately requires serious oversight and, more important, firm limits."
"DHS stated: “We conclude that CPB’s and ICE’s current border search policies comply with the Fourth Amendment. We also conclude that imposing a requirement that officers have reasonable suspicions in order to conduct a border search of an electronic device would be operationally harmful without concomitant civil rights/civil liberties benefits.”
If the agency cannot discern the civil liberties benefits of keeping government agents out of my computer, then DHS desperately requires serious oversight and, more important, firm limits."
'My Scientists Made Me Shrink Your Car' | Cato Institute
'My Scientists Made Me Shrink Your Car' | Cato Institute: "The government of Australia, and pretty much every other nation, funds research scientists and then relies on them for policy guidance. It is in the best interest of these government-funded scientists to ensure their fields — and therefore their jobs — are deemed of great importance."
"The initial [2000] assessment, however, would get only 1 out of 8 answers correct (12.5 percent) — essentially performing twice as badly as a random series of numbers.
The research program was aware of this problem and published its report anyway."
"The initial [2000] assessment, however, would get only 1 out of 8 answers correct (12.5 percent) — essentially performing twice as badly as a random series of numbers.
The research program was aware of this problem and published its report anyway."
Monday, June 17, 2013
BBC News - Google tests balloons to beam internet from near space
BBC News - Google tests balloons to beam internet from near space: "Each balloon is 15m (49.2ft) in diameter - the length of a small plane - and filled with lifting gases. Electronic equipment hangs underneath including radio antennas, a flight computer, an altitude control system and solar panels to power the gear.
Google aims to fly the balloons in the stratosphere, 20km (12 miles) or more above the ground, which is about double the altitude used by commercial aircraft and above controlled airspace.
Google says each should stay aloft for about 100 days and provide connectivity to an area stretching 40km in diameter below as they travel in a west-to-east direction."
"You have to cause them to move up or down just a little bit through the stratosphere to catch the appropriate wind - which is how we steer them."
Google aims to fly the balloons in the stratosphere, 20km (12 miles) or more above the ground, which is about double the altitude used by commercial aircraft and above controlled airspace.
Google says each should stay aloft for about 100 days and provide connectivity to an area stretching 40km in diameter below as they travel in a west-to-east direction."
"You have to cause them to move up or down just a little bit through the stratosphere to catch the appropriate wind - which is how we steer them."
Senate Immigration Bill Lurches to the Right | Cato Institute
Senate Immigration Bill Lurches to the Right | Cato Institute: "E-Verify mistakenly approves a majority of unlawful immigrant job applicants and, worse, misidentifies about one percent of American applicants as unlawful. That opens up another legal odyssey for many Americans who should not have to ask permission from the federal government to work."
"The Obama Administration vigorously prosecutes immigration violations, deportingapproximately 400,000 illegals annually — a 31 percent increase over the Bush years. And yet, the unlawful immigrant population has increased by almost 700,000 since 2009."
"The Obama Administration vigorously prosecutes immigration violations, deportingapproximately 400,000 illegals annually — a 31 percent increase over the Bush years. And yet, the unlawful immigrant population has increased by almost 700,000 since 2009."
Restrain the Abusive Administative State | Cato Institute
Restrain the Abusive Administative State | Cato Institute: " the broader the government’s authority, the greater its need for revenue, the wider its enforcement power, the more expansive the bureaucracy’s discretion, the increasingly important the battle for political control, and the more bitter the partisan fight, the more likely government officials will abuse their positions, violate rules, laws, and Constitution, and sacrifice people’s liberties.
The blame falls squarely on Congress, not the IRS."
"the denizens of Capitol Hill also have created a tax code marked by outrageous complexity, special interest electioneering, and systematic social engineering. Legislators have intentionally created avenues for tax avoidance to win votes, and then complained about widespread tax avoidance to win votes. Taxpayers are foolish if they do not take advantage of tax “loopholes,” but agency employees feel tasked to deny any claim that is not clear, even certain."
"Government has a difficult enough challenge combating crime, adjudicating disputes, restricting pollutants, and assisting the poor. Politicians have trouble enough controlling their own behavior and acting in a civilized fashion. They are the last people who should attempt to improve the behavior and mold the souls of others."
The blame falls squarely on Congress, not the IRS."
"the denizens of Capitol Hill also have created a tax code marked by outrageous complexity, special interest electioneering, and systematic social engineering. Legislators have intentionally created avenues for tax avoidance to win votes, and then complained about widespread tax avoidance to win votes. Taxpayers are foolish if they do not take advantage of tax “loopholes,” but agency employees feel tasked to deny any claim that is not clear, even certain."
"Government has a difficult enough challenge combating crime, adjudicating disputes, restricting pollutants, and assisting the poor. Politicians have trouble enough controlling their own behavior and acting in a civilized fashion. They are the last people who should attempt to improve the behavior and mold the souls of others."
Friday, June 14, 2013
Why the IRS Cannot Be Reformed | Cato Institute
Why the IRS Cannot Be Reformed | Cato Institute: "Every few years, at least from the time of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, there is a scandal involving abuse of power at the Internal Revenue Service."
"the nature of the income tax, which, by definition, is subjective in its interpretation of the definition of “income” and thus subject to abuse."
"Economic income is defined differently than taxable income. As a result, most companies are required by law to keep a separate set of books to comply both with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and IRS regulations — and often other sets of books to comply with the regulations of foreign countries."
"The IRS is inconsistent, even with individuals, in definitions of income. In some cases, adjustments are made for inflation, but not in other cases."
"The tax code is so complex that no individual can understand it, including those who work for the IRS."
"the nature of the income tax, which, by definition, is subjective in its interpretation of the definition of “income” and thus subject to abuse."
"Economic income is defined differently than taxable income. As a result, most companies are required by law to keep a separate set of books to comply both with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations and IRS regulations — and often other sets of books to comply with the regulations of foreign countries."
"The IRS is inconsistent, even with individuals, in definitions of income. In some cases, adjustments are made for inflation, but not in other cases."
"The tax code is so complex that no individual can understand it, including those who work for the IRS."
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
America on Welfare | Cato Institute
America on Welfare | Cato Institute: "There were more than two score housing programs, more than a score of nutrition programs, almost as many employment/training and health programs, and lesser numbers of cash assistance, community development, and disability programs. More expansive definitions count even more programs — 185 total, according to Peter Ferrara."
"Today government at all levels spends around $1 trillion a year on means tested anti-poverty programs."
That is over $20,000 per person in poverty! $80,000 for a family of 4. "With that kind of spending, no one should still be poor."
"Today government at all levels spends around $1 trillion a year on means tested anti-poverty programs."
That is over $20,000 per person in poverty! $80,000 for a family of 4. "With that kind of spending, no one should still be poor."
Monday, June 10, 2013
NSA Whistleblower Ed Snowden: From My Desk I Could Wiretap Anyone: You, A Federal Judge Or The President Of The US | Techdirt
NSA Whistleblower Ed Snowden: From My Desk I Could Wiretap Anyone: You, A Federal Judge Or The President Of The US | Techdirt: "I, sitting at my desk, certainly had the authorities to wiretap anyone, from you, or your accountant, to a federal judge, to even the President if I had a personal email."
Booz Allen Hamilton, federal contractor - CSMonitor.com
Booz Allen Hamilton, federal contractor - CSMonitor.com: "How on earth can you keep secrets if just one American company has enough people with top secret access to fill a mid-sized American town?
On top of that has been the trend over the past dozen years or so to make intelligence information more shareable. The old days of heavy compartmentalization are long over, all in the hopes of identifying patterns in intelligence collected by disparate agencies. That's one reason that Bradley Manning, a young soldier in Iraq, had access to almost the entirety of the State Department's database of classified cables, and was able to pull off his massive data dump to WikiLeaks."
"The Guardian has a good piece out today explaining the very good reasons why US intelligence increasingly relies on contractors - mostly because they're better at creating, and adapting to, new technology.
But with more and more people - and young people at that - getting access to top secret data, the surprise isn't the recent NSA leaks. It's that they're not more common."
On top of that has been the trend over the past dozen years or so to make intelligence information more shareable. The old days of heavy compartmentalization are long over, all in the hopes of identifying patterns in intelligence collected by disparate agencies. That's one reason that Bradley Manning, a young soldier in Iraq, had access to almost the entirety of the State Department's database of classified cables, and was able to pull off his massive data dump to WikiLeaks."
"The Guardian has a good piece out today explaining the very good reasons why US intelligence increasingly relies on contractors - mostly because they're better at creating, and adapting to, new technology.
But with more and more people - and young people at that - getting access to top secret data, the surprise isn't the recent NSA leaks. It's that they're not more common."
Friday, June 07, 2013
A Time for a New Style of Leadership - Campaign for Liberty
A Time for a New Style of Leadership - Campaign for Liberty: "as we progress further into the Internet age the Speaker of the House cannot dictate the agenda and control his or her caucus as easily as Speakers in the past. This is because representatives can circumvent the Speaker and take their arguments and concerns directly to the people with very little effort, something that was not possible 20 or even 10 years ago."
Intelligence chief blasts NSA leaks, declassifies some details about phone program limits | Fox News
Intelligence chief blasts NSA leaks, declassifies some details about phone program limits | Fox News: "Director of National Intelligence James Clapper called the disclosure of an Internet surveillance program "reprehensible" and said it risks Americans' security. He said a leak that revealed a program to collect phone records would affect how America's enemies behave and make it harder to understand their intentions."
The program itself is "reprehensible" and "risks Americans' security"
The program itself is "reprehensible" and "risks Americans' security"
Ohio prosecutor fired after posing as an accused killer's girlfriend on Facebook | Fox News
Ohio prosecutor fired after posing as an accused killer's girlfriend on Facebook | Fox News: "By creating false evidence, lying to witnesses as well as another prosecutor, Aaron Brockler has damaged the prosecution’s chances in a murder case"
Off-duty FBI agent almost shoots Detroit cop during simulated purse snatching | Fox News
Off-duty FBI agent almost shoots Detroit cop during simulated purse snatching | Fox News: "The officer takes the purse, runs around the gas station. As he's running, an off-duty FBI agent is pumping gas. He witnesses the whole thing. He gives chase. He pulls his weapon, and as he turns the corner around the gas station, he's stopped by another officer, who identifies herself as a police officer and don't shoot, don't shoot, this is a scenario"
Why would someone shoot over a purse?!?
Why would someone shoot over a purse?!?
Thursday, June 06, 2013
Pope: Wasting food is a moral crime against the poor - CSMonitor.com
Pope: Wasting food is a moral crime against the poor - CSMonitor.com: "Throwing away food is like stealing from the table of those who are poor and hungry,"
If people don't waste food, it doesn't mean that they will give the extra money to the poor. :-/
If people don't waste food, it doesn't mean that they will give the extra money to the poor. :-/
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Tapping 'noise canceling' data signals for faster Internet | Crave - CNET
Tapping 'noise canceling' data signals for faster Internet | Crave - CNET: "Instead of one light beam, two beams that are mirror images of each other are sent through the fiber. Each beam will gather noise per usual, but that distortion will also be mirrored, so when the two beams are recombined at their destination, the noise is cancelled out."
Universal plastic handcuff key reportedly sold online for as little as $10 | Fox News
Universal plastic handcuff key reportedly sold online for as little as $10 | Fox News: "A plastic handcuff key that could free a felon in seconds could be yours for just $10.50."
The problem isn't the plastic key -- the problem is that law enforcement thinks using a universal key is ok.
The problem isn't the plastic key -- the problem is that law enforcement thinks using a universal key is ok.
Florida students accused of stealing guns, selling them at high school | Fox News
Florida students accused of stealing guns, selling them at high school | Fox News: "Five Martin County high school students have been arrested for stealing and then selling guns on school property."
I doubt the guns were free in the school zone. :-p
A law and a sign aren't sufficient to keep guns away from schools.
I doubt the guns were free in the school zone. :-p
A law and a sign aren't sufficient to keep guns away from schools.
Tuesday, June 04, 2013
WORLD | Could technology make most abortions unthinkable? | La Shawn Barber | May 29, 2013
WORLD | Could technology make most abortions unthinkable? | La Shawn Barber | May 29, 2013: "Our society has rapidly and shamefully evolved to make killing the “non-viable” unborn a “right,” when the baby’s humanness should be the standard. Technological advances have revealed so much about fetal development. As they reveal even more about this miraculous process, could future generations liken us to the uniformed bloodletters of the past?"
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