Perhaps this isn’t the great philosophical difference between people that I think it is, but I find it significant enough to believe that it may explain at least some of the difference in people’s worldviews… Working for the legislature, I get to hear a lot of comments and criticisms from people who are not always… Continue reading Vive la différence
Month: August 2011
Closed-source software I use
As I’ve said before, I like using open source software whenever I can. So what close-sourced software do I use? Here’s the list below the jump:
Thoughts on “Angler”
The previous two books I read were decent enough, but Angler is one that I can recommend heartily. All about the Cheney Vice-Presidency, it paints a picture of Dick Cheney as the evil genius: smart enough after decades in Washington to know how to use the levers of power to get what he wants, and… Continue reading Thoughts on “Angler”
Requiem for a Pawlenty
So Tim Pawlenty has dropped out of the race for President. I’m not sure if anybody is really surprised; certainly, nobody should have expected a different outcome (I certainly didn’t). Which makes you wonder exactly why nobody bothered to tell him, although as long as the paychecks were still being signed I’m sure his advisors… Continue reading Requiem for a Pawlenty
Life isn’t fair
The quickest explanation of why we are in such a huge economic contraction/retrenchment is this: the real estate bubble of the aughts gave more equity to consumers in the form of rising home prices. They turned this equity into cash to fuel their spending. Now the bubble has burst, consumers have more debt than their… Continue reading Life isn’t fair
The Republican debate
I didn’t watch last night’s Republican debate in Iowa since it sounded about as much fun as, well, listening to Rick Santorum and Herman Cain and Michelle Bachmann wax political. The highlights were more than enough for me, and even those few minutes had me utterly confused and depressed.
Open source for school
I’ve said several times on this blog that I am a strong believer in open source software. I’ve found that it’s pretty easy to find open source replacements for most of the things you need to do on a computer on a daily basis. Then past year has shown that this applies just as much… Continue reading Open source for school
The Wisconsin recalls
On first blush, the results of yesterday’s recall elections in Wisconsin would appear to be disheartening for Democrats. They won only two out of the six elections, one short of taking over the state senate. The goal of changing the dynamics in the legislature was not achieved, and so some may feel it was all… Continue reading The Wisconsin recalls
Thoughts on Innumeracy
I recently read the book Innumeracy by John Allen Paulos. It’s a fairly short book about how mathematical illiteracy is so dangerous, although if you have been paying attention to the beliefs of the public and many of our elected officials during the recent budget crises at the state and federal level, it’s pretty obvious… Continue reading Thoughts on Innumeracy
Are we doomed?
The economy is in terrible shape these days, not only in the U.S., but around the globe. And there doesn’t seem to be any way out of it. In Europe, the debt crisis clearly calls out for two solutions, default and inflation. Unfortunately, these are anathema to the ECB, leaving the continent to muddle along… Continue reading Are we doomed?