Inertia Wins!

Surveillance Cameras and Crime

Posted on March 3, 2008 | Comments Off

The Economist has concise monthly features on different cities online. This month’s Washington, DC edition has a short note on surveillance cameras placed in high-crime neighborhoods.

Surveillance cameras have precipitated a drop in crime in certain neighbourhoods, according to the District police. Violent crime rose by about 1% in Washington, DC, last year, but fell by 19% in areas within 250 feet of the cameras… council members are questioning whether they do anything more than simply push crime into other neighbourhoods.

Cato’s Jim Harper said much the same thing not too long ago.

Comments Off on Surveillance Cameras and Crime

Posted in Security Theater

Campaign Oddities

Posted on March 1, 2008 | Comments Off

“Steelworkers press Obama, Clinton to tackle China,” says a recent article in The Hill.

Taken literally, this is a very strange headline.

Those steelworkers must really not want to have any competitors to deal with.

Comments Off on Campaign Oddities

Posted in Economics, General Foolishness, Political Animals, Trade

The Things People Do to Each Other

Posted on February 29, 2008 | Comments Off

My girlfriend and I just finished watching Schindler’s List. I hadn’t seen it before.

I really don’t know what to say, except that we should all be glad we live in better times.

Comments Off on The Things People Do to Each Other

Posted in History, Philosophy

It’s Official

Posted on February 28, 2008 | Comments Off

Having solved all of America’s other problems, the FBI is opening an investigation on Roger Clemens.

I fail to see how the steroids issue concerns the federal government in any way. It is just sad how often this kind of over-reach happens.

Comments Off on It’s Official

Posted in Political Animals, Sports

Beyond Satire

Posted on February 27, 2008 | Comments Off

“Killer robots could become the weapon of choice for militants, a British expert said on Wednesday.”

I’m serious – the article is here.

Usually the hype and overreaction to the terrorist threat is depressing; car crashes kill twenty times more people. But this is hilarious.

Comments Off on Beyond Satire

Posted in Mankind's Doom, Security Theater

Clinton, Obama, and NAFTA

Posted on February 26, 2008 | Comments Off

In tonight’s debate, both candidates opposed NAFTA. Very strange. Sen. Clinton said it kills jobs. But it hasn’t; net employment grew by 2 million jobs per year for the first ten years of the agreement. The trend has continued; we’re talking about 26 million more jobs on net since NAFTA.

Both candidates want tougher labor and environmental standards added to the agreement. This is largely aimed at Mexico. Now, everyone wants workers to have higher pay, and everyone wants a cleaner environment. But those things cost money, which Mexico just doesn’t have much of. They need to grow before they can afford the standards the candidates favor. If we make them adopt them now, that growth will happen more slowly.

Then there’s the general nature of trade agreements. They’re basically agreements to lower tariffs. It’s like saying, “I’ll stop shooting myself in the foot, but only if you do the same.” Better to stop the shooting altogether and do away with protective tariffs, period.

Comments Off on Clinton, Obama, and NAFTA

Posted in Economics, Elections, Political Animals, Trade

Hoist upon His Own Petard

Posted on February 24, 2008 | Comments Off

John McCain is opting out of public financing for his campaign, and now the DNC is filing a complaint against him with the FEC.

McCain will never admit this publicly, but he probably doesn’t like his own campaign finance restriction legislation as much as he used to.

Comments Off on Hoist upon His Own Petard

Posted in Elections, Free Speech, Political Animals

Blood Moon

Posted on February 20, 2008 | Comments Off

There is a full lunar eclipse tonight. I was able to see it walking home from class. Turns out there’s also a view from my apartment’s balcony.

What a treat.

I’m a bit of an cosmology geek, something I picked up from my father over the years. One thing I noticed is that the eclipse really makes apparent the Earth’s larger diameter. As the Earth’s shadow was covering the moon, it didn’t look like the usual crescent moon; the demarcation between light and shadow had a much larger curve, almost to the point of being vertical.

Right now the eclipse is in totality, giving that famous “blood moon” red. It makes the moon look much more 3-D than usual. I don’t know the reason, but I suspect it has to do with interplay of light and shade. Instead of being totally illuminated or totally dark, the whole moon is faintly glowing. It makes the surface features easier to see, and also makes it look more like a sphere than a disc. Almost looks like it’s popping right out of the sky. Shame there won’t be another one until 2010.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to step outside and take another look.

Comments Off on Blood Moon

Posted in Science

More Fun with Headlines

Posted on February 19, 2008 | Comments Off

You know it’s a slow news day when pointless articles appear in prominent places in major newspapers, filling what is probably better left as empty space.

Today, the NY Times asks, “Is Obama a Mac and Clinton a PC?”

Short answer: No. They are both, in fact, people. They only seem like computers.

Comments Off on More Fun with Headlines

Posted in Elections, Media, Political Animals