lux et veritas
Nobody wants to go back to dark alleyways, but we also know that man-made light can pollute as well as illuminate.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Playing Into Mr. Morales’s Hands (NYT)
the tin tariff
The White House’s proposal to suspend Bolivia’s trade benefits altogether is self-defeating.
The White House’s proposal to suspend Bolivia’s trade benefits altogether is self-defeating.
Cut the Sprawl, Cut the Warming (NYT)
solar wind influenced
California’s latest initiative on climate change will help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Even more progress would be made if others follow.
California’s latest initiative on climate change will help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Even more progress would be made if others follow.
The Crisis Agenda (NYT)
it is vital that they try to attract votes
It is vital that Barack Obama and John McCain, one of whom will inherit a real mess, address the financial crisis in real detail at their debate Tuesday night.
It is vital that Barack Obama and John McCain, one of whom will inherit a real mess, address the financial crisis in real detail at their debate Tuesday night.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Scraping the Bottom (NYT)
rational debate desired
For free speech not to be tainted by hate-filled propaganda, the presidential campaigns should identify the ads for what they are — a product that has little regard for rational debate.
For free speech not to be tainted by hate-filled propaganda, the presidential campaigns should identify the ads for what they are — a product that has little regard for rational debate.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Pitbull Palin Mauls McCain (NYT)
the hope and change tradition
by Frank Rich
The 2008 election is now an Obama-Palin race about “the future,” and the only person who doesn’t seem to know it is Mr. Past, poor old John McCain.
by Frank Rich
The 2008 election is now an Obama-Palin race about “the future,” and the only person who doesn’t seem to know it is Mr. Past, poor old John McCain.
Sarah’s Pompom Palaver (NYT)
flyover country addressed
by Maureen Dowd
Watching Gov. Sarah Palin’s strenuously folksy debate performance, we could wonder when elite became a bad thing in America.
by Maureen Dowd
Watching Gov. Sarah Palin’s strenuously folksy debate performance, we could wonder when elite became a bad thing in America.
Racism Without Racists (NYT)
flaming liberal is another problem
by Nicolas D. Kristof
One of this season’s fallacies is that if Barack Obama is paying an electoral price for his skin tone, it must be because of racists. Not so — the evidence is that he is facing what scholars have dubbed “racism without racists.”
by Nicolas D. Kristof
One of this season’s fallacies is that if Barack Obama is paying an electoral price for his skin tone, it must be because of racists. Not so — the evidence is that he is facing what scholars have dubbed “racism without racists.”
Swedish Spoken Here (NYT)
foreigners prefer to invest here, being one
by Thomas L. Friedman
When the next president takes office, Americans should not be surprised when he spells out the ramifications of being a debtor nation.
by Thomas L. Friedman
When the next president takes office, Americans should not be surprised when he spells out the ramifications of being a debtor nation.
A Tale of Taint (NYT)
impressive new uniforms too
The way to fix the Food and Drug Administration’s image problems is with increased staffing, upgraded technology and more authority to protect American consumers.
The way to fix the Food and Drug Administration’s image problems is with increased staffing, upgraded technology and more authority to protect American consumers.
No Pay for Harm (NYT)
subscriptions down
Hospitals will no longer profit from their mistakes under a new payment policy just inaugurated by Medicare. Too bad the same will not be true of doctors, at least not yet.
Hospitals will no longer profit from their mistakes under a new payment policy just inaugurated by Medicare. Too bad the same will not be true of doctors, at least not yet.
Foreclosures and the Right to Vote (NYT)
democrat base addressed
With the recent foreclosure crisis, not much work has been done to ensure that people who lose their homes do not also lose their chance to vote.
With the recent foreclosure crisis, not much work has been done to ensure that people who lose their homes do not also lose their chance to vote.
Meanwhile, in the Economy (NYT)
unemployment benefits only extend recessions, is this news?
After the bank bailout passed, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, was unable to persuade Republicans to extend unemployment benefits. So much for Main Street.
After the bank bailout passed, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, was unable to persuade Republicans to extend unemployment benefits. So much for Main Street.
Saturday, October 04, 2008
Talking in Points (NYT)
snow white reenacted
by Gail Collins
McCain sprung his vice-presidential selection on us at the last minute, possibly under the impression that the country felt things had gotten too boring lately, and would appreciate the excitement of having a minimally experienced political unknown serving as backup to a 72-year-old cancer survivor.
by Gail Collins
McCain sprung his vice-presidential selection on us at the last minute, possibly under the impression that the country felt things had gotten too boring lately, and would appreciate the excitement of having a minimally experienced political unknown serving as backup to a 72-year-old cancer survivor.
Palin’s Alternate Universe (NYT)
limited skills deprecated
by Bob Herbert
In such a serious moment in American history, it’s hard to believe that someone with Sarah Palin’s limited skills could possibly be playing a leadership role.
by Bob Herbert
In such a serious moment in American history, it’s hard to believe that someone with Sarah Palin’s limited skills could possibly be playing a leadership role.
Dick Cheney, Role Model (NYT)
still smarting from ``major league asshole'' remark
It was hard to tell from Gov. Sarah Palin’s remarks in the vice-presidential debate if she understands how Dick Cheney has reshaped and damaged the office.
It was hard to tell from Gov. Sarah Palin’s remarks in the vice-presidential debate if she understands how Dick Cheney has reshaped and damaged the office.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
In New York, a Willing Suspension of Term Limits (NYT)
Obama for mayor of NYC, an amusing experiment
By RONALD S. LAUDER
Why do I believe term limits should be lifted temporarily to allow Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term? The answer is simple. I don’t want this city to repeat the early 1970s.
By RONALD S. LAUDER
Why do I believe term limits should be lifted temporarily to allow Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term? The answer is simple. I don’t want this city to repeat the early 1970s.
Show Us the Hope (NYT)
direct action urged against perverse side effects of previous direct action
The bailout bill, even the “sweetened” version, does little to avert the defaults and foreclosures that are pushing house values ever downward.
The bailout bill, even the “sweetened” version, does little to avert the defaults and foreclosures that are pushing house values ever downward.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
My Plan
Putting it in one place.
Change ``mark to market.'' It produces an instability in the system, whether taken as linear or nonlinear. A simple change is backward time averaging to the market, which gives you an unbiased eventual valuation but kills off the instability.
(The variance of the current market under mark to market is higher than the mistake produced by the lagging of an averaged estimator; and lagging spreads out any selling over a long enough time to look at things dispassionately.)
Change FDIC insurance limits way upward, and then declining under a leisurely schedule to avoid moral hazard being taken up as a business model. Similarly money market coverage. But it momentarily lets banks pay for and get huge deposits.
Change ``mark to market.'' It produces an instability in the system, whether taken as linear or nonlinear. A simple change is backward time averaging to the market, which gives you an unbiased eventual valuation but kills off the instability.
(The variance of the current market under mark to market is higher than the mistake produced by the lagging of an averaged estimator; and lagging spreads out any selling over a long enough time to look at things dispassionately.)
Change FDIC insurance limits way upward, and then declining under a leisurely schedule to avoid moral hazard being taken up as a business model. Similarly money market coverage. But it momentarily lets banks pay for and get huge deposits.
Rescue the Rescue (NYT)
law requiring both mark to market, and driving down market, not noticed
by Thomas L. Friedman
This is a credit crisis. It’s all about confidence.
by Thomas L. Friedman
This is a credit crisis. It’s all about confidence.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
