Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Use It Before You Lose It
Hey, somebody with power actually using it for good.
The state shouldn't be empowered to kill its own citizens, except maybe people who stop at the ends of escalators.
The state shouldn't be empowered to kill its own citizens, except maybe people who stop at the ends of escalators.
Ride Through The Sky
I still haven't figured out why cable car systems aren't more commonly used for mass transit systems. They have a small footprint, mostly don't have rights-of-way problems, have low operating costs, and are pretty cheap to build. Some people have suggested high maintenance costs to me, but I don't know if that's true.
I haven't been to La Paz, but I have been to Puno. Get your doctor to prescribe Diamox if you go, that altitude is a killer.
I haven't been to La Paz, but I have been to Puno. Get your doctor to prescribe Diamox if you go, that altitude is a killer.
Does Anybody Remember MOOCs?
They were all anybody who wrote about education would talk about for awhile. Where did that all go?
Apparently administrators finally figured out that a "course in a box" actually costs a lot of money, that it doesn't scale nearly as well as they hoped, that they are a substitute for "learning from a book" not "learning from a person," and you can't charge $50,000 per year tuition simply because your prestigious name will be on the online course degree.
I knew all of this because I saw people experimenting with online courses...15 years ago. The technology, except maybe easy use of video (you could use video, it was just a bit more of a pain), was all there then...
Apparently administrators finally figured out that a "course in a box" actually costs a lot of money, that it doesn't scale nearly as well as they hoped, that they are a substitute for "learning from a book" not "learning from a person," and you can't charge $50,000 per year tuition simply because your prestigious name will be on the online course degree.
I knew all of this because I saw people experimenting with online courses...15 years ago. The technology, except maybe easy use of video (you could use video, it was just a bit more of a pain), was all there then...
Gun Nuttery
I really don't understand why people think carrying guns around with them makes them safe. Maybe I'll make an exception for people who are taking the day's receipts to the bank, or similar, but most people don't live in high crime areas, and even in high crime areas "stranger danger" is actually pretty rare. People mostly hurt people they know, not people they don't know, and having guns around the house is just asking for trouble.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Overnight Crass Commercialism
No kickback for me, but Greg Pak seems like a good guy who writes good stuff so if you like the comics buy some! Discount code 2015 for 15% off!
Dear Penthouse Forum
I see no reason to be skeptical at all.
In a brochure handed out to retail executives it's courting, developer Triple Five claims toy giant FAO Schwarz will be moving from its famous Manhattan headquarters to the Meadowlands. Other retail stores that plan to open shop in the American Dream include anchor stores for Victoria's Secret, The Gap, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor, according to the brochure.
A number of European stores, concept shops and the usual retail suspects at American malls are close to signing lease deals with Triple Five, The Record reported.
Just A Good Old Boy
I really can't believe there's some debate about whether a prominent Lousiana politician really knew just what that nice Mr. David Duke thought about things.
Um Because Even Proponents Never Had Any Explanation For How It Would Work?
1) Destroy demand in the middle of a depression
2) ??
3) Cure depression!!!
At least US "trickle down" isn't completely implausible. Give money to rich people and maybe they'll buy some stuff from the rest of us! I'm not sure how belt tightening is supposed to trickle down. Perhaps we should ask the Wookies on Endor.
2) ??
3) Cure depression!!!
Nowhere have austerity policies been more aggressively tried — and generally failed to live up to results promised by advocates — than in Greece. After more than four years of belt tightening, patience is wearing thin, and tentative signs of improvement have not yet trickled down into the lives of average Greeks.
At least US "trickle down" isn't completely implausible. Give money to rich people and maybe they'll buy some stuff from the rest of us! I'm not sure how belt tightening is supposed to trickle down. Perhaps we should ask the Wookies on Endor.
Probably Should Bring Out The Wrecking Ball
Shut off the utilities, and...
ACR Energy Partners L.L.C., which owns and operates the central utility plant attached to the bankrupt Revel Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, did not have enough money to make a $6.9 million interest payment to bondholders due Dec. 1, according to a regulatory filing.
Because of its money squeeze, ACR now wants to shut off service to the Revel boardwalk complex.
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